Velocampus Cumbria
What is Velocampus Cumbria?
It’s a programme of activities to promote cycling and make it easier to get cycling at all our campuses.
One of the main components of Velocampus is a low-cost bike loan scheme for students and staff. We’ve got 50 bikes to loan on a first-come, first-served basis.
Want to know more about the scheme?
The bike loan scheme is managed by the Students' Union at the Lancaster campus. For more information, ask at the SU or contact Amy Van-Tromp on 01524 590810 or by email.
What kind of bike is it?
Your ride is a Trek 7.0 FX, as pictured above.
We wanted to offer you something that’s great to ride and looks good too. Trek is synonymous with quality and cool.
The 7.0 FX is an urban bike which is designed to get you around campus and town fast. The gears on the bike make it no sweat to ride and the mudguards mean you’ll look great when you reach your destination.
It’s a comfortable bike which you’ll find easy to ride.
The bike comes with a 'D' lock and lights.
How much will it cost?
We’ve worked hard to keep the costs as low as possible as we know that’s important to you.
There are four different prices; have a bike for just:
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£50 per academic year *;
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£35 per term/semester *;
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£15 a week plus £5 per week thereafter up to a maximum of four weeks **;
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or £10 for a weekend (Friday to Monday) **;
You can extend your loan but would need to pay in full for the extra period (e.g. to extend a semester loan for a second semester would cost an additional £35).
We’ll also need a refundable deposit of £50 (**) or £75 (*) which you will get back in full when you return the bike to us in its original condition.
If you return the bike with damage and/or mechanical problems we will deduct the cost of repairs from your refundable deposit.
Who can loan a bike?
Simple – any current University of Cumbria student or member of staff. This includes full and part-time, undergraduate or postgraduate, home or overseas students. Bikes are loaned out on a first-come, first-served basis.
At the moment bikes can only be collected from and returned at Lancaster campus. We are working on funding to allow us to provide bikes at other campuses.
We’re hoping that some students and staff who currently drive to campus will take up the offer of a loan bike to save money on car parking charges.
The only people who can’t have a bike are under-18s as unfortunately you’ll be required to sign a Hire Agreement which cannot be legally signed by under-18s.
How long is the loan period?
Either one semester, one term or one calendar year.
If you are leaving the university you must return the bike prior to leaving the university.
Where can I park my bike?
We’ve installed cycle parking on campus and at some of our halls. Have a look at the interactive map for your campus to find out where cycle parking is available
At Brampton Road and Lancaster campuses, some of the cycle parking is secured with a keypad lock. Ask at Reception for more information. At the time of writing, lockable cycle storage is being installed at Fusehill Street.
In Lancaster there is also an indoor cycle store at Mill Hall - contact the Accommodation Officer for a key.
Can I take the bike home with me during the holidays?
Yes, of course. The bike is yours to use however you wish.
Remember you must bring the bike back in good condition before then end of your loan period, even if you wish to extend the loan.
So, how do I get hold of a bike?
The hire agreement consists of three separate sections, two of which are for you to keep and the third is kept by the Students’ Union. All three can be downloaded from the menu on the left of this page - you'll need the Pre-Contract Information and the two agreements, both customer and UCSU copies. Read all three carefully and sign the customer and UCSU copies of the agreement.
If you're based at Lancaster, bring your completed forms to the Students’ Union with your loan fee and deposit (cash or cheque), Staff or Student ID and evidence of your term/home address. You’ll be given the key to your bike - then head over to The Gateway reception to obtain the access code to the cycle shelter.
Remember, the bikes are allocated on a first-come first served basis.
What size bike do I need?
We've got a good range of sizes of bike on offer. The sizing guide below will give you a good idea of which bike will fit you best.
Don't forget that you'll need to let us know which size bike you want when you come to the Students' Union to loan a bike.
Bike sizing guide
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Height
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Bike size
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5'4" or less
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15.5"
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5'7"
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17.5"
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5'10"
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20"
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6'2"
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22"
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What do I need to do to keep my bike in good condition?
Keep it clean! Dirt is the biggest enemy of a bike and it takes no more than 10 minutes with a bit of warm soapy water to keep a bike clean. Make sure you lube the chain regularly and keep the tyres inflated. A pump and lubrication are available to use for free from university receptions at Fusehill Street, Brampton Road and Lancaster. They are also available from the Students' Union offices on these campuses.
There are some great basic maintenance videos on the web which will help you out with the smaller jobs. See the 'Useful links' section at the bottom of this page.
Keep an eye out for cycling events on campus where Dr. Bike will be in attendance. He’ll be able to offer you advice and perform minor repairs in addition to running maintenance classes where you learn how to do the simple things yourself. There is no charge for this service on the day but any parts must be paid for.
What happens at the end of the Loan period?
You can end the loan period at any time. Simply return the bike to the cycle shelter from where you picked it up and return the key to the Students’ Union.
Our bike mechanic will then be contacted to perform a check on the bike to assess any damage/mechanical faults and to service it for the next person. After this check you will be notified of any repairs which were necessary following your loan - please note that this will take up to 10 working days.
Your deposit will be returned in the form of a cheque by mail so please ensure you inform us of any change of address during the loan period.
It is important to bring the bike back in a clean and good working manner in order to avoid any deductions being made from your deposit.
Our checklist and associated repair charges can be found in the Bike Return Checklist which you can download from the menu on the left of this page.
Can I renew the loan for the following year?
Yes! We really hope you’ll enjoy using the bike and want to loan it out again next year.
Simply print and complete two copies of the Hire Agreement (which you can download from the menu on the left of this page) and take your fee and deposit along with your Student or Staff ID to the Students’ Union before the end of your current load period.
Our mechanic will still need to perform the annual service to check everything is working ok for you so you’ll need to arrange a suitable date for the bike’s annual service with UCSU.
What happens if my bike gets stolen?
You’ll be liable for the full cost of a replacement bike and associated accessories but we’ll only charge you what it costs us to replace the items. We recommend that you take out insurance against theft of the bike. Often it is cheaper, and easier, to add the bike to your existing insurance and you may already be covered but please do check the details with your provider.
If you want to take out insurance then some of the cheaper providers are listed in the 'Useful links' section at the bottom of this page.
What if I have a mechanical problem?
You'll need to get it repaired at your cost. The responsibility and cost of keeping the bike in good working order is yours.
There are a number of local bike shops and a local bike repair mechanic who will collect the bike, fix it and return it to you.
All these bike shops are listed in the 'Useful links' section at the bottom of this page and where the store has a website, a link is provided.
At Lancaster campus, the university uses the service of a mobile bike mechanic, Colin Stones, at Lancaster Bike Repairs.
In Carlisle, discounts are available for students and staff at Palace Cycles, Botchergate.
Useful links for cyclists
Local bike shops
Lancaster
Carlisle
Other websites