NYBC: Bicycle Programs Are the New Student Movement
This guest post was written by Joshua from the National Youth Bike Council. Learn more about this youth-led group.
The latest movement started by post-secondary students has an unorthodox approach: on-campus bicycle programs, offering DIY repair space, repair services, or bike rentals. Imagine a dedicated space on campus that is open to students in the afternoon with a free set of tools to crank on bicycles together. Imagine dedicated bicycle rentals for students to borrow for a week or a semester, with a set of free DIY tools located at the rental station. Many campuses now have vibrant, bicycle-centered spaces that build community while encouraging students to get out and ride.
Campus bike projects create connections
As culture wars and diversity of opinion have become more polarizing, some young people have turned to bicycling groups to kindle meaningful friendships amid exams, school schedules, practicums, and more. Others discover on-campus bicycling groups when they see a group of their peers cycling down a campus roadway, smiling, and having fun.
At first, bicycle repair seems very niche. But when taking into account the larger picture of the college student experience, bicycle repair makes a lot of sense. College campuses are often designed to prioritize walkability and facilitate easy access to classes, libraries, food, and other amenities. This is why bicycling has been able to satisfy the needs of students who have a desire to renew their connection with nature, get across campus in a short amount of time, or find new social groups. It’s also a way to explore off-campus options in a more convenient way and provides autonomy.
We found several examples of student-initiated movements, ranging from some that had been around for 10 years or more to those that had just started this year, in 2025.
Meet the students who keep the wheels turning
Meet Allen of Brandeis University, Kenedy and Hosea from Tartan Bike Project, and McTzviel of Orange Bike Project.
Allen on the left, Hosea and Kenedy in the middle, and McTzviel on the right
Tartan Bike Project is a new initiative currently being led by Kenedy and Hosea, working closely with administrative staff at Carnegie Mellon University in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, to bring their first-ever student-led bicycle project to life. For Brandeis University out of Waltham, Massachusetts, Allen F. has initiated the soon-to-be bicycle library, Brandeis Bikes, a reincarnation of the old DeisBikes that used to exist at the school. Lastly, Orange Bike Project of Austin, Texas, a student-led bicycle repair shop, has been running since 2008. It is fully operational with afternoon hours, and some of the original alumni are still hanging around.
Each project was a student-initiated endeavor that sought to do the same thing: connect students on campus with reliable bicycle resources and a tool to access off-campus activities.
How to start a college bike project
“Be stubborn, know what you want, and have a good idea of what that looks like,” said Kenedy when we asked what it takes to start a college bike project. Although the Tartan Bike Project is the newest, it has helpful experience to share. Kenedy used to attend the University of Texas, where she was introduced to the Orange Bike Project after she got a bike. When Kenedy got to Pittsburgh, she met Hosea, who helped her raise over $20,000 to start the Tartan Bike Project and advocated beyond that for space on campus to be allocated for a bike shop similar to the one run by the Orange Bike Project in Texas.
The Orange Bike Project has been on the UT campus for many years, consistently serving students. “The project gives a lot, but the project also takes a lot — so have resiliency and patience” was McTzviel’s advice to anyone wanting to start a similar endeavor, emphasizing the logistics involved with sustaining a long-term initiative.
Allen F. shared a similar lesson after Brandeis University rejected his initial proposal late last year: “It showed me where the gaps were and how to strengthen the proposal,” he said. Creating a bike project is a different kind of academic endurance that requires a strong sense of purpose, a clear vision, and a willingness to adapt.
Know Your Whys
Each bike project leader said it’s worth the effort to create these social groups because they live on even after the founders graduate. McTzviel joked that, “Sometimes you have to remind yourself that you are there for school,” not just hanging out with friends and creating a physical space for students to gather and work on bicycles.
A bicycle repair location is a hub for student engagement around an essential service students need.
For students like Allen, Hosea, Kenedy, and McTzviel, spending time working on their bike projects was the equivalent of a real-world practicum. It gave them the opportunity to leave a lasting mark and serve the needs of future students. They gained lots of skills that are relevant to the post-college world, like writing proposals, time management, building a team, working as a team, and project management. It was a crash course on entrepreneurship and business management.
Student leaders looking to start a bike project usually need some inspiration. They can turn to the Youth-Bike Hub (YB Hub), another youth-led initiative, started by the National Youth Bike Council. YB Hub aims to create a more collaborative, environmentally sustainable, and connected world by empowering bicycle projects for or started by youth. The YB Hub is a newsletter that lifts up youth-bike initiatives happening around the country and leads quarterly calls between these groups. It’s a great way to connect with bike projects on different college campuses. Join the YB Hub newsletter if you are interested in starting or hearing from a college bike project.
More help to set up a campus bike program
Tatiana from Georgia Tech is offering a webinar, Essentials to start a College Bicycle Program, to provide information and answer questions on July 14 at 11:30 a.m. ET. Join the webinar on Zoom with this link.
During the webinar, Tatiana, the former president of Starter Bikes at a Bicycle Friendly University, will break down the essential resources you need to start or sustain a bike program on your campus. From sourcing tools and parts to securing space and allies, she’ll share practical tips and lessons learned from running a thriving student-led bike shop at Georgia Tech.
The National Youth Bike Council is also developing a guide to assist students in launching campus bike projects. Students don’t need to start from scratch; there are lots of resources and support available.
