By: Lydia Rogers

The Bike XU program is promoting a bike culture in the Xavier community.

The program allows students to rent bikes for on- and off-campus use, benefiting students who may not have a car on campus or those who would prefer biking to class and using the accessible bike racks rather than searching for a parking space in a designated lot away from the academic mall.

Women of Excellence and the Student Government Association (SGA) started the Bike XU program in 2009. Sustainability interns run the program out of the Sustainability Office.

“The goal of the program is to promote a bike culture on Xavier’s campus by renting out bikes and hosting bike events all year long,” Bike XU President Samantha Meza said.

The program offers long-term rentals, which last for a semester, and single-day rentals, which are available for bike ride events that the program sponsors.

In order to rent a bike, students must send a request email to bikexu@xavier.edu, fill out the waiver form and pay the $45 rental fee.

Then they can pick up their bikes, helmets, safety light, lock and key. Bikes for the semester are rented out on a first-come, first- serve basis and, currently, all the bikes are reserved for the fall 2013 semester.

Bike XU has a few upcoming events this fall. At 8:00 a.m. on Sept. 21, there will be a downtown bike ride to Coffee Emporium, E. Hyde Park and Over-the-Rhine led by Queen City Bike. No RSVP is required.

On Oct. 20, there is a bike ride to the Cincinnati Zoo that requires an RSVP by Oct. 18. These riding events require students to wear helmets and arrive half-an-hour early for a brief safety talk.

Students who want to become more involved with the Bike XU program can join the Sustainability Club that meets at 6 p.m. on Tuesdays at the Farm Hoop House.