Angry? I guess they can come up with some kinda ID system.. number stickers?

An update on the story:
https://www.jsonline.com/story/index.aspx?id=788470

I'm surprised at some of the negativism I read in different posts in this and the advocacy forum. I agree there are ways to improve the program (a credit for a bike of their choice, even if only from Trek), but I take encouragement from the promotion of bicycling.

Yes, some people will abuse the program and probably give the good cyclists a bad rap with poor or illegal riding habits, but think of how many may come out of the experience as life long cyclists and start patterning their behavior with higher biking and fewer driving miles.

To me the effort far outweighs its flaws or potential flaws.

I take it you have never been to Ripon then********** The top of campus "Upper Campus" (classrooms), is located at the highest point of the surrounding area. "Middle campus" (dorms) is located on two lower hills, and "lower campus" (arts and athletics) are at the bottom of a valley with large hills on either side.


Ripon is far from flat.

Do they have Cliff Notes for BICYCLE. I don't see how they'd manage without!

That's a recipe for a riot!

I think it's a brilliant idea; I only hope they have enough racks for all those bikes. The more students that become cyclists, the better.

At my school, 85-95% of the bikes on the rack are of mountain bike design, either hard tail or wal-mart suspension, and there has been a huge influx of bicycles on campus this year. I've even gotten funny looks on my cycloX, presumably for not riding what everyone else is riding.

They need to tighten admissions criteria if a bike with a derailleur and gears is too complicated for the freshmen.

I think it's a great idea. When I was visiting in England a couple of years ago I went to Cambridge. As I understand it the students are not allowed to have cars within a five mile radius of the campus or something like that. There were thousands of bicycles everywhere all over the campus. Some may belong to individual students but if I got it right the students just take a bike from a rack to get to where they are going. Interesting concept. I have no idea who would actually maintain the bicycles though, or if that even happens. Having said that they all looked rideable.

Not likely, though the 820 may be built in China. Trek headquarters is in Waterloo Wisconsin about 60 miles from Ripon College. The school teamed up with Trek and a dealer so it probably costs the school very little if anything. Trek gets good publicity and probably a tax write-off, kids get free bikes, the school gets fewer parking and traffic problems, smiles all around.

Hey, it is cause for hope. Too bad we can't similarly get employers to spend some of those taxpayer-funded carpool-subsidy dollars on bikes for folks that live too close to work to benefit from a carpool.

The school I go to (Northern Arizona University) had a "Yellow Bike" program where they bought a bunch of bikes and put them around campus to be used for all students. Just ride the bikes to class and leave them unlocked for all to use. Unforutnatly they all got trashed or stolen.