I couldn’t walk by this bike on the ASU campus without snapping a photo. I’m usually drawn to unique bikes and this one certainly caught my eye when I was locking up my bike in front of the Computer Commons.
Lots of students ride bikes to campus and this was no exception. Do you ride a bike to school? I sure do!
Today on the Tempe campus at ASU, volunteers were giving out free hotdogs and t-shirts to students who commute by bike or use public transportation. I was lucky enough to ride right by the tent where this was all going down! If you are near the MU, look for this gold and maroon ASU tent and a line of people waiting for hotdogs.
I dismounted my bike and a volunteer handed me a t-shirt and a menu for Dave’s Doghouse to redeem a free hotdog. They even added a healthy squirt of ketchup and some relish- my favorite toppings! It was delicious.
Cyclists were encouraged to register their bike with ASU and given any information they needed about cycling on campus. It’s smart to register your bike so you have documentation proving that the bike is yours- just in case!
Two weeks of the fall semester is underway and I’ve seen tons of students commuting by bike around the Tempe campus. It just warms my heart! Or maybe it’s the fact the temperature is still lingering in the three digit temperatures and probably will be for quite awhile still to come.
But anyways, it’s good to see lots of students on bikes. So many actually- I sometimes can’t find a bike rack with an empty spot on the Tempe campus. Maybe it’s when I’m on campus that is just really busy or possibly more and more people are making the choice to ride a bike for transportation.
One morning last week, I rode around for awhile looking for a spot to park my ride. I finally found an open spot and locked it up with two locks: a thick cable woven through my tires and a Kryptonite U-lock to seal the deal. It’s important to secure your bike with two locks in order to discourage bike thieves from tampering with it. Many other students have a method that works for them, but because I have been a victim of theft in the past, I now take these precautions. I even saw some bikes leaning on their kickstand and locked with a U-lock through a tire to prevent the bike from moving. As this technique can probably work, it does leave many other parts susceptible to be broken off or stolen. I am no expert, but just stating an unintended possibility of locking a bike this way- especially in a town that is known for bike theft.
My bike suffered a minor issue today, as when I unlocked the bike I noticed my chain had popped off. I normally don’t like to get very dirty, but I knew my bike was an important element in getting me from place to place for the remainder of the day. So I manned up and stretched out the greasy chain until I thought it was back in place. Hooray! I actually fixed something! Or so I thought….until I began to ride. The chain was moving alright, but it was making all kinds of clinking sounds that continued even after switching gears back and forth. At least I made it to my next class. I guess I’ll deal with it later.
So as soon as class let out, I unlocked my bike and rode it clink-clinking my way to the other end of campus and paid the guys at the Bike Co-op a visit. They were pretty busy today, so I guess others were having bike issues, also.
Luckily the chain was an easy fix for the bike experts on campus. They saved the day and sent me on my way to my next class. Thanks a bunch!
If you ride your bike to campus, you have probably seen many other students cycling to class, as well. Because ASU is a haven for students on bikes, unfortunately it’s also a bike thieves’ playground.
In other blog posts, I have recommended ways to protect your bike from theft, but a simple way to document that your bike belongs to you – is to register it with ASU. It only takes a few minutes to enter your bike’s information and ensures you have proof that your bike is yours!
To register your bike with ASU:
If for some reason you need to report your bike stolen, this information will be very helpful in trying to locate it and get it returned to you. Trying to recall exactly what your bike looked like or the serial number could be difficult after the fact. Help yourself out and register your bike! Good luck cyclists!
I saw this shiny, red road bike locked to a bike rack outside the ED Farmer Building on the ASU Tempe campus today and couldn’t help but snap a quick photo. It stood out to me amongst the variety of bikes I had seen on campus. This red bike’s handlebars are wrapped in white tape, which also matches the seat, for a more custom look. Being that it’s the first day of school, many students are pedaling their newly acquired two wheelers around campus. Be sure to lock up your bike and secure any removable parts to prevent bike theft, which is all too common in Tempe. Got a cool bike? I may see it around town and add your prized possession to a future edition of “That Bike On The Street”! Follow my blog to stay posted and thanks for reading!
Another bike has been stripped of its wheels, seat and chain on the ASU Tempe campus. This bike was selected by one of the many sneaky bike thieves that like to frequent near the ASU campuses. What was once a stylish ride is now the sad remains of a bike frame, that could end up chained to this pole at the Rural & University light rail stop indefinitely. Many disassembled bikes face the same fate, as many bike owners become discouraged and abandon their once prized two-wheelers.
