Trent cyclists now have on-campus space to bring their previously shed-bound steel, aluminum, and rubber. Coming out the other side, students will find themselves a little greasy, smiling, and riding away on the most energy efficient form of human transportation on Earth: a bike. It is a beautiful thing.
B!KE is opening a second workshop space in the Alumni House garage in order to better serve the university community and promote cycling as a reliable and comfortable way to get to and from the university. It will be equipped with bicycle repair stations, new and used parts for repairs, and B!KE staff and volunteers to help guide you through any basic and intermediate bicycle repairs. Come and check B!KE @ TRENT out! There will be an Open House at the new shop space in the Alumni House garage every Friday during the month of September from 10-4pm. B!KE is a progressive, grassroots non-profit organization that now runs two workshop spaces with the tools, parts, and guidance for learning bicycle repair. B!KE also runs in depth mechanical workshops and a variety of programs promoting biking and bike safety in Peterborough. The main shop is downtown at 336 Rubidge Street, just north of Charlotte and Rubidge, or to put it in university student terms – just around the corner from the Publican brewery. It’s open Sundays 2-5pm and Monday to Wednesday 2-8pm.
A yearlong B!KE membership gives you access to either shop during open hours, the guidance of our staff and volunteers, and access to a plethora of new and used parts. Best of all, it is only $20 for Trent students and $30 for other members of the Peterborough community. If you’re looking to do a one time repair, it’s just $5 per hour for non-members. B!KE’s roots are strongly connected with Trent, so opening a second space at the main campus helps to bring things full circle. B!KE was started by Sarah Follet, a biology major, while she was attending Trent, and was sustained by her and Clifford McCarten, a cultural studies major, for many years. Since its humble beginnings as a room in Sadleir house with a homemade bike stand and a few tools, B!KE has grown into a vibrant non-profit organization with over 600 members, a crew of dedicated volunteers, and two great staff that run two workshop spaces and a variety of programming. A B!KE levy also received wide-spread student support during the last-year’s spring levy referendum. The $3.85 levy from each Trent student now is an integral support in sustaining B!KE’s programming in addition to allowing B!KE to open the second workshop space on campus.
If you’ve got a flat, need to get your brakes working, or are just want to check out B!KE @ Trent, come by the Alumni House garage on Fridays 10-4pm. If you are interested in getting involved as a volunteer, no bike mechanic experience needed – we will teach you!