FAQ

Q: What is the best bike lock for me? 
A: Ulocks will help keep your bike from being stolen, and if you want to be extra safe, a double loop bike cable will help keep your wheels from being stolen. Kryptonite has a good bike lock set which you can find here.

Q: Is Tufts Bikes open in the summer?
A: Unfortunately, we are not open in the summer as the majority of our members are away from Tufts during the summer. Our email is still very active, though, so feel free to email if you have any questions!

Q: Where can I find a bike pump on campus? 
A: The Tufts Bikes Repair Shop has three bike pumps, and you can also find one at the information desk inside the Tufts Campus Center and inside the Library. We are also in the process of adding more bike pumps around campus.

Q: How do I join Tufts Bikes? 
A: We always love new members! Simply email tuftsbikeshare@gmail.com asking to join, and you will be added to our email list where we send information on bike rides, bike mechanic hours and more!

Q: Did you base the bike share on city bike shares, like the ones in Paris or Montreal?
A: Not really.  The Tufts Bikes bike share program is much different than the city programs.  For one, city programs cost money, whereas Tufts Bikes is free of cost.  Additionally, most city wide programs have thousands of bikes with dozens of kiosks scattered about the metropolitan area.  This is because city programs often designed to serve a much larger group of people in a much larger area than Tufts University.
The Tufts Bikes bike sharing program is based more off of other university bike sharing programs, such as Emory’s or Keene State’s, where there is much more flexibility and much less cost to the user.  It’s easiest to think of our bike share as a “Bike Library” and city programs as “Bike Rental Programs.”  A smaller group of users and a modest number of bikes in two centralized locations helps us keep tabs on the system and ensure that everything is running smoothly.

If you have additional questions or want something clarified, please don’t hesitate to contact us at TuftsBikeShare@gmail.com