Bike Temple is a university-wide program that promotes resources and access to a zero-emission mode of transportation.
As a Silver Designated Bicycle Friendly University, Temple University is committed to growing cycling education, programming and infrastructure to facilitate greater access to bicycles, increase the amount of people traveling and commuting by bike, promote safety and awareness, and cultivate a supportive and sustainable bike culture for our students, faculty, and staff.
Temple University boasts more than 2,000 bicycle parking spaces.
In addition to outdoor bicycle parking, there are two options for fully covered, locked bicycle parking on Main Campus and one at the Health Science Center Campus.
There is fully covered, locked bicycle parking located behind the Engineering Building available to staff, faculty and students for $10 a semester. To gain access, you must go to the Parking Services Office located in the Montgomery Garage and make a payment. Once you do, you will be able to access the bicycle locker with your OwlCard.
All residence halls have an in-door bicycle storage room for student resident use.
There is in-door bicycle parking available at the Faculty Student Center located at 3340 N. Broad Street. Visit this site for more details about gaining access to the SFC.
Locked bicycle parking located on the north side of the Engineering Building.
Students, faculty, and staff can register their bicycles and scooters with Temple University Police. If your bike or scooter is ever lost or stolen, this record helps Temple Police — and, if needed, the Philadelphia Police Department — identify it and return it to you. Once your registration is complete, you’ll be given a free U-lock.
To receive a free U-lock:
An officer will inspect it and place a registration sticker on the frame.
The sticker links your bike to your file in the police database.
Visit Public Safety's page for step-by-step instructions on how to lock your bike. For information on the parking and security of e-scooter and personal mobility devices, click here.
Throughout the year, Public Safety collects and stores bicycles that are improperly secured to ADA handrails, fire exits, and other critical access points. When a bicycle is registered through TUPD’s bike registration program, Public Safety contacts the owner to facilitate its return. Unregistered bicycles are tagged and held for 30 days.
Grounds Maintenance also monitors bicycles left on campus. Bicycles identified as abandoned, including those that have been partially dismantled or damaged through theft or vandalism, are removed and held for 30 days.
Bicycles that remain unclaimed after the 30-day holding period are released to the Office of Sustainability for potential repair and reuse through the Secondhand Cycles program.
Started in 2014, Secondhand Cycles is Bike Temple’s bicycle surplus program, giving abandoned and unclaimed campus bicycles a second life. Rather than sending bikes to scrap, the program identifies bicycles that can be repaired and returned to use.
Since fall 2024, the Office of Sustainability has partnered with the Division of Student Affairs to help ensure restored bicycles reach students who want and need them most. Through a holistic selection process and subsidized pricing, students are prioritized based on demonstrated need, interest, and engagement with sustainable transportation initiatives on campus.
Secondhand Cycles sales are not regularly scheduled, as available inventory depends on the number of donated, and unclaimed, impounded bicycles on campus at any given time. When a sale is planned, information about available bicycles, the application process, and sale dates will be posted on the Office of Sustainability website.
Only current Temple students are eligible to apply for a bicycle through Secondhand Cycles. Faculty, staff, alumni, and other community members are not eligible to purchase bicycles through the program.
Temple faculty, staff, alumni, and other community members are encouraged to donate bicycles they no longer use. These donations help expand access to affordable, sustainable transportation for Temple students and give bicycles a second life on campus.
Secondhand Bike Sale
Don't own a bike? No problem! Temple's Main Campus hosts six city-owned Indego bike share stations around Main Campus and two at the Health Science Center.
Explore the city with Indego, Philly's bike share program. Indego features more than 2,200 bikes and 200 stations located in Center City and the surrounding areas. Indego offers 24-hour, 30-day, and yearly pass options to rent a classic or electric bike. It's a fun and low carbon way to commute or just get some exercise. Learn more here.
Indego Bike Share station at Broad and Diamond Streets
Temple University offers a discount on new bikes for all its employees. Save up to 30% on a new Breezer, Tuesday, or Fuji bicycle and green your commute. Ride to work and enjoy extraordinary benefits. Save money on parking or transit fares, reach your wellness goals with increased physical activity, and help save the planet by cutting emissions and improving local air quality. This is an employee-only benefit. Students interested in purchasing a discounted bike should shop the Secondhand Cycles sale.
