City’s free bicycle rental has something for everyone this summer
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A person can get from one end of the city to the other for free. They don’t need a car or a cab. They just need a little pedal power, and the City of Kokomo is here to help. The KokoGo free bicycle rental service resumed on April 25 and will run all summer. Whether for recreation, exercise, and necessary travel, there is a bike available to get the job done.
“KokoGo is a completely free bike share rental,” explained Allison Reed, Recreation Manager. “People of almost any age can come and rent a bike. The first time that you come in, you have to sign off with someone who's over 18. After that, once you have a parent or guardian who signs off and says that I will hold myself liable, anybody age 12 and up can come in and use a bike for three hours.”
Located at 307 S. Main St. near downtown at the trailhead crossing between the Industrial Heritage Trails and the Walk of Excellence, the KokoGo Bike is available during the spring, summer, and fall months. The facility also offers restrooms and is located just north of the Downtown Dog Park near the Riverwalk Concert Pavilion.
A state issued ID must be presented in order to rent a bicycle. A Credit or debit card also must be presented and held on file for each individual, though the card will not be charged unless the bicycle is stolen, damaged, or is turned in late without a prior arrangement.
Three hours is the default time limit for the free bike rental, though the time can be extended a bit if the renter notifies the bike share station. Reed said she sees KokoGo bikes all over town.
“People use them everywhere,” said Reed. “They ride over to the mall and go shopping. I was at Kokomo Beach on the first Sunday it was open. I walked out and saw a bike share bike. That's exactly what the bike share is supposed to be. It’s this free amenity to use and to go explore other free and low-cost amenities that we offer to the community.”
Reed said that she isn’t aware of a time when KokoGo has run out of bicycles; there are 36 of them available to rent. And they aren’t limited to just adult sizes. There are options for families, for new riders, and for couples.
“We have a plethora of adult bikes, and some of them have the attachment for our bike trailers,” said Reed. “You can put up to two children in the trailer. It does have a maximum weight capacity, and the children do have to wear their helmets in the bike trailer.
“We have a tandem bike. We've got some tagalong bikes that are designed for an adult rider on the front and a youth rider on the back. If the child is not quite adept at riding their own bike, this one is completely maneuverable from the front adult position. It's like a little attachment on the back of the bike.
“And then we've got youth-sized bikes for kids who are like 7-10 years old, and we have some toddler bikes that still have training wheels on them and even tricycles. My daughter is five, and she needs training wheels. That was one of the things I was really excited about getting at KokoGo!”
KokoGo is now offering bike rental services seven days a week through Aug. 31. The rental station will be open from 1-8 p.m. Mondays-Thursdays, from 1-9 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays, and from 1-7 p.m. on Sundays. Those hours will be observed through July 27.
From July 28 through Aug 31, the hours of operation will be: Mondays-Thursdays from 4-8 p.m.; Fridays from 4-9 p.m.; Saturdays from 1-9 p.m., and Sundays from 1-7 p.m.
KokoGo will be available on Labor Day, Sept. 1, from 1-8 p.m., and then the fall schedule begins. From Sept. 2-28, the bike share will be available on weekends only, on Fridays from 4-9 p.m., Saturdays from 1-9 p.m., and Sundays from 1-7 p.m.
For more information about KokoGo, call its office at 765-431-1513.