Our Mission
The Green Bike Program is a student-run organization created to promote cycling, bike safety and sustainability at The Claremont Colleges and the surrounding community. This is done through the reuse of old bikes and parts along with the organization of cycling events. The Green Bike Program gives community members free access to bicycles, tools, repair lessons.
About the Green Bike Program
Founded by Pitzer College students in 2001, the Green Bike Program (GBP) provides Pitzer students with free loaner bikes, encouraging eco-friendly transportation around The Claremont Colleges.
The GBP was crafted by Pitzer students Joey Haber, Gus Porter, and Fritz Rice, with support from Pitzer Professor Al Wachtel and former Associate Dean of Student Affairs Chris Freeberg, with funding from Pitzer’s EcoCenter. The GBP began as an attempt to counter Los Angeles’ renowned car culture by encouraging people to use bikes, and by facilitating their accessibility for Pitzer students and their maintenance for the whole of The Claremont College Consortium.
At the end of each semester, Campus Safety confiscates abandoned bikes left on racks around campus. Usually, these bikes end up in a landfill; but thanks to the GBP, these bikes are refurbished and raffled off each semester at no charge. All students, staff and faculty from the 5Cs – not just GBP bike recipients – can bring their bikes to the shop for repairs.
If you have any questions about the GBP, please email the Student Services Operations Supervisor, Bryce Sternquist at [email protected].
Services
What the Green Bike program DOES:
- Host a drawing to distribute as many bikes as possible to Pitzer students in the first month of each semester to be returned by the last week of the semester
- You do not need to know a thing about bikes to volunteer at the shop. If you are interested in volunteering, stop by the shop during open hours.
- Give priority in the raffle to off-campus and exchange students
- Charge student accounts for the value of any lost or stolen bikes
- Fix any problem we are able to for bikes owned by a student, staff or faculty of ANY college in the Claremont Consortium for free plus parts
- Sell and install new tubes, tires, cables, and handlebar grips.
- Sell locks
- Provide day-use bikes on hand. Day-use bikes are given to Pitzer (only) students for 24 hours. Its totally free, all you do is fill out a form with your Name, ID, and phone number. We have both locks and helmets for all day-use bikes
What the Green Bike Program DOES NOT Do
- Sell new or used bikes
- Sell new or used parts other than those listed above (we do, however, give away old salvaged parts as part of repairs when needed)
- Store bikes except when awaiting pickup after repair or (for Green Bikes given away in the raffle only) pending the purchase of a lock
Repair Services and Prices
Stop by to check out our costs for repair parts. All labor is provided free of charge.
- tubes
- tires
- locks
- lights
- cables
- handlebar grips
- brake pads
GBP Bike Rental
Please fill out the form at the link below for bike rentals
Please wait for confirmation email for reservations in advance or show up in person at the shop during operation hours
Art Parts
If you are in an art class, stop by! The Green Bike Shop routinely gives unusable parts (including everything from wheels, frames and pedals to nuts, bolts, and washers) to art students from all 5Cs to use in artistic pieces. Ask about the art parts box. If you have already made a piece or plan to make one out of parts from the Green Bike Shop, kindly send us a digital picture of the work, if possible, to add even more chillness to the shop.
