The Linfield Bike Co-op has come a long way since its creation in 2009… The student run resource for fellow students has seen many different managers and employees over the years, each of which has provided ideas and areas of growth for the co-op. In recent years the Bike Co-op received a sustainability grant that allowed for the purchase of twelve new loaner bikes for students. These bikes were put into circulation, along with the older bikes that were already being maintained by the co-op for 1 to 7 day rentals. In addition to the new bikes, the manager at the time was able to purchase a new bike stand and a computer, to allow for electronic record keeping. These were huge strides for the relevance of the Bike Co-op. It showed that the administration and the students were recognizing the Bike Co-op as an applicable and necessary piece of the McMinnville campus.
This year the Bike Co-op is once again under new management and is seeking to build on previous years advancements. A check up at the co-op shows that, after only a month of school, great achievements have already been made. The old carpet has been removed and the shop floor has been replaced with a rouged wood floor. This has allowed for some rearranging of the bike stands, which opens up the floor, allowing for much easier access to employees, as well as students to work on the bikes. A goal for the co-op has always been to encourage students to come in and work on their own bikes, by providing the tools needed to do so, in a pursuit to promote sustainable living. The new floor plan is supporting this goal more than ever. There is now sufficient room for students and employees to work side by side.

Possibly the biggest accomplishment for the co-op this year has been the reconnection with Sheridan resident Dean Williams, a professional level bike mechanic. Dean has been restoring bikes and donating them to the community for over three years. He has donated over 2,500 bikes so far and has been a trusted associate for co-op managers in the past. This year, the new co-op manager Wyatt Lay has asked Dean to expand his role with the Linfield bike co-op. Wyatt has hired Dean to come to the co-op a few times a week to work side-by-side with the student employees, teaching them as they go. This has allowed for the employees to be better trained then in past years, and also provides an additional resource for students who are trying to fix their own bikes. Dean’s presence has dramatically increased the efficiency for the co-op’s day-to-day work. Dean is also working with Wyatt to restore some bikes, which he will then donate to Linfield, to help create a semester loaner program. This low budget project is using mostly used parts that will be pieced together to create a fleet of working bicycles for Linfield students. The hope is to build up a fleet of 25 bicycles for the Linfield community.

All in all, the Bike Co-op is off to a great start this year and has been successful so far in striving for a more learning-oriented and organized atmosphere. As the push for sustainable living expands through campus, time will hopefully prove to be fruitful for the Linfield Bike Co-op and continue to expand its borders throughout the Linfield community.