Oregon Cycling Magazine

by Briana Orr

Fifteen years ago, a handful of green-and-yellow painted loaner bikes dotted University of Oregon’s landscape. “The concept was altruistic but lacked funding, dedicated staff and a realistic plan,” said Dan Geiger, Director of UO’s Outdoor Program (OP). Now the OP has the space, funding, staff, and support needed create a lasting bike loan program.

Since 1967, the OP has been helping students, staff, faculty, and community members experience the outdoors through trips and rental equipment. Traditionally, the OP has rented out camping equipment, rafts, kayaks, and climbing gear, but come this September they will also be loaning bicycles.

“Restarting a bike loan program was a concept that came to the forefront as we began to explore the idea of renovating and expanding our Trip and Rental Facility. With more space available, we thought we might try a pilot project and the idea really caught fire as we began to do outreach and build a university coalition,” says Geiger.

In spring of 2008, the student body government granted $18,000 for the first year of the Bike Loan Program (BLP). Geiger feels a culmination of factors has led to recent wide-spread support for the Bike Loan Program.
“Campus has always had an issue with too many cars and too few spaces, but with the recent surge of gas prices along with increasing pressure for parking and decreasing parking areas due to new construction, the time for this kind of program is ripe.”

The aim of the BLP is to help the university meet its sustainability goals and make bicycles more accessible and affordable for students.  Dave Villalobos, the OP Rental Facility Manager, finds that the “theme of sustainability as a concept within the BLP is beautiful… this program will be a role model for the University community as a whole.”

The BLP will be reusing discarded bikes that have been impounded by the university’s Department of Public Safety.  Currently, the Department has hundreds of bicycles and is having difficulties accommodating the continued arrivals. Geiger called the buy-in of the Department an important step to the success of the program.  The program will launch with 50 bicycles, with plans to increase the fleet every term.  Students will pay a small deposit that will be partially refunded when the bike is returned.

International Students will be prioritized for bikes because they are less likely to bring a bicycle from home, and because of their short duration in Eugene. Many will be visiting from nations that are way ahead of the United States in terms of bicycle infrastructure and education.  Their familiarity with bicycle commuting makes them excellent candidates for the bikes.

Incorporating resources, recreational opportunities, and education is extremely important to the OP.  The BLP will be working with a variety of student and community groups to provide education about riding safely and maintaining bikes.  The existing Bicycle Maintenance Co-op in the OP’s Rental Facility is getting a face-lift to accommodate more volunteers and increased use.  A few years ago, the OP partnered with the UO Craft Center to offer bicycle maintenance classes.

To encourage safe riding habits Greater Eugene Area Riders (GEARs) will host their “Street Skills” classes on campus in collaboration with the BLP.

In addition to classes there will be hands on opportunities. BLP’s Lead Mechanic Price Armstrong says, “volunteer sessions [to maintenance the BLP bikes] will educate beginners in mechanics and safety, and will be a big step forward in improving UO bike culture.”

The program is starting small, but dreams big. Villalobos envisions “the BLP growing to the point of needing its own facility and staff—effectively serving the needs of not only the University population, but also the community abroad.”  Mayor Kitty Piercy has already shown interest in the program and the BLP has hopes that they can partner with local government in the future.

The BLP needs volunteers with bicycle maintenance experience!  Contact Briana Orr at borr@uoregon.edu or (208) 447-8297.

Possibly Related

• May 2008: Eugene 08 Olympic Trials offers free valet bike parking
• October 2008: Pedestrian crossing hand signals
• July 2008: Widow, BTA call for vehicular homicide law
• August 2008: Twice-weekly local mountain bike shuttle starts up in Bend
• August 2007: Inside Black Rock