Franklin adding bike stations

This summer, if you are out on a bike ride in Franklin and need to air up your tires or make a small repair to your bicycle, the city wants to help with that.

During the next few weeks, four bike repair stations will be installed across the city, and each will be equipped with tools for quick, minor repairs and include a pumping station for tires. And each is free to use.

Parks director Chip Orner saw the stations in another central Indiana city last year, and Mayor Joe McGuinness noticed them while he was on vacation, Orner said. The two decided the repair stations were something Franklin needed, they said.

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“We’re always looking for amenities that will enhance the experience for people whether they live here or visit. We’re very proud of our parks. This is a small idea, but it’s a nice addition to our large and growing cycling community,” McGuinness said.

The parks department paid $1,200 for each station. Each will have wrenches, screwdrivers and other small tools connected by a retractable cable, Orner said. The stations also will have poles with pegs so riders can mount their bikes while they make repairs, instead of bending over or kneeling down, Orner said.

A station will be built at Blue Heron and Province parks, another along the trailway near Needham Elementary and the last of the four will be installed downtown, Orner said.

The parks department chose the four locations so that a station would be available in each area of the city. The idea is to have a station at or near a park where someone will park their car, and can then stop at the station to tune up their bike and ride the city’s trail system, Orner said.

By next year, Orner anticipates having four more stations to keep up with the city’s trail expansion, Orner said.

“A lot of bike riders use our trail system. It’s a convenience thing. I think adding this feature will be a big deal to bike users,” Orner said.

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Franklin’s parks department is adding four bike repair stations across the city. Each station will have small tools, such as a screwdriver and wrenches, and an air pump for tires. The stations are free to use.

The bike station locations:

  • Blue Heron Park
  • Province Park
  • Trails near Needham Elementary School
  • Downtown Franklin

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