UW–Madison and the City of Madison have received platinum bicycle-friendly designations from the League of American Bicyclists.
Campus offers miles of connected bike paths and more than 16,500 parking spaces with locations near most buildings, making it easy to ride anywhere.
Bicycling resources on campus
UW students, employees, affiliates and UW Health employees can get a discounted annual BCycle membership.
The UBRC has tools and resources for do-it-yourself repairs and free bike classes.
Bike parking areas and rules
Bike racks are located near almost every building on campus. A list of sheltered wintertime bike parking locations can be found on the bicycle commuting page.
Bicycle cages are shared, weather-protected storage areas with secure access. They’re ideal for commuters who want to keep their bikes and gear safe, and there’s no limit on how long a bike can be stored—perfect for students who don’t want to take their bikes home over winter. All UW–Madison students and employees are eligible to rent a cage space.
Bike cage rentals
You must join a bike cage waitlist to rent cage space. If a spot opens up, you will be sent an offer to rent the space. Please note that cages do not turn over very often, so there may be a long wait.
Bike cage locations:
- In Lot 29 (21 N. Park Street Ramp)
- In Lot 10 (Education Building)
- In Lot 27 (Nancy Nicholas Hall Garage)
Also refer to the map of campus bike locker and cages.
Annual cost
- $65, prorated monthly
Bike cage renewals
Existing renters may renew their locker or cage annually. Renewal offers are emailed each summer. Renters must accept their renewal offer before the deadline or they may lose their rental spot.
Bicycle lockers are individual, weatherproof storage units with secure locking systems that protect bikes from the elements and deter theft or vandalism. There’s no limit on how long a bike can be stored, and any UW–Madison student or employee may rent a locker. Rentals are available on a first-come, first-served basis.
Dimensions and specifications
Each locker is approximately 40 inches wide, 70 inches in length, and 50 inches tall.
Each lockers houses two separate spaces with one door on each end and a divider in the middle.
Bike locker rentals
You must join a waitlist to rent a bike locker. Waitlists are reviewed regularly. If space becomes available, you will be sent a rental offer. Please note that lockers do not turn over very often, so there may be a long wait.
Existing renters are given the right of first refusal for renewals.
Locations
- AFCH/Lot 63B
- Bock Labs
- Computer Science
- Grainger Hall
- Memorial Library
- Steenbock Library
- Taylor Hall
- UW Hospital/Lot 75
- UWMF Centennial Building
- Veterinary Medicine
- Waisman Center
- WARF Building
Also refer to the map of campus bike locker and cages.
Annual cost
- $85, prorated monthly
The Elm Drive bike shelter is an enclosed shelter with 40 stalls of high-density bike racks. It is free and open to anyone with a valid Wiscard.
The shelter also has a bike “fix-it” station.
Bicycles may not remain parked in the shelter for more than 72 hours.
Location: The shelter is between Dejope, Bradley, and Sullivan residence halls in Lot 37.
Want to ride your bike to the football game? The bicycle parking corral is free for UW game attendees. Weather permitting, the corral is available for all UW Badger home football games except the final game of the season.
The corral is open for bicycle parking one hour before the game begins and closes one hour after the game ends.
A corral attendant will greet you and provide instructions for parking your bike. You should bring a lock to secure your bike, but the corral area will also be watched by attendants. Do not leave any other items of value with your bicycle.
Bicycles left unclaimed beyond one hour after game end will be impounded.
The corral is located southeast of the stadium on the Southwest Path behind the UW Credit Union on Monroe St.
- If approaching from the west or south, take the Southwest Path to and beyond the intersection of Monroe St and Regent St.
- If approaching from the east, take the Capital City Path through downtown and past Randall Ave.
- If approaching from the north, take Randall Ave south past Monroe St to the entrance to the path. Take a right onto the path.
The bicycle parking corral is sponsored by UW Transportation Services and provided by the Bicycle Federation of Wisconsin using Saris racks.
Bike sharing is a great way to get the benefits of bicycling without having to maintain and keep track of a personal bicycle.
There are a couple of bike share options within the city of Madison, including Red Bike and Madison BCycle.
Bike parking rules
- Only park in designated bicycle racks.
- Illegally parked bikes obstruct walkways and handrails and present serious hazards for people who use wheelchairs, canes, walkers, or who have other mobility or visual difficulties. Please don’t park your bike in the line of travel to stairs, ramps, doorways, and automatic door-buttons.
- Bikes locked to trees can cause serious damage to or even kill a tree. Please keep campus beautiful by not locking your bike to trees/shrubs.
- Illegally parked bikes are subject to impoundment. Bike racks (except those at residence halls) are not intended as long-term storage areas.
- Full bicycle parking restrictions are outlined in the bicycle parking policy.
- If you are consistently having problems finding a parking spot, please use the bike suggestion form to let us know.
Maps and routes
Dane County interactive bike map
The Dane County interactive bike map shows bike routes, fix-it stations, BCycle locations and much more.
Low-stress route finder
Find an urban street route to your destination based on low, moderate, and unrestricted comfort levels.
