or - "But she didn't want cheeseburgers"*
That's Andy, Bicycling for Louisville director, Jimmy, me, and Marcus standing out in the freezing temperatures spreading the word about our club at the bike day last week. Zach and Quentin were also there for support and Justin Mog from U of L sustainability stopped by with some bikes maps. Thanks to everyone who came and helped. We passed out some fliers, and had one new attendee at the meeting afterwards (glad you could make it Elijah!). We even got to work on a few bikes for some students (3, maybe 4!?). Just shows that it pays to ride even when it's cold out.
Besides generating some publicity, I took away a couple inspirations for the club:
1. Reduce Theft
Lots of students said their bikes had been stolen. In most cases it's probably something like this: They move into a dorm or student housing in the fall and park their bike at the adjacent bike rack with a flimsy cable lock. They use it to get around campus etc. occasionally but then for whatever circumstance (say winter perhaps) they don't use it for a few months, during which time it gets stolen, which is not hard to do. I've cut the locks off two bikes on campus before (one mine, the other a friends, both because the lock was stuck shut). It only takes a couple minutes and no one bats an eye.
As our presence as a club increases we'll be able to inform students about the advantages of a sturdy U-lock, and get everyone more engaged in cycling which reduces the ease and oppotunity for theft. We're still limited in scope though, I'm not sure what the freshman orientation is like now but the university should include some info about storing, parking and riding your bike around. You know, while they're talking about the different car parking permit colors, lots, garages, meters, shuttles and all the other shit that's necessary for us to drive our cars everywhere.
That aside, campus residents currently don't have much of an option for bike storage. Dorms/Kurz/Bettie etc. are small enough to make keeping your bike inside a hassle. Racks are great for bike parking, storage not so much. I'm wary just to leave my bike locked up on campus overnight. Most residences already have bike racks outside. It would be simple to put a fence around them with a gate that could be unlocked with it's respective building's entry fob. A roof would be nice to protect from the elements and increase security but just a decent fence would be enough to strongly discourage theft.
2. Get Pumped
The majority of student cyclists are riding on underinflated tires. They probably don't know how much proper inflation improves the bike's efficiency and reduces the risk of pinch flats. Marcus tried to offer assistance to a girl rolling by on some flatties but she quickly locked her bike up and ran away. He inflated the tires anyway and I'm sure she's experiencing a faster, smoother ride now! So what if we had a "GET PUMPED!!!" day where we traverse campus, pumps in hand and make sure tires of the parked bikes are inflated to proper pressure? Then tag the bikes with a flier that says something like "Air in your tires, courtesy of U of L cycing. Get pumped!" Obviously there are some concerns with messing with peoples bikes but I think we could pull it off. Input appreciated.
That's all I got. Good luck on finals everyone!
*inside joke
Ben, I kept my road bike in my dorm (different school) back in the day. I hung it in front of my closet (on a simple nail) as a kind of closet door. I thought it was a better option than getting it jacked.
ReplyDeleteIt's doable (I stored my bike in my dorm room for a while too), especially if you get creative. But most of these theft victims probably aren't cycling enthusiasts per se and would benefit from an organized bike storage model.
ReplyDeleteRe: locking - You could produce and show a video like this one: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Den2TJcbPf4
ReplyDeleteI love these ideas. I guess my only suggestion would be more last-minute group rides to events. Now with Facebook, these should be easy to organize. I think the more you all offer to ride with newbies, the more confidence they will have and the bigger impact you will make. Plus, you all are fun to ride with. :D
ReplyDeleteI know I ended that sentence in a preposition.
P.S. Is there an architecture school or class at U of L who you could enlist to design a bike storage unit? Not only would they have to worry about positioning on campus and structural design, but they would have to get permission and present their ideas to building and grounds. It would make for a really neat project or contest.
ReplyDelete8Dave - good idea, maybe i should put some dreads in to increase my cred.
ReplyDeleteMary Beth - We like the event group rides too. Let us know if you all have something going on we can join up with!
UofL doesn't have an architecture program. There is a school of urban planning though, or maybe it could be an art project.