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Public Safety

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    Bike Safety on Campus

    Bike Locks and Registration with the Department of Public Safety

Register your Bicycle with the Department of Public Safety, Get a FREE U-lock  

Students, faculty, and staff can register their bicycles and scooters with Temple University Police.

To receive a free U-lock:

  1. Bring your bike or scooter to Public Safety Headquarters, 1101 W. Montgomery Avenue.

  2. An officer will inspect it and place a registration sticker on the frame.

  3. The sticker links your bike to your file in the police database.

If your bike or scooter is ever lost or stolen, this record helps Temple Police — and, if needed, the Philadelphia Police Department — identify it and return it to you. Once your registration is complete, you’ll be given a free U-lock.

Step-by-Step Instructions: How to lock your U-Lock

  1. Choose a solid anchor. Pick a fixed, immovable object (bike rack, heavy pole, lamp post) that’s securely bolted to the ground and cannot be lifted or cut easily. Avoid trees, thin posts, or anything that can be lifted out of the ground.

  2. Lock the frame first. Place the U-lock so the shackle goes through the frame’s main triangle (or the scooter’s steering column/deck structure) — and, importantly, not just the wheel. The frame is the most valuable, so it must be secured.

  3. Include a wheel if possible. If there’s room, put the shackle so it goes through the rear (or front) wheel + the frame + the anchor. That secures both wheel and frame with one lock.

  4. Face the keyhole down and toward the ground. This makes it harder for thieves to get leverage with tools and keeps grime out of the lock.

  5. Minimize leverage space. Fill as much empty space in the U-lock’s shackle as possible with frame/wheel/anchor. Don’t leave a large gap — that makes it easier to wedge tools.

  6. Avoid locking only by quick-release parts. Do not rely on seatposts, handlebars, or quick-release wheels alone. Those can be removed quickly.

  7. Check stability before leaving. Give the bike/scooter a firm tug. If it can be moved, reposition and re-lock.

 

Bicycle Racks and Secure Bicycle Parking

Temple University boasts more than 2,000 bicycle parking spaces.

In addition to outdoor bicycle parking, there are two options for fully covered, locked bicycle parking on Main Campus.

  1. Engineering Building: There is fully covered, locked bicycle parking located behind the Engineering Building available to staff, faculty and students for $10 a semester.  To gain access, you must go to the Parking Services Office located in the Montgomery Garage and make a payment. Once you do, you will be able to access the bicycle locker with your TU ID.
  2. Residence Halls:  All residence halls have an in-door bicycle storage room for student resident use.