Category: Uncategorized

Elmhurst College gives free bikes to non drivers

Elmhurst College in suburban Chicago, Illinois is offering free bicycles to students, faculty and staff who pledge to not drive to campus for an entire year.

The program is open to continuing students who have reached sophomore academic status, faculty, and staff. Participants who sign an agreement will not be eligible to receive a parking sticker from Campus Security for the entire academic year, though they do get a winter exemption from December to March.

Bikes available in the program are the Hybrid style Specialized Crosstail and Specialized Ariel; and the city commuter style Schwinn World S in “men” and “women” frame styles.

Ripon College in Wisconsin pioneered a similar bike giveaway in 2008. Ripon is now in its second year of the Velorution project. To minimize vehicular traffic on campus, Ripon has systematically moved campus parking from the interior of the campus to the exterior in an effort to make car travel less convenient. In the last year, portions of the two main streets that bisected campus were removed to create a safer, greener, more pedestrian- and bicycle-friendly mall. The program’s annual costs total approximately $50,000, or roughly the cost of three parking spaces in a multilevel garage.

Via Dottie & Trish in Chicago.

Cycle Of Life

I hope you all had a lovely Monday!

Video from Jill Morris for the Upright Citizen’s Brigade.

Warren and his Rock Star Parking.

Has anybody tried these cedar shoe inserts?

Mountain biking San Francisco: Save Mt Sutro Trails.

Huh, I just learned this: since January 2009, employers in San Francisco have been required to offer the IRS Section 132 commuter fringe benefit. I’ve also learned that the city is not enforcing compliance with this law right now.

I think maybe Richard Heene should have watched these videos on talking with the police.

Gear Factor: Pedal powered pedal mounted lights.

Something I have some personal experience with: Endo analysis.

AIDS challenge and “Why I Ride”.

Bikes On Board: Stuttgart cog railroad

The Stuttgart to Degerloch Zahnradbahn (cog railroad) calls this on train bike storage Vorstellwagen.

bikes on Stuttgart train

German commuter trains have rush hour restrictions for bikes on board that many Americans who travel by train and bike are familiar with. “Die Zacke” cog railroad between Marienplatz in South Stuttgart to Degerloch, however, features this fantastic platform just for bikes.

This “Vorstellwagen” was first available in 1983 to ferry biking commuters between Stuttgart and the mountain town. It travels just 2 kilometers, but with over 200 meters of elevation change between the two stations and a maximum 20% slope.

More –> City of Stuttgard Fahrrad und Bahn (“Bikes and Train”) info page.

Another view here, and many views here. Props to Steve Vance and other helpful voices on The Streetsblog Network.