Do You Need A Bike In Germany?
So you've heard a thing or two about how Europeans ride their bikes more than Americans do, from exercising to a daily mode of transportation. After arriving in Germany and settling in, one of the first questions that comes up is whether or not it's worth investing in a bike for the time that you're over here. So should you? Well, that depends!
If you're a student studying in Germany for a semester, the answer is probably not. When I was studying abroad in Germany as part of my bachelor's degree, I went ahead and bought a cheap bike with grand dreams of riding it to class and exploring the city. After I got back to my place, fixed it up a little bit, and had it ready to go, I locked it up, and promptly proceeded to never use it again. Were it not that I found someone to pass it along to before I left at the end of the semester, it would have stayed to rot along with the other long abandoned bikes missing the odd pedal on the overcrowded bike stand outside my building.
In most cities, students either can choose to or are obligated to purchase a semester ticket as part of their registration for the given semester. If the option is available, it's a far more useful way to get around, particularly for a short term time abroad in Germany.
If you'd like to be able to bike around on occasion, without purchasing a bike of your own, services like nextbike are available in a number of cities, and allow you to rent a bike for up to a few hours. The services function through an app, which allows you to unlock a given bike, and charges you for the time used. Your university may also have a deal available to you with a bike share company, allowing you to use a bike for a short period of time without a fee. Check with the student office!
If you are staying in Germany for a year or more, it's definitely worthwhile looking into finding a bike that fits your needs and budget. Bike shops are common throughout Germany, and used bikes can also be bought on Ebay Kleinanzeigen, or from other students (check out the pin board that your faculty or institute probably has up near the lobby of the building). Even if it isn't your primary mode of transportation, it's definitely a useful way to get to places where there just isn't a useful way to get there on the public transportation, if you are in a rush, or if you just want to explore. If you do get a bike though, make sure that the lights are working!
...Seriously, it's a ticketable offense.