diff --git a/app/components/app_tab_panel.rb b/app/components/app_tab_panel.rb
index 4268fda..d888c04 100644
--- a/app/components/app_tab_panel.rb
+++ b/app/components/app_tab_panel.rb
@@ -42,7 +42,10 @@ class AppTabPanel < Netzke::Basepack::TabPanel
                                       wrappedComponent: :transactions_border,
                                       title: "Transactions"},
                                       :logs,
-                                      :user_roles]
+                                      { layout: :fit,
+                                      wrappedComponent: :user_role_joins,
+                                      title: "User Roles"}
+                                      ]
     end
 
     @@app_tab_panel_items.each do |item|
@@ -52,7 +55,6 @@ class AppTabPanel < Netzke::Basepack::TabPanel
         self.class.component item[:wrappedComponent]
       end
     end
-
     c.prevent_header = true
     c.tbar = [:sign_out, :check_out]
     c.items = @@app_tab_panel_items
diff --git a/app/components/user_logs.rb b/app/components/user_logs.rb
index 1300845..63dbf8e 100644
--- a/app/components/user_logs.rb
+++ b/app/components/user_logs.rb
@@ -37,7 +37,7 @@ class UserLogs < Netzke::Basepack::Grid
       { :name => :end_date, :hidden => true, :default_value => Time.now.to_formatted_s(:db) },
       { :name => :hours, :getter => lambda { |rec| (rec.end_date - rec.start_date)/3600 }, :sorting_scope => :sort_by_duration},
       :description,
-      { :name => :user_action__action, :text => 'Action' },
+      { :name => :user_action__action, :text => 'Action', :default_value => ::ActsAsLoggable::UserAction.all.first.id },
       :created_at,
       :updated_at,
       { :name => :logged_by, :getter => lambda{ |rec|
@@ -53,13 +53,12 @@ class UserLogs < Netzke::Basepack::Grid
     bike_store = Bike.all.map { |b| [b.id, b.shop_id] }
     current_user ||= User.find_by_id(session[:selected_user_id]) || controller.current_user
     bike_id = current_user.bike.nil?  ? nil : current_user.bike.id
-    action_id = current_user.user_role.id
     [
       { :name => :start_date},
       { :name => :end_date},
       { :name => :description},
       #had to hack acts_as_loggable/log.rb to get this to work
-      { :name => :user_action__action, :field_label => 'Action', :value => action_id},
+      { :name => :user_action__action, :field_label => 'Action'},
       { :name => :for_bike, :checkboxName => :copy_log, :inputValue => true, :title => "Copy description to a Bike's History?", :xtype => 'fieldset', :checkboxToggle => true, :collapsed => true, :items => [
           {:xtype => 'combo', :no_binding => true, :name => :copy_id, :title => 'Bike', :fieldLabel => 'Bike', :store => bike_store, :value => bike_id}
         ]
diff --git a/app/components/user_role_joins.rb b/app/components/user_role_joins.rb
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..ba61e66
--- /dev/null
+++ b/app/components/user_role_joins.rb
@@ -0,0 +1,21 @@
+class UserRoleJoins < Netzke::Basepack::Grid
+  def configure(c)
+    super
+    c.model = "UserRoleJoin"
+    c.header = false
+    c.title = "User Roles"
+    c.columns = [
+      { :name => :user__first_name, :text => "First"},
+      { :name => :user__last_name, :text => "Last"},
+      { :name => :role__role, :text => "Role"},
+      :created_at,
+      :updated_at,
+      :ends ]
+  end
+
+  #override with nil to remove actions
+  def default_bbar
+    [ :apply, :add_in_form, :search ]
+  end
+
+end
diff --git a/app/components/user_roles.rb b/app/components/user_roles.rb
deleted file mode 100644
index 4de2383..0000000
--- a/app/components/user_roles.rb
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,15 +0,0 @@
-class UserRoles < Netzke::Basepack::Grid
-
-  def configure(c)
-    super
-    c.model = "UserRole"
-    c.title = "User Roles"
-    c.columns = [ :role, :created_at, :updated_at, :ends ]
-  end
-
-  #override with nil to remove actions
-  def default_bbar
-    [ :apply, :add_in_form, :search ]
-  end
-
-end
diff --git a/app/components/users.rb b/app/components/users.rb
index b844e4a..846b5fa 100644
--- a/app/components/users.rb
+++ b/app/components/users.rb
@@ -9,7 +9,6 @@ class Users < Netzke::Basepack::Grid
       :last_name,
       :nickname,
       :email,
-      :user_role__role,
       :bike__shop_id
     ]
   end
diff --git a/app/models/ability.rb b/app/models/ability.rb
index 4fde40d..7bf89a3 100644
--- a/app/models/ability.rb
+++ b/app/models/ability.rb
@@ -1,14 +1,16 @@
 class Ability
   include CanCan::Ability
-  
+
   def initialize(current_user)
     @current_user = current_user
-    self.send(current_user.role.to_sym)
+    current_user.roles.each do |role|
+      self.send(role.role.to_sym)
+    end
   end
 
