NU Bike Lending

It seems someone at NU is planning to lend bikes... or so the Norris bike sale signs suggest.

Bike Sharing at NU

Loyola University students started a bike-sharing program in 2009:

http://www.luc.edu/usga/Borrow-A-Bike.shtml

University of Chicago administrators started a bike-sharing program in 2009:

https://www.universitybikeshare.com/

Northwestern students in SEED, ESW and around campus have discussed bike-sharing programs. Here's hoping they or NU administrators can start one up in the 2009-2010 academic year. The Recyclery is eager to help, and can provide resources to help turn Northwestern's abandoned bikes into a campus resource for sharing rather than an inconvenience for cyclists and an eyesore for everyone.

Shelter Central

Even if you don't go on the roof like some do-it-yourself-ers have done, the University Library offers a lot of sheltered places on the plaza suitable for parking bikes (mostly) out of the weather. If you add the sheltered space on the roofs, you could help a really significant number of students use their bikes through the winter without excessive damage from leaving them sit out in the snow and sleet.

Wide open...

Some sheltered spaces offer room for a lot of bike racks.

Tucked away...

Some sheltered places just offer room for a rack or two...

Room for more?

Even where some bike racks already enjoy shelter, those sheltered spaces could have room for more with a little creative placement.

Just until Spring Quarter...

Some sheltered places won't get much use in Winter Quarter, but make a nice place to pause or hang out in Spring, Summer and Fall. There's no point in letting them go to waste when bikes could use the protection!