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MAKING A DIFFERENCE
STRENGTHENING THE SPARE PARTS PIPELINE
 Over the last 5 weeks, I spent a lot of time in remote communities of Zambia with our trained Field Mechanics. Our Field Mechanic program is set up with sustainability in mind, to ensure that bike maintenance and repair is available and consistent deep into rural areas. To date, we are just a little shy of 300 community-selected individuals trained, equipped and enabled to go into business. The program's target is 400. Their training consists of 2 days of business skills and 3 days of mechanics training.
As I traveled in the field, I had three questions I wanted answered:
- After 6 months or more, how were the mechanics doing?
- Now that they were in business, did they have suggestions on how to improve the Field Mechanics program?
- How was the pipeline of spare parts into rural and remote areas?
 I came away profoundly encouraged by the program and the entrepreneurial drive of our Field Mechanics, but also with a clear list of areas where we needed to improve. In collegiate terms, I'd give us a solid "B" with the caveat that "A+" is achievable with a little tweaking and connecting.
Here's what I found:
- Everywhere we have completed a distribution, I encountered one or more of our trained mechanics. They were in business, with customers, and actively supporting their communities. The consistent feedback to our training program was that the mechanics would have preferred to spend more time (7 or 8 days) and get more business and mechanical training, along with closer connections to micro-finance.
- The most impactful part of the feedback loop for me was the Field Mechanics' experience with spare parts: They had plenty of access to standard spare parts, which except in a few areas, are fully compatible with our bikes. However, where they had the greatest need was in obtaining the heavy-duty original parts that we use on our bikes.
 Armed with this feedback, we brought six of our Master Mechanics from remote territories to Lusaka to brainstorm around this issue and come up with a plan. We dug deep, and brought in our leading distributor of original spare parts, our micro-finance partner HARMOS to talk of capital availability options, and our business trainer to talk of purchasing methodology, inventory control and the management of loans and interest rates.
We are constantly learning, and based on these interactions we will tweak and connect, and take that "B" toward the "A+" that it can be. It won't happen over night, and it won't be easy, but we are committed. And more importantly, our Field Mechanics are committed. - F.K.
FROM THE FIELD by Marlene Krygowski
FIELD MECHANICS UNDER THE STARS
Leah and I have known each other for many years, and it didn't take much convincing for me to agree to be her assistant for a short while on her most recent trip to Zambia. Little did I know the hard work, loving environment and insanity that was in store! My role quickly developed into supporting the documentation of a multitude of people's lives touched and enriched by World Bicycle Relief.
On April 18, Leah and I spent a long day visiting the Hope and Joy Youth Group, who utilize World Bicycle Relief bicycles to train other young Zambians on the dangers of HIV/AIDS. In addition, they have learned to turn the bike into a business tool, and generate income through hauling goods to and from the market, or moving people as a taxi.
 Although the sun was quickly setting, we still had yet to visit the bike assembly warehouse, where a new group of Field Mechanics were being trained. Abson Kafiswe, our Project Manager in Zambia, hustled us off to the facility, where we met Baldwin Banda, Chief Mechanic, who was grilling the trainees with questions about bike parts and functions.
Abson then interpreted as we interviewed 19 brand-new Field Mechanics who would soon be repairing bicycles in the Eastern Province of the Chipata area. These new mechanics stood straight, tall and proud as they spoke. They profusely thanked World Bicycle Relief for this opportunity. The men were chosen by their village chiefs to be in the program, and most of them had been farmers with wives and multiple children making little money, surviving long, hard days in the fields. We learned that it then takes two or more hours of walking to get the corn to the market. This new trade will add to their ability to care for their families.
As we listened closely to the men's stories, the sun dropped quickly. Leah lost precious sunlight, yet still needed to photograph the mechanics' faces. The sky was red on the western horizon with a full moon rising over the grassy hills of Chipata. Leah was driven to capture the portraits of these dedicated and passionate men. She instructed Abson to pull the World Bicycle Relief truck up to a wall and to point the headlights onto their faces. Her determination and creativity was inspirational, and I was proud to be a part of it.
The night was black, and the insects croaked loudly. Leah photographed all nineteen Zambian bike mechanics under the stars. The experience was truly awesome, and I am happy to be a part of the World Bicycle Relief family.
DEVELOPMENT UPDATE by Jill Reid, VP of Development
DREAM BIG, CLIMB HIGH FOR WORLD BICYCLE RELIEF
The stories we hear from World Bicycle Relief supporters around the world are inspiring. From a local bake sale to a cross-continent bicycle ride, the membes of our "team" have come up with creative and energetic ways to raise awareness and funds for our programs. We're pretty certain, though, that Andy Henrichs will use all his energy for his particular quest!
 Andy hails from Carbondale, Colorado, and is a certified athletic trainer at Valley View Hospital in Glenwood Springs. He also spends afternoons at Roaring Fok High School in Carbondale, where he works with student-athletes to assess, treat and rehabilitate injuries. He gets there by bike - his Xtracycle-equipped mountain bike allows him to transport all of his medical equipment from the school to the athletic fields.
Although he's only been cycling for four years, it seems he has the bug. Somewhere during his travels on two wheels he hatched a plan: support a bicycling-related organization by doing something audacious. And his idea is really big!
