FEBRUARY 2011
Rice Bikes was founded as the Rice Bike Shop in the basement of Sid Richardson College by two Sid sophomores, Ben and Fuad. After receiving a few abandoned bicycles from RUPD and a grant from Rice to purchase a few rudimentary tools, business began to pick up. As time passed and the shop became more and more well known, the Rice Bike Shop was able to find an official supplier and finally begin to become a legitimate business.
SPRING 2012
The Rice Bike Shop became the third student-run business.
A group of students taking SOCI 304 Environmental Issues: Rice into the Future decided to start a bike rental program on campus. After spending the semester researching similar programs across the country, they received a variety of grants and were able to purchase 30 Torker U-District bikes to start the program in the Fall of 2013.
FALL 2013
At the recommendation of the Student Center advisor, the two businesses merged and formed Rice Bikes.
FALL 2014
Rice Bikes moved to the Hess PDR in the Rice Memorial Center. Rice Bikes began leading monthly Rice Rides in addition to taking Rice students to Critical Mass.
SPRING 2015
Rice Bikes led 9 students to ride BPMS150, and together they raised over $5,000 to support MS Research.
SPRING 2017
Rice Bikes moved out of the Hess private dining room in the RMC to their current location in the garage of the Rice Housing and Dining Office.
FALL 2017
The new shop location allowed Rice Bikes the room to breathe and take in more bikes than ever. With more available work space, opening hours were expanded alongside an increase in employees. Rice Rides, now called Bike + Beats, saw good attendance on the rides and welcomed campus bands to perform in our garage every month. The highlight of the semester was the Holiday Lights ride which signaled the close of the shop until 2018.
SPRING 2018
For Beer Bike 2018, Rice Bikes worked with the Rice Programs Council to improve the safety for all riders. Improved certification was coupled alongside with increase checks on beer bikes closer to the race day. Rice Bikes was also present track-side to provide last minute repairs for the residential colleges.