UNC-Chapel Hill is partnering with Spin, a leading micromobility company, to launch a new bikeshare service for students, faculty and staff, and the local community starting April 20. Tar Heel Bikes by Spin will provide a fleet of 100 electric assist bikes that can be used on campus. Spin pedal assist e-bikes can reach a top speed of 20 mph but will be reduced to 8 mph in designated “slow ride” zones. Users can view available service areas, slow or restricted areas, and parking hubs through the Spin mobile app.
“We are very excited to bring a bikeshare program back to the Carolina campus,” said Cheryl Stout, executive director of Transportation and Parking.
Carolina first launched the Tar Heel Bike program in 2017 as part of the Transportation and Parking Five-Year Plan. Bikeshare programs offer affordable, environmentally friendly transportation across campus, while eliminating much of the hassle of maintaining and storing personal bikes for students and employees. The program has been very successful, with more than 13,000 members taking over 140,000 trips since the program launched. Tar Heel Bikes was temporarily put on hold in May 2022 while the University transitioned to a new bikeshare provider that would support e-bikes.
The cost to ride the Spin e-bikes is $1 to unlock the e-bike plus a charge of 29 cents per minute of use. Riders can also purchase a flat rate monthly pass for $6.99 plus 29 cents per minute of use with no additional unlock fee. Users who complete and pass a safety quiz will receive a $5 credit to their account.
Under the University’s Parking Ordinance, e-bikes may be operated on campus sidewalks and walkways, but riders should remember that pedestrians have the right-of-way. When operated on roadways, riders should ride on the right in the same direction as other traffic and obey all traffic signs and signals.
Visit Tar Heel Bikes to learn more about the bikeshare program about the Tar Heel Bikes and to download the Spin app.