Davis is a city known for it's bikeability and walkability! You can find resources here for buying and using bikes as well as other modalities.
Buying a bike
There are several options for buying new or used bikes. New bikes are obviously going to be higher quality and probably give you less problems generally speaking, however buying a used bike can save you lots of money and with a little bit of work they can usually ride good enough for day-to-day use.
Buying bike accessories can make your commute nicer and safer. In addition to necessities like a good lock and set of lights, having something like a basket makes it much more pleasant to ride a bike, in my opinion. Another popular accessory are fenders, which I personally do not use, but they can be very nice to have if you plan to bike a lot during the rainy season.
Bike Barn
The Bike Barn is located right in the center of campus at the Silo. They are managed by ASUCD, the student government body at UC Davis, and they offer a variety of bike services and products. They sell both new and refurbished bikes. Additionally, they can do repairs or modifications to bikes and they sell bike accessories such as lights and locks. It should be noted that the Bike Barn tends to be more expensive than some of the other places here and there can be long wait times for repairs, but considering their location on campus they are a convenient, easy option.
Bike shops in Downtown Davis
There are several bike shops in downtown Davis that offer bikes and services. Some of the most popular ones are the Davis Cyclery, Freewheeler, and Green Bicycle Depot. These shops all have very positive reviews and can be cheaper than going to the Bike Barn.
Pretty much all the bike shops in Davis are high quality and you can't really go wrong with any of them, it just depends on what type of bike you are looking to buy. I would recommend going to multiple shops and discuss the type of bike you want with the mechanics there.
UC Davis Bike Online Auction
The bike auction held by UC Davis Transportation Services (DOTS or TAPS) is a great way to get an affordable, used bike. Usually every month, DOTS will auction off bikes that have been abandoned on campus. Many of these are decrepit but there are serveral auctioned that are fully functional or just need a few tune ups.
The auction is held online on GovDeals where you can view images of the available bikes. If you are unsure about the quality of a bike, you can call the Bike Program, whom manage the auction, and you can schedule an appointment to view the bike in-person before you bid on it.
Things to Avoid
Two things I would recommend avoiding when looking for a bike: getting a very cheaply made bike or getting an ultra-expensive bike. Bikes that can be bought from major retailers like Target or Walmart can be really inexpensive, but the trade-off is reliability and durability. These bikes will usually not last very long and may need a lot of repairs and work if you plan on using it for an extended period of time.
On the other side of the spectrum, I would also avoid buying bikes that are very expensive. These bikes may be really nice to ride, but they are highly vulnerable to bike theft. Theives like to target expensive bikes and even if you use a good lock it probably won't stop them.
Using SPIN Bikes and Scooters
Since 2023, Davis has partnered with SPIN to allow students and residents to rent an E-bike or E-scooter. SPIN bikes and scooters can be found throughout the campus and city, so they can be a convenient option for a short commute.
To use SPIN, you must download and use their app to access their bike/scooter fleet. Currently the cost of SPIN is $1 to unlock the vehicle, and $0.32 per minute of use. You stop getting charged once the vehicle has been locked. Make sure to lock your bike to a proper rack or spot and to not block any pathways.
SPIN can be great for a quick or last-minute trip, but if used every day then the costs can really add up. I personally would recommend just buying a bike or scooter than relying on SPIN. Also I have heard issues of SPIN bikes bing difficult to lock, which leads people being charged for minutes they are not using. Occasional connectivity and network issues can hamper SPIN's reliability.
Keeping You and your Bike Safe
Davis being a bike city means that infrastructure and people tend to be more leniant toward cyclists than other cities. However, accidents absolutely still happen and proper safety precautions should be taken. Additionally, the sheer volume of bikes here makes it a popular spot for bike theft, so it is important to keep your bike secure when you are not using it.
Safety Tips
The index ways to stay safe are pretty simple: Follow traffic laws, wear a helment, and use front and rear lights if biking in the dark. With so many cyclists on campus, its pretty important to ride in a predictable manner and follow the rules of the road. It is very common for people to get involved in a collision because somone did not follow the right-of-way rules. If you do get in an accident, properly wearing a helment can greatly decrease the chance of serious injury. You should find and buy a helment that you don't mind wearing every day. Also, the Bike Barn on campus has a program that gives away free bike helmets to students.
You should also be using a front and rear light when you are biking in the dark. Davis does not have as much lighting as other cities, due to concerns of light pollution, so roads can get very dark. Lights ensure that you can see where you are going and that other vehicles can see you. The Bike Barn also has a program that gives lights away to students.
Keeping your Bike Secure
You should always keep your bike locked when it is kept outside. The type of lock you use matters a lot. A high quality U-Lock or Chain lock will offer the best protection for your bike. In my opinion, Kryptonite makes good locks, specifically their New York U-Lock or any of their thick chain locks. These locks will be pretty expensive, but I think they are worth it if you have a nice bike.
I would also suggest pairing your lock with a cable to protect your rear wheel, because it is common for theives to just steal a wheel from a bike. I use my U-lock to lock my frame and front wheel to a bike rack, then use a cable to lock my rear wheel to the U-lock.
Repairing your Bike
Bikes are great, but inevitably, like every other vehicle, they will fail on you for one reason or another. When a problem occurs, you can either pay a bike mechanic to fix your bike or you can do it yourself.
Bike Shops
The simplest solution is to bring your bike to a bike shop and pay them to fix it. The Bike Barn or any of the the bike shops in the city can repair your bike. Like I mentioned earlier, Bike Barn will probably be more expensive and may take longer because they usually a backlog of repairs to deal with, but they are convenient if your bike is already on campus.
If the repair required is complex, then I would recommend getting a trained mechanic to fix your bike. However, if it is a simple problem, then I think you should try to fix your bike yourself.
DIY
Simple problems like replacing a tube or chain can be done yourself. Even if you are not comfortable repairing a bike, there are a lot of good documents and videos online that can teach you how to do repairs. Buying replacement parts and doing your own repairs is a lot cheaper and will teach you more about bikes!