Hey WashU! Hopefully you're having a great semester so far. Just wanted to give you an idea of who we are and what we do:
WashU has been investing millions of dollars over the past few years (and they're not stopping any time soon) to make the campus a lot more bicycle friendly. Bears' Bikes is an on-campus, student-run business offering bicycle rentals, repairs, storage, and merchandise sales to the WashU community.
Bicycling offers a great opportunity to not only get around campus quickly, but also explore the St. Louis area, including Forest Park, the Loop, the Arch, Clayton, Central West End, etc ( click here for more info ). And for those who understandably refuse to pay the $500 for a parking pass (let alone today's gas prices), a bike is a great alternative to a car.
Bears' Bikes renters get a mountain or hybrid bicycle, a Kryptonite U-Lock, free maintenance labor throughout the year, and storage over winter break all for one reasonable price. In addition, all of our bicycles are registered with the WashU Police Department so they'll be on the lookout if anything happens to your bike throughout the year.
Have your own bike but still need a repair? Just bring your bike in to our storefront right by the Clocktower, and our mechanics will fix everything up in-store at an unbeatable rate. We also offer storage for non-renters as well as merchandise sales to the whole WashU community.
If you have any questions or concerns, or if you'd just like to chat, email us at BearsBikes_gmail.com.
BEARS' BIKES IS NOW FOR SALE!
Please contact us at BearsBikes_gmail.com if you are interested in the invaluable experience of owning your own business. Check out our Facebook event for details on our information sessions.
Forest Park (0.2 miles)
Loop/Delmar (0.7 miles)
Grand Basin/Art Hill (1.0 miles)
Boat House Forest Park (1.6 miles)
St. Louis Zoo (1.9 mile)
Central West End (2.9 miles)
Scottrade Center (6.1 miles)
Busch Stadium (7.1 miles)
Arch (7.1 miles)
EMAIL:
BearsBikes_gmail.com
PHONE:
(314) 329-RIDE
Monday: 7pm-9pm
Tuesday: Closed
Wednesday: 7pm-9pm
Thursday: Closed
Friday: 4pm-6pm
Saturday: Closed
Sunday: 1pm-3pm
Bears' Bikes
6515 Wydown Blvd.
Box 20022
St. Louis, MO 63105
CLICK FOR MAP
Renting a bike from Bears' Bikes gives you the opportunity to ride a high quality bike for a fraction of the cost of owning one. When you rent with us you get much more than just a bicycle. The Renter's Package includes the following:
Bears' Bikes carries a fleet of Giant, Schwinn, and Trek bicycles. Our mountain bikes are 21-speeds with CrMo/HiTen frames and shimano shifters. Our Giant hybrids are a cross between the traditional road bike and a mountain bike. They feature a more upright seating position, narrower tires, as well as a shock absorber in the seat post and a larger seat for added comfort. Every bike in our fleet offers both comfort and durability to their riders. We take great care in the maintenance of our bikes in order to ensure quality year after year, so every bike rides like its brand new.
For the best possible security, Bears' Bikes provides a top-notch Kryptonite lock in its package. One of the very safest locks on the market, these locks are also registered with the university police department (along with all of our bikes) so should something happen to the bike, it can be located, identified, and returned to its owner.
If you are not interested in a full academic year rental but would still like to rent a bike for a day, weekend, or however long you'd prefer, we would be more than willing to accomodate you. These reservations should be made in-store.
Assumption of Risk, Waiver and Release Agreement.pdf
Deposit Form.pdf
Individual Repairs
Getting maintenance done on a bike is very simple - just drop by Bears' Bikes during office hours. It is rare that we cannot complete a repair in-store so we should have your bike back to you in just a few days. If your bike requires repairs beyond our capabilities, it will be transported by us free-of-charge to one of our partners, Big Shark or South Side Cyclery . For renters, maintenance is free unless a part has to replaced, in which case, the cost will be taken out of the customer's deposit.
The Maintenance Package
This package is FREE for all renters, but is available to anyone with their own bike as well. The package includes:
Winter Break Storage
Included in a rental from Bears' Bikes is free winter break storage and a mid-year tuneup. If you have your own bike but would still like these benefits, we now offer the same package to all WashU bikers. Reservations for storage should be made in person towards the end of the fall semester.
Summer Storage
Storage and tuneups are also available for summer break to the WashU community. Reservations for storage should be made in person and towards the end of the spring semseter.
