Local
Recommended tire pressures
The easiest way to keep your bicycle running safely, quickly and efficiently is to keep the air pressure up in your tires. Proper air pressure actually protects your wheels from damage, and helps you go faster with less energy. The proper air pressure is always marked on the sidewall of tires.
In general, mountain bike tires should have at least 40 to 60 psi (run the lower pressure in the winter or when you're riding off-road trails). One- to three-speed bikes should be 40 to 60 psi. Skinny-tire road bikes will be 60 to 100 psi or more unless your wheels have non-hook-bead rims that were common on bikes up through the 1970s. They're generally identified by being shiny chrome steel but were also made in higher-end aluminum. If you're not sure, check with our staff as these rims will not hold a high-pressure tire and will blow off the rim if you try inflating past 60 psi.
Where to get air on campus
The MSU Bikes Service Center is the best place for air. We have two hoses available 24/7 for you on the outside of our shop (see photos). Just press the big green button to activate the air for three minutes. The hose on the left is for tires up to 60 psi for the average mountain bike/cruiser, etc., and the one on the right is up to 125 psi for road bikes. If you don't have a tire pressure gauge, we can sell or loan you one.
Click here for more images of the MSU Bikes air station.
Most of the residence halls have electric air pumps at or near the front desk; inquire at your residence hall. Most local gas stations also have air pumps, but many do not have pressure gauges to let you know how much air you're putting in. Be careful to not over-inflate or you risk exploding your tube.
One more place to get air on campus is at the MSU Motor Pool gas station, which is on the east side of Spartan Stadium (see photo).
The pump is mounted on the wall next to the gas pumps. Use the crank on the right side to choose your pressure, then take the hose off of the hook before adding air using the hose. There will be a bell that will sound off for every pound of air you add. When it stops sounding, your air pressure is now whatever you dialed it to. (Note: this pump will not go above approximately 70 psi.)
Bike parking
Looking for a place to lock up your bike out of the rain and snow? We're getting more covered bike parking options around campus. Click here to see them all.
Additionally, many of the residence halls on campus have indoor bike rooms: Holden, Wonders, Wilson, Holmes, McDonel, Akers, Hubbard, Mason/Abbot, Snyder/Phillips, Campbell, Landon, Yakeley/Gilchrist all have bike rooms (as of Nov. 2010). Inquire at your hall reception desk about using the bike rooms.
If you have other suggestions for locations where bike parking is needed, e-mail them to us. Bear in mind that the older style bike racks and new racks need to be installed where there’s a cement pad. If there isn't a pad already there, one would have to be installed at significant expense, so racks can’t just be dropped anywhere on campus.
This PDF map shows the exact locations of all the newer loop-style bike racks installed around campus. This map does not include the older style movable "toaster" racks which will eventually be entirely replaced with the newer style. Currently, the only remaining "toaster" racks to be replaced are near the residence halls.
One other new bike parking facility on campus is on the north side of the MSU Transportation Services office which is on the east side of Spartan Stadium near the gas station/ auto garages. Directions can be found here, and photos are here. This is where you can go to lease a vehicle for MSU business. You can ride your bike over to the Transportation Services office and lock it up properly when you need to lease a vehicle.
New interactive map of MTB trails of Michigan
For you off-road bikers, here is a comprehensive online map of trails of Michigan.
Smart Commute Program
The Lansing-area Smart Commute series of events and programs happen every spring to encourage greater Lansing-area residents to consider non-motorized and mass-transit modes of transportation. Check out the schedule and other details on its website here. MSU Bikes staff regularly assists with teaching lunch-hour workshops and helping with other Smart Commute events.
CATA's Clean Commute Program
For those of you looking to reduce your commuting expenses, improve your health or meet your neighbors, check out CATA's Clean Commute program options here. Note that if you car pool, bus or van pool at least three times per week, you can take advantage of its Emergency Ride Home Program (PDF). CATA is in the process of upgrading its buses to have three-bike position racks on its entire fleet. Check this page to learn more about using the CATA bike racks. Read past issues of the Clean Commute Newsletter here; subscribe by sending a request here.
Final bicycle master plan for MSU campus
Here is a PDF of the final bicycle master plan for the MSU campus from Campus Planner, Steve Troost. It's meant to be a solid framework from which detailed design can occur in the future. Click here to view a low-resolution PDF file (2.5 MB); click here for a high-resolution PDF file (9 MB).
