U-Cycle is one of our commercial ventures, a bike rental scheme that is used to support the finances of our other social enterprises.

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U-Cycle are the University of Nottingham's official bike rental scheme, renting bikes to staff and students at affordable prices. By encouraging an active, environmentally friendly lifestyle U-Cycle works to contribute towards the health and well-being of our academic community. U-Cycle arrange bike maintenance to ensure that all bikes are road worthy before the rental period begins. By making our rentals as cheap and cost effective as possible we aim to provide a convenient, affordable way of travel for students and staff, many of whom are living in a new city or even country, and may benefit from a flexible mode of transportation.

 

The fleet of bikes are regularly seen around campus, as they provide sustainable and fast transport around the city. U-Cycle’s primary goal is now to rent the entirety of our sixty strong fleet of bikes to university students and staff within a single academic year. Once this goal has been accomplished U-Cycle can look to further expand our fleet of bikes to meet a higher demand, and explore new ways to engage with customers and the community. 

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U-Cycle has a sixty bike fleet, all of which receive professionally certified servicing before they are ready for rental. Having rented forty-three bikes in this current academic year U-Cycle has generated over £2000 for Enactus Nottingham in revenue. As our project’s overall function is to generate revenue to be used by other Enactus teams, this income showcases the potential impact an Enactus Commercial Venture can have for the organisation. The social impact we will have had by renting out over 66% of our fleet must also be acknowledged, particularly regarding the promotion of exercise and sustainable travel.

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The Sustainable Development Goals which U-Cycle tackle are good health and well-being, sustainable cities and communities, climate action and partnership for the goals. U-Cycle provides an affordable form of exercise as well as transport our customers will experience the positive impact of frequent exercise from both a physical and mental perspective, helping them to have an enjoyable, fulfilling university experience. By offering a pollutant free form of transportation U-Cycle is helping to further encourage sustainable practises in our student community, helping Enactus to promote the values we share with the university. U-Cycle helps to minimise student fossil fuel usage and Co2 emissions by minimising student fossil fuel to reduce the environmental impact of student lifestyles. The team have frequently collaborated with the Student Union on events linked to sustainability and the environment, most recently during the annual Sustainability Week, and the local Nottingham business Bikeworks.

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To find out more about U-Cycle, please visit their website here.