Mountain Bike Semester Rental
Fall Semester Bike Rental
$99.99
Hybrid Bike Semester Rental
$124.99
Maintenance Package
Includes unlimited maintenance labor and tune-ups (replacement parts are not included)
$49.99
Gyro Helmet
$44.99
Flashing Rear Reflector
$24.99
Clip-On Headlight
$34.99
Water Bottle Cage
$9.99
Clip-On Mini Bike Pump
$29.99
Summer 2012 Storage
Storage + Tuneup
Summer 2012 Storage and Full Tuneup
$74.99
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How do I get a bicycle?
There are two ways to rent a bike with Bears' Bikes. The first way is to order one online. We rent our bikes on a first-come, first-served basis, so by ordering online you will ensure yourself a quality bike for the upcoming year. You can also wait until you get to school to rent a bike. During move in we will be set up outside our storefront on the South 40 trying to escape the St. Louis summer heat. Come by to either rent a bike or just chat with us about WashU life.
When do I pick up my bike?
You will not receive your bike while you are moving in! Move-in is an important time to do just that, and we wouldn't want to add anymore craziness. Bikes will be distributed the weekend after the first week of classes. We'll send you an email as a reminder as the date approaches.
What if I want my bike before class starts?
If you want your bike early, just send us an e mail at BearsBikes_gmail.com and request "Early Pick-Up." You will be able to pick up your bike during orientation and will be charged an Early Fee of $25.
What is the cancellation policy?
If you decide after reserving your bike (online or in person) that you no longer want a bike for the year, there is a $50 cancellation policy. Once bike pick-up occurs though, a customer can cancel his/her reservation but will get reimbursed just for the following full semester. For example, if you cancel your reservation before bike pick-up (i.e. if you decide to bring your own bike to school) you will only be charged the cancellation fee. If you decide to cancel once bike pick-up has occured, you will get refunded for the second semester, but not the first.
How do I get maintenance done on my bike?
Getting maintenance done on a bike is very simple - just drop by Bears' Bikes during office hours. It is rare that we cannot complete a repair in-store so we should have your bike back to you in just a few days. If your bike requires repairs beyond our capabilities, it will be transported by us free-of-charge to either Big Shark or South Side Cyclery. For renters, maintenance is free unless a part has to replaced, in which case, the cost will be taken out of the customer's deposit.
What methods of payment do Bears' Bikes accept?
Bears' Bikes accepts cash, check, and all major credit card. Unfortunately at this time we cannot accept Campus Card.
What is the deposit for?
Bears' Bikes takes a $130 deposit for the bike and a $20 deposit for lock. The deposit is to ensure our bikes are cared for and returned to us. The easiest way to make sure that a bike stays in good condition is to ride it regularly and store it underneath one of the many bike shelters. Bikers can also be absolutely confident that if their bike is locked properly it will not be stolen.
What does it mean to be registered with WUPD?
The Washington University Police Department handles all police matters on the WashU campus. When a customer rents a bike and lock from Bears' Bikes, both items have already been tagged with matching stickers that have been logged in the WUPD database. Therefore, if for any reason a bike is stolen from a Bears' Bikes customer, the officers can find it, identify it, and get it back to the customer.
Nick Hillard, Co-owner
Currently a Senior in the school of Engineering, Nick is pursuing a double major in both Civil Engineering and Business. He is from Chicago, IL and is a member of Sigma Phi Epsilon fraternity. Nick also plays football for Wash U and enjoys playing golf on the weekends.
Marcus Jecklin, Co-owner
Currently a Senior in the school of Arts and Sciences, Marcus is pursuing a major in Psychology and minor in Writing. He is from Richmond, VA, and is also a member of Sigma Phi Epsilon fraternity. Marcus also enjoys snowboarding and doing digital photography in his free time.
Matt Schmaus, Co-owner
Currently a Senior in the Olin Business School, Matt is pursuing majors in Economics and Strategy, Entrepreneurship, and Organization and Human Resources Management. He is from Upper Saddle River, NJ, and is a member of the Sigma Chi Fraternity. His hobbies include scuba diving and skiing.
Founding of Bears' Bikes
Bears' Bikes was founded by two WashU students in 2004 when a lunchtime chat led to a simple idea: offer students the opportunity to rent rather than purchase bikes!
What was a very simple idea transformed into a serious business plan through the course of a few short months. The purpose of this business is to give students low-hassle transportation at an affordable cost.
Student Entrepreneurial Program
Bears' Bikes is a fully-sanctioned business of the Washington University Student Entrepreneurial Program.
Bears' Bikes, like all StEP businesses, is a student-owned and operated business. In order to participate, all owners must be undergraduates enrolled full-time at WashU. When the owners graduate, they must sell their business to younger students. Bears' Bikes is currently under its third generation of ownership.
Address:
Bears' Bikes, LLC
6515 Wydown Boulevard
Campus Box 20022
Email
Phone:
