At a university known for its steep hills and long walks, a bicycle can make a surprisingly large difference.

For students heading to Market Basket, commuting from Charles River Apartments or simply trying to get across campus before class starts, transportation options can often feel limited. Shuttles follow schedules, rideshares add up quickly and not every student has access to a car. DeisBikes, a student-run bike-share program based in Massell Quad, hopes to offer another solution. 

What began as an ambitious student proposal has evolved into a growing transportation service that allows Brandeis students to rent bicycles completely free of charge. After completing a brief safety course and registering through the LINKA GO app, students can check out bikes for short trips around campus or longer commuter rides throughout Waltham.

The project builds on an earlier version of DeisBikes that existed years ago but ultimately disappeared after student leaders graduated. For current organizers, the challenge was not simply bringing the program back, but creating a version that could survive long term.

"It would be really interesting to have a university bike-share program that was free," said Ruben Seaman ’29 in a Sept. 13 interview with The Justice. After learning about an earlier proposal from alumnus Allan Feldman ’26, Seaman began reworking the idea into a smaller and more practical project that could earn University support. 

For Seaman, the motivation was personal. Growing up with access to bicycles in New York City and bike-share programs, he understood that many students do not have the same opportunities.

"I thought it would be pretty cool to share my joy of biking with other people," he said. "Regardless of whether they had ridden a bike before or whether they were able to afford a bike or bike maintenance."

Beyond convenience, sustainability has become a major component of the organization's mission. According to DeisBikes leaders, cycling offers students an alternative to transportation methods that rely on fossil fuels while encouraging a more accessible campus environment. The LINKA system used by the fleet even tracks estimated carbon savings generated through bike trips. 

"We're looking to create a more convenient, sustainable and accessible form of transportation for the Brandeis student body," explained Wilfred Kozlowski ’28 in a Sept. 13 interview with The Justice. "We're looking to add that sort of value that we feel is currently missing from the Brandeis student transportation experience."

Since launching, organizers say students have already begun incorporating the bikes into everyday life. Riders have used the bicycles for grocery runs, pharmacy trips, recreational rides along the Charles River and transportation around Waltham. Graduate students and first-year students have emerged as two of the program's largest user groups so far.

For Helen Kurita ’27, one of the most rewarding aspects of the project has been seeing students embrace an option that previously did not exist.

"Every time you approve a user, it's another person who took ten minutes out of their day to complete a Moodle course because they believe this program will make their life better," Kurita said in a Sept. 13 interview with The Justice. 

Still, the organization faces challenges. DeisBikes remains entirely student-run, meaning maintenance, rider approvals, repairs and day-to-day operations must be managed by a small group of volunteers. The team is actively recruiting additional members while planning for future expansion.

Those plans include adding new docking stations, expanding the fleet and continuing to improve the user experience. Organizers hope a future station near Charles River Apartments will make the system even more accessible for students living farther from the center of campus.

For the students who spent months writing proposals, meeting with administrators and overcoming logistical hurdles, the most meaningful moments have not involved spreadsheets or funding approvals. Instead, they have come from seeing students actually use the service.

On one evening walk across campus, Kozlowski recalled seeing a group of students riding together.

"They were smiling and laughing," he said. "It reminded me of what I experienced and what I envisioned for this club."

DeisBikes is about more than bicycles. Its founders see it as a way to give students greater freedom, encourage sustainable transportation, and strengthen connections between campus and the surrounding Waltham community. For students who have yet to try the program, the message from organizers is simple: The bikes are there, they're free and they're ready to ride.