By Brendan McGaughey
Competing in a Halloween-themed bicycle race and teaching other cyclists how to maintain their bikes are only two of the duties shared by members in the Mount Pleasant Bike Cooperative in the mid-Michigan town.
“I live without a car, so I bike almost everywhere,” said Colin Hodo, the unofficial shop manager of the co-op. “My life is generally more fun, slightly more dangerous, healthier, and far cheaper than it would be with a car.”
The co-op has a basement workshop at Justice Records in the city’s downtown. It is littered with shattered records from the store above it, bike grease, tools, tires and the sweat of members struggling to make biking more affordable and accessible.
Mount Pleasant Bike Cooperative from Brendan McGaughey on Vimeo.
Hundreds of similar cooperatives exist across the nation, although communities are sometimes unaware of them. Bike co-ops are non-profit groups that provide affordable access to cycling and to tools to repair and maintain your bike. They host seminars and workshops, surviving through donations, grants and fundraisers.
Such cooperatives are often based in larger cities or college towns. The Lansing Bike Co-op is in Lansing, Mich., the capital city right next to Michigan State University. In August 2009, Lansing became the first Michigan city to pass pro-bike Complete Streets legislation. It was followed a year later by statewide Complete Streets legislation, which established a Michigan transportation fund to support additions of bike lanes and overall roadway safety.
The Complete Streets Coalition is a national organization dedicated to enabling safe access to streets for all users, including bicyclists. The coalition and the increasing popularity in cycling could escalate the growth of bicycle cooperatives. Complete Streets legislation aims to provide safe, comprehensive streets for all types of transit, which may include the addition of bike lanes.
Recently added bike lanes to Central Michigan University’s campus in Mount Pleasant are similar to those at Michigan State University. Bike co-ops often exist in cities with bike lanes and Complete Streets legislation that aids their existence and growth.
“Communities tend to pass Complete Streets ordinances before a state does. It is sort of a trickle-up effect,” State Network Manager Rory Neuner of the Safe Routes to School National Partnership.
Neuner works in Lansing and was around when the city passed Complete Streets legislation. Michigan is the fifth state in the Great Lakes region to pass statewide legislation. Illinois was first in 2007, followed by Minnesota, Wisconsin and Pennsylvania.
New York, Indiana and Ohio are all discussing state policies, but no statewide legislation has passed yet, according to the coalition’s website. Communities in these states passed Complete Streets policies and resolutions, affirming the trickle-up effect.
Like many bike co-ops, the Mount Pleasant Bike Cooperative hosts free workshops and events to educate the community and raise funds. A recent seminar in August showed attendees how to create bike seat locks using old drive chains and inner tubes.
Joe Roggenbuck is among a small group of excited individuals who began the Mount Pleasant Bike Cooperative in October 2009.
“We try to reuse everything in one way or another,” Roggenbuck said. “Whole bikes can be given to someone, and parts can be used to upgrade or replace broken parts on someone’s bike. Broken parts can be repurposed and turned into art, or the scrap metal can be sold.”
Although Roggenbuck founded the co-op and has a large amount of involvement, he stresses his membership is no more important than anyone else’s. Bike co-ops often share this structure, where members have an equal share in decision-making.
Roggenbuck and other co-op members use the shop for bike maintenance and as an escape from their studies at Central Michigan University.
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Hi all. Corey here from the Armory Bike Union in Jackson, MI. We are a community shop so I thought I’d add our info to this comment thread.
The Armory Bike Union is a community bicycle shop with a variety of purposes and programs that are helping to create a vibrant bicycling culture in Jackson. We offer workshops, classes, volunteer opportunities, space for the public to work on personal projects, and bicycle rentals!
Open Hours:
Monday – 4.30pm-8.30pm
Wednesday – 4.30pm-8.30pm
Address:
104 Armory Ct.
Jackson, MI 49202
http://www.fitnesscouncil.org
I would like to note, that active membership is extremely low, and it would be beneficial to have more people involved with the local bike community! You can always e-mail the MT. Pleasant Bike Co-op at mpbikecoop@gmail.com we’re having shop clean-up events semi-regularly (generally accompanied by free vegan food)all winter!
E-mail us to be signed up for all the latest on MPBC events and fundraisers!
Co-ops are a wonderful community service and channel for younger, curious cyclists to learn the trade and keep their bike working better. The MSU Bike Project, our volunteer-run workshop, continues to meet 2x/ week in the basement of Demonstration Hall. This web page has more info. about it:
http://www.bikes.msu.edu/content/volunteer_donations.html
I spent quite a lot of time at the East Lansing Bike Co-op which I had published the following on our old web site under the History of Cycling @ MSU:
“For many of us old-time bicyclists in the area our introduction to bicycle mechanics was courtesy of the E. Lansing Bike Co-op, which used to be located in the building on Grand River just West of the alley next to the old Taco Bell (which sat at the corner of Bailey St. and Grand River). This co-op was a treasure trove of experienced bike mechanics (some paid, some volunteers) who helped others work on their bikes. One of the first mechanics, Donald Ayers-Marsh, recently contacted me and has this to share about the Co-op.
“To let you in on some history, The Bike Co-op was founded in 1974 at a meeting of people who were mostly already involved in the housing co-ops. We were founded as a member owned not-for-profit with a goal of offering the best service and fair pricing. The store first opened in the middle of winter in a tiny brick building about 10 ft across on Evergreen Ave just behind the Gibson’s bookstore building. I remember Ralph Ellis, Tom Moore and Chris Johnson as well as myself being among the first people involved.
By 1976 we had moved to 547 E. Grand River Ave, occupying part of two floors in the back of the building and eventually storing used bikes waiting for repair in the basement. The Bike Co-op had the best repair turnaround in town and close to the biggest volume. We had a paid mechanic staff, some of whom completed a 60 hour Bicycle Technician Course, as well as some volunteers who helped with stocking and sales and the bike clinic. We were very proud of our repair quality and tracked all guarantee work. We actually had a 7 day no-flat guarantee on tire and tube repairs.
The Co-op had a large market in used bikes (many of which were produced at our winter mechanic courses) and sold new bikes as well. We also sold and rented cross country skis for a time. We offered a winter storage program, one option of which was free storage with a complete overhaul. The Co-op offered the only public repair clinic in town and did a lot of bicycle and safety education on and off campus.”
Thanks for this article about a growing trend across the country. Lansing’s bike coop is picking up steam, slowly, but we still need people, parts, and public support!
The Lansing Bike Cooperative can be found at Basement 414 just off of Michigan Avenue, at our website: http://bikelansing.org/coop/ or you can follow us on twitter at Twitter.com/LansingBikeCoop