Gator Go: Bikes is a comprehensive set of resources and services aimed at breaking down barriers for anyone who wants to use a bike at UF.

 

Cycle Commuter Counseling Service

In order to encourage cycle commuting to UF by students, faculty and staff, the Cycle Commuter Counseling Service provides in-depth 1:1 counseling to connect cycle commuters with resources on-campus, online and in the community to make their commutes successful. After completing an initial survey about their commuting ambitions and current cycling knowledge and skills, participants will be offered a customized counseling session with a cycling expert who will help them break down barriers to cycling commuting.

Services offered include:

• Customized bike route development
• Strategy and skills development
• Accessory and bike selection
• Guided rides to establish routes to and from campus
• Answers to common commuting questions
• Connection to community resources

Sign-Up

UF students, faculty and staff may sign-up for the Cycle Commuter Counseling Service here. Once your introductory survey has been submitted, a member of the Gator Go: Bikes team will contact you to schedule your session.

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Intro to Commuter Bicycle Maintenance

In partnership with The Freewheel Project, Gainesville’s non-profit bicycle co-op, Intro to Commuter Bicycle Maintenance will introduce bicycle basics from proper bike fitting to on-road maintenance skills to give riders confidence to hit the road and commute to campus. This course is sponsored by the UF Office of Sustainability and offered to UF students, faculty and staff at no cost. It is valued at $50 and participants will receive a free bicycle helmet and flat repair kit at the end of the course.

Participants will learn the following skills:

• How to change a flat tire
• Brake adjustment
• Gear adjustment
• How to customize your bike fit
• How to properly fit a helmet
• How to perform a bicycle safety check
• Bicycle shifting strategy & technique

Sign-Up

UF students, faculty and staff may sign-up using the form located here. Classes are filled on a first-come, first-served basis. Participants are required to commit to attending both class sessions in order to be admitted. (Spring dates/times are TBD – please check back!)

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Lights Not Tickets

University Police Department and the Office of Sustainability are partnering to raise awareness of the need to have lights on at night while cycling. During special nights throughout the year, UPD will be out on campus stopping riders on bicycles without lights. However, instead of a costly ticket, students will be educated about the legal requirement to use lights at night and its increase in safety for cyclists and will then be given a free light set courtesy of the Florida Department of Transportation.

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Bike to Campus Day

Join us for Bike to Campus Day as we celebrate bicyclists who cycle-commute to campus. We’ll be set up on the Plaza of the Americas from 7:30 – 9:30 am to welcome bike commuters with a free breakfast and information about how Gator Go: Bikes will keep working throughout the year to improve cycling accessibility and programming at UF. Look for the tent with the bike racks next to it for a convenient place to stop and refuel for the day!

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Cycling Savvy

Cycling Savvy is a cycling safety curriculum for all levels of riders from beginner to advanced. The three part course involves:

• Truth & Techniques
  • Students will learn about safe cycling in a classroom setting.
• Train Your Bike
  • Students will participate in handling drills to build confidence and improve real world riding skills on their bike in a protected area.
• Tour of Gainesville

  • The Tour of Gainesville is an experiential tour of our city’s roads. The course includes some of the most intimidating road features (intersections, interchanges, merges, etc.) a cyclist might find in his or her travels. Students will discuss the best strategies for each road feature and then ride them while executing these strategies.

Sign-Up

To encourage safe cycling on campus and in Gainesville, the Office of Sustainability will cover the registration expense for current and active UF students, faculty and staff. Please email jacobadams@ufl.edu before registering for your discount code or to request additional information.

Please sign up for the course at the Cycling Savvy website here.