Bikes can be particularly useful tools on Campus. Bikes can shorten a great amount of the time spent walking to places. For instance, if I wanted to get from Webster Hall to Kennedy Hall, the walk may be up to 20 minutes, however, the bike ride is around 5 minutes (A huge reduction). Generally, you can expect a bike to be around 3-4 times as fast as walking when planning to go from anywhere on Campus.
Electric Scooters can also be a great option for short distance rides. The Added benefit of Electric Scooters is you don't need to put any physical effort into getting the scooter moving, just charge it and go. This can be particularly nice when traversing up to Orchard Hill or Sylvan. Moreover, Scooters have the added benefit that they are easier to fit inside of cars.
There are multiple ways to get up Orchard Hill such as:
The easiest to get up in my opinion are:
These are generally the least steep ways to get up. They also have the added benefit that they are relatively relaxed.
Another option can be taking Bus 35 or Bus 34 to Orchard Hill as you can mount your bike to the front of the bus, and take your scooter inside of the bus.
The most optimal way to get to and from Southwest is usually going through the tunnel.
If you are in Southwest, you should also consider going by Commonwealth Avenue for classes that are close to that area. The added advantage of going through Commonwelath Ave is that you can often go quite fast as there are not that many people going through the dining hall.
IF YOU ARE PLANNING TO STORE YOUR BIKE OUTSIDE ON CAMPUS, PLEASE BUY A CHAIN
Every Residential Hall has outdoor storage for Bikes and Electric Scooters.
However, I'd advise against leaving your bike outside during winter breaks, as the weather conditions can cause the chains on your bike to rust, reducing your bikes overall speed. If possible, I suggest keeping it indoors at either the UMass Bike Coop, Indoor Storage in Honors College (or whichever dorm you are in), or keeping it inside of your room.
Most Academic buildings come equipped with bike racks near the buildings themselves, meaning once you get to a location, the walk to the building itself is never more than a building.
The following dorms are known to have indoor bike storage:
I am looking for a cheap bike where can I get one? - Facebook Marketplace, Students, Walmart (If you find something good)
In the next chapter we will talk about off campus areas that your bike can bring you to.