Bicycle for college?

(bluesman5920) said:

I am looking to buy a bicycle for college (Oklahoma State University). I went to my local bike shop
and found a Trek 4100 Alpha that I really liked ($250). For the college atmosphere, I thought this
very inexpensive mountain bike would be a good choice.

A lot of people have said that any bike I take to college will be stolen and that I really need
like a brown 70's broken bike to have any hope of not getting one stolen. Should I even take a bike
to college and if so what should I take? Will the above-mentioned bike be ok and what could I do to
secure it?

[Note: I'm on a different continent. Not everything in my experience necessarily applies]

Lock it, and for god's sake don't overclean. It's fine to clean the moving parts, chain, axles, and
other bearings, but otherwise, the more mud & rust you're dragging along the better, for camouflage.
But the most important thing is and remains lock discipline. Summary: get a lock that an average
thief can't open in three seconds flat. That category includes most chain locks and locks that have
a separate padlock, plus the cheaper and midrange variants of cable locks. A good quality U-lock
works fine, but the cheap ones suck. Two locks are much better than the sum of their parts. Locking
your bike to the "solid world", so that the pro thieves don't just drive a truck up and lift a dozen
bikes into them, for cracking their locks at leisure, also a good idea.

The best lock IMHO is a chain lock by Cyclops[1]. The difference with regular chain locks is that
these are through and through hardened steel, where most chains are either mild steel or mild steel
with a hardened outer layer. Boltcutters just curl up and die when they see these babies.

Whether you can find those in the US would be a major stumbling block, though.

Ring locks[2] are extremely convenient, because they screw onto the bike and thus you don't have
to worry about having it with you, or storing it somewhewre on the bike after you unlock it --
just insert key, twist, and you can go. I have no idea if that kind of lock is commonly available
in the US, though, and don't get one any cheaper than that Axa model from the footnote. The Axa
SL-7 is already much better, and not much more expensive. When you leave your bike in a high risk
area for longer periods of time, two locks are the way to go, one of which should lock your bike
to the bike rack.

If you get good locks (and expect to spend $50 or so on locks, if the bike doesn't come with
anything decent), and use them, and don't leave the keys in (my personal bane -- lost 3 or 4 bikes
that way), then you should be okay.

If you want to be frugal (and/or spend the rest on beer), not worry about your bike much, and be
able to replace it fairly cheaply, get an old clunker. But do look for one with a 3speed hub,
especially if you've got hills. I just bought myself a new one last week, for about $150. Good steel
frame, 3speed, drum brakes, baggage rack, lighting system, manufactured '85, all bearings adjusted
properly, but slightly rusty and unsightly.

Here in the Netherlands, you can leave such a bike with just a ring lock without much trouble.
Leaving a bike without *any* locks means screaming at the top of your voice "Hey, drunk fratboys!
Free transportation back to home!", even aside from 'real' thieves.

Jasper

[1] armada-bike-security.comarmada-bike-security.comOpen ↗

[2]wheel2wheel4bikes.comproducts.phpOpen ↗

--get an old clunker. But do look for one with a 3speed hub, especially if you've got hills. I just
bought myself a new one last week, for about $150. Good steel frame, 3speed, drum brakes, baggage
rack, lighting system, manufactured '85, all bearings adjusted properly, but slightly rusty and
unsightly.--

This is what I did when I was in college. I bought an old 3 speed for $35. I kept it looking bad,
but running good.

I was pretty good about keeping it locked, but one night the rack got hit by "professionals" all
aged under 18. The whole rack gets cleared out except for mine and a single speed . . . I had
forgotten to lock up that night.

"Jasper Janssen" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
"]news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

(bluesman5920) said:

I am looking to buy a bicycle for college (Oklahoma State

University).

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

I went to my local bike shop and found a Trek 4100 Alpha that I really liked ($250). For the
college atmosphere, I thought this very inexpensive mountain bike would be a good choice.

A lot of people have said that any bike I take to college will be stolen and that I really need
like a brown 70's broken bike to have any hope of not getting one stolen. Should I even take a
bike to college and if so what should I take? Will the above-mentioned bike be ok and what could
I do to secure it?

