PHOTO: Tim Chase's Manitou Bikes shop had brought a fresh cycling culture to Manitou Springs.

From the pages of Peak Region Cyclist magazine

Tim Chase of Manitou Bikes is adding some depth to our community.  His whole outlook on bikes is one of service, and his shop reflects that outlook.  He has stacks of tires and tubes outside his bike shop in Manitou Springs that anyone can take for free.   If you have a flat tire or need a quick adjustment, he has a set of tools outside his shop that you can stop by and use for free.  
“Every morning one of the tools is off the wall and on the ground.  I love seeing that, because I know that they’re being used,” Tim says enthusiastically.  “I’ve had these tools out here for about 6 months, and not once has anyone stolen one of the tools.”
But a do-it-yourself maintenance area is just something that Tim believes every bike shop should have.  The depth that he’s adding to the cycling community goes beyond his shop walls.  This month, Tim is looking to unveil a fleet of “community bikes” that are intended to be used by anyone at any time.   If you’re walking downtown, wouldn’t it be fun to jump on a bike to your next destination instead?
“In this town, we have so many people who use bikes.  It’s a big part of the culture here.  Being able to grab a bike that is waiting on the corner and ride it down to your favorite coffee shop or favorite breakfast stop is something that just fits with this community,” Tim says.  
It’s a concept that has been adopted well in towns such as Boulder, and brings a whole new dynamic of community service to a city, but it doesn’t come with its own set of concerns and naysayers.
The big question about all of this is, ‘how do you keep the bikes from being stolen?’, and it’s a question that doesn’t seem to concern Tim too much.  Talking with him about it, you get the feeling that he has a natural tendency to trust people.  
The bikes he is looking to put out are going to be donated bikes, stripped down to one gear.  
“These are not going to be expensive bikes.  If someone was looking to steal a bike, these would not be the ones they would be after,” Tim explains.
The bikes will also be painted a bright yellow color with a clear coat over a tag that reads “Community Bikes.  Not for Resale.”  That makes the task of taking one of these bikes and reselling them include having to strip the bike of its entire paint job.  
The success of the community tools he has at his shop has clearly given Tim a faith in our community.  
“People tend to treat things the way they look.  If these bikes were old junkers, and looked like it, then people wouldn’t think twice about how they took care of them.  With a new paint job and a bit of maintenance, these are going to be nice looking bikes, and I think people will treat them with respect.”
What if someone becomes possessive of one of the bikes and takes one of them home to their garage or locks them up outside?  
That doesn’t worry Tim either, “At least someone is riding the bike.  That’s what they are for.  If we see there is a lock on any of these bikes, we’re going to cut the lock and free the bike for anyone to use.  I’m sure over time we’ll lose a few bikes, but that should be expected with any type of community service.”
It will be a work in progress, starting small with 10 to 15 bikes and growing from there.  Every few months there will be additional bikes introduced into the fleet as needed.  What needs to happen for this concept to take shape?  Tim will be collecting donated bikes and gathering a group of volunteers over the next few months.