From Abandoned to Accessible: How WoW’s Cycling Forward Program is Transforming Campus Biking

If you’ve walked across campus, you’ve probably noticed them: bikes sitting forgotten at racks, slowly rusting through the seasons. Worse, those with missing seats and wheels. Some have been there so long they’ve become part of the landscape. But what if those abandoned bikes could get a second life—and help build a stronger transit community in the process?

That’s exactly what Wolverines on Wheels (WoW) set out to do with our Cycling Forward Program. Started last spring, this initiative transforms discarded bikes into opportunities for students, staff, and faculty to join our sustainable biking community.

Two members stand outside the Duderstadt Library behind a table full of various bike materials and next to a spinning prize wheel. The prime table has colored sections for all the materials seen on the table including tire repair kits, bike bags, reflective straps, bells, and gloves. Each of the club tablers are holding a club sticker and giving thumbs up.
Two club members table at WoW’s first ever North campus distribution and repair pop-up this past spring! We were able to distribute over 80 items and complete repairs with the support of over 16 volunteers.

The Problem We’re Solving

Every semester, dozens of bikes are left behind on campus. Students graduate, move, or simply switch to other forms of transportation and sadly leave their bikes to deteriorate at racks across campus. Yet with all these abandoned bikes, our campus outreach has shown us that many students are interested in biking but face barriers like cost, maintenance knowledge, and lack of community support. Students who want to ride don’t always have a way to do so. We considered how both these issues feed into one another, and that those forgotten bikes could be exactly what someone else needs to get started with cycling.

A Circular Solution: Our Bike Recycling Process

The Cycling Forward Program encompasses a two-semester project where our club members collected bikes from the community and repaired them to make them rideable.

Spring Collection (March-May): We partnered with the City of Ann Arbor’s Move Out Ann Arbor campaign and various campus move-out initiatives including a Greek Goes Green event to collect donated bikes. We targeted bikes that could realistically be refurbished for college use and were within the capacity of our volunteer team.

Summer Restoration (June-August): This is where the real work happened. Every Thursday from 3-6 PM, WoW volunteers gathered for repair sessions at the Adventure Leadership Rental Center. We collaborated with Sic Transit to source replacement parts and volunteers worked together to teach each other maintenance skills to turn rusted bikes into rolling miracles.

Fall Distribution (September-October): Rather than simply giving bikes away, our goal is to prepare students for safe and long-term use. Thus, we’ve designed a program that connects recipients with our broader cycling community through the Cycling Forward Program. We’ve paired each bike with the adequate safety tools a student needs to ride all year long, including a helmet, light set, and lock. Campus members can enter the lottery for a free bike by participating in a point tracking program. Participants can earn points by attending various programming events as outlined below. This engagement aims to prepare participants to ride safely and with the skills needed for basic repair and maintenance!

How the Cycling Forward Program Works

The program operates on a simple principle: participants earn points through various community engagement activities, and those who accumulate at least 8 points become eligible for bike distribution in mid-October.

How to earn points:

  • WoW Group Activities (2 points each, max 6): Attend group rides, volunteer at tabling events, or join our weekly advocacy meetings
  • Local Community Engagement (2 points each, max 4): Connect with Common Cycle, join community rides, or attend local cycling advocacy events
  • Community Building (1 point each, max 3): Follow us on social media, recruit new members, or attend campus sustainability events

This flexible system recognizes that people have different schedules and comfort levels with cycling. AND HIGHLIGHTS THAT YOU DON’T NEED A BIKE TO GET STARTED! Whether you’re someone who loves group rides or prefers quieter forms of engagement, there’s a path to your participation.

More than just a free bike. The Cycling Forward is a whole package with lock, helmet, light, and community support.

We also ask recipients to stay engaged with our community through the winter and spring, by participating in workshops, sharing their experiences, and potentially mentoring future participants. If they decide the bike isn’t for them, we ask that they re-donate to support a future student’s opportunity. This approach helps ensure bikes remain active and valued rather than becoming abandoned again.

Three members pose, one with her bike, next to a chalkboard sign with two tents where many students are gathered in the background. The sign reads “Winter biking Pop-Up! 12-3pm. Diag. Wolverines on Wheels”. There are multiple tables with signage and resources as well as a bike repair station under the tents.
We took over the Diag in November for our second annual central campus winter biking pop-up! This event offers free resources and repairs for students as we prepare them for riding or storage during winter months.

The Sustainability Impact

This program embodies circular economy principles in action. Instead of following the traditional take-make-dispose model, we’re demonstrating how materials can be kept in use, waste can be minimized, and communities can be strengthened through creative reuse.

By rescuing bikes that would otherwise sit unused or end up in landfills, we’re reducing waste and creating pathways for more sustainable transportation on campus. Each refurbished bike represents a resource saved from the landfill and, once repaired, becomes a campus member’s new opportunity for zero-emission transportation.

Looking Ahead

WoW’s Cycling Forward Program represents a growing movement toward community-centered approaches to sustainability. Rather than waiting for institutional solutions, we’re creating our own resources, sharing knowledge, and building the cycling community we want to see.

We’re currently accepting applications for our Fall 2025 program, with activities running through mid-October and bike distribution happening in late October. If you’re interested in joining our community and potentially earning a refurbished bike, here’s how to get started:

Whether you’re new to cycling or looking to deepen your connection to sustainable transportation, the Cycling Forward Program offers a meaningful way to engage with our community while potentially gaining access to a bike that’s been given new life.

Because at the end of the day, this program isn’t just about fixing bikes—it’s about approaching challenges in the campus system that can make sustainable transportation inaccessible. One refurbished bike at a time, we’re building the cycling community our campus deserves.

For more resources about biking, check out the following links:

Bea is a founder of Wolverines on Wheels at UM-Ann Arbor.