[Note: I'm on a different continent. Not everything in my experience necessarily applies]

Lock it, and for god's sake don't overclean. It's fine to clean the

moving

Quoted message said:

parts, chain, axles, and other bearings, but otherwise, the more mud & rust you're dragging along
the better, for camouflage. But the most important thing is and remains lock discipline. Summary:
get a lock

that

Quoted message said:

an average thief can't open in three seconds flat. That category

includes

Quoted message said:

most chain locks and locks that have a separate padlock, plus the

cheaper

Quoted message said:

and midrange variants of cable locks. A good quality U-lock works

fine,

Quoted message said:

but the cheap ones suck. Two locks are much better than the sum of

their

Quoted message said:

parts. Locking your bike to the "solid world", so that the pro thieves don't just drive a truck up
and lift a dozen bikes into them, for

cracking

Quoted message said:

their locks at leisure, also a good idea.

The best lock IMHO is a chain lock by Cyclops[1]. The difference with regular chain locks is that
these are through and through hardened

steel,

Quoted message said:

where most chains are either mild steel or mild steel with a hardened outer layer. Boltcutters
just curl up and die when they see these

babies.

Quoted message said:

Whether you can find those in the US would be a major stumbling block, though.

Ring locks[2] are extremely convenient, because they screw onto the

bike

Quoted message said:

and thus you don't have to worry about having it with you, or storing

it

Quoted message said:

somewhewre on the bike after you unlock it -- just insert key, twist,

and

Quoted message said:

you can go. I have no idea if that kind of lock is commonly available

in

Quoted message said:

the US, though, and don't get one any cheaper than that Axa model from

the

Quoted message said:

footnote. The Axa SL-7 is already much better, and not much more expensive. When you leave your
bike in a high risk area for longer

periods

Quoted message said:

of time, two locks are the way to go, one of which should lock your

bike

Quoted message said:

to the bike rack.

If you get good locks (and expect to spend $50 or so on locks, if the

bike

Quoted message said:

doesn't come with anything decent), and use them, and don't leave the

keys

Quoted message said:

in (my personal bane -- lost 3 or 4 bikes that way), then you should

be

Quoted message said:

okay.

If you want to be frugal (and/or spend the rest on beer), not worry

about

Quoted message said:

your bike much, and be able to replace it fairly cheaply, get an old clunker. But do look for one
with a 3speed hub, especially if you've

got

Quoted message said:

hills. I just bought myself a new one last week, for about $150. Good steel frame, 3speed, drum
brakes, baggage rack, lighting system, manufactured '85, all bearings adjusted properly, but
slightly rusty

and

Quoted message said:

unsightly.

Here in the Netherlands, you can leave such a bike with just a ring

lock

Quoted message said:

without much trouble. Leaving a bike without *any* locks means

screaming

Quoted message said:

at the top of your voice "Hey, drunk fratboys! Free transportation

back to

Quoted message said:

home!", even aside from 'real' thieves.

Jasper

[1] armada-bike-security.comarmada-bike-security.comOpen ↗

[2]

wheel2wheel4bikes.comproducts.phpOpen ↗

Bikes are really handy for getting around campuses. Buy a decent lock for your bike - better yet buy
two - a sturdy U-lock as well as a cable lock. (thus the bike thief would need to have two types of
tools) As well with two locks it makes it easier to lock both wheels. Lock any pieces of the bike
that can easily disappear.

Beyond that, park your bike near other bicycles preferably nicer where your bike doesn't look
particularly like a target amongst them. If everyone on your campus has a brown 70's bike, then
yours would look the most tempting. Most likely it will fit in well.

[email hidden] (bluesman5920) wrote in message
news:<[email hidden]>...

Quoted message said:

I am looking to buy a bicycle for college (Oklahoma State University). I went to my local bike
shop and found a Trek 4100 Alpha that I really liked ($250). For the college atmosphere, I thought
this very inexpensive mountain bike would be a good choice.

A lot of people have said that any bike I take to college will be stolen and that I really need
like a brown 70's broken bike to have any hope of not getting one stolen. Should I even take a
bike to college and if so what should I take? Will the above-mentioned bike be ok and what could I
do to secure it?

Oh. And don't forget the big basket in the front. It completes the look and makes carrying your
books a breeze.

