of the PSU Bike Co-op.]
32 year-old Portland native Ian Stude is a busy guy these days. When the Center neighborhood resident isn’t enjoying Portland’s bike fun culture, he’s in charge of the Bicycle Cooperative at Portland State University.
Ian has worked at the PSU Bike Co-op since 2004 when he was the sole employee. Now, as membership has grown, he manages two part-time employees and is heavily involved with plans for an upcoming major expansion and construction of a new, Metro grant-funded bike parking facility on the campus.
As these exciting projects take shape, I thought it’d be a great time to get to know Ian and learn more about bikes at PSU.
How many bike commuters and bike racks are there at PSU?
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We currently have approximately 1800-2000 bike commuters at PSU. We have 400 bike racks on campus, nearly all being capable of double occupancy, so that puts us at almost 800 spaces. Luckily for us, our commuters’ schedules tend to vary, so we don’t need to accommodate all 2000 bike commuters at once… at least not yet. Due to the increases in both total population and percentage of bicycle commuters, we have lots of plans in the works to bring more (and more secure) bike parking to PSU.
is no match for the throngs of cyclists at PSU.]
What’s your official title?
I’m the Transportation Options Coordinator. I’m chiefly responsible for managing the PSU Bicycle Cooperative and our on-campus bicycle parking programs. Recently, I’ve also taken on managing a small transit information office we run on campus and coordinating all of our transit accounts (TriMet, Portland Streetcar, etc).
What big projects are you working on right now?
- Well, I’ve got lots of irons in the fire right now, but here a few that I’m really excited about:
- Future Bike Co-op Expansion: A proposal (including architectural designs and budget) has been submitted to the administration. If approved, this would mean a very expanded and deluxe new home for the Co-op.
- Future Bike Parking Facility: Our department was just awarded a $50,000 grant from Metro to build a stand-alone bike parking structure with 24/7, card-access control that will accommodate up to 100 bikes.
- New, Expanded Website for the Bike Co-op: Portions are complete and can be viewed now. Some edits remaining and several new sections to be debuted in the near future.”
What’s the best thing about riding at PSU?
- My favorite thing about riding to and around PSU is the diversity of riders. We really see it all because PSU is such a diverse school. It’s really one of the few places in Portland where you can interact with people from all over the world. Oh yeah, and my other favorite is Bike Polo. That’s the bee’s knees. Our weekly Bike Polo night (open to all!) will be returning once the daylight gets a little longer — stay tuned for more exciting details!
Photo: Kevin Hedahl
And the worst?
- I’d have to say the worst is the issues with theft and the perception of theft. College campuses are always a target for bike thieves, but I think we are making some serious inroads to making PSU a much safer place to park your bike.
Besides your work at PSU, are you involved with the bike scene in other ways?
- In addition to my work at PSU, I have enjoyed a lengthly love-affair with Shift. I’ve especially enjoyed helping out with Breakfast on the Bridge, Pedalpalooza, and the Multnomah County Bike Fair. I’ve also been known to lend my hand to the People’s Republic of Polo, Flimed by Bike, the BTA, and the CCC.
Besides bikes, what really gets you excited?
- Besides…bikes…? Uh, what? Actually, I’m a huge fan of local food and farmer’s markets. I’m hoping to squeeze in some volunteering for the Portland Farmers Market this season. I’m also really getting into bicycle touring and… oops, that’s about bikes, isn’t it…
Yes Ian, that’s about bikes.
Really though, thanks for taking time to tell us more about your work. It sounds like some exciting things are happening at PSU and we hope you’ll keep us posted.
If you work or attend PSU, you should become a member of the Bike Co-op. You can learn more on their membership page. Once you’re there, don’t forget to poke around the rest of the snazzy new PSU Bike Co-op website.