Get a Bike
So you want a bike while you’re on campus…
Awesome! We like the way you think! Bikes are a great tool for students on campus to help get around to classes faster and as a tool to start exploring the Upper Valley. However, bike waste is a serious issue on campus, and we’ve assembled the following guidelines for bringing bikes to campus.
Do NOT buy a bike before you get to campus!
The main cause of bike waste we see on campus is people buying, then quickly abandoning low-quality “department store” bikes they either bought at a local Walmart or ordered on Amazon before they got to campus. Don’t let this be you! There are far more sustainable and economical ways to own or use a bike available to students, many of which we compiled below:
Pros
Cons
Cost
If you have a durable bike that’s in good working order at home, bring your bike to campus! If you are driving to campus, you can easily bring it on a bike rack for your car. If that is not an option, you can ship your bike directly to your Hinman mail address! For more information on how to do that, check out this guide. Most bike shops can also help you ship it to campus. Once on campus, schedule an Assembly appointment to have your rig assembled!
You can continue riding the bike you know & love from home, and you won’t have to worry about buying a bike on campus!
While shipping is definitely cheaper than buying a new high-quality bike, shipping might cost more than buying a second-hand bike on campus. It could seem intimidating at first, but with proper research and/or services it can be smooth.
Shipping costs can vary wildly. At Dartmouth Bikes, assembly costs $50.
If you are unsure of whether you need a bike at Dartmouth as many students are content walking, first rent from us for a term to see if you’re a frequent rider. Lookout for an email sent to campus-events listserv around week 2.
You get to test out if a bike would be a good investment before committing to shipping/buying a bike, usually with discount and/or priority access for students on financial aid
Renting every term is less cost-effective than buying a second-hand bike.
Per term: $50 rental fee
+ $50 security deposit (returned when you return the bike)
For financial aid students: $25 rental fee + $25 security deposit
During Orientation Week at the start of fall term, we’ll be there selling inexpensive yet awesome used bikes from our fleet! Lookout for an email from New Student Orientation with move-in information.
Low-cost, sold on campus, registration on-site, usually with discount and/or priority access for students on financial aid
For first-year students orientation move-in could be hectic, and we may run out at the end
Approximately $100 - $300
Usually in the beginning or middle of the term, we sell the abandoned bikes we collected and fixed directly from the bike shop. Lookout for an email sent to campus-events listserv.
Low-cost, sold on campus, registration on-site, usually with discount and/or priority access for students on financial aid
We may run out at the end of a sale
Approximately $100 - $300
Omer & Bob’s, Mason Racing Cycles, or Eastern Mountain Sports are located in Lebanon/West Lebanon, about a 40 minute free bus ride away from campus or a 10-15 minute drive (if you don’t have a car, you can ask a friend who does or rent a Zipcar).
Large selection of high-quality bikes, local to Hanover
Very expensive, decently far if you don’t have a car
$1000+
Online Second-Hand Sellers
Buy from a site such as Dartlist, Craigslist, Facebook Marketplace, Ebay, Pinkbike. You might encounter some unexpected challenges (for example, you might need access to a car to pick up the bike when you don’t have a car). Don’t get discouraged as you can always try looking for another seller/website without the challenge (such as the seller can drop the bike off for you or by asking a friend/renting a zipcar (take the wheels off if the bike does not fit))
Large selection of cheap, second-hand bikes in and around Hanover
May require some searching, quality varies
Cost varies, could be as low as ~$100
Take the Mechanics Course during winter term to learn how to fix bikes while working on an abandoned bike. Upon completing the course, you would have learned the basics of being a bike mechanic and we will give you the bike you fixed up yourself! Or, volunteer to register bikes during the fall term and we will give you a bike at the end of the term.
Completely free bike!
you must put in ~10 hours of work
Free!
Sometimes people would give away/borrow/sell their friends bikes on an off term or forever. So ask around, you might get lucky!
Note: if you do end up getting a bike from a friend, please remember to transfer registration so the bike is officially registered under your name. It’s super simple!