Visit this page for more information and instructions to claim your sustainable benefit today. The discount includes free assembly. Employees are welcome to test ride a Breezer and make a purchase in person by visiting the BikeCo showroom at 1536 N. American St, Philadelphia PA 19122, open Tuesdays through Fridays from 10AM-6PM and on Saturdays from 10AM-5PM. Note: you will need to provide a current TUID card and a valid temple.edu email address to complete your in-store purchase.
As IBX members, Temple employees quality for 20% off an Indego Monthly Pass, Annual Pass or Gift certificate. Click here for more information or visit IBX's webpage.
For more information on how to green your commute, visit this page on our site.
The Office of Sustainability offers courses, training sessions and interactive workshops on a variety of topics related to bicycle riding, safety and maintenance skills as well as cyclist and pedestrian advocacy, community engagement and planning.
These open house style, clinics are led by student bike mechanics and open to all students, staff and faculty and feature demonstrations and offer real-time feedback as the Temple community familiarizes itself with basic bike maintenance and care. Fix-a-flat, check your brakes and learn how to use the tools at one of our six bicycle repair stations.
Take advantage of already existing transportation resources on Temple's campus to repair your own bike, learn basic mechanical knowledge, and get comfortable exploring the city on two wheels all while embracing the principles of green living.
Learn the best places to ride a bike in Philadelphia, or how to take advantage of the city's biking infrastructure.
At every course we go over how to properly ride in traffic, how to navigate cars and pedestrians safely, how to signal to others on the road, and every sign and symbol you'll see on the street. Review Philly's bike lane infrastructure and how to easily get to some of the city's most famous landmarks, along with many other tips on reaping the benefits of riding a bike.
The Walk Audit Certification is a co-curricular program developed by Temple University's Office of Sustainability, originally in partnership with Clean Air Council that trains students to evaluate pedestrian safety and accessibility through hands-on, community-based research. Students assess real walking routes and intersections on the city's High Injury Network, collaborate with community partners, and present recommendations that support safer, more connected streets while promoting active transportation and civic engagement. By strengthening the campus and surrounding community's commitment to walkability, multimodal transportation, and traffic safety, the program complements bicycle infrastructure and encourages a culture where walking and cycling are safe, practical, and interconnected modes of travel. Some impacts of the program include a supplemental student perspective and survey data for an on-campus Vision Zero capital project and a collaboration with a neighborhood group's traffic calming committee wherein students performed multiple intersection audits as justification for a proposed slow zone.
Wednesday Night rides are a bi-weekly social bike ride in Philadelphia run by volunteer organizers. It is a no-drop ride and a great entry point into social riding for riders of all skill levels. Learn more here.
Sustainability student leaders facilitate this ride for their peers, getting students to the starting point of the ride, which can be as far as 5+ miles from campus. Attendees are getting real time instruction on how to safely transport your bike by subway, bus and rail, as well as safe practice amongst dozens of other Philly cyclists. All Temple students receive support from Sustainability staff should any mechanical or safety issues arise during the ride.
The Temple University Bike Tour is an annual event open to the public and bringing together students, alumni, families, and community members for a scenic ride that promotes environmental wellness, bike safety, and healthy living. The 22-mile route showcases the vibrant Greenways of the Greater Philadelphia region while connecting Temple University's Main and Ambler campuses.
Before the ride begins, Temple Kinesiology students lead a group warm-up to help participants prepare for the journey, while a local bike shop provides complimentary last-minute safety checks and minor tune-ups.
The experience continues at the finish line with the Ambler Campus Celebration, where riders and their guests can enjoy light refreshments, connect with vendors and sponsors, and explore the beautiful Ambler Arboretum through guided or self-guided tours.
Proceeds from the Temple University Bike Tour directly support the Ambler Campus and the Ambler Arboretum, a nationally recognized living laboratory for research, education, and community engagement that serves both Temple University and the Greater Philadelphia region.
Learn more about this collaborative event.
The Transportation Fair is a large resource fair in the center of campus with invited active transportation and transit advocacy organizations and municipal government stakeholders. Participants can learn about the Office of Sustainability's efforts to promote cycling and public transportation on campus and receive educational materials to take home with them. They can also learn some basic tips and tricks for at-home bicycle maintenance. They will engage with external groups such as Indego bike-share, who facilitates demonstrations and offers an opportunity to test ride and more information about their system. The Bicycle Coalition of Philadelphia and the city's Streets Department share information about local Vision Zero policies and complete streets policies and ways to get involved in advocacy efforts. Students can also register their bike with Campus Safety, review safety and security procedures, and get a free U-lock.
