Have you ever experienced problems with your bike or felt like it keeps breaking? Looking for a place to help you understand what’s wrong with it?
Luckily for you, a new bike lab is to be constructed at NIC’s Outdoor Pursuits (OP) center as a part of the center’s remodel. In the hopes of providing the public with a positive outlet and to help further education for NIC students at no cost, the construction is estimated to be done by January, along with the center’s remodel.
“The idea is that it’s free!” Outdoor Pursuits coordinator and instructor Jacob Rothrock said. I want people to understand how easy it is to work on stuff. We’ll provide guidance, and the space, but parts and things ordered for your bike will have to be paid for by the individual.”
The future new addition to the Outdoor Center is referred to as a bike lab rather than a bike shop and will be opened to the public.
“It’s not a bike shop where you drop off your bike to get it fixed,” Rothrock said. “It’s a bike lab where you are learning. Anyone can work on their bike, so we want whoever uses the shop, NIC students, or someone outside of the school, to be learning how to work on their bicycle, how to fix it and how to maintain it.”
For two years the OP center used a bike kit to helped students to fix their bikes if there was a need.
“Having more stations for the bikes might bring in more people and encourage others to come,” Rothrock said.
Outdoor Pursuits also offers classes with the Workforce Training Center on how to be a bike mechanic.
“These courses educate on what it takes to get into the bike industry,” Rothrock said. “There is a real lack of bike mechanics in our area. One of the first programs we will be implementing in the new bike lab is to teach people what it takes to get to that professional bike mechanic status where there are definite jobs.”
The new bike lab will provide the community and NIC with beneficial and resourceful location to work on their bikes, safely, efficiently, and thoroughly, enhancing their skills and encouraging them to further their education.
“Our goal is to provide an accessible, friendly atmosphere that is open to students to come in to learn, “ Rothrock said. “We’re doing more than just a bike shop.”
The remodel of the center will provide more office space, a more appealing atmosphere and a new workspace for bike maintenance.
“We haven’t had the space since we got to the outdoor center about five years ago and we haven’t had the money to create the actual space until this year when we budgeted to remodel,” said Rothrock.
Rothrock hasn’t confirmed how much the remodel will cost, but part of the money will come from the profits made from the beach rentals during the summer of 2014-2015, ASNIC, the Outdoor Recreational Leadership Program and grants.
