Gompei's Gears Bike Share

Gompei’s Gears is a free bike share program for the WPI community. Originally conceived as a student Interactive Qualifying Project (PDF, 3.35MB), this project has gone from theory to an impactful program on the WPI campus.
Registered users may rent a bike for up to 8 hours at a time using the Movatic app.
Email bikeshare@wpi.edu with any questions, comments or concerns about the program.
Register
To sign up for Gompei's Gears, you must be a WPI student, graduate student, faculty, or staff member, at least 18 years old, and register with an @wpi.edu email address in the Movatic app. Please follow these instructions to join the Gompei's Gears program. The name of the bike share in Movatic is "Gompeis Gears".
Bike Rack Locations
Gompei's Gears bikes can be rented from the Quad, Salisbury, Faraday, and Gateway (out of order). Please return the bike to the station you rented it from when you finish the rental - the number on the bike should match the number on the key box.

CYCLE SAFE: WEAR A HELMET
The most serious injury that you can suffer on a bicycle is one to the head. It's not expensive to invest in a bike helmet, and will definitely be worth your while!
How Does It Work?
General Use Rules:
- User must be 18 years of age or older to ride
- User must be a WPI student, graduate student, faculty, or staff member who is registered for the program
- Bikes may be checked out for up to 8 hours at a time
- Do not share your unlock code with anyone
Registration:
Download the Movatic app and follow these instructions! Once you have filled in your credentials (please register with an @wpi.edu email address) and read and accepted both the Liability Form and Terms and Conditions, the Bike Share administrator will accept your user request. From there you are free to enjoy Gompei’s Gears Bike Share!
Checking Out a Bike:
Once you are a registered user of Gompei’s Gears Bike Share, checking out a bike is as easy as four simple steps by logging into Movatic on your phone:
- Choose the location and bike and receive a code
- Enter the code to receive the key
- Unlock the bike
- Complete pre-ride check and ride on!
(For complete instructions on checking out and returning bikes on Movatic, click here.)
Pre-Ride Check:
As part of using this program all members must check the condition of the bike that they wish to rent. Please follow this simple check list:
- Are the tires properly inflated?
- Are the tires free-spinning and undamaged?
- Do the brakes work?
- Is the seat at the right height? (See the FAQs below for help adjusting your seat.)
- Is there any other damage?
- Did you place the U-lock in its holder?
If everything is in order, ride on! If anything is out of order, use the Bike Share app to report a problem, and check out a different bike.
Returning a Bike:
Bikes must be returned within a maximum of 8 hours. Once you have finished using the bike, return it to the original location where you signed it out. Make sure to secure the bike to the rack with the U-lock, replace the key, and end the rental in the Movatic app. Enjoy the rest of your day!
Safe Cycling
WPI and the Gompei's Gears Bike Share team take bicycle safety very seriously, and require that our riders do so as well. Below is a short safety video, as well as a list of the most important rules of the road that all cyclists should be aware of. Please carefully review this information before participating in the Bike Share! Information is also available as part of our registration and liability process. The Bike Share Team thanks you for taking your safety seriously, and understanding the risks and rules associated with bicycling and participating in the Gompei's Gears program.
Check out our Gompei’s Gears intro video!
General Bike Safety
- Ride on pavement (safe for you and the bike). You may not ride “off-road.”
- We strongly recommend wearing a helmet.
- Obey all rules of the road (a bike is a vehicle, all vehicle rules apply).
- Use hand signals when making turns.
- When riding on road, don’t ride within 3 feet of a parked car. One of the most common bike accidents is being hit by an opening door.
- Ride one person per bicycle.
- Don’t overload the basket.
- Be careful in rainy/icy/sandy conditions (no sharp turns).
- Always lock bike to bike rack or secure object (and make sure the bike cannot be lifted and removed!).
Rules of the Road
A short summary of key rules of the road for cyclists and motorists is shown below. For an exhaustive list, see MassBike’s summary of bike laws here.
Bicyclist Rights
- May ride on any public road and on sidewalks outside business districts (unless specifically prohibited)
- May pass cars on the right
- May use either hand to signal stops and turns
Bicyclist Responsibilities
- Must obey all traffic laws
- Must use hand signals to stop and turn, if safe to do so
- Must give pedestrians right of way
- Must give pedestrians an audible signal when passing
Motorist Responsibilities
- Must check for passing bicyclists when opening doors
- Must stay a safe distance to the left of bicyclist when passing
- If lane is too narrow, motorist must wait until safe to pass
- Prohibited from making abrupt right turns at intersections after passing a cyclist
- Must yield to oncoming bicyclists when making left turns
Sponsors/Donate
Thank you to our sponsors for taking Gompei’s Gears from theory to impact! Initial sponsorship from SGA, GSG, and the Office of Sustainability have allowed us to make this program a reality.
Gompei's Gears would not exist without the financial support from the following organizations:
STUDENT GOVERNMENT ASSOCIATION
GRADUATE STUDENT GOVERNMENT
WPI OFFICE OF SUSTAINABILITY
CROWDFUNDING CAMPAIGN SUPPORTERS
FAQs
Racial & Ethnically Diverse Students
Questions you may want to consider, research and ask about
- What are the cultural norms of my host country?
