Bikes for homeless people (Perth)

twowheels
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Bikes for homeless people (Perth)

Postby twowheels » Thu Jan 12, 2017 11:06 pm

Hi WA forumers,
This summer I've become more organised in my endeavours to recycle bikes. Previously I've done this on an ad hoc basis. I strip down, lubricate and rebuild perhaps two or three to make up a roadworthy and reliable steed which I then donate to homeless shelters. I ensure all the bikes I give away have working and effective brakes, reflectors and bell as required.
However with many councils now putting an end to hard rubbish days it is becoming increasingly difficult to locate suitable stock. Irony, less grass roots recycling.
So I'm wondering if any of you may be able to help with supplies on occasion. At present I have four bikes on the go, plus one actually.
I focus my efforts on 26" vee brake geared mountain bikes with three piece bottom brackets (loose bearing or cartridge). This provides good interchangeability of parts and makes storage less of an issue. (the plus one above is a 700C flip flop hub fixie I'm giving a once over for one of the shelters). I do use 26" one piece frames as a source of "common" parts, reflectors, bells, forks, chains, derailleurs, wheels, tyres, tubes etc. Other bikes can also be a source of parts including bottom brackets.
thanks

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chuckchunder
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Re: Bikes for homeless people (Perth)

Postby chuckchunder » Fri Jan 13, 2017 7:46 pm

Hi twowheels

We occasionally get abandoned/dumped bikes where I work, I'll keep you in mind in future.

cheers
"We have thousands of miles of cycling infrastructure, we just need to get the cars off them....." US advocate

twowheels
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Re: Bikes for homeless people (Perth)

Postby twowheels » Sat Jan 14, 2017 3:02 pm

thanks chuck, that would be great, pls PM me. Finished another one this morning ready for delivery Monday.

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Mububban
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Re: Bikes for homeless people (Perth)

Postby Mububban » Thu Jan 19, 2017 11:04 am

The loss of kerbside collection makes the recycler in me sad :( My wife and kids have both ridden kerbside bikes for years, it's amazing what people throw out.

If I see anything appropriate I'll let you know.
When you are driving your car, you are not stuck IN traffic - you ARE the traffic!!!

cp123
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Re: Bikes for homeless people (Perth)

Postby cp123 » Thu Jan 19, 2017 12:00 pm

wow. what a nice thing to do 2wheels. goodonya!

twowheels
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Re: Bikes for homeless people (Perth)

Postby twowheels » Thu Jan 19, 2017 3:01 pm

thx mububban & cp123.
also to eldavo who PM'd me with an offer of a new bicycle helmet in box!

twowheels
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Re: Bikes for homeless people (Perth)

Postby twowheels » Sun Jan 22, 2017 8:18 pm

Pretty certain I saw one of the bikes I have donated being ridden in James St Northbridge today. Very satisfying feeling.

cj7hawk
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Re: Bikes for homeless people (Perth)

Postby cj7hawk » Mon Jan 23, 2017 2:23 pm

I saw more than 20 bikes thrown out in the past month :( Many in functional condition and some showing very little sign of wear - other than a thin patina of surface rust where they had not been used for a long time. Two of the bikes I saw appeared brand new - as in no visible wear or damage at all - young girls bikes complete with intact tassles. Mind you, that particular house did set up an immaculate kerbside throwout with 50l containters separating everything. Next day the bikes were gone and the contents of the containers upended on the ground.

Probably about half the bikes are 26" and GIANT brand are common.

Where abouts are you located and what general quality are you looking for? I can keep my eye out -

David

twowheels
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Re: Bikes for homeless people (Perth)

Postby twowheels » Mon Jan 23, 2017 8:20 pm

I am in Perth. OP gives details of what I'm doing. (I would add square taper bottom bracket to the detail.) Thanks.

twowheels
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Re: Bikes for homeless people (Perth)

Postby twowheels » Mon Jan 23, 2017 8:26 pm

My parts bin is short of something. Currently working on a bike with 7 speed freehub cassette with loose cogs. The sixth gear (14T) has two teeth broken off. Original SRAM cassette is 12-14-16-18-21-26-32, from interweb search I'm thinking this is a SRAM PG-730 12-32 7-Speed PowerGlide II Mountain Bike Cassette.
Could anyone help out with a complete cassette, either as above or equivalent Shimano, or a suitable 14T replacement cog?
thanks

twowheels
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Re: Bikes for homeless people (Perth)

Postby twowheels » Fri Feb 03, 2017 8:44 pm

G'day, another bike almost finished, existing fork not serviceable, wondering if anyone could help with a

26" fork, (rigid preferred, suspension okay), with linear pull brake bosses, 1 inch threaded steerer X 150 mm long.

thanks

jcshea
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Re: Bikes for homeless people (Perth)

Postby jcshea » Fri Feb 10, 2017 4:36 pm

Hello!