"Eric Vey" <[email hidden]> wrote in message "]news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

--get an old clunker. But do look for one with a 3speed hub,

especially

Quoted message said:

if you've got hills. I just bought myself a new one last week, for about $150. Good steel frame,
3speed, drum brakes, baggage rack, lighting system, manufactured '85, all bearings adjusted
properly, but slightly rusty

and

Quoted message said:

unsightly.--

This is what I did when I was in college. I bought an old 3 speed for $35. I kept it looking bad,
but running good.

I was pretty good about keeping it locked, but one night the rack got hit by "professionals" all
aged under 18. The whole rack gets cleared out except for mine and a single speed . . . I had
forgotten to lock

up

Quoted message said:

that night.

"Jasper Janssen" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
"]news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

On 1 Jun 2003 14:25:08 -0700, [email hidden]

(bluesman5920)

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

I am looking to buy a bicycle for college (Oklahoma State

University).

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

I went to my local bike shop and found a Trek 4100 Alpha that I
really liked ($250). For the college atmosphere, I thought this

very

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

inexpensive mountain bike would be a good choice.

A lot of people have said that any bike I take to college will be stolen and that I really need
like a brown 70's broken bike to have any hope of not getting one stolen. Should I even take a
bike to college and if so what should I take? Will the above-mentioned

bike

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

be ok and what could I do to secure it?

[Note: I'm on a different continent. Not everything in my experience necessarily applies]

Lock it, and for god's sake don't overclean. It's fine to clean the

moving

Quoted message said:

parts, chain, axles, and other bearings, but otherwise, the more mud

&

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

rust you're dragging along the better, for camouflage. But the most important thing is and
remains lock discipline. Summary: get a lock

that

Quoted message said:

an average thief can't open in three seconds flat. That category

includes

Quoted message said:

most chain locks and locks that have a separate padlock, plus the

cheaper

Quoted message said:

and midrange variants of cable locks. A good quality U-lock works

fine,

Quoted message said:

but the cheap ones suck. Two locks are much better than the sum of

their

Quoted message said:

parts. Locking your bike to the "solid world", so that the pro

thieves

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

don't just drive a truck up and lift a dozen bikes into them, for

cracking

Quoted message said:

their locks at leisure, also a good idea.

The best lock IMHO is a chain lock by Cyclops[1]. The difference

with

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

regular chain locks is that these are through and through hardened

steel,

Quoted message said:

where most chains are either mild steel or mild steel with a

hardened

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

outer layer. Boltcutters just curl up and die when they see these

babies.

Quoted message said:

Whether you can find those in the US would be a major stumbling

block,

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

though.

Ring locks[2] are extremely convenient, because they screw onto the

bike

Quoted message said:

and thus you don't have to worry about having it with you, or

storing

Quoted message said:

it

Quoted message said:

somewhewre on the bike after you unlock it -- just insert key,

twist,

Quoted message said:

and

Quoted message said:

you can go. I have no idea if that kind of lock is commonly

available

Quoted message said:

in

Quoted message said:

the US, though, and don't get one any cheaper than that Axa model

from

Quoted message said:

the

Quoted message said:

footnote. The Axa SL-7 is already much better, and not much more expensive. When you leave your
bike in a high risk area for longer

periods

Quoted message said:

of time, two locks are the way to go, one of which should lock your

bike

Quoted message said:

to the bike rack.

If you get good locks (and expect to spend $50 or so on locks, if

the

Quoted message said:

bike

Quoted message said:

doesn't come with anything decent), and use them, and don't leave

the

Quoted message said:

keys

Quoted message said:

in (my personal bane -- lost 3 or 4 bikes that way), then you should

be

Quoted message said:

okay.

If you want to be frugal (and/or spend the rest on beer), not worry

about

Quoted message said:

your bike much, and be able to replace it fairly cheaply, get an old clunker. But do look for
one with a 3speed hub, especially if you've

got

Quoted message said:

hills. I just bought myself a new one last week, for about $150.

Good

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

steel frame, 3speed, drum brakes, baggage rack, lighting system, manufactured '85, all bearings
adjusted properly, but slightly rusty

and

Quoted message said:

unsightly.

