You are here

Project Updates for collection: Bicycle Related Projects

Search

Search tips:

  • This form will search for words in the title OR the description. If you would like to search for the same term(s) across both the title and description, enter the same search term(s) in both fields.
  • This form will search for any of the words you enter in a field, not the exact phrase you enter. If you would like to search for an exact phrase, put double quotes (") around the phrase. For example, if you search for Bike Path you will get results containing either the word Bike OR the word Path, but if you search for "Bike Path" you will get results containing the exact phrase Bike Path.

  3. Weekly Update: Uncommonly busy; Visit from Ride Illinois; Kids Bike Giveaway

    Associated Project(s): 
    Campus Bike Center

    All, We were, again, uncommonly busy for this time of year. Beginning of this week looks bike-friendly, too (as in: warm). A couple people finished up their B-a-Bs last week. I picked up parts from Urbana so we’re well-stocked on 26” wheels, which we’d run out of, mostly—surprisingly.

    We’re still ironing out dates for our Kids Bike Giveaway event and the specifics therein. Will work more on this in the coming week.

    Last week I was visited by the Executive Director of Ride Illinois, the statewide bike advocacy group. It was a brief chat but a good one and nice to have our operation on their radar. Relatedly, our new space continues to impress.

    The numbers:

    Visitors: 39
    Sales: $967
    Memberships: 9 for $270
    Bikes (refurb): 2 for $380
    Bikes (B-a-B): 2 for $90

    Tires/tubes: 10 for $56

    Thanks!

    Jacob Benjamin
    Campus Bike Center Coordinator

  4. Weekly Update: Busier than expected; Kids' Bikes Giveaway

    Associated Project(s): 
    Campus Bike Center

    All, I jinxed it. I said we’d be slower last week sine it rained a lot but then people kept showing up. Finished up a bike for Wednesday or Friday and it didn’t sell immediately, so looks like demand is waning a little.

    This week I’ll work on doing preliminary checks/sorting of Kids’ Bikes for our giveaway. I also ordered a rebuild kit for each of our truing stands, which’ll help get those back in good working order. I’ll get those installed this week as well.

    I’ll also poke around on the LGL database as to why it is not registering new membership forms.

    The numbers:

    Visitors: 31
    Sales: $281
    Tires/tubes: 6 for $35

    Thanks!

    Jacob Benjamin
    Campus Bike Center Coordinator

  5. Weekly Update: Slow week; Outside event with Urbana Parks District; Kid's Bike Giveaway

    Associated Project(s): 
    Campus Bike Center

    All, Slower week as per usual with the coming of fall. We’re still mostly sold out of bikes as the ones we have been getting in are finicky and in need of uncommon parts.

    Last week, I tentatively set up an outside event for the spring with the Urbana Parks District. More details as that event develops.

    This week we’ll also get to planning for our participation/role in this winter’s Kid’s Bike Giveaway. We’ve certainly got the bikes for it!

    The numbers:

    Visitors: 32
    Sales: $366
    Memberships: 6 for $180
    Tires/tubes: 8 for $35

    Thanks!

    Jacob Benjamin
    Campus Bike Center Coordinator

  6. Weekly Update: Fixing bike pump; fixing bicycles; student employment

    Associated Project(s): 
    Campus Bike Center

    All, Last Tuesday we had our Green Quad Day event. We had a few people stop by later in the week after talking with them and one potential student application for employment. We were also generously resupplied with clothes for making into rags. (Thanks, Morgan!) The beautiful weather was certainly an added perk.

    On Thursday I picked up the remaining bikes from the warehouse that are worth our time. We’ll get to rehabbing those bikes this week. There are a good 20 – 30 bikes left there that are destined for the scrap heap. Unfortunately, 3 of the 10 bikes didn’t pass even a basic inspection so they’ll be fodder for parts.

    We’re currently very low on used 26” tires. There’s a sentence I never thought I’d write.

    This week I’ll also get the ball moving on fixing the outdoor pump, which is broken again.

    The numbers:

    Visitors: 40
    Sales: $586.50
    Bike (refurb): 1 for $190
    Memberships: 7 for $210
    Tires/tubes: 8 for $32

    Thanks!

    Jacob Benjamin
    Campus Bike Center Coordinator

  8. Weekly Update: Green Quad Day; Abandoned bicycles

    Associated Project(s): 
    Campus Bike Center
    Student Sustainability Committee (SSC)

    All, Slower week, which was welcome. Sold a couple bikes and were able to get a handle on the influx of drop off repairs. The Green Quad Day event that was supposed to happen on Thursday was rescheduled to Tuesday, so we’ll staff for that event and hobnob with the larger sustainability community.

    I’ll make a run out to the abandoned bike emporium this week, too, and see if there’s anything worth our time. Was planning that for last week but it didn’t happen.

    We’ve got a couple bikes in the shop build queue, but I’ll grab a few from Urbana unless we get more donations this week.

