Matt Weir/The Collegian

Bike riders rejoice! Fresno State’s parking department has installed two do-it-yourself bike repair stations on campus.

Each station comes with a variety of tools, including an air pump and wrenches.

The stations are located in front of the University Student Union and in front of the Atrium near the dorms.

According to the University Police Department, these two locations were chosen because they usually have the highest volume of bicycles. In addition, these locations were chosen with safety in mind, as they were placed in well-lit, highly traveled areas.

Dirk Smith, a senior majoring in criminology, watched as the station near the USU was being installed.

“I like it,” he said. “I’m going to use it right now.”

Smith, who has been riding a bicycle to school for more than three years now, once had to carry his bike all the way home when he had a flat tire. But that didn’t deter him from continuing to ride his bike.

“I don’t see any reason, if you live three or four miles away, why you wouldn’t ride a bike,” he said. “It would save $70 per semester.”

Before these new stations, the only place to have your bike repaired was at a shed in the plant operations agriculture yard, where a student would be present to repair tires and handle bars. However, the shed is only open when a student is available to work in it.

There are nearly 120 students who participate in the Red Bike Program, Fresno State’s bike rental program. These students, in addition to those who ride their own bike to school, will be able to benefit from these stations 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

The bicycle repair stations were funded by the parking department’s Alternative Transportation Fund.