Big Project: BIKE SHARE NEW LONDON

[NLCTVWguy]

This is going to be a perfect opportunity to put my Rat Rodding skills to practical use.

Our new cycling advocacy organization, BIKE NEW LONDON (http://www.bikenewlondon.org) is going to be starting up a new service in town. We will be offering free bikes for the public to use around town, called BIKE SHARE NEW LONDON. This is based on a similar program presently operating in nearby Mystic Connecticut.

In Mystic, donations have been solicited by the Chamber of Commerce to put in place a system of bike racks and a good number of public bicycles. The bikes are all painted the same color and are generally boring but functional "city" bikes. Old Raleigh tourists, diamond frame 5, 10- and 12- speed models, ATBs fitted with baskets, and typical store brand cruiser models are the usual offerings.

(This one from BIKE FEST NEW LONDON's not available

The person borrowing the bike gives a deposit and shows ID. They receive a key to open the lock of a bike in the rack. When the bike is returned, they receive their deposit back. It's simple and it works. Most of the bikes, honestly are something you wouldn't want to steal, but are great for getting around town. This is the model we're going to follow here.

I have volunteered for the group to provide the first 6 bikes, which are going to be stored in a rack in a downtown parking garage. To rent them, the customer will see the attendant at the garage. Each bike will be painted green and yellow, the city's school colors, and will have a phone number on it to call if there is a problem. In general, a problem with the bike such as a flat tire, will be handled by returning the bike to the garage, and we'll repair it later. The customer then takes another bike.

Here's our first victim, started the transformation last night:

It's a 1980's Huffy Savannah ladies 10spd cruiser- actually a Made in USA steel frame almost-mountain bike. Pretty nice for a rescue from a scrap dealer's truck. Everything works and it just needs brake pads and of course tires.

Had some good help from my wife, from CJ, and from another friend Allyn who collects Schwinn Fastbacks.

Of course I was kinda digging the black primer look, but here's the finished color the bikes will be:

So, what can you do to help this cause? I will be looking for 8 to 10 more bikes that are good city bikes. Mens and ladies mountain bikes, preferably nice condition "low end" models. Straight wheels are a big plus, good tires would be very welcome since it's less work and fewer donations we have to seek, and any kind of baskets will be very much appreciated.

Looking forward to a fun summer of building bikes and putting some of those less appreciated bikes back on the streets with a new lease on life.

If you can help, email me at [email protected] or call 860-912-6882.
--Rob Bareiss

 

[redeyerat]

Nice to see good people doing good things, i wish you good luck with this and hopefully it continues and expands.

We had something like this on the island a few years back they where called "blue bikes".
There was no deposit you just find a "blue bike" on the side of the road help yourself and when your done
park it for the next guy or girl. to bad it didn't last

here's a link with a little info http://www.victoria2020.com/?p=24

cheers 8)

 

[necessaryevil]

Very cool program, nice to see an honor system alive and well. I think if we tried that here in Cincy, not a single bike would ever be returned.

 

[NLCTVWguy]

Very cool program, nice to see an honor system alive and well. I think if we tried that here in Cincy, not a single bike would ever be returned.

We are of course aware of the possibility of the same problem here.

We are a very small city (6 square miles give or take) with a dense population (26000 or so). Everything from million dollar beachfront to crappy federal project housing, all within a short walk or drive. Racially the city is very diverse, about 30% white, 30% black, 30% Hispanic, and 10% of everything else you could name. We get along surprisingly well with all that considering.

There is a problem in general with bikes being stolen. A lot of times I see kids on repainted mountain bikes and bmx bikes, and you just KNOW. My own Trek 820 mountain bike was one I bought from a police auction. It had been stolen, unclaimed for a period of time and then sold off by the city. Surely hundreds if not thousands of bikes have gone through this over the years here.

