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Container Loading Details
Preparation:
450 Bikes are needed to fill a container. It is best to have 20-30
bikes over this number in case you decide that some are not suitable
for shipping to Ghana. (See
“What to
collect and send” for details on types of bikes and parts.)
The following preparation work should be done before the loading
day to expedite the loading process as much as possible:
All bikes should have the pedals removed and
reinstalled backwards (facing the inside of the bicycle) or attached to
the frame with zip ties or wire. You are going to want to have good
quality tools for the pedal removal, as it can be the most difficult of
all the preparation. [insert photo] Additionally all seats must be
lowered and handlebars lowered and turned to the side. Baskets need to
be removed. Basically we want to make everything as compact as
possible! Re-secure but not tighten each bolt once you have lowered the
seat or handlebars.
We like organize the bikes by size; staging in rows of
complete adult, 24inch wheel, 20 inch, micro bikes, and partial bikes
and frames. Then when we're loading near the ceiling we like to have
rows of lightweight bikes.
Any usable spare parts, tubes, tires and wheels make
excellent filler, dropped into the low spots. Wheels are often stuffed
up high.
Large flattened cardboard or plywood scraps are needed
to create layers between the bikes when loading. You’ll need enough to
fill a pickup truck bed. or 320 square feet.
Volunteers:
Roughly 8 people are need for 9 hours to fill a
container, if all the bikes are prepped beforehand. Organize people to
work in shifts, so you get fresh people arriving when you're 3/4 done
and exhausted.
Some parts of the loading are very physical (lifting
and moving all those bikes), some are more mechanical (removing
stubborn pedals, making sure seats are lowered), and some tedious but
not strenuous (tallying the bikes as they are placed in the container)
it’s great to have a mix of volunteers to do this work and if desired
people can work shifts, rotating every few hours.
The most strenuous job is packing bikes tightly near
the ceiling. A strong and agile volunteer is needed, and this person
will be glad to have the lighter bikes to stuff into those tight spots.
Having an extra set or two of tools is helpful in
making additional last minute adjustments to the bikes
Gloves and closed toed shoes are both highly advisable
Providing snacks and water or asking volunteers to
bring their own is excellent
Please have a first aid kit on hand
Time Frame:
The time it takes to load a container can vary greatly
depending on the number of spare parts, how well the bicycles are
prepped and how many volunteers we have.
We have had container loadings take anywhere from 6 to
10 hours, anticipate 60 worker hours to load.
Having the bicycles well prepped and sorted and having
a good crew of volunteers who are ready to work will make the loading
go quicker and be more enjoyable!
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