Restored bicycle program keeps free bikes on campus
Encouraging alternative transportation for a greener UMaine
Sam Cohen
Issue date: 9/24/07 Section: News
- Page 1 of 2 next >
A new program introduced by the Green Campus Initiative is providing members of the campus community the opportunity to rent bikes free of charge. The program, known as ReCycle, has already loaned eight bikes to students and faculty members. This program is another way for GCI to spotlight their message of reduce, reuse and recycle at the University of Maine.
Second-year mechanical engineering major and GCI Coordinator, Michael Parker, is happy with how the program has progressed. "It's quite successful so far; those bikes would have been a wasted resource otherwise," Parker said.
The Orono Police Department collects around 50 derelict bicycles every summer. After a six month waiting period the bikes become state property. If they remain unclaimed, then they are given to GCI. According to Parker, over a quarter of the bikes are reusable.
Parker was able to go through the collection this summer and select 8 bikes to fix up for the ReCycle pilot program. He said he looked primarily for bikes with frames still in decent shape. Anything else wrong with the bike could be fixed by salvaging parts from the other available bikes. He then removed most of the gears to create a single-speed bike.
"It's easier to maintain a single-speed bike and it removes one more possible failure mechanism," Parker said. The bikes were then given a blue paint job, a new lock and were ready to go.
Students and faculty can rent the bikes for a month at a time.
"I was matched with a bike that met my needs. We were able to choose from a mountain, road or BMX bike. [Parker] asked for our height and planned usage for the bike, so I got just what I was looking for," said sophomore Warren Taylor, an undecided major.
So far, feedback about the program has been positive.
"The ReCycle program is a great way to zip on campus quickly without having to find a parking spot," Clay Kirby, associate scientist for the UMaine Cooperative Extension, said. "I think as more people take advantage out of the ReCycle program, we'll see more and more parking spots open up."
Second-year mechanical engineering major and GCI Coordinator, Michael Parker, is happy with how the program has progressed. "It's quite successful so far; those bikes would have been a wasted resource otherwise," Parker said.
The Orono Police Department collects around 50 derelict bicycles every summer. After a six month waiting period the bikes become state property. If they remain unclaimed, then they are given to GCI. According to Parker, over a quarter of the bikes are reusable.
Parker was able to go through the collection this summer and select 8 bikes to fix up for the ReCycle pilot program. He said he looked primarily for bikes with frames still in decent shape. Anything else wrong with the bike could be fixed by salvaging parts from the other available bikes. He then removed most of the gears to create a single-speed bike.
"It's easier to maintain a single-speed bike and it removes one more possible failure mechanism," Parker said. The bikes were then given a blue paint job, a new lock and were ready to go.
Students and faculty can rent the bikes for a month at a time.
"I was matched with a bike that met my needs. We were able to choose from a mountain, road or BMX bike. [Parker] asked for our height and planned usage for the bike, so I got just what I was looking for," said sophomore Warren Taylor, an undecided major.
So far, feedback about the program has been positive.
"The ReCycle program is a great way to zip on campus quickly without having to find a parking spot," Clay Kirby, associate scientist for the UMaine Cooperative Extension, said. "I think as more people take advantage out of the ReCycle program, we'll see more and more parking spots open up."
Be the first to comment on this story