Commuting by bike just got easier.

As an avid cyclist, I applaud the new additions to the campus: bike racks and a bike lane on College Drive.

I saw these bike racks being installed when I got out of my spinning class on Feb. 23. I felt delighted at the sight of these bike racks. It’s about time.

The very first thing I noticed when I started going to Skyline was the nonexistence of bike racks. Locked-up bikes were strewn throughout the campus. Some were locked to the handrails for the disabled ramp by Building 7. Some were locked to the light poles near the cafeteria. At one point, some were locked up inside the cafeteria, under the stairs.

I ride my bike with blue tires from campus to work every day, and my usual parking spot is the light pole near the smoking section by Building 8. With the new bike racks, that light pole will not get scratched up by a bike leaning against it.

Furthermore, a section of College Drive has been partitioned for bike commuters. This decongests the road and makes it safer for bike commuters riding next to drivers hurrying to get out of school.

With the new bike racks throughout the campus and new bike lanes, Skyline is encouraging cyclists to ride their bikes to school. Compared to CSM, Skyline has fewer bike commuters, even though both campuses sit on top of a hill. But with all of these additions, Skyline is becoming more bike friendly, despite the treacherously hilly commute to get here.

As somebody who is in the bike industry, I noticed that the trend of commuting with bicycles has been growing within the past few years. Bike companies are churning out numerous commuter bikes and trendy fixed-gear bikes to cater to this growing market. Urban cycling apparel is also growing; just look at those students with seat belt buckles on their messenger bags.

Skyline has finally caught on to this trend and decided to install some bike racks for those people who choose to commute without burning fossil fuel. It is nice to see this campus accommodate the needs of commuters.