RadBox (bicycle self-help workshop)

To keep visitors relatively well-distributed across shifts, we ask you to please schedule your appointment using our e-learning course: 

> SCHEDULE AN APPOINTMENT <

By booking an appointment in e-learning, you can also see which opening hours will be particularly busy and at which hours we will be able offer more personalized assistance. In cases of high demand, visitors with scheduled appointments will be prioritized. If no appointments are booked for a shift, we may choose to stay closed or close early.

Our current opening hours (edited 27.10.):

• Monday: 4:00-8:00 pm

• Tuesday: 12:00-2:00 pm, 4:00-6:00 pm

• Wednesday: 4:00-8:00 pm

• Thursday: 6:00-8:00 pm

• Friday: 3:00-5:00 pm

• Since we rely solely on volunteer support, our opening hours are subject to change. Changes  in opening hours can occur on short notice and are announced through the RadBox e-Learning course.

• Want more opening hours? Volunteer for a shift!

• Need to fill your tires or fix your bike outside of opening hours? Two small repair stations are located  on campus and available at all hours. You can find more information about these stations here.

• Use of the RadBox is limited to students, faculty and staff of the University of Bayreuth. If you do not  fall into one of these categories, we recommend Flickwerk (located near the city center). 

• We are a "do-it-yourself" bike workshop, meaning we assist you in your own bike repairs. You cannot drop off your bike for repair with us. Instead, we can show you what needs to be done on your bike and assist you with the repair process. 

• By initiating a repair in the RadBox, you take responsibility for any potential damage done to your bike during the repair process! Our condition for assistance is a signature accepting the RadBox's terms and conditions when you arrive for your repair. 

The RadBox is constantly expanding: more visitors, more projects, more problems, more bikes... and less space ;) To manage the increased demand, we are in need of enthusiastic volunteer mechanics! Experience is useful but not required. We are also always looking for administrative support -- we have something for everyone! If you have your own idea for a bike-related project, you'll find motivated people and equipment for the realization of your plan. If we've awakened your interest, feel free to send us an email.      

Below, a brief insight into our work:

• Most repairs tend to be relatively basic (i.e. flat tires, gears, brakes), but we occasionally address  more complicated issues (i.e. ball bearings, drive train, wheel truing) as well. We can say from personal experience that you'll learn to handle basic repairs very quickly!

• Our workshop has the tools required for almost all work done on bicycles. That means that if you need specialized tools for your own bike repairs, you can use our tools without issue.

• Use of our tools is always free of charge. However, as the workshop is mainly financed by donations, we rely on voluntary donations from our visitors. Many students who repair their bikes in  our workshop support us with donations, which we use to finance spare parts and tools. We are very grateful for this support!

Our work is voluntary, meaning we do not earn any money with our work. Nevertheless, there are many advantages to getting involved with us:

• As a mechanic, you can learn almost everything about bikes from the other mechanics. Besides the normal work done during workshop shifts, you'll also be able to take part in our internal workshops, which are suggested by members of the RadBox and focus on a different aspect of bicycle repair each time.

• Of course, you can also repair your own bike and get help from more experienced members. By arrangement, you can even do this outside of regular opening hours and give yourself all the time and space in the world.

• You can also have your voluntary work certified by the StuPa. This can be a useful credential when applying for scholarships or jobs.

RadBox

The RadBox is located on the concrete surface in front of the Glashaus. Location of the Radbox on OpenStreetMaps

Repair Stations

Two repair stations are available on campus and available at any time. One is located to the left of the RadBox (across from the DHL lockers). The second repair station is located in front of the athletic facility. You can find more information about our repair stations here.

• ​The concept for a bicycle self-help workshop at the University of Bayreuth originated at the student competition Create YOUR Campus in the summer semester of 2017.

• The high student interest in such a workshop was confirmed by the bicycle mobility survey conducted by Prof. Dr. Susanne Tittlbach and Dr. Stefan Kurth at UBT in December 2017/January 2018.

• In the winter semester 2017/18, Stefan Kurth, initiator of the project "Bicycle-friendly university, bicycle-friendly Bayreuth" was able to inspire Green Campus with the idea of a bicycle self-help workshop, and Dennis Heinig from the Green Campus team joined him as a collaborator. As a result, Dennis Heinig and he jointly developed an equipment and operating concept.

• After an initial exchange with the student parliament, Juliane Schulz got involved in June 2018 in founding the StuPa working group on bicycle mobility. In addition, Heinig and Schulz agreed to take over the supervision of a bicycle self-help workshop for the 2018/19 academic year.

• In search of a bicycle mechanic who would advise and coach students on repairs, Dennis Heinig contacted all of Bayreuth's bicycle shops. Felix Lautner, owner of the Trailhouse store, initially promised his support for the winter semester 2018/19.

• Stefan Kurth made efforts to find a suitable room and to obtain funding, and the university offered hope for a potential space. Financing for equipment and operation in the first year was provided jointly by the university, the Studentenwerk, and the "Verein zur Förderung des Hochschulsports und des Instituts für Sportwissenschaft der Universität Bayreuth".

• In October, tools were ordered, delivered in full, and it has been in the Green Campus office ever since. In December, another workshop trolley was ordered.

• Unfortunately, safety concerns (escape routes for neighboring laboratories) prevented use of the room that had originally been envisioned. A temporary solution generously offered by Prof. Dr. Frank Döpper (Chair of Environmental Production Engineering) could also not be set up for technical reasons.

• Following this, we began working with the Chancellor and Central Technology to find an alternative. With the strong support of Lieven Hofmann, who has been part of the AK Fahrradmobilität since the first meeting in November, we began pursuing the vision of setting up our own workshop container in front of the Glashaus!

• In the summer semester of 2019, Jens Diehr, Jakob Eberhagen, Leon Haupt, and Johannes Besold joined the Green Campus Team and continued to drive the project forward with full vigor. Through the combined strength and the decision of the university management of 23.07.2019, no further obstacles stood in the way of the construction of the bicycle workshop.

• In the following weeks, the implementation was finalized in a lively exchange with Sabine Bocka (Zentrale Technik) and the container was installed on 25.09.2019 and opened on 15.10.2019.

The bicycle self-help workshop is a joint project of Create Your Campus, StuPa and Green Campus.

The RadBox would not exist without generous donations. We would like to express our great gratitude to all donors who make this unique project possible. Below is an alphabetical listing of our financial supporters:

• Diehr & Rabenstein - Technischer Handel
• Sparkasse Bayreuth
• Studentenwerk Oberfranken
• Techniker Krankenkasse
• TenneT TSO
• Universität Bayreuth
• Universitätsverein Bayreuth e.V.
• Verein zur Förderung des Instituts für Sportwissenschaft und des Hochschulsports an der Universität Bayreuth e.V.

Not listed are the names of our visitors who support us with numerous donations. Ongoing support from our visitors is our most important source of funding -- thank you very much!

100% of donations go into the maintenance and improvement of the RadBox. Work on the container, workshop furniture, new tools, replacement of broken tools, wear parts and much more can only be financed by your donations.

If you have supported the RadBox financially in the past and are not listed here, please get in touch with us so that you too can be acknowledged here.

The easiest way to contact us is by email: radbox(at)uni-bayreuth(dot)de

You can also come talk to us in person at the RadBox -- we're friendly and open to all inquiries!