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Projects Updates for place: Campus Bike Center

  1. Weekly Update: Abandoned bicycles, Sustainability Celebration

    All,

    Mike, a semi-regular at the old shop, walked in on Friday for his appointment, looked around and said, “What’d you have to do to get upgraded to such a nice spot?”

    Just another positive review of our new space.

    I coordinated with Parking to do more frequent pick ups—but smaller loads—of abandoned bikes, which should allow for a better flow of bikes in and out of the bike center. This should be more manageable for myself and my staff going forward, as well.

     

    This week is a Campus Sustainability Celebration on Tuesday, a CBC staff meeting Wednesday evening, and warm weather to close out the week, which usually equals some more traffic, but we’ll see if that holds during a pandemic.

    The numbers:

    Visitors: 14
    Sales: $178.20
    Memberships: 4 for $120
    Misc parts: 4 for $40

     

    Jacob Benjamin
    Campus Bike Center Manager

  2. Weekly Update: Open hours sign, bikes pick up

    Associated Project(s): 

    All,

    Last week I had an epiphany that we should probably have a sign on the door that lists our hours, even if they are appointment only. That’s in the works, should be ready tomorrow.

    With the decrease in testing for grad/staff we’ve had to turn a few people away for not being up-to-date. They have, by and large, been totally understanding. A few people have emailed and canceled ahead of time, which is welcomed.

     

    Set up a secondary pegboard in the shop to better organize freewheel/cassette tools—it’s a vast improvement over the drawer and/or coffee can we’d been using before. Last week I grabbed the scrap metal bin, some miscellaneous parts, and Aquaham Lincoln. He’ll live atop the fridge.

    This week I’ll coordinate with Parking to pick up a few bikes—only space for 3 or so—for instructional/teaching purposes with the new hires, schedule a staff meeting for my team, finalize placement for wheel hooks around the shop to increase storage.

     

    The numbers:

    Visitors: 12
    Sales: $747
    Memberships: 4 for $120
    Refurb bike: 2 for $430
    Tire/tubes: 10 for $57

     

    Thanks!

     

    Jacob Benjamin
    Campus Bike Center Manager

  3. Weekly Update: Refurbished bike swap, low numbers, signage

    Associated Project(s): 

    All,

    Another week in the books! It’s definitely still an adjustment to be open only by-appointment. We’re still getting phone calls and emails about user error and whatnot when scheduling and we’re only seeing 4 or so people per day. But hey, it’s a pandemic. People are still going to the old shop—some internet search engines are not up-to-date but we do have signage over there. Ironies of all ironies since people couldn’t seem to find that tucked-away garage before and are now flocking to it, it seems.

     

    Had a refurb-swap of a loose cranked bike. Thankfully the gentleman wasn’t injured in the failure. He took a different same-priced bike. He was very understanding and that was appreciated.

    Still working on upping our staffing levels to a comfortable number.

    We’ve only done a handful of bike registrations, which either speaks to the cost-as-deterrence or that people are picking them up elsewhere. Hopefully the latter!

    Still optimizing the layout and functionality of our new space but everyone who’s visited that was familiar with the old space has been blown away by the across-the-board improvements. I discovered a closet here that I didn’t know existed which now is storing the Bikes at Work trailer and the smaller kid-sized one. Aquaham Lincoln will likely migrate over here this week.

     

    The numbers:

    Visitors: 21
    Sales: $562.70
    Memberships: 3 for $90
    Bikes: 3 for $360
    Tires/tubes: 1 for $1

     

    Thanks!

    Jacob Benjamin
    Campus Bike Center Manager

  4. Weekly Update: First week open, Light the Night

    Associated Project(s): 

    All,

    Last week was our first full week of being open since the pandemic-induced shutdown. We are by-appointment only and making do with that. Visits, sales, and the like are—compared to normal—way down for this time of year.

    We also had Light The Night last week and hosted one of the sites here at the Bike Center. It wasn’t as great a turnout as hoped but it was a new location for LTN and it’s a pandemic. We weren’t able to do our normal word-of-mouth publicity during open hours to the degree we’re accustomed. Thankfully we got some signage up at the old garage alerting people to our new location.