Here in the Netherlands, you can leave such a bike with just a ring

lock

Quoted message said:

without much trouble. Leaving a bike without *any* locks means

screaming

Quoted message said:

at the top of your voice "Hey, drunk fratboys! Free transportation

back to

Quoted message said:

home!", even aside from 'real' thieves.

Jasper

[1] armada-bike-security.comarmada-bike-security.comOpen ↗

[2]

wheel2wheel4bikes.comproducts.phpOpen ↗

Tanya Quinn said:

Bikes are really handy for getting around campuses. Buy a decent lock for your bike - better yet
buy two - a sturdy U-lock as well as a cable lock. (thus the bike thief would need to have two
types of tools) As well with two locks it makes it easier to lock both wheels. Lock any pieces of
the bike that can easily disappear.

One more recommendation: If you're getting an MTB-styled bike, it will likely come standard with a
quick-release seatpost. If so, replace it immediately with a regular pinch bolt, or somebody will
steal your seatpost and saddle. Silly, I know, but common here at the U of Washington.

Trent

In article <[email hidden]>, trent gregory hill

Quoted message said:

One more recommendation: If you're getting an MTB-styled bike, it will likely come standard with a
quick-release seatpost. If so, replace it immediately with a regular pinch bolt, or somebody will
steal your seatpost and saddle. Silly, I know, but common here at the U of Washington.

Sometimes I wish my Ol' Pig Iron had a QR seatpost. They are nice for dealing with steeper slopes.
And there are nifty first aid kits that are designed to be discretely crammed down the seat tube.

I often see riders who've parked their bikes, with saddle & post hanging from their backpacks. IOW,
you can just take it with you. OTOH, I guess it's nice to have one less thing to deal with in the
parking ritual/rigamarole of locking up, doffing hat, glasses & gloves, removing lights, etc.

cheers, Tom

--
-- Powered by FreeBSD Above address is just a spam midden. I'm really at: tkeats [curlicue] vcn
[point] bc [point] ca

Quoted message said:

[email hidden]

Quoted message said:

I am looking to buy a bicycle for college (Oklahoma State University). I went to my local bike shop
and found a Trek 4100 Alpha that I really liked ($250). For the college atmosphere, I thought this
very inexpensive mountain bike would be a good choice.

---snip---

It sounds like a good choice.

Quoted message said:

A lot of people have said that any bike I take to college will be stolen and that I really need
like a brown 70's broken bike to have any hope of not getting one stolen. Should I even take a bike
to college and if so what should I take? Will the above-mentioned bike be ok and what could I do to
secure it?

Unfortunately, there does seem to be a higher incidence of bike theft on and around college
campuses than in the real world- no offense intended to anyone in the academic world- but if you
buy and *use* a decent lock while you're going to classes etcetera you'll really cut the odds of
having your ride stolen. At night your best course would be to store it inside. Having said that, I
think most college students would be wise to consider a $250 MTB as a consumable that may last for
a couple of years. Even if you have two such bikes stolen during a four year college career you'll
only be out $500. IME, in the same four years a typical college male will spend more than that on
spilled beer. <g>

Regards, Bob Hunt

So, taking out the seat (or replacing the mechanism), several decent locks, and I should be set to
go? Also the bike that I mentioned (trek 4100 alpha), is that a good bike? I have forgotten a lot
about bikes since I had a very serious bike accident 10 years ago and I really haven't ridden since
(but I'm not afraid to start again.)

(There really aren't any used bike shops or pawn shops in my area and I got a sum of graduation
money specifically for a bike so that bike looks like my only option at the moment.)

(Tanya Quinn) said:

Lock any pieces of the bike that can easily disappear.

This is also an issue: If you get a bike with quick release wheels or seatpost, or anything else for
that matter, switch them out for things with regular locknuts. You don't want to come back to a bike
with either or both wheels and/or seatpost/saddle missing.

Jasper

Jasper Janssen said:

(Tanya Quinn) said:

Lock any pieces of the bike that can easily disappear.

This is also an issue: If you get a bike with quick release wheels or seatpost, or anything else
for that matter, switch them out for things with regular locknuts. You don't want to come back to
a bike with either or both wheels and/or seatpost/saddle missing.

