Where are all the bikes?

Durham won the prestigious Bicycle Friendly Community award from the League of American Cyclists on Sept. 15.

But when you look around N.C. Central University, it's clear that bicycle riding is not exactly catching on with students.

With the parking crisis and gasoline prices, a chief complaint among students,  it would seem that more students would be looking to alternative means of transit.

A walk across campus shows that this is not the case. Few buildings have bike racks installed, and  even those racks are often vacant.

Given that the American Tobacco Trail runs alongside campus, and with a slew of local shops and restaurants nearby, it would seem that NCCU would be the ideal cycling campus.

So, where are all the bikes?

"The only thing I can think of," said Jeffrey Daum, a computer consultant with ITS, "is that it's not cool … or that they are scared of the hills."

Daum, who has ridden his bicycle to campus for the past 10 years, said the incline from Alston Avenue to Fayetteville Street can be grueling.

Daum suggested that as a solution, students can use the bike racks on the front of all area buses for part of their commute.

One concern that students may have is traffic on Fayetteville Street and other surrounding roads.

According to North Carolina crash data, there are an average of 32 automobile-related bicycle crashes each year Durham. Of those, fewer than 20 percent placed car drivers at fault.

"Knowing basic bicycle safety and road rules are the best way to keep from getting hurt," said Brian Highfill, mechanic at the Bicycle Chain of Durham.

The city of Durham Bicycle and Pedestrian Advisory Commission publishes a beginners guide to bicycle commuting that offers tips and highlights key laws to obey while cycling.

If riders are still leery of riding near cars, the commission also prints a bike and hike map that indicates and describes the condition of all the city's paths, including any steep hills.

"The pamphlets are great for freshman and transfer students, who may not be familiar with the city," said Maria Faldo, cyclist and employee at the Bicycle Chain.

But back on campus, what is a student to do?

The 2008 design guidelines issued by the University specifically stress the importance of pathways that are accessible by bike. A $60,000 grant was awarded to NCCU by the Triangle J Council of Governments to implement an alternative transportation program.

Duke and the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill have already implemented their own programs.

UNC's free Commuter Alternatives Program asks its 7,602 members to agree not to drive alone to campus in exchange for complimentary TTA bus passes, discounts at local stores, nine free parking passes per year, and free emergency rides home via campus vehicle.

Participants also may receive subsidies for car- or van-pooling.

Duke's bike loan program, Duke Bikes, offers students the option of checking out high-end mountain and hybrid bicycles for free for up to seven days by using a Duke identification card.

"Duke Bikes works much like checking out a library book," according to the Duke Bikes  Web site. It hopes to soon extend services to faculty and staff.

Both Commuter Alternatives and Duke Bikes boast resounding success. Duke recently expanded its fleet to 130 bicycles and averages over 90 rentals per day.

UNC has reported a doubling of participant numbers since 2004.

In response to demand, both universities have noted the presence of bike racks on their campus maps, and provide incoming students with information about cycling safety in and around campus.

These actions have led to a marked increase in students on two wheels and a decrease in parking woes.

"Every other campus I go to is full of bicycles," said Daum.

If the outcomes of the Duke and UNC programs are any indication, a similar plan may work for NCCU.

With more than 50 percent of the student body driving to campus every day, the average student could spend upwards of $200 per month on gas and vehicle upkeep in addition to parking fees.

Providing rentals and on-campus cycle service stations and incentives to ride may give Eagles the extra push to travel by bike.

For those students who are interested, but who may be unwilling to spend money on a new bike, there are options.

The Durham Bicycle Co-Op assists community members in purchasing bikes at lowered cost or trading for volunteer hours.

Additionally, bicycle retailers often rent newer bikes.

"We rent bikes for $35 a day, or $150 a week," said Highfill.

"It's a good way to get a feel for a bike and to see if it's right for you."