Lee Ravenscroft of Working Bikes Co-operative

Mr. Ravenscroft is the founder of Working Bikes, a Not-for-profit organization that diverts abandoned and unwanted bikes from the waste stream. They accept donations and rescue bikes off of junk-trucks in line for the scrapper (I've seen this, it's pretty incredible).

Please do check out their website, www.workingbikes.org. This is a very efficient and helpful organization. They also have some pretty neat bikes.

Working Bikes had a piece in the A+D Gallery DIY show. "Pedal-power," in which they described how to convert an old bike into a person-powered generator. Like many pieces in the show, the Y in DIY would have to be relatively determined or technically skilled to DI. In this case, however, Working Bikes is pitching this idea to the world via Chicago gallery-goers. If Ding IY means a drastic change in your lifestyle, well, maybe that determination will bubble up after all.

I thought this was an interesting twist on the tone of all the pieces in this show. I contacted Mr. Ravenscroft to get his thoughts on the piece.


RC: For those unfamiliar to Working Bikes, could you briefly describe what the organization does?

LR: Working Bikes Co-Op collects donated bikes and recycled bikes. we repair about 1/2 of the bikes to be donated locally or sold at our humble store at 1125 S. Western.

With the proceeds from the sale of bikes we ship the remaining 1/2 to developing countries.



RC: I saw Working Bikes' contribution to the DIY show at the Columbia A+D gallery. Do you know how Working Bikes got involved? What was the goal there?

LR: The goal of the bike machines is to spread awareness of our Co-Op.

Also we believe in using bicycles and human power to alleviate people's petro-chemical dependency.

1/3 of the world has no electricity in their homes. Most rely on kerosene for light. Pedal power provides an alternative to the use of kerosene, which is dangerous and expensive.

With a bike generator, one can produce the power needed to have home lighting, watch TV, listen to the radio and run small appliances.



RC: So, the A+D gallery was presenting a show of DIY "art" projects. Among my peers, there was a lot of discussion about what the projects or pieces really were. Some said craft projects, some said items reflective of activism, some said engineering projects ranging from "sophomoric" to "pretty neat" to "useful."

Regardless of any kind of value judgments about how "arty" any of these items were, how do you feel the Bike Machines work operated within an art gallery setting? How do you feel it reflects upon Working Bikes to be involved in an "art show?"

LR: I think activism is a good description. I want to show that one can produce energy for lighting and entertainment for 1/5 the cost of solar energy using a broken bike and a broken electric scooter.



RC: How do you think it reflects upon the show (or the gallery) to include a group like Working Bikes?

LR: I hope that we were a credit to the show. As a primarily volunteer organization we have no marketing department. We rely on the generosity of others to spread the message of recycling, human power and an end to the car-culture that is ravishing the planet.

The show was an opening to the Green Festival. The Green Fest was an opening to bike machine installations in several Schools and festivals.

I believe that if people don't use human power in the first world they will not use human power in the developing world. The problem with global warming resides here and counter measures need to begin here.



RC: Has Working Bikes ever participated in something like this in the past? (presenting projects in an arts context)

LR: No, but this opened up the Green Festival and several other opportunities.



RC: In comparison to a lot "activist art" groups or collectives, I think Working Bikes does a very concrete service on a pretty incredible scale. I've seen some of the work you do, and I'm familiar with a couple of “arts activist” groups in Chicago. Now, I may be under-informed, but it seems to me like many other groups are all talk. Do you have any thoughts about these groups? How about their involvement in shows like this: empowerment through Do It Yourself!

LR: Many of the young people who volunteer or on staff with our co-op have art backgrounds. I hope that they see that we have an art component. We are restoring beautiful old bicycles and putting them back in service.

Working Bikes has changed the aesthetic for what type of bike peoples ride in Chicago. Before the Co-Op (BC), people were riding mountain bikes from Target. Now they are riding retro 3-speeds made in Chicago or Europe that they got from our Co-Op.

For the last 3 years the Co-Op has sold about 3000 bikes a year for 1/2 their appraised value. Over 90% are from the last millennium.

For the last 3 years we have also given away 15000 bicycles either in the US or in the 3rd world.

That adds up to about 25000 people on bikes over the last 3 years.