PHOTO GALLERY: Mizzou Bike Share opens at MU

August 27, 2012 | 7:26 p.m. CDT

The Mizzou Bike Share program was launched Monday. Students can borrow one of 20 bikes for 24-hours. They do have to provide their own helmets.

A specially designated bike rack sits outside the MU Student Center on Monday. The Missouri Students Association bought 20 bikes for the Mizzou Bike Share program with the help of $10,000 donated by various campus organizations. | Naveen Mahadevan

Tyler Ricketts, chairman of the Student Affairs Committee of the Missouri Students Association at MU, speaks to students at the launch of the Mizzou Bike Share program Monday. Ricketts started planning the project 10 months ago after a survey showed that 90 percent of students wanted a free bike share program. | Naveen Mahadevan

Each bike at the launch Monday costs about $500. The bikes were manufactured by Worksman Cycles. | Naveen Mahadevan

Bikes sit outside the MU Student Center on Monday. They are part of the new Mizzou Bike Share program, which was founded by several members of the Missouri Students Association and launched Monday. | Naveen Mahadevan