Tag Archives: pedal in the city

GREENbike Program

greenbike_040115~0Ever wanted to take a bike ride, either around town or to easily navigate from place to place downtown, but either did not have your own bike or it was inoperable at the moment? Enter GREENbike, Salt Lake City’s bike share program!

GREENbike started in Salt Lake City in 2013. In the first 3 seasons the service shut down for the winter, starting in December and reopening again in March or April of the following year. In 2016, however, the bike share stayed open year-round, much to the delight of GREENbike members and enthusiasts.

How do you use GREENbike? For annual members with a GREENbike card (issued in the mail after signing up online), just go to the dock of the bike you want, press the metal button, wait for the lights to activate, tap your card at the designated area, and the bike will release.  For non-annual members, simply proceed to the station kiosk and follow the instructions on the screen, having your debit/credit card ready to swipe when asked. It’s that easy!

What does GREENbike cost? Passes are available for 24 hours ($7) 4 days ($15) or annually ($75 or $56 for select groups, see www.slcbikeshare.org for details). You must use your debit/credit card to access GREENbike. You can purchase a 24-hour pass at the kiosk at any GREENbike station. Annual and 4-day passes are purchased online at www.slcbikeshare.org.

Annual members are eligible for rides of up to an hour at a time. If you exceeed one hour on a single check-out you are subject to extra fees that are charged to the card on your profile. For 24-hour or 4-day pass holders, checkouts last up to 30 minutes, after which overage fees will apply. Don’t let the checkout time limits discourage you though, since you get unlimited checkouts within the timeframe of your pass. Just be sure to check your GREENbike in at any station before the checkout period ends, then feel free to check it back out to get the clock restarted on a new checkout period.

There are 20 GREENbike stations in Salt Lake City, the nearest ones to the Fairpark area are located at North Temple just west of 600 West, and at the North Temple FrontRunner station underneath the viaduct. Stations are sprinkled throughout the downtown area, going as far south and east as Trolley Square.

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Pedal in the City: Preparing for Cooler Weather: Bicycle Maintenance

pedalcityFall weather is upon us and it’s time to think about tuning up the bike after summer of riding.  You could visit your local bike shop and get a tune up – or you can do it yourself!

The Bicycle League of American Bicyclists offers an entire page of information on bicycle maintenance, including these categories:

 

 

  • Fix a Flat (including causes of flats)
  • Tire pressure
  • Patching tubes
  • Brake basics
  • Front and Rear derailer adjustment
  • Packing your bike
  • Tools for the road
  • General Mechanics

Improperly adjusted brakes can rub through tire and cause tube to blow out of tire. Maintaining proper tire pressure helps prevent flats and maximizes rolling efficiency. Worn tires leave less rubber between the tube and the road, decreasing flat protection.

Whichever way you choose to tune up your bicycle, be sure it is in safe riding condition for cooler weather.  Pedal safe!
http://bikeleague.org/content/bike-maintenance

Pedal in the City: Biking the Jordan River Parkway Trail

pedalcityIt’s summer and time to do some recreational biking!  As we eagerly anticipate the bridge to be built, connecting the last section of unfinished trail, it is still easy to travel this path for for 50 miles from Utah Lake north to the Great Salt Lake through Davis, Salt Lake and Utah Counties!  On any given day, one can see individuals and families pedaling the Jordan Parkway Trail.  How much do you know about this wonderful asset?

There are resources to help you get started on this journey.  Here are two:

Jordan River Commission provides a digital guide, map and information on the river itself:

http://jordanrivercommission.com/jordan-river-parkway-trail-map/

Bike SLC provides maps also, but additional information on the master plan, municipalities along the trail, and more:

http://www.bikeslc.com/jordanrivertrail/default.html
Remember your helmet and water and sunblock before you set out – and have fun!