Take a walk around campus any time of day and one is likely to find students riding a bike down the paths of campus.
Biking is a popular mode of transportation for those choosing to get to class or explore Wilkes-Barre and other nearby towns.
“It’s a great way to get out and see not only the campus but everything that surrounds it,” junior elementary education major Cora Gibson says, who has been riding her bike on and around campus since her freshman year.
Gibson said she finds it easy to ride her bike because of the accessibility of stores and other places by bike in Wilkes-Barre.
Student Development allows students to rent out bikes from the Student Union Building with their IDs, which is something they have been doing for a few years now.
Adventure Education Coordinator Gabriel Lamberti said biking can be an environmentally sound way of transportation, especially with parking being limited.
He also said it is important for people to know some of the rules and regulations, as it creates more harmony between bicyclists and pedestrians.
“It’s kind of hard to bike on the sidewalks sometimes with other people walking but you don’t want to ride in the street,” Gibson said. “When you’re sharing the sidewalk with other pedestrians you (sometimes) have to swerve to get out of their way.”
Pharmacy P3 major Ben Beidel said biking on campus makes it easier to get to places on campus faster, such as classrooms.
“It’s faster than walking, if I want to get to class it’s a 10-minute walk or a five-minute bike ride, I’d go for the five-minute bike ride,” Beidel says.
The most recent biking trip was the urban bike tour through biking paths of Manhattan. There is also a biking interest group going around campus being lead by junior pharmacy major Kris Rivers.
“It’s good exercise, if you like biking you might as well bring (your bike) and you can either road bike or mountain bike, whatever your flavor,” Beidel said.
Lamberti said biking can be a safe, environmentally sound and cost-effective way to get around and he is also open to suggestions and ideas from students that would help make Wilkes more bike-friendly.
“Once you get into the mindset that (biking) is a reliable option for travel, and as long as you’re being safe and following the rules, it’s a great to get around campus and around town,” Lamberti said.