Texas State’s Bike Cave is continuing its track record of maintaining students’ bikes and offering a smoother ride around campus as it enters its 11th year.
Bike Cave opened on campus in 2007 to service students’ bikes rolling smooth. The shop is currently located in Room 100 of the Colorado Building, with just under 1,200 square feet of work space and on-site storage. In the beginning, the Bike Cave was a collaboration between Auxiliary Services, the National Association of Environmental Professionals, and the Environmental Service Committee.
Since the repair shop’s creation, the building has been student-run with the help of volunteers. Today, the main focuses of the Bike Cave are education, sales and self-service.
Casey Maron, junior bike mechanic and sophomore geography resource and environmental studies sophomore, said the cave has evolved over the years to reflect the university and students’ needs, with students as the primary portion of the workforce.
“The Bike Cave is run by students for students, so we help as many students as we can,” Maron said. “On the regular, we see the same students all the time depending on the circumstances of the bike.”
Jacob Aston, Texas State Cycling member, said he appreciates how the shop helps to offer an alternative and cheaper mode of transportation around campus.
“As a cycler myself, I’m able to see the huge influence the efforts have on the campus and San Marcos community,” Aston said. “I’ve met many friends through the Bike Cave and this would have never happened without this being on campus.”
Most of the bike racks on campus are maintained and fixed by the Bike Cave. The campus encourages the use of the bikes with its many bike racks near dorm halls, campus classrooms, dining halls, and the Student Recreation Center.
“We are all bike guys who want to help where it is needed,” Aston said. “This is more like a family environment because we cycle together on the Texas State Cycling Team outside of the cave.”
The Bike Cave is open 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday and offers most necessary biking maintenance needed for college students. Costs vary from the maintenance required, but the shop has a free workspace for those that know how to fix their bikes and have the required tools.