BIKE SHARE BLOG: Explore Syracuse and save cash with the bike share program on Day 3
My name is Ben and I like to bike. I’ve biked from Syracuse to Philadelphia and deliver sandwiches in my spare time. This week I’ll be reviewing the Student Association’s bike share program. Follow along each day as I try it out.
Day 3
Save yourself the $2 for bus fare this week and try using this Interactive map to bike down to Destiny USA. This route is almost entirely on marked bike routes and should take about 40 minutes.
1 bike from yesterday has already been fixed and 1 is in the shop for more repairs. replacement bike has taken its place. #benbikes
— Benjamin Farr (@YepIveBenFarr) September 28, 2016
Day Two
Bikes were in high demand today at the Schine Student center and at least one — two by the time I was done — were already out of order. I started out impressed by the orange rentals. The seat was comfy, handlebars felt good, and the weather was just right for a ride. All of the parts of the bike functioned initially and it was easy getting downtown on the green bike paths.
It took all of 20 minutes from signing out the bike to get to the Warehouse and then another 20 to get to Destiny on the Creekwalk. Things got a little hairy halfway down the trail when my handlebars started to come loose. At first it wasn’t too bad, just a little bit of sway away from the wheel.
And then oof. Every ten or twenty I was catching myself or using both my feet to stop me from sliding into traffic. I limped the bike down the bridge to Destiny for lunch — a sloppy, dripping bourbon chicken sandwich and root beer — and tried to keep limping the bike back home, but it got bad. I stopped at a hardware warehouse and borrowed a wrench to tighten it up. Fortunately, the problem wasn’t too bad and the bike was fixed.
Once back, SCPS came out and inspected the bike. It’ll be taken out of commission until Mello Velo can check it out.
Although a little harrowing, I think my Bike Share experience was the exception, not the rule. The sheer convenience of the program is great and I wouldn’t have gotten my fix of sweet Cajun without it.
About to sign out a bike. #benbikes
— Benjamin Farr (@YepIveBenFarr) September 27, 2016
Almost all the bikes are signed out. Just one left. #benbikes
— Benjamin Farr (@YepIveBenFarr) September 27, 2016
Apparently one basket has already fallen off. #benbikes
— Benjamin Farr (@YepIveBenFarr) September 27, 2016
Apparently one basket has already fallen off. #benbikes
— Benjamin Farr (@YepIveBenFarr) September 27, 2016
Preflight inspection. #benbikes pic.twitter.com/hjXNKtSVg9
— Benjamin Farr (@YepIveBenFarr) September 27, 2016
Looks like someone is already about to be fined for damaged. "Still rideable" not a defense for breaking things #benbikes
— Benjamin Farr (@YepIveBenFarr) September 27, 2016
SCPS office is pretty busy with bikes. Returns getting sorted out.
— Benjamin Farr (@YepIveBenFarr) September 27, 2016
Okay, bout to go around Onondaga. Maybe stop at destiny for lunch
— Benjamin Farr (@YepIveBenFarr) September 27, 2016
So many people park in the bike lanes, forcing bikes into traffic. #benbikes pic.twitter.com/xutWDTu7oR
— Benjamin Farr (@YepIveBenFarr) September 27, 2016
Made it to the warehouse. Initial impression is that the bike is functional. pic.twitter.com/6aPrqjcjKb
— Benjamin Farr (@YepIveBenFarr) September 27, 2016
Ride was great on the way down. Signing out and riding were smooth. People are SCPS were friendly. #benbikes
— Benjamin Farr (@YepIveBenFarr) September 27, 2016
I've heard this is nice pic.twitter.com/Fax1xUgjuQ
— Benjamin Farr (@YepIveBenFarr) September 27, 2016
The underside of 690 pic.twitter.com/TOrjPk3B0K
— Benjamin Farr (@YepIveBenFarr) September 27, 2016
Made it to the lake. Handlebars have a tendency to come loose. Hopefully someone at Schine will have a wrench. pic.twitter.com/FtGqAm1Xxh
— Benjamin Farr (@YepIveBenFarr) September 27, 2016
Wow, getting to destiny was a lot easier than I thought pic.twitter.com/AuMezaoYNF
— Benjamin Farr (@YepIveBenFarr) September 27, 2016
Total time to destiny was 30 minutes
— Benjamin Farr (@YepIveBenFarr) September 27, 2016
You can get to the mall entirely on bike paths. #benbikes
— Benjamin Farr (@YepIveBenFarr) September 27, 2016
Handlebars are now dangerously loose. I'm going to head back early and alert SCPS. Otherwise ride here has been pleasant. #benbikes pic.twitter.com/ZPCpaMIE5X
— Benjamin Farr (@YepIveBenFarr) September 27, 2016
Cajun = bike fuel pic.twitter.com/E93FweAW4s
— Benjamin Farr (@YepIveBenFarr) September 27, 2016
Back on the road, but the handlebars have gotten incredibly bad. Will be walking back until I can find someone with tools
— Benjamin Farr (@YepIveBenFarr) September 27, 2016
Awesome warehouse guy just helped me tighten up the stem. Will be heading back now
— Benjamin Farr (@YepIveBenFarr) September 27, 2016
SCPS were really helpful when I got back. From the sounds of it Mello Velo will be in to fix the handlebars tomorrow.