Where can we drop off a bike?

twowheels
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Re: Bikes for homeless people (Perth)

Postby twowheels » Sun Feb 12, 2017 8:31 pm

jcshea wrote:Hello!

Where can we drop off a bike?
pls PM me, include with details of the type of bike

twowheels
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Re: Bikes for homeless people (Perth)

Postby twowheels » Sat Feb 25, 2017 12:06 pm

Delivered two more bikes to a homeless shelter yesterday ... sweet!

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Re: Bikes for homeless people (Perth)

Postby twowheels » Mon Apr 24, 2017 6:49 pm

Liberated two more bikes to homeless shelter over the last two weeks.

lunar_c
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Re: Bikes for homeless people (Perth)

Postby lunar_c » Wed Apr 26, 2017 8:36 pm

Which shelters are you helping out with the bikes mate?

I'm a drug and alcohol/community nurse who works with the homeless in the Perth area at a bunch of shelters and crisis accommodation centres.

Bikes are a huge help for people experiencing homelessness as it helps them get around to the (sporadically placed) homeless/government services in Perth cbd, and then generally out to find a place to sleep that's a bit safer than the cbd.

The average life expectancy of someone sleeping rough is 47 years, and your efforts will be making a difference to improving upon that .. keep up the good work.

twowheels
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Re: Bikes for homeless people (Perth)

Postby twowheels » Thu Apr 27, 2017 7:12 pm

St Barts & one in suburb (that has no signage to aid client confidentiality, so I won't name). I'm currently looking for others, pls PM me if you can suggest.
Thanks for your feedback. I worked with clients with mh & d&a & many homeless about 10 years ago. Recognised a need.

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Re: Bikes for homeless people (Perth)

Postby trailgumby » Thu Apr 27, 2017 9:42 pm

lunar_c wrote:The average life expectancy of someone sleeping rough is 47 years, and your efforts will be making a difference to improving upon that .. keep up the good work.
Oh wow. I didn't know it was so bad. :(

On the walk from the bus stop to my office I used to see a group outside The Public Trustee in Sussex St in Sydney who would wait there weekday mornings for their allowance. Some of them had quite challenging behaviours and I twice called police for help because one of their clients was being beaten up by another. Eventually they employed a uniformed security guard from earlier in the morning, which I was glad to see and it made things safer and discouraged some of the other unsavoury behaviours I'd seen such as IV drug use. I was never personally threatened.

There was one gent there who was always clean, clean-shaven and well presented with a beret and faux-airman jacket and baggy trousers, who to my dismay one day turned up with crutches and plaster encasing one leg. I'm guessing he had been beaten up or hit by a car. Eventually the plaster was removed but he never lost the dependency on the crutches and watching his slow demise because services like physiotherapy that you and I take for granted were inaccessible to him was heartbreaking.

You who work with these guys to try and help and if not return them to a normal life at least help them to do the best with what they've got have my admiration.

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Re: Bikes for homeless people (Perth)

Postby Wixxy » Fri Apr 28, 2017 12:54 am

Have you had dealings with Bike for Humanity that work out of the Swan area?

I visited the main guy in Guildford with parts, their main area is overseas or Aboriginal groups (mainly up North I believe).

He may have some excess of parts as I know he's / they are selective on frame condition.

twowheels
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Re: Bikes for homeless people (Perth)

Postby twowheels » Fri Apr 28, 2017 9:45 pm

Bikes for Humanity do a great job, I spoke with them at length at the finish of Giro d'Perth.
What I recognised is the lack of a similar recycled bike program for people in need in Perth.
Regarding trailgumby's comment Oh wow. I didn't know it was so bad., I was surprised also. But apparently it is well documented at around 45 to 49, https://probonoaustralia.com.au/news/20 ... ctancy-47/ varies with studies.

One article I located indicated Homeless Australians have shorter lifespan than Africans: study http://www.abc.net.au/news/2014-09-12/a ... ns/5741024
So my thinking is, think local, cause we have much need here also.

lunar_c
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Re: Bikes for homeless people (Perth)

Postby lunar_c » Sat Apr 29, 2017 1:24 pm

There is indeed. In my cohort of patients I have unfortunately lost about 10 people in the last 12 months. It comes in waves - 4 in the past 2 weeks.

