MSU Bike Service Center

As students return to campus, one of the most common questions we receive at the MSU Surplus Store is, "Do you have any bikes for sale?" Recently the demand for bikes has increased even more as students, staff and local residents have started to see the numerous advantages bikes have to offer. The MSU Campus and surrounding community covers a huge area and bikes can be one of the cheapest and fastest ways to get around. The growth of bike usage locally has been in large part due to the efforts of the MSU Bike Service Center, its staff, and volunteers.

Tim Potter, coordinator of the MSU Bike Service Center, has been at our previous bike sales to offer the resources and services of the Center to our customers. The Center offers a number of different services from the sale of bikes and bike rentals to bike repairs and servicing. The Center "...offers all types of repairs like any bike shop," Mr. Potter told us, and it is a great place to take bikes purchased from the Surplus store for maintenance and routine repairs. They also offer many of the parts you may need from tires, tubes, lights, fenders, helmets, tools and oils. They have a full time staff of nine, as well as 10 to 20 additional volunteers that help out with all of the available services and repairs. In addition, the bikes that are sold directly through the MSU Bike Service Center are generally sold for "...$150 or so on up...All the bikes we sell are repaired and ready to go. Anyone can purchase stuff from us (or rent, etc.)." Check out some of past bikes sold through the MSU Bike Service Center.

In addition to servicing, you can also lease or rent a bike from the Service Center. Hundreds of these bikes were first reclaimed or donated to the Center and then repaired and put back into use for the MSU community. These bikes can be rented out hourly, weekly, by the semester or yearly. General maintenance from adjustments, oiling chains or air for tires are all included during the lease period.

The good news is that on August 18th, the MSU Surplus Store will be picking up another batch of bikes. These bikes will be ready for sale starting the 19th at 7:30 am, get there early, there will be a line! This should also be the last batch of bikes that we will see this year, so be sure to come to the MSU Surplus Store to buy a used bike and then visit the MSU Bike Service Center to get your new purchase in top working order.

For more information about the MSU Bike Service Center, please visit them in the basement of Bessey Hall or online at www.bikes.msu.edu and remember to register your bike online with the Department of Police and Public Safety (DPPS).