Bike Central
Our mission is to support the development of healthy lifestyles and sustainable communities through cycling. Our bike programs advocate cycling as a means of health, recreation, and transportation. We seek to make biking an accessible activity for everyone and to create a bike friendly community. To do this, we provide quality, affordable bikes, parts, and repair services; we offer educational and instructional opportunities to the community about bike safety, repair, and maintenance; and we provide a bike share program on campus.
Our Values
Customer Service
Professionalism is key. We aim for every person to know they are welcome in our shop, for their needs to be met, and for every question to be answered.
Quality
We aim to get each bike fixed quickly and efficiently with minimal cost to the customer.
Learning
Our bike shop is run by student-mechanics who have been trained in bike repair and maintenance. The development of our student-mechanics and experience they gain through their work in the shop is important to us. It is also important that they share that knowledge through instructional workshops and in collaboration with customers during workshops and open stand time.
Please review this page for more information on our services, parts and bike sales, and instruction. Click on the tabs on the left for more about our Free Wheelers Bike Share Program and for maps of bike routes in the area.
Bike Shop Hours of Operation:
SUMMER HOURS: By appointment only! Contact Rachel Iversen to schedule an appointment time today 978-934-1932.
Semesters: Monday-Friday 3 - 7 p.m.
Bike Shop Location
We are located inside the Campus Recreation Center on East Campus, on the second floor, to the right of the elevator.
Take a video tour of our shop!
Services
We can service most of your bicycle repair needs. We commonly service well used mountain and road bikes owned by students and other university members. Our Bike Shop repair services include:
- Wheel Truing
- Brake Adjustment
- Gear Adjustment
- Tube or Tire replacement
- Bearing Adjustment
- Handlebar Wraps
- Chain Clean and Oil
- Fill low tires with air (use of air pump is free)
- New Bike Assembly
We will assess your bike free of charge. Whether you have a specific concern or just want to know the condition of the bike from your garage, we will assess all aspects of your bike and give you an estimate. Small repairs typically cost between $5 - $20. Cost of more significant repairs depends on the bike.
Turn-around times for services vary. Flat tires can be fixed in about a half hour. Small repairs and tune-ups can typically be completed within a day or two. Major repairs or specific parts replacement generally takes multiple days.
If you need to put air in your bike tires, you can use our pumps for free any time. Our pumps support both Schrader and Presta valves.
Tune-Ups
Bicycle tune ups are recommended on an annual basis or every 1,000-3,000 miles. Tune ups can help improve your bike’s ride, shifting, and speed. From a Mini Tune-Up to a Mother-Overhaul, we have something to fit every budget and get you cycling smoothly in no time. Prices range from $35- $105
Review the following document for a full List of repair services and prices (pdf).
Open Bike Stand Time
We are starting a new service, for those who know their way around a bike but don’t have all the tools, the OAP Bike Shop provides open bike repair stand time at a cost of:
- $2 for 10 minutes
$5 for 30 minutes - $10 for 1 hour
Bike Stand Time with Assistance
For those who want to learn to fix their bikes but have a specific problem you would like to resolve, you can sign up for stand time with a mechanic to assist and teach you how to perform repairs. Times are the same as above, and cost is:
- $4 for 10 minutes
- $10 for 30 minutes
- $20 for 1 hour
Bike Stand time is every Tuesday and Thursday from 4 - 6 p.m. There may be a few exceptions during exceptionally busy weeks. To Reserve Stand Time at a specific time, sign up on the Bike shop door. Sign ups are on a first-come first-served basis.
Instructional Workshops
In collaboration with the office of Transportation services, our shop offers two instructional workshops for those who want to know more about biking and bike repair. For dates of specific workshops, scroll to the bottom of our Calendar page.
Biking 101: This free workshop lasts 1-2 hours and offers basic bicycling information and instruction to those who are inexperienced or uncertain about biking around the city. Topics covered include:
Parts of a bike
Bike Fit – adjusting handlebars, seat, etc.
Equipment – helmet fit and other accessories
Sharing the Road – managing cars, traffic, sidewalks, and roads
Practice Ride - in a local parking lot and side streets.
Bike Maintenance: this workshop lasts 1 hour and teaches participants basic bike maintenance, tune-up skills, and tools every bike owner should have. Topics covered include:
Cables
Pedals
Brakes and Brake Pads
Gears, Shifters, and Derailleurs
Headsets and Seats
Tires and Tubes
Parts and Bike Sales
We sell many commonly used bike parts and accessories including: helmets, locks, tubes, brake pads, and chains at competitive prices.
We will be selling new bikes starting in June 2013!
Check back for more information then!
We also sell used bicycles. Most of the used bicycles we re-sell were abandoned around the Lowell area and recovered by the city. We take these bikes, give them a full assessment and tune-up. Generally these bikes receive new cables, brake pads, chains, and tubes. Other parts such as tires, grips, seats, cranks, and freewheel/cassettes may be replaced as needed. Used bikes are guaranteed up to 30 days of the purchase date.
We set the price of used bikes based on the quality of the bike and the amount of parts/labor required to refurbish it. Bikes are sold on a first-come-first-served basis. Prices range from $75 -$350. Revenue from bike sales goes back into the our bike programs.
Our supply of bikes that are for sale changes frequently. Bikes sell very quickly at the start of the school year and in the Spring. We usually have our largest quantity available in the winter. Bikes that are for sale are displayed in the Atrium of the Campus Recreation Center. Check there, or contact Rachel Iversen to find out more about availability.
Donate a bike!
We accept donated bikes! If you have a bike that you would like to donate to support our bike program, please call or bring it by any time!
Bike Shop Questions? Contact: Rachel Iversen at Rachel_Iversen@uml.edu or 978-934-1932.
FreeWheelers Bike Share
Please view our FreeWheelers Bike Share page for in-depth information about our bike share program. The UMass Lowell Freewheelers Bike Share program provides free bicycles for students, faculty and staff. Bicycle check out is quick and easy and you only need to register once.
After you register, simply check out and return a bike at any of the four check-out stations on campus (East Campus Recreation Center, Downtown ICC, South Campus McGauvran Student Information Center and in North Campus Southwick Dining Hall room 100B). Bicycles are available on a first-come, first-serve basis.