Welcome to Indego’s Passholder of the Month series! This is only awarded to (12) Passholders each year. So, it’s a pretty big deal. The ones who ride often and/or share their Indego adventures to social media get this kind of special treatment.

Once crowned, the winner gets a grand tour of the Indego wheelhouse, hangs out with the team, gets a lot of swag and so much more. Meet our June winner, Jen Yuan.

Name: Jen Yuan

Occupation/Interest: IT Communications Analyst at the University of Pennsylvania

Neighborhood: Center City West

Favorite thing about Philly: Fairmount Park and everything in it, including the Boxers’ Trail, Boathouse Row (go, Philadelphia Girls’ Rowing Club!), and the amazing view from atop the Strawberry Mansion Bridge (best reached by bike).

When did you become a Passholder and why? Honestly, I hesitated in the beginning, because I already own more than one bike. However, I kept running into situations where I really wanted one-way or spontaneous trips — going home after not biking into work in the morning (bad weather, errands/appointments, etc.), zipping to/from 30th Street Station to make a train, meeting up with friends when I was already away from home without wheels. It’s a cheaper, greener, often faster alternative to taxis, carshare, and SEPTA (especially at night).

Any tips for new Indego riders? First, an eyeglass wiping cloth is handy for drying off the bike seat when you ride Indego after it’s been raining out — I always keep one with me in my purse. Second: Protect your noggin! Hard-shell helmets are a little more robust for carrying around between rides. If you really like to geek out on gadgets, consider a folding helmet. I supported the Morpher helmet crowdfunding campaign, so now I keep a “just-in-case” helmet that folds flat in my work bag. Next, the Indego bikes have internally geared hubs, which means you can change gears on the bike while you are stopped in traffic. Using one of the easier gears (1 or 2) makes it more manageable to get rolling from a complete standstill. Which leads to my last tip: Obey traffic signs and signals when you ride. It won’t kill you to observe red lights, really!

What do you love most about Indego?  The bikes are kinder to my clothing than any other bikes I have ridden: comprehensive chain guards mean I don’t have to worry about pants cuffs or chain ring grease “tattoos”, fenders mean I don’t get skunk-striped in damp weather. They’re also always lit, front and back, 24/7! Indego bikes are “basic” in the best and most inclusive sense of the word — and it’s hard to beat getting back to basics on a nice sunny day or a lovely moonlit night.