   def admin
     can :manage, :all
-  end  
+  end
 
   def staff
     can :manage, :all
@@ -21,7 +23,7 @@ class Ability
 
   def user
     can :read, :all
-    can :update, Bike, :id => @current_user.bike_id unless @current_user.bike.nil?
+    can :manage, Bike, :id => @current_user.bike_id unless @current_user.bike.nil?
     can :manage, ::ActsAsLoggable::Log, { :loggable_type => "Bike", :loggable_id => @current_user.bike_id }
     can :manage, ::ActsAsLoggable::Log, { :loggable_type => "User", :loggable_id => @current_user.id }
   end
diff --git a/app/models/role.rb b/app/models/role.rb
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..e7a5b90
--- /dev/null
+++ b/app/models/role.rb
@@ -0,0 +1,16 @@
+class Role < ActiveRecord::Base
+  attr_accessible :role
+
+  has_many :user_role_joins
+  has_many :users, through: :user_role_joins
+  validates_uniqueness_of :role
+
+
+  def to_s
+    self.role
+  end
+
+  def ==(other)
+    self.role == other.role
+  end
+end
diff --git a/app/models/user.rb b/app/models/user.rb
index 1db9cb5..9f2a0cb 100644
--- a/app/models/user.rb
+++ b/app/models/user.rb
@@ -7,14 +7,16 @@ class User < ActiveRecord::Base
 
   # Setup accessible (or protected) attributes for your model
   attr_accessible :email, :password, :password_confirmation, :remember_me,
-    :first_name, :last_name, :nickname, :user_role_id, :bike_id,
+    :first_name, :last_name, :nickname, :bike_id,
     :user_profiles_attributes
 
   has_many :transactions
   has_many :user_profiles
   accepts_nested_attributes_for :user_profiles, allow_destroy: false
 
-  has_one :user_role
+  has_many :user_role_joins, :conditions => ["ends IS NULL OR ends > ?", Time.now]
+  has_many :roles, through: :user_role_joins
+
   belongs_to :bike
 
   validates :first_name, :presence => true
@@ -28,12 +30,11 @@ class User < ActiveRecord::Base
     to_s
   end
 
-  def role
-    user_role.role
-  end
-
   def role?(role)
-    user_role.to_s == role.to_s
+    if role.kind_of?(String) or role.kind_of?(Symbol)
+      role = Role.find_by_role(role.to_s)
+    end
+    roles.include?(role)
   end
 
 ### TODO methods below probably belong somewhere else
diff --git a/app/models/user_role.rb b/app/models/user_role.rb
deleted file mode 100644
index 5a9452f..0000000
--- a/app/models/user_role.rb
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,11 +0,0 @@
-class UserRole < ActiveRecord::Base
-  attr_accessible :role
-
-  belongs_to :user
-
-  self.per_page = 15
-
-  def to_s
-    self.role
-  end
-end
diff --git a/app/models/user_role_join.rb b/app/models/user_role_join.rb
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..b1d285d
--- /dev/null
+++ b/app/models/user_role_join.rb
@@ -0,0 +1,13 @@
+class UserRoleJoin < ActiveRecord::Base
+  self.table_name = :user_role_joins
+  attr_accessible :role_id, :user_id, :ends
+
+  belongs_to :user
+  belongs_to :role
+
+  validate :role_id, presence: true, numericality: true
+  validate :user_id, presence: true, numericality: true
+  validates_uniqueness_of :user_id, :scope => :role_id
+
+  self.per_page = 15
+end
diff --git a/db/migrate/20130423231937_alter_user_roles.rb b/db/migrate/20130423231937_alter_user_roles.rb
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..329d470
--- /dev/null
+++ b/db/migrate/20130423231937_alter_user_roles.rb
@@ -0,0 +1,9 @@
+class AlterUserRoles < ActiveRecord::Migration
+  def change
+    rename_table :user_roles, :user_role_joins
+    change_table :user_role_joins do |t|
+      t.rename :role, :role_id
+      t.change :role_id, :integer
+    end
+  end
+end
diff --git a/db/migrate/20130423233228_add_roles.rb b/db/migrate/20130423233228_add_roles.rb
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..f82f955
--- /dev/null
+++ b/db/migrate/20130423233228_add_roles.rb
@@ -0,0 +1,8 @@
+class AddRoles < ActiveRecord::Migration
+  def change
+    create_table(:roles) do |t|
+      t.string :role
+      t.timestamps
+    end
+  end
+end
diff --git a/db/migrate/20130424005701_alter_user.rb b/db/migrate/20130424005701_alter_user.rb
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..510d717
--- /dev/null
+++ b/db/migrate/20130424005701_alter_user.rb
@@ -0,0 +1,5 @@
+class AlterUser < ActiveRecord::Migration
+  def change
+    remove_column :users, :user_role_id
+  end
+end
diff --git a/db/schema.rb b/db/schema.rb
index fcb1f7c..529fac7 100644
--- a/db/schema.rb
+++ b/db/schema.rb
@@ -11,7 +11,7 @@
 #
 # It's strongly recommended to check this file into your version control system.
 