    The numbers:


    Visitors: 35
    Sales: $850.50
    Bike (refurb): 3 for $490
    Memberships: 5 for $150
    Tires/tubes: 5 for $20

    Thanks!

    Jacob Benjamin
    Campus Bike Center Coordinator

  9. Weekly Update: Bike Center tours; Green Quad Day

    Associated Project(s): 
    Campus Bike Center

    All, Starting to slow down a bit. This week’ll be absolutely perfect riding weather: cool but not cold. Still get folks asking for bikes every day—yet to get any 4’ 11” folks or 6’ 3” racing folks for the tall and small bikes we have, though. We’ve got 3 more that should be for sale this week sometime. Soon, we’ll be having the “it’s too cold to ride” conversation with people. No bad weather, just bad gear and so on.

    Had a class come by on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday to tour the Bike Center and I talked about our operations, history of CBC, and the like. Always nice to get people into our space who might not otherwise have reason to visit.

    Last week I talked with Parking about the remainder of the bikes at the warehouse. I’ll make a trip out there this week to see if there’s anything worth our trouble.

    A gentleman came in looking for a small pin for his vintage brake levers and was able to find a workable solution in our used parts bins. He generously donated $10 for his 10 minutes of digging while bemoaning that regular bike shops could only offer to replace the brake levers outright. A happy customer who understands and appreciates our value and services—always a good interaction!

    This Thursday is the Green Quad Day event, from 10  - 4p. Will be good to get our name out there with other environmental/sustainability efforts on campus.

    The numbers:

    Visitors: 64
    Sales: $1,052.60
    Bikes (refurb): 2 for $440
    Memberships: 8 for $240
    Tires/tubes: 10 for $76

    Thanks!

    Jacob Benjamin
    Campus Bike Center Coordinator

  10. Transportation iCAP Team September 2021 Meeting

    Associated Project(s): 
    Transportation iCAP Team
    Sustainably Manage Transportation Systems
    Reduce Driving on Campus
    Commuter Program: Bus, Bike, and Hike
    Encourage Telecommuting

    The Transportation iCAP team met via zoom from 9:00 A.M.-10:30 A.M. on Wednesday, September 29th. This meeting featured an update on proposed telecommuting policies from Doctor James Gallaher, discussions on the iCAP Objectives Assessment and iCAP celebration, and a general review of the goals and projects of the committee.

    Attached Files: 

  12. Weekly Update: Bike to Work Day; Light the Night; Grand Re-opening

    Associated Project(s): 
    Campus Bike Center
    Light the Night
    C-U Bike to Work Day

    All, Heck of a week we just had. Tuesday was Bike To Work Day and Light The Night; both events went well. CBC as a LTN location was not as popular as the other two spots but we are still only in our second year of offering this location; the other two spots have been there for over 10 years and have a lot more passers-by. I do appreciate the convenience of not having to go anywhere for the event, though!

    BTWD was a decent turn out. We had around 30 people stop by to pick up their shirts. iSEE shot some footage for a promo video. I also talked with a few profs/pro staff folks who said this was their first bike commute, which was great. Hopefully they’ll stick with it! It also reminded me I need to brush up on my beginning commuter tips…

    Our Grand Opening event was a success. We got to show off our space to quite a few people who’d never been by before and a handful of regulars that were duly impressed with the upgrade from our old space.

    This week I’ve got a new student worker starting, so that will be a welcomed addition to the team. I’ll also pick up some bikes from TBP for rebuild as we’re flush out of decent Shop Builds. Demand has waned a bit or word is spreading that we’re out of bikes so fewer folks are coming by—either way, we’ll get a few more fixed up this week.

    The numbers:

    Visitors: TBD
    Sales: $513.50
    Bikes (refurb): 1 for $180
    Memberships: 5 for $150
    Tire/tubes: 6 for $19.50

    Thanks!

    Jacob Benjamin
    Campus Bike Center Coordinator

  14. Bike Day 2021 held on September 14, 2021

    Associated Project(s): 
    C-U Bike to Work Day
    Light the Night

    Bike Day 2021 was organized on September 14, 2021! Here are some of the numbers from the events from Bike Day 2021.

    Bike to Work Day:

    • Held in the morning from 7 - 10 am
    • Record-breaking event with 16 welcoming stations in Champaign County, including 9 on-campus
    • Record 802 pre-registrations to attend the event and more than 150 walk-in registrations
    • University Housing provided refreshments to all campus welcoming stations
    • iSEE produced a video highlighting the event

    Light the Night:

    • Held in the evening from 4 - 7 pm
    • Three locations: Alma Mater, Hallene Gateway, and Campus Bike Center
    • 40 volunteers for the event
    • installed nearly 750 light sets (front and rear)

    General feedback was very positive from the campus community members. Several mentioned that holding these events in September felt like a welcoming event and gave the returning and new students an opportunity to explore the campus and community on bike and learn about the bike program at the beginning of school year!