Our plan to fight this works like this:

1) the bikes are essentially undesirable, not junk but definitely not cool bikes. Not the latest and greatest mountain bikes, not super lightweights or anything. They're everyday "nerd" bikes and slow cruisers, good for a gentle trip to the park, beach or store but not anything you'd have to worry about leaving out.

2) the paint job on them is immediately recognizable as one of the city bikes. Someone will have a lot of work to do to cover up one of these. It will be obvious that you've got one, and if it's out late at night, you just might get stopped and talked to by the police dept. The paint is also intended to be low maintenance and easily repaired if one is damaged. The colors are bright and noticeable, though with sort of a John Deere theme (kind of unavoidable with the city colors.)

3) The serial numbers will all be registered at the city Police Dept. Should one of the bikes turn up abandoned, the city police will be able to call us to pick it up, or return it to one of the dropoff points.

What do I think will happen? I figure we will probably lose 1/2 of the bikes in the program, probably each year. Some will get damaged or wear out and be taken out of service, either due to exposure or other natural causes. Probably have to put a dozen bikes into service each year ultimately to keep up. My hope is that the visitors coming into the city can borrow a bike from the train station (right next to the bus terminal and 2 ferry docks) and ride for a day, do what they need to do and return it. If the bike is dropped off or abandoned inappropriately, well, we have a deposit.

I wouldn't be surprised if we lose a few due to people losing keys or locks or just carelessness, ie. they go into a store and come out, bike is gone. With any luck those will be easily recovered because short of throwing them in the river, they won't be far away.

I would bet a few don't get returned and then we have a deposit from the people which will go into the program to buy supplies. I hope that we ultimately have enough bikes around the city to encourage regular use and make the program accessible to everyone who wants it. A lot of people have expressed interest in it around the area.

Once again, if you have bikes you want to donate to this, please let me know, and I can pick them up or make other arrangements.

--Rob

 

[WhiteShadow]

good stuff. would never happen here.


i like your painting stand

 

[aka_locojoe]

Hope it works out. Sounds like a good plan. A local bike shop here once did something similar.
I'm curious as to who it is that typically uses the bikes?

 

[NLCTVWguy]

Haha- that's a KIA with the center of the seat tube cut out.
Guy was installing a motor kit on it and it got just about as far
as you see there. I think this is the last place it will be before
recycling day.

Did get a real nice set of Columbia bars off it though so it wasn't
completely worthless.

--Rob

good stuff. would never happen here.


i like your painting stand

 

[NLCTVWguy]

Thanks,
I am hopeful for the project too. I'm certain there will be a few setbacks and
disappointments but I'm ready for that.

In Mystic, where a similar program does work, they're used by a combination
of budget minded tourists (more of them these days), local boaters who tie
up at the public free docks (in an otherwise very exclusive marina area), and
student/artist/coffee shop regulars who need to run errands around town.

The situation in our town is somewhat similar- locals may use them, maybe
when their own bike is down or if they don't have a bike or car, but I expect
that the majority will be folks who are regulars on the ferries or trains.

The one ferry service is exclusive to an island (Fishers Island, a part of NY)
that's just off shore from CT. Locals come over to pick up supplies, and
the dock is next to the train station. If they could just walk over, take a bike,
run to the store and return, without taking a car across or their own bike,
then that would be a big benefit I think.

--Rob

Hope it works out. Sounds like a good plan. A local bike shop here once did something similar.
I'm curious as to who it is that typically uses the bikes?

 

[stretch]

ill keep my eyes peeled for bikes! i have a couple actually.

all this one needs is a chain.

i have another fork and wheel i could put on this bike, but it doesnt have any of the shifters or brake levers, so i would have to find replacments. and it also needs cables.
they were free for me so they'd be free for you.

 

[dragsterIII]

I have a question... how do you get on those tall bikes :shock:

 

[stretch]

get on top of a car if its just two frames im guessing. but for anything taller: a van, then garage, then house, then biggg ladder.