-ActiveRecord::Schema.define(:version => 20130419010051) do
+ActiveRecord::Schema.define(:version => 20130424005701) do
 
   create_table "bike_actions", :force => true do |t|
     t.string   "action",     :limit => 128, :null => false
@@ -97,6 +97,12 @@ ActiveRecord::Schema.define(:version => 20130419010051) do
 
   add_index "logs", ["loggable_id", "loggable_type", "context"], :name => "index_logs_on_loggable_id_and_loggable_type_and_context"
 
+  create_table "roles", :force => true do |t|
+    t.string   "role"
+    t.datetime "created_at", :null => false
+    t.datetime "updated_at", :null => false
+  end
+
   create_table "task_lists", :force => true do |t|
     t.integer "item_id",   :null => false
     t.string  "item_type", :null => false
@@ -148,8 +154,8 @@ ActiveRecord::Schema.define(:version => 20130419010051) do
     t.datetime "updated_at",  :null => false
   end
 
-  create_table "user_roles", :force => true do |t|
-    t.string   "role"
+  create_table "user_role_joins", :force => true do |t|
+    t.integer  "role_id"
     t.datetime "created_at", :null => false
     t.datetime "updated_at", :null => false
     t.datetime "ends"
@@ -167,7 +173,6 @@ ActiveRecord::Schema.define(:version => 20130419010051) do
     t.datetime "last_sign_in_at"
     t.string   "current_sign_in_ip"
     t.string   "last_sign_in_ip"
-    t.integer  "user_role_id",           :default => 1,  :null => false
     t.integer  "bike_id"
     t.datetime "created_at",                             :null => false
     t.datetime "updated_at",                             :null => false
diff --git a/db/seed/fixtures/roles.yml b/db/seed/fixtures/roles.yml
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..46f26fc
--- /dev/null
+++ b/db/seed/fixtures/roles.yml
@@ -0,0 +1,9 @@
+user:
+  id: 1
+  role: user
+staff:
+  id: 2
+  role: staff
+admin:
+  id: 3
+  role: admin
diff --git a/db/seeds.rb b/db/seeds.rb
index 6d1f3c2..89a9000 100644
--- a/db/seeds.rb
+++ b/db/seeds.rb
@@ -21,7 +21,7 @@ end
 if Rails.env.development?
 
   #create default admin user
-  if UserRole.all.empty? and User.all.empty?
+  if User.all.empty?
     FactoryGirl.create(:user)
     FactoryGirl.create(:staff)
     FactoryGirl.create(:admin)
diff --git a/spec/factories/user_roles.rb b/spec/factories/roles.rb
similarity index 91%
rename from spec/factories/user_roles.rb
rename to spec/factories/roles.rb
index ac4d2f3..97ae258 100644
--- a/spec/factories/user_roles.rb
+++ b/spec/factories/roles.rb
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 FactoryGirl.define do
-  factory :user_role do
+  factory :role do
     factory :role_staff do
       role 'staff'
     end
diff --git a/spec/factories/users.rb b/spec/factories/users.rb
index 53c85a8..507e253 100644
--- a/spec/factories/users.rb
+++ b/spec/factories/users.rb
@@ -6,21 +6,29 @@ FactoryGirl.define do
     first_name 'Michael'
     last_name 'Scott'
     sequence(:bike_id) { |n| n }
-    association :user_role, factory: :role_user
+    after_build do |r|
+      r.roles << (Role.find_by_role("user") || FactoryGirl.create(:role_user))
+    end
 
     factory :staff do
       first_name 'Staff'
-      association :user_role, factory: :role_staff
+      after_build do |r|
+        r.roles << (Role.find_by_role("staff") || FactoryGirl.create(:role_staff))
+      end
     end
 
     factory :admin do
       first_name 'Admin'
-      association :user_role, factory: :role_admin
+      after_build do |r|
+        r.roles << (Role.find_by_role("admin") || FactoryGirl.create(:role_admin))
+      end
     end
 
     factory :bike_admin do
       first_name 'BikeAdmin'
-      association :user_role, factory: :role_bike_admin
+      after_build do |r|
+        r.roles << (Role.find_by_role("bike_admin") || FactoryGirl.create(:role_bike_admin))
+      end
     end
 
   end