    The Bike Month Planning team and Light the Night Planning teams are considering organizing both of these events in the fall semester going forward.

  16. F&S Announcement about Bike Day events!

    Associated Project(s): 
    C-U Bike to Work Day
    Light the Night

    Celebrate CU Bike Day 2021
     
    Be a part of two great upcoming bicycle events on Tuesday, September 14. You can participate, volunteer, or do both! 

    The University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign achieved the Silver-level Bicycle Friendly University status in October 2019 because of its ongoing commitment to improving bicycle education, infrastructure, and programs. Visit the Bike at Illinois website to learn more about the many efforts that support bicycling on campus.
     
    Bike to Work Day
    Champaign County Bike to Work Day returns this semester. There will be 17 welcoming stations open between 7 and 10 a.m., with nine on the Urbana campus. Grab a snack and get some free Bike at Illinois merchandise and a T-shirt! To get the free T-shirt, you must register and bring your bicycle! 
     
    Light the Night
    The 14th annual Light the Night, a free bike light giveaway, will be held that evening from 4 to 7 p.m. at three locations:

    • Alma Mater Plaza
    • Hallene Gateway (intersection of Illinois Street and Lincoln Avenue)
    • Campus Bike Center (51. E. Gregory Drive) 

    Participants must bring their bicycles to receive the free light sets; lights will only be installed on bicycles without lights. Volunteers are needed in the afternoon and evening for three shifts. Fill out the volunteer sign-up form to assist. All volunteers will be required to wear face coverings during the event.

  17. Weekly Update: Grand Re-opening on Sept. 16; New hires!

    Associated Project(s): 
    Campus Bike Center

    All, Another busy week. Only managed to replenish our stock of For Sale Bikes by a few this week but sold them all within an hour of being open each day. Demand for bikes is still sky-high. Accordingly, most—if not all—of the Build-a-Bikes have been claimed. We did receive a couple of viable donations we’ll fix up this week.

    This week, I’ll also be promoting our Grand Re-Opening that’s happening Thursday, 9/16 from 4 – 7p. We’ve got flyers we’re handing out and talking it up to everyone who comes into the Bike Center. Here’s a blurb we can share out to relevant contacts:


    On Thursday, September 16th, from 4-7, Campus Bike Center is celebrating their Grand Re-Opening at their new location on 51 E. Gregory Dr., Champaign, IL 61820. Come enjoy fun activities, games, and a chance to win a free bike! UIPD will be doing an escorted ride around the block at 5:00 for riders who would like to join. There will be tabling from campus and community organizations, and on the basketball court side you will get a chance to make a basket and be entered into a raffle for a chance to win a refurbished bicycle. We plan to give away an adult bike and a child one. See you there!

    We’ve got a couple new hires in the pipeline that should be onboard in the next week or so—fingers crossed.

    The numbers:

    Visitors: 105
    Sales: $1,732
    Bikes (refurb): 3 for $675
    Build-a-Bike: 3 for $120
    Memberships: 17 for $510
    Tires/tubes: 17 for $82

    Thanks!

    Jacob Benjamin
    Campus Bike Center Coordinator

  18. University's first ever Bike Shelter installed!

    Associated Project(s): 
    Bike Shelter at Flagg Hall

    A first of its kind at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, a 14’x63’ covered Bike Shelter has been installed and is ready for use in the Ikenberry Commons area between Flagg Hall and Noble Hall. It can accommodate up to 96 bicycles at a time utilizing side stage (vertical) bike racks.

    See attached the pictures from first week of August!

    Attached Files: 

  20. Weekly Update: Sold out most bikes; Short-staffed; LCI training in September!

    Associated Project(s): 
    Campus Bike Center

    All, No mistaking it now. We’re busy, busy, busy. We’ve sold out of all our regular-sized bikes and only have 3 left that fill out the extreme ends of the size-spectrum:  two very small and one very large bike.

    We’ve been very vocal about hiring here while we’re open and have had some verbal interest but nothing that has actually translated to applications—yet. I did interview and am in the hiring process for one new employee, so that’s a start.

    On Friday, Jeff Yockey stopped by and grabbed a handful of Grand Opening flyers to hand out at the Habitat Bicycle Sale. Habitat sells some of their bikes in As Is condition meaning folks might need somewhere or some parts to get their bikes rolling a little better and we’d be just the place. Always nice to get our name out to the larger community.

    On Saturday,  I participated in LAB’s Traffic Skills 101 course. Despite 13 years of regular commuting, not all of the maneuvers and handling came naturally to me. Always more to learn. Up next is the official LCI training seminar in September.

    This week I’ll be fielding more applications and building bikes to attempt to meet demand.

    The numbers:

    Visitors: 141
    Sales: $2,100.50

    Memberships: 17 for $510
    Bikes: 8 for $1,190
    Tires/tubes: 12 for $39
    U-locks: 6 for $136

    Thanks!

    Jacob Benjamin
    Campus Bike Center Coordinator

Pages