Three More DIY Bicycle Repair Stations Installed on U.Va. Grounds

Do-it-yourself bicycle repair has gotten more convenient at the University of Virginia.

The Department of Parking and Transportation now has four Bike Fix-it stations on Grounds. The first was installed outside Clark Hall in 2011. Since then, three more have been erected on Grounds – the School of Architecture sponsored one for the Arts Grounds, installed late last semester, and U.Va. Dining sponsored stations at the Observatory Hill and Runk dining halls, which were installed in recent weeks. The repair stations are upright stanchions rods to conveniently hold the bicycle. The stations have a collection of screwdrivers and wrenches attached to the structure by flexible cables, a hand-operated air pump and hose for inflating tires.

“The newer ones have an improved design,” said Jonathan Monceaux, transportation demand management professional at Parking and Transportation. “They are slimmer and more cylindrical, with the tools hanging inside to help protect them from the elements.”

Monceaux said students can perform most standard maintenance and repair, such as tightening fittings, replacing chains and repairing tire tubes.

Monceaux said there are plans to install a fifth station in the spring, sponsored by the Green Grounds Group, probably somewhere around the South Lawn.

The bicycle repair stations are part of U.Va.’s efforts to make Grounds more bicycle-friendly, as part of the University’s overall sustainability plans. .

The Department of Parking and Transportation estimates that about 2.2 percent of the faculty and staff bicycle to work and that about 20 percent of the students who commute less than a mile to school use a bicycle.