Help make mid-Michigan walk- and bike-friendly
The Lansing Walking & Bicycling Task Force has created a set of community engagement tools to mobilize residents, businesses and other stakeholders to advocate for walk- and bike-friendly communities. Visit www.walkbikelansing.com to see how the project is being piloted in Lansing. The goal is to elevate awareness and advocacy for walkability and bikeability improvements. Tools include draft letters and resolutions of support, fact sheets, dialogue tools, action alerts and a draft "Walk and Bike Lansing!" plan, which offers 76 recommendations for making Lansing a walk- and bike-friendly city. Get involved by scheduling a community discussion, subscribing for Action Alerts!, providing a letter or resolution of support or giving feedback on the "Walk and Bike Lansing!" plan.
Fixed-gear capabilities at MSU Bikes
There are a growing numbers of fixed-gear bikes around MSU.
We now stock most of the smaller parts for converting bikes to fixed-gear (track cogs and one-speed front wheels of various sizes, lockrings, one-speed chains (in various colors), conversion kits for one- to three-piece cranks), fixed wheel sets (silver and gold with more colors coming), bull-horn h-bars (Origin8), rubber track grips, lockrings (for both track and for doing the fixed-gear conversion to a road hub), chain tensioners/ chain tugs, one-speed conversion kits for free-hubs, and track-style pedals (Origin8). We can also special order anything (no shipping if you wait until we place our regular orders with our vendors). For those DIY’ers, we stock more tools, too (pedal and crank wrenches, chain-whips, chain tools, etc.).
We also get a stack of every issue of Urban Velo magazines here in the shop that you're welcome to take for free.
State
Bike Detroit
Bike Detroit is a group of people who enjoy biking and wanted to form a community interested in exploring the Metro Area on their bicycle. The group has discovered routes and trails that very few people know about. It also has a bike trail restoration project (as of summer 2009).
The Hub of Detroit and Back Alley Bikes
The Hub of Detroit and Back Alley Bikes program in Detroit has been teaching bike mechanics and providing bikes to low-income children and adults in the heart of Detroit. More information here.
Detroit Bikes!
Detroit Bikes! is a grassroots advocacy group aimed at promoting cycling within the city, specifically the "Motor City." It has hosted monthly tours of Detroit in warmer weather. Check out the group's website or e-mail if you'd like more information.
World
Working Bikes Cooperative
Working Bikes Cooperative is a Chicago-based non-profit organization recycling bikes locally and delivering them to at low cost communities-in-need to provide sustainable development. The organization has shipped thousands of bikes and parts to Nicaragua, Cuba, Kenya and Ghana.
Pedals for Progress
Pedals for Progress, a bicycle recycler and redistributor, sends bikes around the world to developing countries.
Community Cycling Center
Community Cycling Center (Portland, Oregon) runs the Create a Commuter Program.
Recycle-A-Bicycle
Recycle-A-Bicycle (Brooklyn, New York) is a youth-training and environmental education initiative that has taken root in New York City public schools and after-school youth programs. RAB promotes everyday bicycle use, and it is a place to learn bicycle mechanics and interact with NYC youth.
Bicycle Transportation Alliance
The Bicycle Transportation Alliance (Portland, Oregon) is a non-profit membership organization working to promote bicycling and improve bicycling conditions in Oregon and southwest Washington. Since 1990, the BTA has worked in partnership with citizens, businesses, community groups, government agencies and elected officials to create communities where people can meet their daily transportation needs on a bike.
"Grow Up, Cyclists!"
Someone sent in a hard-copy of an article that ran in the "Globe Toronto" newspaper titled "Grow up, Cyclists" on Nov. 17, 2007. It's an in-depth look at the struggles of the bike-advocacy movement in the city. The electronic version of the article is "for fee," but here a posting by Dave Meslin, who is the community organiser and municipal advocate for bicycling in Toronto. It's a story about bicycle advocacy in Toronto, the city's bike plan and the Toronto Cyclists Union. The cyclists union is a project in development, which was set to launch in June 2008.
Road Bike Reader
A free weekly e-newsletter full of news and tips for road bikers of all types. Go here for more information and to subscribe.
Cycling in Toronto
The city of Toronto, Ontario, has an active cycling community which is promoted by the city. Check out its website for more information.
BikeShare
BikeShare was a part of the Community Bicycle Network in Toronto, Ontario. It was an active program from 2001 to 2006.
AMS Bike Co-op
The AMS Bike Co-op is located at the University of British Columbia.
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