Bicycling at Duke is an ideal way to get around, whether for exercise or transportation. We make it easy and convenient for you to park your bike safely and close to a building.
- Operating Your Bike
- Registering Your Bike
- Other Cycling Resources
- Bike Repair Made Easy
- Purchasing a Bike
- Bike Safety
- Abandoned Bike Confiscation
- Policies
Operating Your Bike
- Certain areas of campus such as Abele Quad, the Bryan Center Plaza/Brodhead Center Plaza and Duke Gardens are bicycle dismount zones -- see the Duke Today story for details. Walk your bike if traveling through the West Campus dismount zones.
- In addition, bicyclists must comply with Duke’s bike parking regulations. When not in use, all bicycles, whether a personal or bikeshare bike, must be locked to or stored in the near vicinity of a rack. If the bike rack is full, place the bike next to the rack and out of the way of pedestrians and other traffic.
- Bicycles locked to trees, handrails, signs, landscape posts and chains or other stationary items, or are abandoned on campus may be confiscated and the owner will be charged a fine and daily impound fees.
- U-locks are preferred over chain/cable locks to deter bicycle theft.
Registering Your Bike
If you park your bike on campus, we recommend you register as a bike commuter. Registering provides many benefits:
- Thieves are less likely to steal registered bikes.
- Registered bikes are more likely to be recovered if stolen.
- If you're registered as a full-time commuter, you're eligible for up to three free daily parking passes per month to use on the days you need to drive.
- Showers are available at these locations. Be sure to have your DukeID with you.
- You can receive discounts at local businesses such as Bull City Burger, Jamba Juice, and Bullseye Bicycle through Duke's partnership with the national incentive program, Bicycle Benefits.
- Employees can track their bike commutes at ShareTheRideNC.org and win gift cards with GoPerks.
Ready to Register?
You'll need your serial number to register.
Other Cycling Resources
Here are additional resources you might find helpful:
- Duke Pedestrian-Bicycle-Transit Map - Find your way around campus by bike, foot or bus
- North Carolina Bicycle Safety Quiz – learn about bicycle safety rules and regulations from the perspective of a driver or a rider! Even if you are unfamiliar with riding a bike or riding in NC, this tool will provide explanations and answers for more than 37 questions. A great way to learn more about safe riding.
- Bicycle Friendly Driver 101 – a quick (3min.) video from GoTriangle providing information on how to become a bicycle friendly driver. It also contains good tips on being a safe rider.
- Bike Durham - A local bicycling advocacy organization that hosts events and other activities
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- They also host a series of videos aimed at beginner commuters
- In case you need it: https://bikedurham.org/beginners-guide-biking
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- Durham Bike and Pedestrian Advisory Commission - Hosts the Durham Bike Hike Map and provides other local cycling information
- Durham Bike Co-op - A community bike shop in downtown Durham providing bicycle repair, skill-sharing and earn-a-bike programs
- GoTriangle Biking & Walking - Provides Triangle-wide resources for cyclists
- Bicycling magazine Winter Cycling Guide. Not all of the 10 tips are relevant to riding to work or class, but there is a lot of useful information for riding when the weather gets colder.
Bike Repair Made Easy
There are 5 Fix-It Repair Stations located around campus. These stations include a stand to hold a bike during repairs, a collection of bike-specific repair tools, and a reinforced air-pump that fits both major inner-tube valves. A QR code on the repair stand links to bike repair guides.
Purchasing a Bike
There are a number of options for purchasing a new or used bike in Durham. Some of these options are:
New bikes:
Used bikes:
Bike Safety
In North Carolina, bicyclists have the same rights and responsibilities as motor vehicle drivers. That means bikes are allowed to ride on streets and should obey all traffic signs and signals. Please bike responsibly by signaling turns and respecting pedestrians. And, don't forget: always wear your helmet! For more safety tips:
- The League of American Bicyclists (LAB) has some great safety videos.
- The LAB also provides tips about proper maintenance and riding gear.
- The NCDOT Bike/Ped Division provides information on all NC laws and policies.
Abandoned Bike Confiscation
Bike racks are intended for short term parking, except those located at campus residence halls. Bikes left outdoors for an extended period of time or over the summer are subject to confiscation. Multiple times a year, we tag and collect abandoned bikes. Please note that we are not responsible for damage to locks, other accessories or the bike itself. If you suspect your bike has been confiscated, please contact us at 919-684-7275 or tranpark@duke.edu. We hold confiscated bikes for at least 60 days. If bikes are not claimed, we donate them to a local charity.
Policies
Duke University assumes no liability or responsibility for damage to or theft of any bicycle parked on or in operation on the Duke campus or properties leased by Duke University.