Bike Commute Challenge Team Profile: Community Cycling Center
Posted by: StephanieOct 01 2008, 5:29 pm
Sometime last week we started getting emails from teams competing in the "Businesses and Non-Profits in the 25-99 employees" category of the Bike Commute Challenge asking why the Community Cycling Center was in their category instead of competing against other bike shops.
The truth is that the Community Cycling Center is a non-profit of which only about 15 of their approximately 50 peak-season employees work as shop staff. I contacted the CCC to let them know we were getting questions about the way they were categorized in the Challenge. They responded with the following statement.
"The Community Cycling Center is a nonprofit with a mission to broaden access to bicycling and its benefits through our hands-on programs, volunteer projects, and neighborhood bike shop. More than 1,500 low-income children and adults will earn their own bicycles in our programs this year. Another 500 children and adults will attend our classes and camps and become safer, more confident riders. The bicycles we use in our programs are donated by the community and are refurbished by our skilled mechanics. So while we sell bikes and accessories in our shop, it is more often a classroom for our classes and camps as well as a workspace for our recycling and volunteer programs. We're the Community Cycling Center, and we're more than a bike shop."
I think that sets the record straight for anyone who thought the CCC was mostly a bike shop.
However, other folks have raised the question about what the spirit of the Bike Commute Challenge is. Does it makes sense for a bike-focused non-profit like the CCC with an extraordinarily high year-round bike commute rate to compete against other businesses and non-profits working hard to get folks who may never have considered bike commuting to try it in September?
Probably not. It looks like this year the BTA will be announcing two first place winners in the Businesses and Non-profits with 25-99 employees category: the bike non-profit whose extraordinary commute rate deserves to be recognized and the "regular" business or non-profit who truly rose to the challenge. Those results will be announced next week.
And next year. . . the BTA and CCC might just have to go head to head in a category all our own.
And the BTA would kick the CCC's arse!
Hmmmm…
Why doesn't the CCC split their BCC challenge stats the same way they split their physical offices and their staff:
Programs & Bike Shop.
It's not like their staff flexes between the two jobs (um ,other than their management, I suppose.)
That way, their bike shop can compete against other bike shops, and their "non-profit" programs teams can go up against other more similar organizations.
Of course, if they want to compete with the BTA, well, I say let em.
In response to Mike's Comment and to address a common misconception…
The staff of the Community Cycling Center does flex between several positions. Our mechanics do more than just fix bikes. They are also instructors, they help kids fix flats and get helmets through our Wee Cycle program, and they are the force behind building up awesome bikes that we provide through our programs. Our administrative staff is often found in the shop answering questions if our retail staff is super busy.
We are one team working towards a common goal as a community non-profit, it does not make sense to have us split into two categories.
Regarding the head to head challenge with the BTA ; sounds like an awesome opportunity and I'm looking forward to next year! Bring it BTA!