- Will I experience discrimination in the country I study in? Who can I contact if I do?
- How is my ethnic group perceived in my host country? What kind of stereotypes are there?
- How should I react if I find something to be offensive?
- Is the person curious or do they have bad intentions?
- Am I used to being part of the majority at home but will be a minority abroad? Or vice versa?
- Will there be other minority students in my program?
- Who should I contact if I do face racial or discriminatory incidents?
- Will my advisors and the Global Experience Office staff understand and help me through any racial or discriminatory incident I may face?
Content adopted from Diversity Abroad and ASU's Study Abroad Office.
Resources for more information
- Multicultural Affairs
- OASIS Cultural Center
- All Abroad.us
- Racial and Ethnic Minority Students Abroad - a helpful list of tips and must-ask questions for racial and ethnic minority students from Diversity Abroad
- Project for Learning Abroad, Training and Outreach (PLATO) - resources and scholarship opportunities meant to encourage and support study abroad among minority students
- Top 10 Reasons for African American Students to Go Abroad- some things to consider from Transitions Abroad
- Being Black in an African Country — an article by an ASU student on her experience in Morocco, sharing how she turned a harsh reality into a positive experience
- My Very Personal Taste of Racism Abroad - a New York Times essay from an African-American woman who had an eye-opening experience due to a series of troubling racial encounters while studying abroad in Italy
- 10 Reasons for Hispanic-American Students to Study Abroad- Article from the Hispanic Network
- 7 Study Abroad Scholarships for Hispanic Students- GoAbroad Article
- My Study Abroad Experience as a First-Generation Mexican-American- Article by ISA Today
- Native American Students Abroad- A resource page from the State University of New York
- Asian American/Pacific Islander Students Abroad- A resource page from the State University of New York
Q: Isn’t WPI on a hill? Will this make bike travel harder?
A: It sure is! However, there are certain paths around the campus that avoid steep hills. Intercampus travel (from Daniels Hall to the Library or from the Library to Gateway Park) will mostly avoid those hills. Furthermore, the bikes in this program are made with internal gearing. What this means is that even at a stand still you can change gear and make travel easier. This is useful if you are stuck at the bottom of a hill and need to shift gear; you can do so without moving!
International SOS Training Hub (Online Modules)
All students traveling on international programs have access to training and onsite services provided by International SOS, a travel medical and security assistance provider. To understand more about the services provided by International SOS and receive an introduction on travel health, safety and security information, students are strongly encouraged to complete all modules in the International SOS Training Hub.
Career Plans
Let the CDC help you figure out how to plan your career path, starting from the moment you step on campus as a first-year student.
Coding/Technical Interviews
Coding Interview Practice and Certification
- Codesignal Get your coding skills certified, practice for technical interviews and build your developer resume.
- HackerRank provides Programming Interview Practice Problems
- Hacker-U's Just Code provides coding challenges that can provide objective measures, evenly applied across applicants.
- Pramp provides the complete tech interview practice you need, for free. Hone your interviewing skills, learn from your peers, and become comfortable performing under pressure within an interview setting.
- Preparing for your Google Interview: Coding Googlers share targeted advice for the coding portions of Google's interview process for technical and engineering candidates, covering tips for communication and collaboration advice, algorithms and data structures, and more!
- Interview Pro Tips: How to Nail a Technical Interview Allstate provides expert guidance to help you prepare for your next step in the recruitment process.
Preparing for your Internship, Co-op, and Job Search
There are many resources, tips, and strategies when it comes to searching for and applying to various opportunities. These tipsheets provide information, resources, and best practices.
- Career Fair (PDF)
- Job Search Strategies (PDF)
- Networking, Informational Interviewing, and LinkedIn (PDF)
- Finding a Federal Internship, Co-op, Job (PDF)
- Virtual Events with Brazen (PDF)
- Thank You Note Writing (PDF)
- Resources for Students with Disabilities (PDF)
- LGBTQ+ Job Search (PDF)
- Finding a Federal Internship, Co-op, Job (PDF)
- Virtual Events with Brazen (PDF)
- Alternative Career Paths for STEM Students (PDF)
- Working Remote Checklist
Info about Patent Careers for Engineers and Scientists
In this 5-part series focusing on patent careers for engineers and scientists, Mark Dighton, Administrative Director of Practising Law Institute's Patent Office Exam Course, tells you what you need to know about becoming a patent agent.
Video 1 introduces you to patent careers and explains intellectual property terms. Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=78IhiUfM7zg&list=PLwqvEb2ZqRVgGvovc7jzd0lZVW26Sp5VD
Visit our POEC site here: https://www.pli.edu/poec/home
Q: What happens if my bike breaks down while I’m riding?
A: We ask that before every ride you check the bicycle you intend to borrow. That said, things happen. If the bike breaks down mid-ride DO NOT attempt to repair the bike yourself. Visit the Bike Share website to report a problem, and walk the bike back to campus if you can. A Bike Share team member will respond to this report as quickly as possible.
