Bike ISU | Sustainability | Illinois State

Bike ISU serves as your hub for bike-related information and resources, ensuring a safe and enjoyable biking experience at Illinois State University.

Rules and Safety

By following simple rules of the road, we can all ride together safely.

The university encourages safe and responsible biking by making sure everyone, including cyclists, follow state and local traffic laws. Review the Bike Safety Behavior Required by Law on the University Police website.

The Illinois Bicycle Rules of the Road explains the rules of the road, teaches safe bicycling on Illinois’ roads and streets, and provides tips about bicycling. Understanding the information provided in this manual and practicing bicycling skills will enable you to ride with confidence, and provide a lifetime of safe bicycling.

Electric transportation devices including e-bikes, e-scooters, and e-skateboards are prohibited in University Housing facilities and strongly discouraged inside all University buildings due to life and fire safety concerns. If you are a student living off-campus, an e-bike may be a more sustainable alternative to a single occupancy vehicle, keeping in mind you may not operate an e-bike on sidewalks. Review the Electric Bicycle portion of Illinois Bicycle Rules of the Road to better understand where you can and can't ride an e-bike within our community.

Safety Checklist

Helmet
Lock
Bike Light

Safe Bike/ABC Quick Check

✓ Air: Check the air level of the tires.
✓ Brakes: Pull the brakes and make sure they work.
✓ Chain: Check the chain for rust and defects.

Safe Redbirds

Safe Redbirds is the Official Safety App for Illinois State University and we encourage everyone to download and explore it. Download the FREE app today

Dismount Zone sign.

Dismount Zones

Illinois State University has implemented new dismount zones for bicycles, skateboards, scooters, and other recreation and transportation devices. Dismount zones are reserved for pedestrian use. Riders are required to dismount and walk their devices through these areas. The zones are part of a recently approved University policy aimed at enhancing campus safety.

Designated dismount zones include the Quad, Milner Plaza, College Ave. Bridge, Schroeder Plaza, Redbird Plaza, Watterson Towers Plaza, and In-Exchange. View on map

Dismount zones are clearly marked at entrances with signage indicating that recreation and transportation devices must be walked through these areas. Signs are located at entrances to dismount zones and include metal signs on posts or light poles displaying Reggie Redbird walking a bike and ground decals displaying the Walk Your Wheels logo.

A bike and a scooter parked in a bike rack.

Secure Your Bike

Figuring out the best spots to park, the proper method to lock up your bike, and having a reliable lock are all ways to protect your bike from theft.

Check our Campus Green Map to locate one of our many bike racks across campus.
Use a U-shaped lock
Locking your bicycle to anything other than a bicycle parking rack is strictly prohibited across our campus. If the bike parking rack is full, do not lock your bike to a tree, fencing or post. With many bike racks across campus, you can easily find one nearby to lock up. A bicycle parked anywhere that is not a designated bike parking area may be impounded, and parked bicycles creating a safety hazard or impeding traffic flow will be removed.

Protect and Register Your Bike

Project 529 is a national bicycle registration system, with more than 1 million bicycles registered in their database. By registering your bike, you're not just safeguarding it against theft, but also ensuring it finds its way back to you if it ever goes missing. It also helps us keep track of the inventory of bikes on campus to accommodate present needs and plan for the future.

Follow these simple steps to register your bike:

Fill out your contact details in the Project 529 Garage registration form.
Provide your bicycle's details– you’ll need to include the serial number, manufacturer, model, and frame color.
Pick up your Shield sticker at the Office of Sustainability. (located at 305 N. School St. open M-F, 8am - 4:30pm)
Leave the "529 Shield" field empty; complete it after collecting the 529 Shield from your chosen location.
Click "Register Your Bike" to complete the process.

Register your bike

All registered users will receive communication at least once a semester with information on bicycle-related events on campus and within our community.

Locate your serial number

Most serial numbers are typically found beneath the bottom bracket, where the two pedal cranks intersect. To locate it invert your bicycle and take note of the number. If the serial number isn’t present at that location, consider inspecting areas such as the headset near the front of the bike or the rear stays. For detailed guidance on locating your bike’s serial number, refer to Project 529’s website: Locate Your Bicycle’s Serial Number.

Bicycle Repair

Need a tune up? Skilled staff at the Office of Sustainability offer free basic bike repairs throughout the academic year. Contact Bike Repair Coordinator, Zach Kunzer at zjkunze@ilstu.edu to make an appointment. Services include:

Inflating/Deflating tires
Innertube patching
Chain oiling and degreasing
Bike grip/handlebar tape replacement
Various installations such as kickstand, mirror, or basket installation

Bike Share

The ISU Bike Share Program provides users with the FREE temporary ownership of a limited number of refurbished bike s for one semester. Renters are responsible for keeping the bike in good working condition throughout the rental period. *AT THIS TIME, ALL BIKES HAVE BEEN RENTED. You may complete the request form below and we will be in touch if a bike becomes available.

Renting a bike is free and simple. Complete the request form to begin the process of renting a bike in our fleet. Bike rentals are available on a first-come, first-served basis. All bike s come with a u-shaped lock and a helmet, which are to be used at all times.

Reservations to reserve a bicycle begin 15 days prior to the start date for each semester.
Renters are required to bring the bike to the Office of Sustainability at the end of each semester for a check-in & tune-up. Once the bike is evaluated for safety and repairs, students may rent the bike for an additional semester.
Aside from our designated dismount zones on campus. you’re free to ride wherever you like across Bloomington-Normal. Take an afternoon ride along the Constitutional Trail or ride from your apartment to campus.
Bikes are maintained by the Office of Sustainability, located at 305 N School St.
If needed, bikes can be brought in throughout the rental period for repairs, pumping up tires, and fixing flats.
Replacement costs of up to $500 will be charged to the student’s account if the bicycle, lock, and helmet are not returned, or are returned with damage that is above the usual wear and tear of a bicycle.

*Currently the ISU Bike Share program is in Beta! Rental bike s are only available on a limited basis during this time. Check back soon as we expand the program!

The Reggie Rides program also lets students check out a bike for free on a daily basis at the Student Fitness Center. All bikes must be returned on the same day before the end of the SFC business hours.

Local Bike Organizations

Friends of the Constitution Trail works for the expansion and beautification of the trail. Through membership, donations, and grants, they help fund drinking fountains, signs, benches, landscaping, and shelters.

Bike BloNo is Bloomington-Normal’s bicycle advocacy organization, with the mission of promoting the bicycle for everyday transportation. Founded in 2012, they work with local municipal governments to add bike infrastructure on city streets, educate the public about bike safety and rules of the road, and put on events to get more people riding bikes.

The McLean County Wheelers are a group of bicycling enthusiasts who host invitational rides and events in the Bloomington-Normal area.

Ride Illinois and the League of American Bicyclists work to improve biking conditions and promote bicycling access, education, and safety both statewide and throughout the nation. Take a Bike Safety Quiz to test your knowledge of bike laws and rules of the road in Illinois.

Comlara Off-Road Biking Association (CORBA) is dedicated to the support of mountain biking trails and activities in the Bloomington-Normal area, particularly at Comlara Park.