MISSOULA — Mountain biking is one of the most popular activities in Missoula but at times it can be expensive for parents to buy new bikes for their kids.
That’s why the people at MTB Missoula started a bike library, where kids can check out a bike for the summer and return it when the season is over, for free. The team partnered with Missoula Parks and Recreation and Free Cycles Missoula to help launch the program.
Amanda Duley from MTB says it took a full community effort to make this library possible.
“We saw a need for families to be able to rent a bike for a whole season for their child at no cost,” Duley said. “So we just started reaching out cause we all know some people that had some bikes sitting in their garages that their kids outgrew. The community really rallied and started donating bikes to us.”
When the kids picked up their bikes they were given lessons on proper care and etiquette while riding. With lessons in proper helmet fitting, routine maintenance, and how to yield to other people on the trails.
The riders were eager to use their summer bikes.
One of the riders Danika Kienley talked about the plans she and her family have for their new summer bikes.
“I’m probably gonna go on a few trails with my dad and my sister to Bluebird and go through mud puddles,” Kienley said. “[Because] we have this funny name called the Mud People, which is what we are because we like to go through a bunch of mud puddles.”
You can sign up for the MTB youth library at https://www.mtbmissoula.org/.