 

[Graylock]

Rob, I have a lugged frame ladies Shogun your welcome to. Once it has been demasted and reappointed with its new colors it would make a fine addition to your New London fleet. Has no use to me with its lugged frame. I'd even do a paint for you if you PM me a paint schedule. I'm hoping your project gets off the ground and stays their.

When will you be finishing your new Tall Bike?

GL

 

[dragsterIII]

get on top of a car if its just two frames im guessing. but for anything taller: a van, then garage, then house, then biggg ladder.

I think the more important question is how do you get off
find a lamp post I guess :lol:

 

[bicycleguy]

get on top of a car if its just two frames im guessing. but for anything taller: a van, then garage, then house, then biggg ladder.

You can freemount pretty much anything to about 4 frames tall if you have a long straight slight downhill to go down while you climb up.

 

[user 135]

Boise had a "yellow bike" program that failed do to theft and vandalism. Your plan sounds much better assuming the parking attendant/lot doesn't end up charging for their part of the program. Having it in a smaller town especially next a marina also will help the success.

 

[NLCTVWguy]

We were lucky the day we were riding the tall bike around-

The city had aluminum bleachers set up for a concert the next day. They were the
perfect height for climbing right onto (and off) the bike from the top step.

I did really worry that someone would walk out in front of me...

--Rob

get on top of a car if its just two frames im guessing. but for anything taller: a van, then garage, then house, then biggg ladder.

I think the more important question is how do you get off
find a lamp post I guess :lol:

 

[NLCTVWguy]

Thanks Clancy-

The parking garage owner has signed on to the program big time and even hosted our
group meetings at his awesome beachfront house.

I think it will work if we don't let it get away from us. I think that most of the people who will
want to make use of it will be responsible with the bikes.

Of course we will have the problem of theft and damage but I hope we can avoid a lot of that
by being smart and really, limiting how many bikes we put out there initially.

Here's the first one, nearly complete!

I appreciate the kind words.
--Rob

Boise had a "yellow bike" program that failed do to theft and vandalism. Your plan sounds much better assuming the parking attendant/lot doesn't end up charging for their part of the program. Having it in a smaller town especially next a marina also will help the success.

 

[NLCTVWguy]

Graylock, what a great guy. This is the kind of attitude I see over and over
from people in the bike community. People always want to do something to help.

YES, I would love to have any kind of help with this project. The colors we are
using are a Hunter green, and John Deere yellow. I happened to use Rustoleum,
not my favorite, but I could not find any other type of yellow paint. (With the
humidity lately, it took quite a while to dry!)

I used black primer under the green and on the chrome parts. I hope it lasts a
while.

I am getting white vinyl graphics done soon, a sheet of them that will probably
supply 20-30 bikes from one sheet. Simple white block letters saying
"BIKE SHARE NEW LONDON" on clear vinyl. I think it'll look professional
on the green paint.

Thanks Graylock as well as others that have gotten in touch with me. Any
bikes donated to this project will be put to good use.

--Rob

Rob, I have a lugged frame ladies Shogun your welcome to. Once it has been demasted and reappointed with its new colors it would make a fine addition to your New London fleet. Has no use to me with its lugged frame. I'd even do a paint for you if you PM me a paint schedule. I'm hoping your project gets off the ground and stays their.

When will you be finishing your new Tall Bike?

GL

 

[dragsterIII]

love the black and yellow, perfect rat

 

[NLCTVWguy]

Here's the finished bike. Rode it around at work too, and everyone really liked it. I think this program is going to work, as long as we don't get too attached to the bikes. They're going to be rentals and so they just need to work well, not to be perfect or beautiful.

Thanks for all the support and kind words. Tonight, bike #3 showed up (Thanks, CJ). It's a Sears 6-speed very similar to this Huffy. And has a cool basket on it, a big plus.

Can't wait till I can post a picture of a whole rack full of these things.

--Rob