EAST LANSING, MI — What does Michigan State University do with the bikes students just leave on the rack and abandon on campus? Not many go in the trash bin. Most can at least be salvaged for parts and others are refurbished and resold at the MSU Bikes Service Center on campus.
As many as 1,000 to 1,500 bikes are typically left behind on campus at the end of spring semester, according to Tim Potter, general manager of MSU Bikes Service Center.
Abandoned bikes on campus are tagged and then impounded by the MSU Parking Department and MSU Police. If the bikes are registered the owners are notified and given several months to reclaim the bike. Unclaimed bikes are eventually handed off to the MSU Surplus Store for evaluation and redistribution, Potter says.
The fixer uppers are available for viewing at MSU Surplus. The bikes worth re-selling are taken to MSU Bikes located in south end of Bessey Hall on campus. The store also sells new bikes and does repairs. The MSU Bikes Service Center is open to the general public year around.
MSU Bikes Service Center is online at www.bikes.msu.edu.
