Final Push... not literally... hopefully

The semester is drawing to an end and winter has struck. We hope that as you enter this final push that that is not the case with your bike. Bring your bike into Blue Bikes so we can help you give your bike that much needed oil and clean-up from the winter time road sludge that destroys. Riding through the winter can be a wonderful experience and is still faster than walking or taking the bus. So we hope to see you soon!

Interestingly enough, those who ride through the winter are better riders, in addition to having favorable impacts on air quality.

The Art of Cycling

You may have heard the catch phrase "the art of cycling." It is a phrase that we have thought about for a little while now and we would like to give our take on it. We do not like the title because it gives cycling this almost mystic feel. Some folks are artists and some are not, therefore, only a few will only ever grasp the concept. On the other hand, it indicates that there is a little more to cycling than simply being able to pedal along without falling over. So, we both dislike and like the phrase "the art of cycling."
Truth is, it does take more than knowing how to balance on a bicycle to safely navigate our transportation systems but it is definitely not an elite skill set only obtainable by a few. Because you will not read this if we go on much longer, we will keep it short. Really, the one thing you need to know is that cyclists fair best when they act and are treated as drivers of vehicles. This means that you stop at stop signs, signal your directional intentions, ride on the right hand side of the road, etc. If there are any floating questions, stop on by the shop and we would be more than happy to clear things up for you!

USU Bike Week is Coming!

It is here again, USU Bike Week, and we have so enough things going on to choke a camel!
Blue Bikes has set out to bring an array of educational opportunities to USU and a new level of knowledge of cycling and health to the students, staff, and faculty of USU. Bike Week is spun off of National Bike Month which occurs in May, when most students and faculty of USU are in transient stages of life. Aggie Blue Bikes is aiming to bring the educational, healthy, and fun incentives of cycling shared during National Bike Month to Utah State University through USU Bike Week.

Bike Week is offering a variety of activities that students, staff and faculty can participate in. Monday the Aggie Blue Bike wrenches will be available to help with bike adjustments and will provide free (cause there is no better deal than free) chain lube outside of the TSC. Tuesday Aggie Blue Bikes is sponsoring the dedication of the new covered bike rack located near the College of Natural Resources building. That evening Blue Bikes will be showing “Rad”, the classic 1980’s tale of all tales. Wednesday will offer an air quality class (believe it or not, we all breathe air, and cycling can help improve that air, so this is a must attend) as well as a bike picnic combining two of the greatest activities life has to offer: eating and cycling. A pedal-powered concert will take place on Thursday evening featuring local artists and free hot chocolate and coffee available to concert attendees. Friday yields the capstone event of Bike Week, “Bike to Campus Day.” Aggie Blue Bikes will be offering the much acclaimed free breakfast to any students, staff, and faculty who ride their bikes to campus that day.

Here is the clencher about Bike Week, Aggie Blue Bikes will be raffling off a bike as part Bike Week. Here is how you enter to win. Raffle tickets will be given at events throughout the week. So if you want to win, come to everything. At the end of breakfast on Friday morning, we will be drawing the name of the lucky winner. The sweet part is you do not have to be present to win!

As always, every activity during bike week is absolutely free, just like every other offering Aggie Blue Bikes has. So, don't hesitate. Come with all gusto! Make the bike a dear friend.

For further details on USU Bike Week, including locations and times, please stop by the Aggie Blue Bikes shop or call 797-0964 ext. 3

Still Rollin'

Even though summer is here and many programs at the university have closed their doors, we are still rollin'! We simply want to again reiterate that our services are free to students. You can check out one of our three month bikes, one of our day cruisers, or even a unicycle. If you have your own bike, that is no problem. Come in and use our tool boards and lube for free. If you have never been in, let this be the summer you pay us a visit. We are sure you will be pleasantly surprised.

See you soon!

Epic Benefit Concert This Saturday...where will you be?

