Tag: Sue Knaup

One Street Makes the Shift

One-StreetOur friend Sue Knaup, executive director of One Street, has updated on the progress on the efforts to bring out the simple Bike Shift Lever. The group has been working to develop and produce easy to use, easy to repair bike components. It seems like progress is really being made.

The long hunt for a machine shop willing and happy to make our permanent casting mold for our Bike Shift Levers, has finally come to an end. They will begin machining the first mold out of steel this week at their shop in Salt Lake City, Utah. I’m thrilled that we have finally reached this next important step in the production process to create these simple, durable shift levers designed for people who rely on their bicycle every day.

This first mold will be a prototype marked as “Mold #1 2014” so that the shift levers I produce with it here in Prescott will be collector quality, sent only to supporters of our Kickstarter campaign last October. With their feedback, we will adjust the mold design so that the next mold will be ready for full production.

If all goes well, I should be using that second mold here in Prescott to produce shift levers for sale by late summer. At that point, we’ll also be ready to sign up license partners who are prepared to buy in and receive their own mold for producing these shift levers for their region of the world.

Defying Poverty with Bicycles Official Blog

OneStreet Launches Blog to Defy Poverty

OneStreetOur friends at OneStreet have announced that the bicycle advocacy group has launched a new blog to further the discussion about bicycles and poverty. This has grown out of the publication Defying Poverty with Bicycles by Sue Knaup, the group’s executive director.

Knaup hopes to discuss a number of issues including:

    • Can bike programs thrive if they are run by outsiders?
    • Is there a way to make volunteer-led programs sustainable?
    • What are the benefits and pitfalls of volunteer-led programs?
    • What are the various problems with giving away bikes?
    • How to move from giving away bikes to selling them?
    • How to realize the value and expertise of people living in or near poverty?

Join the discussion.

Defying Poverty With Bicycles Blog

Anyone’s Bike Lever

Bike-LeverWe’re happy to report that our friend Sue Knaup and One Street Components have launched the Kickstarter campaign for the Bike Shift Lever for Anybody, by Anybody. These levers feature a system design that can be easily repaired by just about anyone.

The project is nearly the end of the line on Kickstarter and needs your help. Even a $1 minimum pledge can help get this project rolling so that people everywhere have access to easily repairable bicycle components! Video after the jump

Six Parts to Shift

Bike-Shift-LeverOne thing we’ve noted with bicycles is that everything is getting a lot more complicated, especially when it comes to repair. This is no doubt good for the bike shops, but it can be bad for those who depend on a bicycle as a primary means of transportation.

It is a small problem for bicycle commuters in America when something breaks, as it means finding another way to work such as driving or taking mass transit. Generally riders in the developed world head to the shop and get the part fixed. In the developing world this isn’t so easy.

This is where One Street Components comes in with its Bike Shift Lever for Anybody, by Anybody. Sue Knaup of One Street has worked hard to develop a simple shifter that is easy to make, easy to use and most importantly of all easy to fix.

“People who rely on their bicycle can only choose from ridiculously complex, expensive shift levers or ones made from plastic and pot metal,” said Sue Knaup, One Street’s executive director. “Both types break within a few months of daily use and cannot be repaired. That’s why these new shift levers are so important for keeping people pedaling.”

One Street has just launched a Kickstarter site to bring out the simple shifter. It could be a shift towards good for those who depend on a bicycle. Video after the jump

Bicycle to Combat Poverty

While many Americans ride bikes for pleasure, few actually rely on the bicycle as a primary means of transportation. In some parts of the world the bicycle can change the world. Sue Knaup, executive director of One Street, has worked for years to help those in the developing world get bicycles.

She recently authored the new book, Defying Poverty with Bicycles: How to Succeed with Your Own Social Bike Business Program, which explores many of the concepts that she experienced in her more than 36 years working for and leading nonprofits. We say kudos to our friend Sue in providing this insight to anyone who truly understands how bicycles can change the world, one pedal stroke at a time.

One Street Press Official Website

One Street Goes the Right Way By Launching Components Arm

Getting bikes to those who need them is just one way that One Street helps, but now the organization has announced that it has launched a new program to help address the issue of what happens after bike parts wear out. Now the international bicycle advocacy nonprofit has launched One Street Components. This new components arm of the organization has become necessary as One Street’s Social Bike Business program provides durable transportation bikes to impoverished people in communities around the world.

Each local program starts by refurbishing used bikes as they move toward manufacturing their own steel frames, forks and racks. This local manufacturing will be necessary as the bike industry no longer produces quality, affordable transportation bikes. But an alarming pattern has been hindering even the refurbishing stage. Continue reading One Street Goes the Right Way By Launching Components Arm