Eugene stands at number 18 on Bicycling’s “50 Best Bike Cities of 2016” and is recognized by The League of American Bicyclists as “gold.” The University of Oregon campus, which brims with students peddling through rain or shine, is certainly no stranger to the two-wheeled travel companions — so it’s only right that students express their gratitude with Bike Appreciation Week.
Presented by the UO Bike Program, Bike Appreciation Week offers free repairs, bike registration, bike lights, reflectors, bicycle swag and campus biking information. This week, bring your bike by the EMU (UO Outdoor Program entrance on 13th Avenue), or just stop in for some coffee and complimentary snacks. As the UO Bike Program says, “This week we will make loving your bike easy.”
The bike appreciation event used to be just one day long and took place at various spots around campus, but for the first time, fellow bicyclists have four consecutive days to learn about and show love to their bikes.
“We thought it would be fun to set it up every day, so it’s kind of an experiment to see if students will want to come to this space,” said Bike Program Coordinator Kelsey Moore. “This seems really successful so I imagine we will do this in the future as well.”
Bike Appreciation Week operates each day from 10-12 a.m. Tuesday’s event featured adventure cyclist Willie Weir, who comes to campus each year in collaboration with the UO Bike Program. Each year features a new topic — on Tuesday, Weir spoke about biking and traveling with your dog.
In addition to meeting fellow bikers and getting free swag, the main objective of Bike Appreciation Week is to help students maintain their bikes and raise awareness about the bike-friendly resources around campus.
“We definitely try to make the bike program really visible because so many students bike,” Moore said. “We want them to know they have support and access to us.”
Whether it’s new brake pads, a cable adjustment or a simple-to-fix flat tire, the bike program knows what your bike needs and welcomes everyone to stop by, no matter the problem.
“Bikes don’t have a check engine light, so things can go wrong and you might not know about it,” UO student and bike mechanic Desmond Blair said. “It’s really good to be paying attention and making sure everything works well. It makes a happy bike.”
For those who are already familiar with bike maintenance, the UO Bike Program offers a DIY shop open 12-5 p.m. on weekdays — but the program also also offers frequent classes for those who want to learn the ins and outs of bike maintenance. On Thursday, the program is holding a “Winterize Your Bike” course from 6-8 p.m. at its space in the EMU, where crafting sessions are offered to make personalized fenders and bucket panniers. Reflectors will also be available to dark-proof your bike for better visibility during these short winter days.
“We love to see students come in as much as possible,” Blair said. “Bringing your bike in and doing little things can make a really big difference. Students leave feeling empowered, and doing that as much as we can is really our goal.”
In addition to the UO Bike Program’s ongoing resources and activities — such as rental programs, trips and service projects — a six-week bike maintenance school will be available to students starting during week three of classes. The Bike Program team welcomes students of all skill levels and are prepared to cover all aspects of your bike.
Bike Appreciation Week is like Valentine’s Day for bikes, so make sure to stop by the EMU and show your beloved two-wheeler some tender love and care. For more information about the UO Bike Program, visit https://outdoorprogram.uoregon.edu/bikes.