Starting in early June, Andy will ride his bike to the base of each of Colorado's 54 "Fourteeners" - mountain peaks over 14,000 ft. tall. He will then summit each one on foot, for a total of more than 1,400 miles cycling and 350 miles hiking! Along the way, he is raising contributions to buy two World Bicycle Relief bicycles per summit, or $11,772. He's more than halfway there, and his journey hasn't even begun!
You can learn more about Andy on his fundraising page at worldbicyclerelief.kintera.org/andrewh. He's also generated some pretty amazing buzz in the Colorado adventure community, including several mentions in local and statewide media. With this much exposure before he starts, it's a sure bet Andy will meet and exceed his goal once his journey begins. Wish him luck!
GRASSROOTS ROUNDUP
"TEAM" WORLD BICYCLE RELIEF EFFORTS
AROUND THE WORLD
Each month, we hear from World Bicycle Relief Team members who are spreading The Power of Bicycles® in their communities. If you or someone you know is making a difference, please let us know!
- Nine-year-old Natalie Kerr contacted us to ask whether she
 could represent World Bicycle Relief at the Midwest Mountain Bike Festival near Peoria, Illinois. She set out to raise enough contributions for two bicycles, and ended up collecting more than $1,000!
- The Joseph Sears Grade School in Kenilworth, Ill., raised more than $130 for World Bicycle Relief through their cookie bake sale.
- "Bicycle Bill" Middeke used his $100 Bible and Breakfast challenge at his church to purchase ingredients and hold a bake sale - and he raised nearly $780!
It's easy to get involved as a Team member. Volunteer opportunities are available in the Upcoming Events listing to the right, or contact us to learn how you can work within your own community. We'd love to hear from you!
TECH NOTES by Craig DeAmbrose, Product Manager
NOT YOUR AVERAGE WHEEL
Wheels on a bicycle make it the lightweight, efficient transportation tool that it is, suitable for many conditions. The wheels on the World Bicycle Relief bike are designed to offer great strength and load-carrying capacity. These features make the wheels the most important part of our bike.
At a glance, they may look like a normal bicycle wheel; in fact, they are quite far from "average."
The modern bicycle wheel has remained relatively unchanged for ove 100 years (pretty amazing!), and without getting too technical the typical bicycle wheel can be broken down into 4 parts:
- The hub
- Spokes and nipples
- The rim
- The tire
These components work together to create the wheel: the hub at the center is connected by spokes and nipples to the rim, which holds the tire. The front wheel doesn't need to be as strong as the rear as most of the load on a bike gets centered on the rear wheel.
If you look at a typical wheel you'll notice that the spokes simply don't extend straight out from the hub like the rays of the sun. Instead, there is a fairly complex pattern in which the spokes interweave with one another: A wheel built in this pattern with average-quality spokes, rim and hub can withstand a load of up to 1,000 lbs. When it hits a bump in the road, the load that the wheel receives gets distributed from the point of impact throughout the rest of the wheel. This is how as little as 2 pounds of judiciously arranged metal can withstand extremely high loads.
Because of the bad roads and heavy loads that we see in Zambia and elsewhere, ou bicycles need exceptionally strong wheels. Anything that allows the wheel greater load distribution, like increasing the number of spokes, using a thicker gauge of spokes, stronger material on the rim or increasing the number of crossings will create a stronger wheel.
The World Bicycle Relief bike utilizes all of these strengthening methods. We increased the spoke count, the gauge of the spokes, the strength of the rim and changed the spoke pattern by adding more crossing points. Once we add a strong and durable tire, the World Bicycle Relief wheel becomes one of the strongest and longest-lasting wheels in the world today for the cost.
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World Bicycle Relief Project: Zambia
You can help make Project Zambia possible!
We need to raise $2.9 million. Just $109 purchases a complete bicycle, and any donation amount will help provide The Power of Bicycles.
Contributing is easy: just follow the link at the bottom of this newsletter, for convenient credit card, check or wie transfer instructions, or visit us online at www.worldbicyclerelief.org
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Upcoming Events
Join us for these important upcoming events! Contact Chris Strout at cstrout@worldbicyclerelief.org if you are interested in volunteering.
May 12-21: Northwestern University
2 Wheel Exhibit (Presentation May 19),
Evanston, Ill.
May 15: Seasons Boston-area premier, Arlington Center, Mass.
May 16-18: Bike Lexington festival, Lexington, Ky.
May 17-18: Green Festival, Chicago
May 25: Bike the Drive, Chicago
May 29: 24 Solo benefit movie screening, Asheville, N.C.
May 31: Andy Henrichs Summit Challenge begins, Colo.
June 28: Mycles Cycles Ride, Georgetown, Ohio
Hosting a World Bicycle Relief event? Please let us know!
The Power at Home
Each year, World Bicycle Relief partners with SRAM to attend the Sea Otter Festival in Monterey, California. This year was a successful show, with strong outreach across the board.
"Shark fin" signs always attract attention, especially when the wind tops 25 miles per hour!
Canadian bicycle parts distributor Cycles Lambert contributed a "big" check for nearly $4,500.
The crack SRAM Mountain Bike Race Truck helped spread The Power on their uniforms.
World Vision has launched a program called Bikes For Africa to help support World Bicycle Relief and our micro-finance efforts together.
This past weekend also saw the start of the Wisconsin Off-Road Series, the largest state mountain bike race series in the U.S. Team GenX Cycling has put our logo on their jersey, and here Mike Olm and Jeff Bublitz hit the trails!
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