PennCycle Steers Campus Toward Bike Sharing

Bicycle crime is no small matter in West Philly. According to this article in last month's DP, bike theft skyrocketed 57.6% from 2010-2011, a number expected to increase even more in the coming years. And this data isn't faceless, either: most of us have at least one friend who, after snagging that sexy two-wheeler and owning it for an entire two months, has to endure the disappointment of waking up one morning to discover only a broken lock (and heart, presumably) in its place.

Enter: PennCycle. Touted as a public bike share geared toward the entire Penn community, PennCycle aims to make access to bikes both inexpensive and convenient. According their website, the process goes a little something like this:

For a ten dollar fee, a registration process, and a swipe of PennCard, you can have full access to bikes (incl. locks and helmets). After you have registered, visit Hill College House and present your ID at the service desk. Take the numbered key and find the corresponding PennCycle. Inspect the bike and report issues, adjust the seat, and PennCycle! Remember to return the bike to Hill College House before 10 PM!