A national group has recognized Bowdoin as a “bike-friendly” organization, applauding its compact, flat campus, its ample bike racks and its student-run bicycle-sharing group, the Yellow Bike Club, which rents out bicycles cheaply to students and helps maintain them.

After reviewing Bowdoin’s application, the League of American Bicyclists designated the College with a silver status. The organization’s Bicycle Friendly University program has three designations of gold, silver and bronze, which are awarded based on whether the school provides an environment for cyclists of all skill levels to ride safely and comfortably.

Sustainable Bowdoin Director Keisha Payson said the designation recognizes the efforts the College has made to make bicycling a popular transportation mode on campus, but she added that there’s more to be done. “Bowdoin’s robust bicycle sharing program, with over 75 members and growing, and ample bike parking throughout campus have significantly elevated the bicycling culture here,” she said. “We look forward to continuing our focus on bicycle safety and expanding the campus bicycle infrastructure in the coming year.”

Going forward, Payson said she would like to offer safety courses for bicyclists and add more covered bicycle parking areas around campus.

Gabby Grandin ’15 runs the Yellow Bike Club, which has 80 used and new bikes for rent. “The Bowdoin Community has values at its core that embody the same values and goals [of the League of American Bicyclists],” she said. “The Bowdoin community already puts a great value on personal health, meeting new people and environmental awareness. These shared values…are what allowed us to score so highly.”