Free OVO Bikes (Powered by Nextbike) Membership for Students & Staff 

As part of Strathclyde’s commitment to sustainable travel and supporting good health and wellbeing, all students and staff at Strathclyde are now eligible for a free membership to the Glasgow OVO Bikes network. 

This offer will give free unlimited rides of up to 60 minutes on the standard bikes and can be used for journeys between any of the 100+ stations across the city. 

Whether it’s for journeys to University, getting between meetings, going to the shops, or exploring Glasgow at the weekend, Strathclyders can now do more of their day to day journeys by bike. 

Please note: this offer does NOT include the use of e-bikes, there is a separate pricing structure for their use. 

 

How do I get my free membership? 

All you need to do is sign up to OVO Bikes with your University email address, and complete the registration process. Then you’re ready to ride! 

New OVO Bikes user

Follow these steps to register: 

• Find the nextbike by TIER app in the Apple App Store or Google Play Store 
• Sign up in the app or nextbike website using your University email, then confirm your account.
• Add your payment details and a £5 deposit to start using the bikes. 

That’s it. You’re ready to ride! 

Existing OVO Bikes user

Get your free membership:

Users with an account already registered to their Strathclyde email address should receive a re-activation link

If you have an account that is set up with another email address, you can change this in the app:

• Go to the nextbike by TIER app
• Select 'Account Settings' from the main menue
• Change your email address in your profile
• Click 'Update address details'
• This will send a re-verification email to your University account (check junk)
  
  

Safe use of the OVO Bikes 

Using the OVO Bikes safely is your responsibility and we encourage you to cycle where you feel comfortable. 

For anyone that wants to increase their confidence on a bike, the Essential Cycling Skills Guide from Cycling Scotland is a great resource on everything from checking a bike to junction guidance. This is also available in different languages and as an e-learning tool on the Cycling Scotland website. 

Some general safety notes: 

• it’s worth taking the bikes out for a gentle test ride at first, to get used to how they feel
• all of the OVO Bikes have built in lights for cycling in the dark
• staff can use the Cycle to Work scheme to buy equipment such as a helmet, or hi-vis jacket.

 

How do I use the bikes? 

You can search for, hire, and return a bike using the app. The How it Works Guide gives more detail.  

The Hiring, Parking & Returning an e-bike video (YouTube)  shows more detailed instructions for the e-bikes, which function in a similar way.

 

What can I use the bikes for? 

Whatever you want! The membership offer is valid 24/7 and can be renewed yearly so you can use the OVO Bikes to get to campus, see friends, do your shopping, or visit a nearby park. For travel to and from campus, there are several stations near our campus. 

Explore Glasgow

With stations all across the city, you can see a lot of Glasgow on the OVO Bikes. Take a look at the Glasgow Cycle Map, Cycle Streets or sustainable business trail created by OVO Bikes for some ideas.