Using Your Bicycle on Campus
UNCG was the first campus in North Carolina recognized as a Bicycle Friendly University!
Bike registration is FREE and strongly encouraged. Register online or stop by the parking office at Walker Deck. To complete the registration process, you will need to know:
- ❖ Serial Number: Usually located under bottom bracket of bike
- ❖ Frame Size: The measurement from the center of the crank to the top of the seat tube.
- ❖ Wheel Size: Usually listed on the bike tire
- ❖ Sticker Placement: The larger sticker is to be placed on the longest bar of the bike frame.
If you have any difficulty finding this information, please bring your bike to the parking office at Walker Deck, or to Recycles bike shop, so we may assist you. Once registered, you will be issued a bike permit sticker to be placed on the longest bar of the bike frame.
Occasional Parking Program for Registered Cyclists Commuter students and employees whose primary mode of transportation is a bicycle may purchase temporary parking permits to use for the occasional need to drive a motorized vehicle to campus, if the driver does not already have a parking permit. The prices are -- $1 per day for Park & Ride daily scratch off permit OR $3 per day for A or C lot daily scratch off permit.
Parking and Storage
Please secure your bicycle to a bike rack using a sturdy lock. Using one or two U-locks with a 6-foot chain (the thicker the better) will allow you to lock your bike to any bike rack and secure your wheels too. However, be aware that chains and cables may be cut so never entrust your bicycle to a thin cable or simple chain lock alone. Standard inverted U racks accommodate two bikes per loop. If a bike rack is full, please go to another rack.
When parking your bike, please do not obstruct walkways, railings, doorways or ramps intended for use by pedestrians or people with disabilities. And please never chain a bike to a stair rail, light post, sign post, or tree. Also, do not obstruct doorways, railings, walkways, or ramps intended for use by pedestrians or people with disabilities. Improperly parked bikes may be removed and impounded by university police.
Indoor Bike Parking Facilities
Indoor bike parking is available on the ground level of the School of Education building accessible from Kenilworth Street; lockers and showers for cyclists are down the hall. Additional shower facilities available to bike commuters are located inside the Coleman building on the ground floor west side near the athletics equipment room. Also, the Kaplan Wellness Center offers complimentary shower passes for faculty and staff cyclists. Residential students living in Phillips-Hawkins, the Quad, and Spartan Village have access to indoor bike storage rooms. Covered bike parking is also available inside the Spring Garden Apartments parking garage.
Residence Hall Bicycle Policy
All residence halls have outdoor bike racks and several also provide indoor bike parking. If a bike is found anywhere other than a designated bike rack or inside a resident’s room, s/he will be asked to remove the bike immediately. If the bike is not removed within 24 hours, the bike may be impounded. Please walk your bicycle when indoors. In the interest of public safety, bikes should never be ridden inside buildings.
Lost or Stolen Bikes
If your bike is lost or stolen, please contact UNCG Police to file a police report. You will be asked to provide your bicycle registration number, serial number, and a description of your bike (make, model, size, and color). If you witness a bike theft or other crime in progress, contact the police immediately. If you are calling from a campus land line phone, the emergency phone number is 44444. If you are calling from a cell phone, call (336) 334-4444. The non-emergency phone number is (336) 334-5963. Or use the Live Safe app, livesafe.uncg.edu.
Abandoned and Improperly Parked Bicycle Abatement
A bicycle may be tagged as abandoned if found in the same location over an extended period of time (two weeks or more) with any combination of missing parts, cobweb covered, flat tire, and/or rusted chain. Improperly parked bikes attached to benches, light poles, sign posts, railings, stairwells, and other undesignated areas may be tagged as well. If a tagged bicycle is registered then an attempt will be made to contact the bike owner. If the bike is not registered and/or the bike owner does not take corrective action then the bike may be impounded. This abatement process is performed on an ongoing basis around campus with focused attention during summer break. NOTE: The University is not responsible or liable in any way for lost, stolen, or damaged bicycles or bike accessories. The University is not responsible for the cost of locks, chains, other security devices, or any other item that may be damaged or destroyed as a result of impounding any bicycle. The University has no responsibility or liability to replace or make compensation for such items.
Bike Parking Tips
- ❖ Only park at designated bike racks on campus.
- ❖ If a bike rack is full, please go to another rack.
- ❖ A U-lock combined with a thick, heavy chain is recommended.
