SUU Welcomes T-Bird Bikes to Campus
Posted: November 05, 2020 | Author: Kierstin Pitcher-Holloway | Read Time: 2 minutes
Southern Utah University has opened its first campus bike shop, T-Bird Bikes. T-Bird Bikes hopes to encourage students to explore an alternative form of transportation by providing rental bikes, and a space where T-Birds can learn how to maintain and repair their own bikes.
SUU seniors and founders of T-Bird Bikes, Paul Rhodes and Greyson Jones worked with the University to create the shop, and were excited to host the grand opening on October 1.
“I have a really big love for bikes,” said Rhodes. “But my main motivation for creating the shop was the environmental and sustainability aspects of it.”
Jones also loves biking, and believes that in addition to helping the environment, biking to class will improve campus parking, “It’s just better for everyone if more people ride bikes.”
The shop is located at 215 South 700 West in Cedar City, making it accessible for all on-campus students, faculty and staff. T-Birds wishing to rent a bike will need their student ID with a sticker from the Cashier’s Office and a bike lock or money to purchase one from the bike shop. Students are also required to provide any additional biking gear like lights or helmets that they would like to use.
T-Bird Bikes also offers open shop hours Tuesdays and Thursdays from 5:00 to 7:00 p.m. This offers anyone the opportunity to bring their bike or T-Bird Bike, into the shop and learn to maintain and repair it.
“It’s a bike shop in the sense that we have tools and stands,” said Rhodes. “But it’s a hands-off bike shop where we will show people how to fix the bike, and then undo it so they can do it themselves.”
“The hardest part about repairing a bike is having the tools,”said Jones. “If we can get past that barrier with people by having the tools, then everyone can maintain their bikes.”
Both Jones and Rhodes will be graduating in the spring and are working towards making this a permanent program at SUU. They are applying for different grants in the coming months, and until then T-Bird Bikes is looking for volunteers.
“If we can find the funding to employ even a part-time student worker that will ensure the sustainability of the program,” said Rhodes. “For now, if there is a volunteer who really loves the idea of the shop, even if they don’t know anything about bikes, they can come in and we can train them.”
Donations are also welcome, including bikes.
“If people have bikes that are broken and don’t really want anymore please bring them by,” said Jones. “We will take anything and fix it up.”
Students who are interested in volunteering or in utilizing the services offered at T-Bird Bikes are encouraged to visit the T-Bird Bikes website, visit their Facebook page or email the shop at tbirdbikes@gmail.com.
Tags: SUU Outdoors
