Suburban Assault

We just got something really cool in Richardson. Our local college, The University Of Texas Dallas (yeah, in Richardson), just installed five new, Dero Fixit bicycle repair stations. I reported about them here on Bike Friendly Richardson.

Today, I decided to take a spin out there and check them out for myself.

Although brightly colored, the stations are small and hard to find. Fortunately, I was on the lookout for them. The first station I found was next to the Activity Center next to some bike racks. Upon closer inspection, I found a set of commonly used tools, a tire pump and a place to mount your bike while you make your repairs – all securely fastened to the station. There was even a QR code that is supposed to take you to some basic repair instruction videos.

I didn’t have to make any repairs, but I did need a little air in my tires. Unfortunately, this station was already damaged, and the pump’s head was torn from the feed tube. It really upsets me that a nice amenity like this can already be ruined by some careless vandal. I’m hoping that it gets repaired soon.

I managed to find another station, just a few blocks away – where the pump was still working. The one thing I noticed about the pump is that it has a really short feed tube. I had to get my wheel really close to inflate my tires. It wasn’t a big deal considering how convenient the station would be if I were stranded in the area.

Overall, I think the bicycle repair stations are a great idea. I would love to see more of them around my city – perhaps along some of the multi-purpose trails.

Here are some pics: