Universities may fall short promoting biking to underserved populations

UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. — New research from Penn State’s Department of Kinesiology has revealed that most universities are not working to encourage underserved populations — including Black, Indigenous, and People of Color, women, sexual and gender minorities, individuals with disabilities, and low-income individuals — to bicycle to and on campuses. 

In a recent article published in the Journal of American College Health, the researchers surveyed 51 “Bicycle Friendly Universities” about what the universities are doing to encourage bicycling and bicycle safety among students, faculty and/or staff from underrepresented groups on their campuses.  

The researchers found that fewer than 10% of universities incorporate strategies to encourage bicycling by members of underrepresented groups into their programming. Furthermore, only around 2% of universities encourage biking for any underrepresented groups other than women. Additionally, 48% of participating universities — all of which are designated as bicycle friendly by the League of American Bicyclists — had no programs to encourage biking or walking to and on campus. 

Why bike? 

“Bicycling provides all the benefits of physical activity,” said Lucas Elliott, graduate student in kinesiology at Penn State and lead author on the study. “It reduces risks for a broad range of physiological health problems, from diabetes to cardiovascular disease. It also improves people’s mental health. Biking is a really good habit, and colleges are in an excellent position to encourage bicycle riding.”  

The researchers also said that universities, communities around universities, and the environment all benefit when more people bike to campus. For a university and surrounding community, bicycling reduces traffic congestion and danger to pedestrians. For the environment, bicycling reduces tailpipe emissions.  

The average American university student rides their bicycle to campus fewer than once per week. Research shows that college is a particularly important time for forming habits, so developing routines like bicycling can shape people’s behavior throughout their lives.

Why target underrepresented groups? 

Research shows that some subsets of the overall population are even less likely to ride a bicycle. Women are half as likely as men to commute by bicycle. People from lower-income communities are also less likely to bike due to crime and traffic. Additionally, Black, Indigenous, and People of Color who bicycle are more likely to be injured or killed while doing so.   

“Research has documented higher rates of lifestyle-related chronic diseases among people who are racial and ethnic minorities,” said Melissa Bopp, associate professor of kinesiology at Penn State and co-author of the study. “Building a healthy lifestyle should start in college. By encouraging bicycling and walking, universities can help students from underrepresented groups reduce health disparities they may face later in life. 

“As a society, it is our responsibility to provide equitable access to healthy behaviors for everyone,” Bopp continued. “It is good for individuals. It is good for universities. It is good for towns. It is even good for insurance companies. Everyone wins, and right now, not enough is being done to promote bicycling.” 

What can universities do? 

The researchers said they believe that universities have a great opportunity to increase their bicycling-related outreach and services. In addition, by encouraging bicycling, universities can help build lifelong riders and potentially create a healthier and more equitable society. The researchers noted several actions that universities can take to facilitate biking equity.

“First and foremost,” said Elliott, “universities can promote biking and educate people about bicycle safely. To encourage equity, they should partner with on-and off-campus organizations that work or communicate with underrepresented populations. By listening to those organizations, universities can understand the wants and needs of each population and let those recommendations guide their actions.”