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.
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.
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
They also host a series of videosaimed at beginner commuters
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.
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:
If you're an employee and a full-time bike commuter, you can enroll in the regional Emergency Ride Home program. The program provides up to six free vouchers per year for a ride home due to personal illness or unscheduled overtime.
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 leaesed by Duke University.