Plan a route
Have a specific question about biking to campus? Consult with a Commuter Solutions expert (for free!).
Safety and laws
Bike thefts are on the rise in the City of Madison.
Is your bicycle vulnerable?
Reduce the risk of theft with these illustrated bicycle security tips.
Madison and Wisconsin laws recognize bicycles as vehicles, granting cyclists the same rights as other drivers on the road. However, along with these rights comes the responsibility to follow all traffic laws, just as you would in a motor vehicle. For specific information on bicycle laws, or any other law enforcement issue, please contact the UW Police Department for a copy of the brochure “What you need to know to ride safe”.
UW Police Department
1429 Monroe Street
Madison WI 53711
608-262-2957
www.uwpd.wisc.edu
Wisconsin law requires a white front light and a red rear reflector on bikes to increase nighttime visibility.
In January 2021 the City of Madison repealed its long-standing mandatory bicycle registration requirement. The City is no longer accepting new bicycle registrations. Registration with a national bicycle registration database is still recommended, but voluntary.
For information on how to voluntarily register your bicycle with a national bicycle registration database, visit the City of Madison bicycle registration page.
For questions about bike registration, call the City of Madison’s bicycle program office at (608) 266-4474 or the UW Bicycle and Pedestrian Coordinator at (608) 263-2969.
Benefits of registering your bicycle
Bicycle identification
If your bike is stolen, its serial number is needed to aid police in its recovery. When a bike is registered with the Madison Police Department, the serial number can be cross-referenced with the bike owner’s name, and acts as an independent proof of ownership. Recovered bicycles that are not registered have less chance of being returned to their rightful owners, since proof of ownership is often more difficult to obtain.
Theft deterrence
Thieves may be less likely to steal a bike with a registration sticker since its owner can easily be identified. Stolen registered bicycles are posted on both statewide and nationwide crime computers.
- Communicate with other road users. Even expert bicyclists need to be prepared for motorists, pedestrians, and other cyclists behaving unpredictably.
- Be visible. Wear bright colors during the day. Use good lights and reflectors at night. Wisconsin law requires at least a white front light and a red rear reflector. Make sure that other drivers can see you.
- Communicate with other drivers. Make eye contact with them to be sure you have been seen. Signal turns and lane changes.
- Be aware of hazards. Watch ahead for surface hazards like broken glass, sand and potholes. Weather and light conditions create visual hazards, too. Watch for other traffic, including pedestrians, at intersections and driveways. Adapt your riding style as needed to minimize these and other potential hazards.
- Obey all traffic signs and signals. Obeying the law is your first defense against being involved in a crash, and is the best way to gain respect from other road users. Bicyclists can be ticketed for traffic violations.
- Always ride with traffic. Besides being illegal, riding against traffic in the roadway makes you unpredictable, especially to drivers turning at intersections, exiting driveways, or leaving parking spaces.
- Ride at least three feet from parked cars to avoid being hit by a suddenly opened car door. A motorist passing a bicyclist is also required to give a bicycle three feet of clearance when passing.
- Cross railroad tracks at an angle to avoid catching your wheel and falling.
- Ride defensively. Be aware of what is going on all around you, and watch out for other drivers’ mistakes. Some common situations to watch for include:
- a motorist coming toward you who turns left in front of you
- a motorist passing you and then turning right in front of you
- a motorist pulling out from a stop sign, driveway or parking space without yielding to you
- Wear a helmet. Head injuries cause 75% of bicyclist deaths. Protect yourself from the unexpected by wearing your helmet whenever you ride.
Bike impoundment
Bicycles are primarily impounded when they’re identified as abandoned—left in a bicycle parking area for more than three days (72 hours) without moving. Bike parking at University Housing facilities is an exception. Please note: the Elm Drive bike shelter is not part of a University Housing facility.
When possible, three days’ notice is given before removing bikes. Bicycles may need to be removed without notice if:
- Pedestrian access is impeded (especially at handrails at steps or wheelchair ramps)
- Emergency or construction needs arise
Bike recovery
If you think your bike has been impounded, contact the Bicycle/Pedestrian Coordinator at (608) 263-2969 or charles.strawser@wisc.edu. Please have information pertaining to the date and location your bike was last seen and a physical description of the bike.
If your bicycle was impounded from a location in the City of Madison not on the UW Campus (State Street Mall and some locations on University, Park, and Lake Streets), contact the City of Madison’s Bicycle Recovery Program.
Bike disposal
Impounded bicycles unclaimed after 60 days are delivered to UW SWAP, where they are then made available for sale.
If you are moving and don’t want to take your bike with you, don’t abandon it! Donate your unwanted bike to a local non-profit program instead, such as:
- Wheels for Winners – (608) 249-2418
- DreamBikes – (608) 416-5536
- Freewheel Bicycle Cooperative – (608) 251-BIKE (2453); also see Madison Bike Center – (608) 698-9205
Report an abandoned bicycle
Use this form to report an abandoned bicycle. Include as much detail as possible regarding location and bicycle description. Bikes are impounded several times per year. Your complaint will be kept until the next impounding session, at which time the bike will be tagged.