According to the 2015 Mobility Survey, Washington University is home to almost 5,000 bikers. The following are resources developed by the Office of Sustainability and partners to facilitating riding on and around WashU’s campuses.
Find the best bike route to campus with WashU Rides, the one-stop source for your commute planning needs. You can use the interactive map to identify bike paths and lanes along your route and even coordinate with others to start a bikepool! All you need to access it is your WUSTL Key.
Amenities on WashU Campuses
The Office of Sustainability and partners offer a variety of amenities around WashU’s campuses to support students and staff in all of their biking endeavors.
The locations of the bike racks, bike paths, and bike repair stations on the Danforth campus are documented in the university’s Campus Bike Map. For the most up-to-date and detailed information on bike rack capacities, construction closures, and changes in bus and shuttle service, please consult Alternative Transportation on the Facilities and Management Department’s layered map. For the Medical School Campus, please refer to this map for commuters.
There are currently two Fixit self tune-up stations on the School of Medicine Campus and six stations on the Danforth Campus. The stations include an array of tools necessary to perform basic bike repairs and maintenance, the instructions for which can be found in our Bicycle Repair Quick Guide. Printed versions of the Bicycle Repair Quick Guide are also attached to each of the Fixit stations on the Danforth Campus. Locations can be found on the Danforth and Medical School Campus interactive maps.
Frequent riders should keep an eye out for the free bike tune-ups on campus sponsored by the Office of Sustainability and Parking and Transportation. Every April and October, our Active Transportation Months, we host two on the Danforth Campus and two at the School of Medicine, in which bikes are tuned-up on a first-come-first-serve basis by mechanics from a local bike shop. To stay informed on free bike tune-ups, sign up for our newsletter.
Bears Bikes is a student-owned and operated business located in the Gregg storefronts, on the ground floor of Gregg House on the South 40. Bears Bikes offers year-long rentals to students who want their own bike without the responsibilities of ownership. Winter storage and free-tune ups are included with rentals, of which customers can choose between a hybrid bike, a single-speed bike, or a mountain bike. In addition to rentals, Bears Bikes provides repair services and storage over winter and summer breaks for all student bike owners. Check out their website for Bears Bikes location, hours, services, and pricing.
Schnuck Pavilion is home to the Active Commuter Hub, which supports the growing community of WashU bike, pedestrian, and transit commuters. The Hub provides bike parking, showers, and lockers, while allowing easy access to the Skinker MetroLink and to the bike routes through Forest Park. Learn more at the Active Commuter Hub homepage.
All WashU students, faculty and staff parking a bike on the Danforth campus are requested to register their bike with WashU. To get started, go to project529.com/washu and enter information about your bike. Once you register, you will receive a sticker to attach to your bike. Displaying a valid registration shield helps protect your bike from theft and facilitates the recovery of lost or stolen bikes.
Biking Beyond Campus
The following are tips and resources to assist members of our community in accessing greater St. Louis by bike.
MetroLink riders 13 and older or accompanied by an adult are welcome to bring their bikes aboard the train in the front or back of each car. Additionally, each MetroBus is equipped with a front-mounted rack with the capacity for two bikes. For more information on integrating your bike commute with public transit, please consult Metro’s Bike & Ride page.
- Big Shark Bicycle Co. is located on Big Bend Blvd. Big Shark sells a wide variety of bikes and bike gear, performsrepairs, and hosts group rides every Saturday morning.
- Cursed Bikes and Coffee is located in University City, just a few blocks North from the Forsyth MetroLink station, and is both a bike shop and a coffee shop. Cursed sells and rents bikes and provides repair services by appointment.
- Velofix is a mobile bike shop which sells bikes and gear and performs repair services out of a van. You can make an appointment with our local Velofix operator here.
- St. Louis BWorks is both a bike shop and community center, building confidence and character in youth through educational programs.
- Great Rivers Greenway collaborates with local governments to connect communities and parks with walkable, bike-able greenways. You can find a map of the existing and planned greenways here.
- Bike St. Louis is a network of over 135 miles of signed and marked bike-friendly streets created by the City of St. Louis in partnership with Great Rivers Greenway. You can contact the Office of Sustainability to request a hard copy map of this network, or view it online here.
- Trailnet is an organization that promotes active transportation as a means for creating healthy, active, and vibrant communities. In addition to their work in transportation planning and advocacy campaigns, Trailnet organizes rides and events and offers classes taught by League of American Cyclists-certified instructors.
Safe Biking Resources
Students, staff, and faculty are eligible to purchase discounted U-Locks through the WashU Police Department (WUPD). The high-quality Kryptonite U-Locks can be bought for $25 from the WUPD office in Lien House on the South 40.
The League of American Bicyclists’ Smart Cycling videos are intended to educate bikers on basic biking skills, best practices, and important traffic laws to maximize safety and inspire confidence in riders of all levels. For more instructional videos, visit the League’s Smart Cycling page.
Fitting and Adjusting Your Bike
Basic Bike Check
Signaling
Traffic Laws