     

    This week we’ll work on optimizing the scheduling system, staff meetings, and safety checking a handful of bikes.

    Visitors: 38
    Sales: $951.50
    Memberships: 1 for $30
    Bikes (refurb): 5 for $790
    Tires/tubes: 3 for $27

     

    Thanks!

    Jacob Benjamin
    Campus Bike Center Manager

  5. F&S announcement and Press Release: U of I Joins National Bicycle Registration System

    Associated Project(s): 

    On September 1, 2020, the Facilities & Services Communications team published and announcement on the F&S website about the transition of UIUC's old bicycle registration system to a national bike registration system through Project 529. The announcement can be found here: https://fs.illinois.edu/resources/newsroom/2020/09/01/u-of-i-joins-natio...

    The F&S Communication team also sent out the press release for this change on September 1 evening. A pdf of this press release is also attached.

  6. Lawn Signs

    Associated Project(s): 

    The Lawn Signs were approved by Kristin McMurray on September 1, 2020. The Lawn Signs will be placed at 15 pre-determined locations on-campus from September 17th to October 17th.

    The work order was approved to create the Lawn Signs on August 31, 2020 (WO #10811593).

  7. Public Safety Building (Campus Police) added as a Shield pick-up location - Available from August 17, 2020

    Associated Project(s): 

    University of Illinois Public Safety (1110 W Springfield Ave, Urbana, IL 61801; Phone: (217) 333-1216) was added as the Shield pick-up location. Stacey DeLorenzo dropped off 250 Shields at the location to be picked up by bicycle users. This location will be available for Shield pick up from August 17, 2020.

  8. Campus Bike Center added as a Shield pick-up location - Available from August 24, 2020

    Campus Bike Center (51 E Gregory Dr., Champaign, IL 61820. Phone number: 217-300-4638) was added as the Shield pick-up location. Sarthak Prasad dropped off 250 Shields at the location to be picked up by bicycle users. This location will be available for Shield pick up from August 24, 2020. Due to the pandemic, the CBC will only accept visitors who make an appointment beforehand, so please call in ahead to more information. The Shields will be distributed at the front desk of the CBC's new location.

    We will replensih the Shields as needed.

  9. Campus Bike Center is moving!

    Associated Project(s): 

    The Campus Bike Center is moving to a new location! The move is currently in progress while the shop is closed due to the pandemic. The Campus Bike Center will re-open on August 24, 2020, and they will only accept visitors on appointments. You can call in ahead at 217-300-4638 or create an appointment online - appointment system is under development. We will share the online appointment link as soon as the system is ready.

    The new address for CBC is: 51 E Gregory Dr., Champaign, IL 61820.

  10. Archive - Description and Background of the Bicycle Registration project

    Associated Project(s): 

    Description:

    Bicycle registration is primarily a method to assist with returning stolen or lost bikes when they are recovered by Public Safety or Facilities & Services.  Bicycle registration is offered for free to faculty, staff, and students at the University of Illinois, and can conveniently be completed online at http://go.illinois.edu/mybike.

    In September 2013, the University will be adopting new stickers for bicycle registration, and all registered bike owners will be contacted with instructions on how to receive their new sticker. 

    To register your bicycle, visit http://go.illinois.edu/mybike

    Background:

    The benefits of registering your bicycle include:

    • It deters theft
    • It helps the UIPD reconnect bicycle owners with their lost or stolen bikes
    • You can be contacted if your bicycle is impounded or mistaken for abandoned
    • It helps the University to better plan for bicycles and bicycle infrastructure
    • It allows the University to communicate with bicyclists for important bicycle-related announcements
  11. Bicycle Registration is available now!

    Bicycle Registration was open for public on July 20, 2020. Currently due to the pandemic, all Shield pick-up locations are closed, so for those who register and want the 529 Shield now, they must contact bike@illinois.edu to arrange for a time and place to collect the Shield. Otherwise, Sarthak Prasad would reach out to them when the Shield pick-up locations are open.

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