Dickinson’s Green Bikes Program, available to members of the College community, extends from The Handlebar’s efforts to increase bicycle use on campus while supporting sustainable reuse of bikes and bike parts. Students, faculty, and staff can borrow a Green Bike from The Handlebar’s fleet for an entire semester, as long as they provide a refundable $25 deposit and promise to treat the bike with care! Locks will be provided with all bikes, and helmets are provided upon request. As always, The Handlebar will remain a resource for bike users throughout the semester if any problems arise. Participants in the program must return, or renew, the bike at the end of the semester. There are no limits to participation in the Green Bike program – so if you’d like to take one out again a semester or two later, that’s great!
With about fifty Green Bikes in the fleet, they are always in high demand, and are assigned on a first come, first served basis. If there is not a bike available, you will automatically be placed on a waiting list to receive a bike when one becomes available.
APPLY HERE TO REQUEST A GREEN BIKE!
Check out our Green Bike Photo Inventory 2024 and email biking@dickinson.edu with any questions.
Click on the image to flip through our bike inventory.
Frequently asked questions:
Q: How do I get a Green Bike? SIGN UP
A: Green Bikes will be checked out during a one week period at the beginning of each semester, and must be returned during a one week period at the end of the semester. These dates will be advertised using social media, Dickinson Today, Sustainability Newsletter, and word of mouth. Bikes are available on a first come, first serve basis. APPLY HERE to request a Green Bike. You have to get on this list and bikes are assigned in the order the requests are received.
Q: Is the Green Bike mine?
A: In a way, yes! The Green Bike will be yours for a semester at a time. As long as you’re thinking of it as your own, don’t forget to treat the Green Bike as you would your own bike. You will be responsible and will likely have to forfeit your deposit if the bike is stolen or damaged.
Q: Why are the called “Green Bikes”?
A: The forks have been painted John Deere green, and the program symbolizes our effort to uphold sustainability at Dickinson College.
Q: What happens if the Green Bike is stolen or damaged during the semester?
A: If your Green bike is stolen, you should report the incident to the Center for Sustainability Education (CSE), as well as the Department of Public Safety (DPS). Both CSE and DPS will help you resolve the situation and re-locate the bike, if possible. If your bike is damaged and you aren’t sure how to fix it safely on your own, you should bring it to The Handlebar during open hours to receive some experienced counsel from the friendly volunteers in the shop. Deposits will be forfeited for repairs beyond “normal” wear and tear, and deposits will be evaluated for theft on a case by case basis.
Q: Do I have to buy the Green Bike? Does this program cost me any money?
A: It’s FREE! You will have to provide a $25 refundable cash deposit at the time of Green Bike check out, but if you return the bike safe and sound at the end of the semester, you will receive your entire deposit back. So in the end, participation in the Green Bikes program should not cost you any money. Locks (required) and helmets (optional) are also provided free of charge.
Q: Where do the Green Bikes come from?
A: Green bikes are assembled by volunteers at The Handlebar from donated or salvaged bikes and bike parts. They come from a variety of places. Some may have been abandoned, given to The Handlebar, or built by volunteers of The Handlebar. The Handlebar accepts donations of parts, bikes, or money and works diligently to reuse whatever it can. Green bikes arise from hard work and a vision for sustainability!
Q: If I decide I want to keep my Green Bike, may I purchase it from The Handlebar?
A: Unfortunately, no. All Green Bikes belong to Dickinson College and must remain so, always. If you are interested in building a bike that you can keep, ask a Handlebar volunteer or email Biking@Dickinson.edu about the Build-a-Bike program.
Q: Can I extend my time with the bike to last over Summer or Winter break?
A: Green Bikes must be repaired and tuned up over extended breaks, and cannot be taken elsewhere. (Excluding, of course, long bike rides departing from campus!) We will use this time over breaks to maintain, restock, and re-inventory our Green Bike fleet.
Q: If I grow to love my Green Bike, can I check it out for another semester?
A: We encourage you to participate in Green Bikes again if you enjoyed having your own bike, and you receive priority for the same bike you had. You may also request a certain bike for use, but we cannot promise that we’ll be able to provide you any particular bike, as requests come in on a rolling basis. If your old Green Bike remains unclaimed and available for use, another semester with it can certainly be arranged!
Q: What are the rules for riding a Green Bike?
A: As any regular person on a bike, you must follow all Rules of the Road. This includes obeying all the same traffic laws as cars: follow traffic lights, signal when you are turning, be polite and aware. Ride on the right side of the road and do not ride on the sidewalk. If you’d like more information on how to ride safely, check out the Center for Sustainability Education’s Biking at Dickinson publication, also available by DPS, in CSE, and in the Handlebar. Enjoy the Carlisle Road Diet on Hanover and High Street, the Carlisle bicycle network, and try out the bike lanes and sharrows!
Q: How is this program different from that of DPS’s Red Bikes program?
A: The DPS Red Bikes program is designed for daytime (one-day) only loan. All Red Bikes, available for a single day at a time, must be returned before dark, and Dickinsonians must give their Dickinson College ID to the DPS dispatch window to receive one. The program is free, but DPS will keep the user’s ID until the bike is returned.
If you have additional questions about the Green Bikes program, contact the Center for Sustainability Education at biking@dickinson.edu.