Hey cyberspace, it's us again, Aggie Blue Bikes. We just want to give you an update on whats shakin' in this neck of the wood. The word on the street is that one of the greatest Folk-Fusion, New Grass concerts is going down this weekend, Saturday March 13, 8 pm, at the Campsaver store on 31 North Main St.
Dry Lake, Matteo, and Archer's Apple will be playing with the energy to the system provided by the audience via the pedal power PA system.
If you aren't convinced you should go, there is tons of free gear that Campsaver is giving away as part of their grand opening. If you want to know more about what they are doing to celebrate the rebirth of their store, check out their facebook page and while you are on "fb", RSVP to the concert, we really want you there.

We are pretty positive that even after reading all that we have said about how "great" and "epic" the show is going to be, you are still only 50/50. We have decided to provide you with some video footage of Archer's Apple and Dry Lake. If you aren't convinced after watching them, we don't know what to tell you. COME TO THE SHOW!

Write these details down so you don't forget:
Saturday,March 13. 8 pm.
31 North Main. St (The Campsaver store)
$2 for students $4 for non students

Pedal Powered Benefit Concert.

In case you didn't make it to the Dominic Gill presentation or the Banff Mountain Film Festival to see Gill's documentary, it was inspiring and brilliant. But enough of the guilt trip, we've got business to get down to....
The Cache Valley Bike Festival is right around the corner (two and a half months away! Oh Snap!) and we are busy getting ready to put on a festival that will out do all other festivals of the bicycle nature that have been put on in Utah. It's going to be huge.
But in the mean time, we have lots of great stuff coming up before then, such as a pedal powered benefit concert put on by Camp Saver. With the opening of their newly remodeled store in down town Logan, camp saver is giving a little to the community by hosting a pedal powered concert at their store, with the proceeds going to benefit Aggie Blue Bikes and Common Ground.
The concert is March 13 at 8pm and is $4 for non students and $2 for students.
The line up has three very talented bands. Archers Apple, Mateo, and a mystery band. Mateo is one band you won't want to miss their fusion of traditional Chinese instruments and modern folk music.
We hope to see lots of you there, it is going to be a biketastic time.

"Take a Seat" with Dominic Gill at USU- From Alaska to Ushuaia

It is winter in Logan, we are well aware of this at Aggie Blue Bikes. Our morning commutes seem to only be getting colder, so we are dreaming of more powder days on the slopes till spring hits and we can bike tour again.
To gear up for bike tour season we've just learned about an exciting event that USU is putting on that will get any one pumped to jump on their sweet ride and pedal into the sunset.
Dominic Gill, a native to the UK, is coming to USU on, Thursday, February 18 to speak about his two year adventure at the Eccles Conferences Center, room 205 at noon. Gill Road from Alaska to the southern most city of South America, Ushuaia, on a tandem. But Gill didn't do this journey with his best friend on the back. He picked up people along the way to pedal with him as he made his way down two continents.
This is one event you won't want to miss so come and have a listen to what a seasoned road warrior has to say about bicycles, people and living on the road. RSVP here
to learn more about Dominic Gill's adventure visit take a seat

It's a new year!

At Blue Bikes we look at new years as a chance to keep moving forward and making Blue Bikes a better place for students and faculty at USU.
We have added another user tool board, putting us at a total of three user tool boards, converted more bikes for three month check outs and moved into paperless check outs which is good for us and you.
This year we have also added community memberships to the list of things we are doing to improve Blue Bikes. What does this mean? If you are not a student or employee of Utah State University you can buy a year membership to Blue Bikes for $40. The membership includes unlimited use of the user tool boards, bicycle check outs, and educational classes. It's a pretty sweet deal for $40, undeniably sweet.
In other news... We will be having community weekly educational classes again this semester and we are introducing our first ever bike touring class. What does that mean? It means we, and two very seasoned bike tour veterans, will be educating you on the basics of bike touring, so that you too can see the world from behind the handlebars of a two wheeled love machine.
See ya on the road!