Whether getting around town or traveling between classes, a bike can make a tremendous difference for getting to where you need to be quickly and efficiently. Using a bicycle instead of a car offers significant environmental benefits too—primarily reducing carbon emissions, improving air quality and minimizing noise pollution all while being a more sustainable mode of transportation.
MSU Bikes is the on-campus bike shop established to help people discover the joys of bicycling. It is located along the Red Cedar River Trail at the base of Bessey Hall. In 2003, it had become one of the most innovative biking centers in the country when its founders—Physical Plant’s Gus Gosselin and Sustainability’s Terry Link (both since retired)—launched the MSU Bikes Project which was designed to encourage bicycling on campus by repairing impounded bikes and loaning them out to faculty and staff. Since then, MSU Bikes has grown from a handful of volunteers into today’s full-service shop and repair center.
Although MSU students make up the largest portion of customers, the MSU Bike Shop offers rentals, repairs and new bikes for purchase to any person in the community.
In 2021, MSU was designated a gold-level Bike Friendly University by the League of American Bicyclists. Only 31 universities in the U.S. have received the distinction, and Michigan State is the first gold-level higher education institution in Michigan.
Over the past 20 years, the university has been attentive to the rising number of bicyclists on campus and has focused on its bicycle infrastructure to support safety. Over 70% of campus roads have proper bike lanes.
Donor support is critical to the success of the MSU Bike shop. Recently, Marge des Lauriers, ‘71 (College of Communication Arts and Sciences), gave a gift to the MSU Bike Shop as a way of honoring her son Paul, also a fellow Spartan, and his love for cycling.
Learn more about support for MSU Bikes here.