Bike rental program now offered at BBC

Photo courtesy of Sofia Galiano

Sofia Galiano/ BBC Managing Editor

A speedy commute across campus in the form of a recreational sport will be offered in a bicycle sharing program this semester, allowing students to rent bikes and safety gear for free.

Biscayne Bay Campus Recreation is launching the Bike Share Program this fall providing eight Townie Electra Original 7D cruiser bicycles and all equipment needed for a successful ride including bike locks, helmets and reflective vests.

“They won’t have the Bike Share Program at [Modesto A. Maidique Campus],” said Director of BBC Recreation Elie Bardawil.

He said the project, over a year in the making, is an effort to meet the needs of prospective students living on campus and to offer yet another outdoor activity to students.

Campus Recreation has increasingly utilized the unique topography of BBC through the popular Adventure X programs, offering recreational day and night kayaking and paddleboarding trips along the Biscayne Bay.

Also unique to the campus is a 3-mile bike path, used for various competitions such as the Night Color 5K, FIU Aquathlon and FIU 2575 Triathlon.

With the Miami bike scene heating up due to events like Critical Mass in Downtown, an event occurring the last Friday of each month attracting hundreds of cyclists; and its environmental and health conscious appeal, the rec center decided to add cycling to their list of services.

However, unlike the previously mentioned activities, the Bike Share Program is fully covered by the activity and service fee students pay each semester and will require no additional fees.

To rent a bike, students will first provide their FIU OneCard at the front desk. Then they will complete a waiver and additional paperwork stating students will be liable for any broken or missing items.

Finally, they will visit an electronic key box before receiving a bike and all necessary equipment.

“What I like is we provide you with everything,” said Coordinator of the Adventure X programs Jonathan “JT” Torrey.

The bikes come equipped with a water bottle cage, bell, cargo rack and a self-powered bike light which students can use during their rides from sun up, until sundown.

Later this semester, the rec center plans to host safety workshops for students who hope to rent a bike.

Bardawil and Torrey said expanding the program by re-fencing the area under the Aquatic Center to house additional bicycles will be assessed a year after the program launches.

-sofia.galiano@fiusm.com