University of Minnesota – Bikehangar pilot

Faced with a lack of secure bike parking in fall 2022, the University of Minnesota (U of M) approached Cyclehoop US to find out how we could help them address this issue with the U of M Bikehangar pilot

The problem

In 2022 U of M had two types of secure bike storage options for students and staff. Located around the campus, bike lockers and sheltered bike parking spaces are allocated to individuals for use throughout the academic year.

The bike lockers are positioned close to school buildings. Due to this proximity, they are oversubscribed as staff and students prefer to use the most convenient option when parking their bikes.

Three secure bike rooms located around the campus provide multiple spaces. However, due to their size, they are more remote as they require a large amount of space. This makes them less convenient , limiting uptake and usage.

The second Bikehangar installed on the U of M Campus

The solution

In December of 2022 Cyclehoop launched a pilot, installing a Bikehangar on the West Bank campus. The secure, self-contained unit houses six bikes and takes up the space of half a car parking spot.

A second unit was installed in the summer of 2023. The compact design of the units means they can be placed around the campus, creating localized parking areas at desirable locations.

The Bikehangar is freestanding with floating internal racks and just four ground anchor points, so it can be relocated easily should demand shift from semester to semester. It’s a great way of gauging need for cycle parking at different locations around the campus. Thanks to this design, the second unit will be moved to a different location for the remainder of the trial.

Customization and branding can be applied to the Bikehangar

Easier to manage

With the popularity of the bike lockers, the U of M facilities team must manually manage individual locker keys, creating admin work and causing a drain on time. Since the Bikehangars can house up to six bikes, this reduces the number of spare keys the team need to hold and simplifies the admin process.

Encouraging people to cycle around the campus

With access to secure weather-proof bicycle storage at more convenient locations, staff and students are empowered to cycle without fear of theft or damage to their bikes. With just 7% of people currently cycling to campus, a Bikehangar network has the potential to boost cycling uptake significantly. The U of M Bikehangar pilot ends in June 2024, at which point the team will assess whether they wish to expand their Bikehangar network.

“The Bikehangar gives us the ability to place smaller parking nodes closer to where people are.”