Don’t let this happen to you! Use a sturdy U-lock and a second lock- a thick cable lock to secure quick release wheels. Also, if you see a suspicious person tampering with a bike, call the Tempe Police at 480.350.8311… Or if you feel brave, strike up a conversation with them about the bike in front of them. This should throw the bike thief a curve ball. We, as cyclists, have to be proactive about making our bikes difficult for a thief to steal. It may not be fair, but you’ll be happier riding your bike than wondering how you will get a wheel-less bicycle home!
Links:
Some of you may not know who Jeremy Staat is… but you may have heard or read that he is coming to ASU, as a stop on his Wall-to-Wall Cross Country Bicycle Ride.
ASU Alumni, former NFL player and Iraqi War veteran, Jeremy Staat
Staat played professional football for the Pittsburg Steelers, St. Louis Rams and arena football for the Los Angeles Avengers. But before all of that, he began his football career at ASU and was friends with our local hero, Pat Tillman. After the tragic loss of Tillman, Staat lost interest and decided to leave his career in football. He chose to join the United States Marine Corps, and is now an Iraqi War veteran.
Staat formed the Jeremy Staat Foundation to raise awareness and support for the nation’s veterans and veterans organizations. By stopping at ASU, Staat hopes to promote veterans centers on college campuses.
Staat and fellow Iraqi War veteran, Wesley Barrientos, are riding more than 4,163 miles starting at the Wall of Valor in Bakersfield, Calif., to the Vietnam Memorial Wall in Washington, D.C. Barrientos is a three-time Iraq War veteran, three-time Purple Heart recipient and a double amputee who rides a hand-crank bicycle. Both Staat and Barrientos are both from Bakersfield.
Wesley and Jeremy taking a short break
The Wall-to-Wall Bicycle Tour will arrive outside of Sun Devil Stadium around 2 p.m. on March 8. The ride will conclude in D.C. on Memorial Day.
Keep up with Jeremy and Wesley:
We can’t wait to see you at ASU on Thursday!
For related articles:
If you use a bike, skateboard, longboard, scooter or other method of wheeled transportation on Tempe campus, you may be aware of the Walk Your Wheels campaign, brought to us by the Undergraduate Student Government put in place to make crowded areas safer. The Walk Your Wheels campaign started in the beginning of the 2011- 2012 school year and the purpose was to encourage safety in congested mall areas, by asking people on bikes or other wheeled means of transportation to dismount while in the crowd. I have seen the signs in a few spots on campus and depending on if the foot traffic around me was heavy or not, I have obeyed the request. But what do you think? The USG wants student input for the future of the campaign. Walk Your Wheels could become a stricter program, not allowing wheeled transportation on campus at all, or the program could dismantle if people are not happy with the results. If this campaign effects you- make your opinion known! Take the survey to ensure that your voice is heard!
Click here for more information on the Walk Your Wheels campaign. The State Press has also covered this topic multiple times and I included links to a few recent articles below.
From an article by The State Press(Photo by Shawn Raymundo)
Some related articles from the State Press:
Walk Your Wheels campaign falls short (Feb. 28, 2012)
USG makes final push for Walk Your Wheels campaign (Jan. 11, 2012)
Students weigh in during Walk Your Wheels forum (Nov. 3, 2011)
Walk Your Wheels to officially launch (Sept. 18, 2011)
I found a bike lock key on the Tempe campus at the bike racks directly in front of the Computing Commons. If you lost one and want to check it out, it has a serial number for identification. Hit me up. I can try to return this key to the owner or send it back to Kryptonite. I’m just trying to help out because it would be a pain in the rear if I lost mine!
P.S. It’s kinda dirty. Not my fault. I saw it pretty much lodged under the metal rack and at first, thought it was mine.
This slide show opens the doors of ASU’s Bike Co-op while we speak with the director, Mike Marriott. The Bike Co-op service is free to ASU students and faculty members. The Bike Co-op sells any parts that you might need at discounted prices. Payment is accepted by Sun Card only. The Bike Co-op is located on the Tempe campus in the Student Recreation Center building. The hours of operation are Monday through Friday from 10 a.m. until 4 p.m.
Two Wheelin' Tempe 