Websites for your Internship Search
- Buzzfile (search companies by major and location)
- HigherEdJobs.com
- Idealist (non profit careers)
- Indeed
- The Ladders
- LinkedIn jobs and LinkedIn internships
- Massachusetts Hospital Association
- Student Conservation Association
- Greentown Labs (cleantech startup incubator)
- AccessComputing (resources for students with disabilities in computing fields)
- WPI Summer Experience Grants
Massachusetts Internship Opportunities
If you’re looking for an internship in Massachusetts, these websites are a good place to start your search.
- Massachusetts Clean Energy Internship Program
- Mass Life Science Intern Program
- The MassTech Intern Partnership
- Mass Digital Games Institute Summer Innovation Program (SIP)
Other Internship Opportunities
- Data Incubator Data Science Fellowship
- Adelante Summer Internships Abroad
- Make School Summer Academy
- Internships.com
- Disney Internships
- WayUp
- City Internships
Handshake
Handshake is the Career Development Center’s system for accessing internship, co-op, and job postings along with requesting appointments and accessing additional resources (GoinGlobal, Career Shift, Focus2, Shortlist.me, and more!). Check out our video tutorials.
If your gender assignment in Handshake does not accurately reflect your gender identity and you would like this to be corrected, please fill out this survey. This information is only for use by the CDC in Handshake. Please note that employers are not able to see the gender field in Handshake. If you have any questions please contact us at cdc@wpi.edu.
All of the resources highlighted below are accessible through the Resources section of Handshake. For help getting started with Handshake, go to their Help Center.
CareerShift
You can use CareerShift to create folders to store jobs, companies, and contacts you’d like to use during your career search. You can also use the My Jobs, My Contacts, and My Companies tabs to search for jobs, contacts at particular companies or organizations, and companies you’d like to learn more about.
Vault
Vault.com provides in-depth intelligence on what it’s really like to work within an industry, company, or profession—and how to position yourself to launch and build the career you want.
Vault provides detailed information on nearly 5,000 companies in more than 120 industries. Vault also provides extensive information on more than 840 professions. This includes education requirements, skill requirements, salaries, advancement prospects, and more.
GoinGlobal
GoinGlobal is a perfect job-searching tool for both international and domestic students.
- The Country Career Guides section includes country-specific information, resources, and tips for finding internships or full-time employment in other countries
- The USA/Canada City Career Guides section offers career and employment resources for some of the largest cities in North America
- The Job Postings and Internship Listings section allows you to search for opportunities in the United States and around the world
- The H-1B Information Section allows international students to search the H-1B database to view companies who have submitted H-1B visa petitions.
Focus2
Focus2 guides you through a reliable, intuitive, career and education decision making model to help you choose majors offered at WPI, explore occupations, and make informed career decisions.
Focus2 contains five quick self assessments (work interest, personality, leisure, values, and skills) which help you to identify possible careers and majors of interest. To take any of the self assessments:
- Create a Focus2 account and agree to Focus2 terms and conditions
- Enter the license code displayed in Handshake.
Once you’ve taken the assessments, it’s strongly recommended that you schedule an “Focus2 Self Assessments” appointment with a CDC staff member to discuss your results, and learn about additional steps and resources.
Shortlist.me
Shortlist.Me is an interview preparation platform which helps students reach their full potential through practical application, putting them ahead of the competition in real interviews and increasing employability.
Configure Google Scholar Settings to Access Library Resources
Configure your Google Scholar settings to access the full text of library resources whenever you search Google Scholar.
- Go to Google Scholar and into the settings.
- Under the Library Links tab, search for: Worcester Polytechnic Institute - FullTextFinder@WPI
- Select this choice and save your settings.
This will work both on- and off-campus.
Management (MS)
Prepare to become a leader at the intersection of business and technology. WPI’s Master of Science program in Management is designed to help students tailor a course of study to improve their business skills in order to stand out in technology-based organizations. You will gain a solid understanding of major functional business areas, from financial management to complex group dynamics. With this degree, and at least two years of work experience, the WPI MBA can be completed in 27 credits.
Identifying where and how to find information
- Creating an efficient and effective search strategy through the selection of appropriate search tools.
- Recognizing that there are different search tools with different uses.
- Identifying a variety of types and formats of potential sources for information.
- Utilizing the features of search tools.
Q: Can I still use the bike share during breaks/over the summer?
A: Yes! The bike share will be in operation over summer and fall breaks. However, Gompei’s Gears will be closed after the first snowfall of the winter and will not reopen until the roads are deemed safe, so the program will likely be closed for winter break and will possibly be closed during spring break.
Join or Contact Our Team
In order to keep Gompei’s Gears turning, the WPI Green Team is taking care of bike maintenance and logistics. This means responding to distress signals received through the app and going on weekly bike checkups. If you have a passion for biking or want to take a walk with us to make sure this program rides on smoothly, contact the Bike Share Chair at greenteamexecs@wpi.edu. Have suggestions, comments, questions or concerns about the program? Contact the team at bikeshare@wpi.edu.