— Benjamin Farr (@YepIveBenFarr) September 27, 2016
Day One
The bikes are Kona Cocos — women’s city bikes — outfitted in Syracuse orange paint, fenders, daytime lights, bells and baskets. Cocos normally retail for $700, making the bikes some of the more expensive ones on campus.
You won’t be going road racing or mountain biking on them, but they should be reliable. The bikes come with disk brakes, which are much more powerful than most will be familiar with. I wouldn’t be surprised to see some students flip over the front wheel in the first month.
Otto is checking out the #subikeshare pic.twitter.com/rJsQDXXk20
— Benjamin Farr (@YepIveBenFarr) September 26, 2016
Tables are set up outside of Schine for the #subikeshare pic.twitter.com/pOLUuGBysn
— Benjamin Farr (@YepIveBenFarr) September 26, 2016
Bikeshare bikes are Kona hybrids. pic.twitter.com/JRbxhx5zAX
— Benjamin Farr (@YepIveBenFarr) September 26, 2016
Bikes come with a bell, basket, and school pride paint pic.twitter.com/QPW0BH1afQ
— Benjamin Farr (@YepIveBenFarr) September 26, 2016
Components are really good. Disc brakes pic.twitter.com/SE5GRbalFb
— Benjamin Farr (@YepIveBenFarr) September 26, 2016
#MelloVelo customized and painted the bikes. They will also be doing maintenance throughout the year pic.twitter.com/TP6XmSfseb
— Benjamin Farr (@YepIveBenFarr) September 26, 2016
Appear to be 10 bikes in total. They can be rented for 24 hour stretches. pic.twitter.com/r2lb3SPwLY
— Benjamin Farr (@YepIveBenFarr) September 26, 2016
DPS, Student Association, and dancing Otto are at #SUbikeshare launch pic.twitter.com/5nvkBTDWYP
— Benjamin Farr (@YepIveBenFarr) September 26, 2016
I am the first person to try to reserve a bike. Being bounced between offices. Little bit of confusion
— Benjamin Farr (@YepIveBenFarr) September 26, 2016
After today bike reservations will be available in SCPS way in the back of Schine, past the box office. Never been here before. pic.twitter.com/PzRb1tSKDD
— Benjamin Farr (@YepIveBenFarr) September 26, 2016
Otto's form. pic.twitter.com/rJWPctog20
— Benjamin Farr (@YepIveBenFarr) September 26, 2016
Launch is today, but bikes cannot be signed out until tomorrow. #benbikes
— Benjamin Farr (@YepIveBenFarr) September 26, 2016
FREE GOODIES #benbikes pic.twitter.com/vmpsxo4r7E
— Benjamin Farr (@YepIveBenFarr) September 26, 2016
#MelloVelo's table at bike share launch. Raffling off a helmet and advertising cyclocross races. pic.twitter.com/kejxgAPRow
— Benjamin Farr (@YepIveBenFarr) September 26, 2016
Once signed out, you get a key to your bike's u-bolt lock. pic.twitter.com/7noqJUXktr
— Benjamin Farr (@YepIveBenFarr) September 26, 2016
Going to go look at SU bike guides
— Benjamin Farr (@YepIveBenFarr) September 26, 2016
Full 4-page form to sign out a bike. #benbikes pic.twitter.com/ADnjW3WXfa
— Benjamin Farr (@YepIveBenFarr) September 26, 2016
Map showing where you are least likely be hit by car. #benbikes pic.twitter.com/cYs6BkUtKj
— Benjamin Farr (@YepIveBenFarr) September 26, 2016
Places to bike. #benbikes pic.twitter.com/lm8tijSCtO
— Benjamin Farr (@YepIveBenFarr) September 26, 2016
Rules and stuff. #benbikes pic.twitter.com/ygbJDBHYWS
— Benjamin Farr (@YepIveBenFarr) September 26, 2016
Join me tomorrow when I'll be riding around campus on a bike share bike. #benbikes
— Benjamin Farr (@YepIveBenFarr) September 26, 2016
Orange bikes are around campus. Appears rentals have begun.
— Benjamin Farr (@YepIveBenFarr) September 26, 2016
Follow along tomorrow, when I try to take one around Onondaga Lake.
Published on September 26, 2016 at 11:06 pm
Contact Benjamin: brfarr@syr.edu