St Bart's I work with closely and run clinics there, there is a huge need for bikes there as it is a setting where guys are trying to get their mh/d&a back under control (usually this is after it has led to relationship breakdowns/dv or family discord that has resulted in them becoming homeless or inadequately housed e.g couch surfing) and re-enter the work force.

Bikes provide them with free transport that opens up their opportunities significantly.

There's also the huge aspect of mental health .. improvements associated with regular exercise and indeed just getting outside, and a bike offers a bit of an incentive to do that for some.

In addition to the medical aspects of my work we do a lot of work in advocacy and getting people housed in collaboration with community services like St Bart's, Tranby house, the Beacon and Ruah (which is ultimately our focus as this is the single biggest contributing factor to health outcomes in this population) and I do evening shifts supporting people who are newly housed .. helping them adjust to being rehoused and also working on their mh/d&a.

There's a honeymoon period that lasts about 4-6 weeks where they are elated to be off the streets and in a house.

Then they tend to get depressed, and the lack of routine (your days are filled by accessing the basic needs to survive on the streets) in a house means they often find it difficult to cope with the change.

As you may well know public housing is spread around the suburbs so bikes make a big difference here in helping them get around.

What I've been really wanting to do with some of my patients is get them involved in something purposeful like fixing up a bike to get them moving or teach them bike maintenance or something as a form of therapy and some skill building.

It's just another one of my ideas I don't have time for...

The services I work with are St Bart's (who you already work with) Ruah community services (33 Shenton St, Northbridge, ph 137824) Tranby house which is another drop in centre in Northbridge (5/5 Aberdeen st, 9220 1200) where people experiencing homelessness go to get hot meals, showers, healthcare and advocacy services.

I'm sure they'd love to have a contact like you to get bikes for people who need some wheels!

There's also the Beacon (94927100) run by the salvos on Aberdeen st which is a lot like St Bart's - crisis/transitional accomodation.

If I think of any others I'll get in touch

twowheels
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Re: Bikes for homeless people (Perth)

Postby twowheels » Wed May 31, 2017 9:52 pm

Another bike delivered via lunar_c to a client of his this evening, thanks for your help! :D

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hiflange
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Re: Bikes for homeless people (Perth)

Postby hiflange » Thu Jun 01, 2017 12:19 am

twowheels wrote:Bikes for Humanity do a great job, I spoke with them at length at the finish of Giro d'Perth.
Hi Paul, I don't know who you spoke to at the GdP but it would be worth approaching them at a board level. B4H only send 26" wheels bikes to Africa. Anything else is offloaded locally, that means 27.5" and 29'er MTB's (they get a few), as well as piles of 70's and 80's 10,12, 14 speed steelies. I was helping them connect with buyers one by one but without a shop I think the burden on the workshop manager was too great and they're now flogging them in quantity to a bike shop in Burswood. I think it's a great shame. Selling the excess bikes to the public helped spread knowledge of their work. It would be great to see these excess bikes helping the underprivileged in WA.

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Re: Bikes for homeless people (Perth)

Postby lunar_c » Fri Jun 02, 2017 10:49 am

So nice to meet you the other night Paul!

I can't discuss much of the details due to confidentiality reasons, but my patient (who was up til recently homeless) was thrilled to have some wheels again, and I believe it will have a positive effect on his health both physical and mental.

Look forward to collaborating more in future!

twowheels
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Re: Bikes for homeless people (Perth)

Postby twowheels » Mon Jun 05, 2017 12:54 pm

RobertFrith wrote:
twowheels wrote:Bikes for Humanity do a great job, I spoke with them at length at the finish of Giro d'Perth.
Hi Paul, I don't know who you spoke to at the GdP but it would be worth approaching them at a board level. B4H only send 26" wheels bikes to Africa. Anything else is offloaded locally, that means 27.5" and 29'er MTB's (they get a few), as well as piles of 70's and 80's 10,12, 14 speed steelies. I was helping them connect with buyers one by one but without a shop I think the burden on the workshop manager was too great and they're now flogging them in quantity to a bike shop in Burswood. I think it's a great shame. Selling the excess bikes to the public helped spread knowledge of their work. It would be great to see these excess bikes helping the underprivileged in WA.
g'day Rob, thx for your suggestion, I've PM'd you.

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