Meet the Fleet!  As the Bicycle Alliance of MN (BikeMN) prepares to roll out for its first full summer of usage, we wanted to take the opportunity to highlight some of the efforts BikeMN and partners are now able to realize, as well as some possibilities for others to utilize this awesome new resource. Last summer, we began to acquire 40 size-adjustable bikes from Bike Friday, which were designed specifically for use with Safe Routes to School (SRTS) programs. They are stored and transported in our large van (pictured above) and trailer. The main purpose of this fleet is to provide communities and organizations access to safe and reliable bikes for bike education and encouragement events.

The fleet has been and will be used by a variety of groups and events across the state, we’re glad to work with anybody interested in providing bike education in their community! The types of events include Walk! Bike! Fun! trainings, bike rodeos, Open Streets events, activity fairs and of course classroom instruction. Priority is given to those who are implementing WBF lessons or who commit to completing this training and bringing this curriculum to their community. The fleet is also available for rental when it is not otherwise scheduled.

It’s worth mentioning with gratitude that much of this work is made possible thanks to contracts we have with the Minnesota Department of Transportation as part of the SRTS program. We believe this is an important investment for the future health, safety and vitality of our whole state and want to thank all the advocates who have worked to make this a funding priority. We hope that you share this belief and let our leaders know how much you value their support!

For more information go to BikeMN.org.