- ❖ Please do not risk damage to your bike by securing it improperly.
- ❖ Never leave accessories or loose items on your bike.
- ❖ Never secure a bike to a light pole, sign post, railing, stairwell, bench, tree, or other undesignated area.
Maintenance and Repair
Bike Repair Stations
- ❖ Kaplan Wellness Center
- ❖ Oakland Deck - Forest Street near pedestrian underpass
- ❖ Spring Garden Street - between Jefferson Suites and Tower Village
- ❖ Walker Avenue Circle - near the library tower and EUC
- ❖ Gray Drive - across from the Gove Student Health Center
- ❖ McIver Deck - near the Exit Express pay station on the south end of deck
NOTE: The Oakland Deck and McIver Deck stations include tube recycling boxes and vending machines to purchase tubes, patch kits, and other common bike needs.
Corrosion Prevention
If a bike is exposed to moisture, dry off the bicycle as soon as possible. Lubricants and rust inhibitor solutions may be helpful as well.
ABC Quick Check
A fast and easy way to inspect a bike is the ABC Quick Check which takes less than 30 seconds: A– Air, B – Brakes, C – Chains / Cranks / Cassette, Q – Quick Releases.
Bike inspection demonstration videos are available on YouTube and Cyclist View Inner Tube.
Public Transit
GTA and HEAT buses are equipped with bicycle racks located on the front of the bus. Racks can accommodate up to two (2) bicycles at a time. Bicycles are accommodated on a first-come, first-served basis; bikes are not permitted on board vehicles. Loading and unloading bicycles on HEAT and GTA vehicles is the sole responsibility of the rider. As your bus approaches, please have your bike ready to load and secure any loose items on the bike. Once the vehicle comes to a stop, notify your bus operator you will be loading a bicycle onto the bus bicycle rack. From the curbside, lower the light-weight rack and lift your bike into position in the rack’s wheel wells. Pull the support arm out and up over the front tire of the bike. Then board the bus and be seated. HEAT and GTA are not responsible for your bicycle while in transit. Once you reach your destination, advise the bus operator you will be removing your bike from the rack. To unload your bike, follow the loading instructions in reverse.
PART buses are equipped with bike racks that hold up to two bikes. The bike racks are easy to use and best of all; your bike rides for free! You may use the exterior bike racks during all hours of operation on a first-come, first-serve basis, with a limit of two bicycles per bus. Please be sure to remove anything from your bike that may possibly fall off during the trip. For safety and security reasons, the bus operator is not permitted to leave the bus to assist with the loading or uploading of bicycles. You are responsible for loading, securing, and unloading your bike in a safe and timely manner. Securement arms are provided and must be used to hold the bike in place during travel. For your safety, when leaving the bus, let the operator know that you plan to unload your bike and never step into the street side of the bus when loading or unloading you bike.
Safety Tips
While riding your bicycle, obey all traffic laws at all times. First and foremost, buy and wear a bicycle helmet to greatly reduce the risk of head injury or death. Hopefully you will never “hit the road” without one! And be aware that even the best helmet has limitations. Understanding rider responsibilities, rules of the road, and defensive cycling strategies are the keys to bicycle safety.
Every person riding a bicycle has all the same rights and responsibilities as drivers of motor vehicles. Riders may be cited for unsafe behavior (running stop signs, riding at an unsafe speed for conditions, riding on the wrong side of the road or on sidewalks, etc.). Cyclists riding at night are encouraged to wear light clothing and use front white lights, rear red reflectors and flashers, pedal and side reflectors.
Additional Safety Tips
- ❖ ABC Quick Check before you ride
- ❖ Always wear a helmet
- ❖ Do not ride on the sidewalk
- ❖ Do not use a cell phone while riding
- ❖ Obey all traffic laws at all times
- ❖ Ride at a safe speed for conditions
- ❖ Ride in the same direction as traffic
- ❖ Use hand signals
- ❖ Use lights and reflectors
- ❖ Yield right of way
- ❖ Yield to pedestrians in crosswalks
For more detailed safety information, please visit watchformenc.org and the North Carolina Department of Transportation Division of Bicycle and Pedestrian Transportation site.
Helpful Links
Connect to advocacy groups, local interest groups, bike maps, safety tips and more!
Questions?
Please call (336) 334-5681 or email bike@uncg.edu for assistance.