Alternatively, you could just be sure to lock each wheel. I live in NYC, and use a NY lock (heavy
chain) and a U lock. In OK you could get away with a good cable and a U lock. Cable your bike to
something solid through one wheel, then U lock the other wheel to the bike.

I left the QR on my seatpost, here, and put a length of bike chain through the seat rails and frame.
A little duct tape on the saddle, and it's a less attractive target. It's less of a PITA to change
flats, etc., if you leave the QR on.

--
z e l d a b e e @ p a n i x . c o m newsreader.comnewsreader.comOpen ↗

To summarize: your bike will most likely be stolen, vandalized, it will take you 10 minutes to lock
your 3 different locks, you will carry with you 1 helmet, 1 saddle and two wheels. ;-) Still, don't
feel discouraged by everything they say !

Cheers Jacques

jacques said:

To summarize: your bike will most likely be stolen, vandalized, it will take you 10 minutes to
lock your 3 different locks, you will carry with you 1 helmet, 1 saddle and two wheels. ;-) Still,
don't feel discouraged by everything they say !

It can't be worse than NYC, and I never carried that much around with
me...I just locked them securely. It's by far the best way to get around the city--at 5 1/2 months
pregnant, I'm not riding, and boy, do I miss the freedom.

--
z e l d a b e e @ p a n i x . c o m newsreader.comnewsreader.comOpen ↗

4 more to wait... and then you can buy a nice little trailer. Or maybe in NYC it is not reasonable ?

Yep. Just buy a beater bike and fix it up to make it reliable. Noboby will likely steal it and if
they do, you won't be out much money.

jacques said:

To summarize: your bike will most likely be stolen, vandalized, it will take you 10 minutes to
lock your 3 different locks, you will carry with you 1 helmet, 1 saddle and two wheels. ;-) Still,
don't feel discouraged by everything they say !

Cheers Jacques

jacques said:

4 more to wait...

Um... 3 1/2, unless I go late.

Quoted message said:

and then you can buy a nice little trailer. Or maybe in NYC it is not reasonable ?

Not really. I've used a cargo trailer without problems, but wouldn't feel comfortable with a baby in
a trailer in the city. Depending on childcare arrangements, it's looking like I won't be able to
commute by bike until he's old enough for a bike seat, and I'm not so sure how I feel about those.

Who knows when I'll be riding regularly again, much less touring. We'll see.

--
z e l d a b e e @ p a n i x . c o m newsreader.comnewsreader.comOpen ↗

[email hidden] (bluesman5920) wrote in message
news:<[email hidden]>...

Quoted message said:

I am looking to buy a bicycle for college (Oklahoma State University). I went to my local bike
shop and found a Trek 4100 Alpha that I really liked ($250). For the college atmosphere, I thought
this very inexpensive mountain bike would be a good choice.

A lot of people have said that any bike I take to college will be stolen and that I really need
like a brown 70's broken bike to have any hope of not getting one stolen. Should I even take a
bike to college and if so what should I take? Will the above-mentioned bike be ok and what could I
do to secure it?

old bikes don't have to be ugly and broken--just unfashionable, and not too shiny...

if you buy a nice bike, buy an even-nicer lock--and USE IT. In fact, buy two. Lock the frame rear
wheel to something solid with a U-lock and loop a cable lock around anything that can be
stolen...then loop that to something solid as well.

Don't lock to any 'bike stand' that isn't securely bolted down, or better, embedded a meter deep
in concrete.

Find yourself some friends with more money than sense, and find out where they park their nicer,
unsecure bicycles. Park yours nearby, but secure it mightily against theft. Then sit back as thieves
go for the nice bikes which are easier to steal than yours.

If you're storing the bike outside, a nice bike might not be a good idea. When you're not riding it,
it will get rained on, and parts will rust. That will suck. Lock it under cover, or better, indoors,
if you can. If you're just going to leave the bicycle outside to the elements, I would suggest you
buy a beater bike that you can live with; no point spending big bucks on something that'll rust.

By all means bring a bike. Student life is so much easier with one, generally speaking. But also buy
lights (riding at night without them is bad enough--now do it when the roads are full of boozed-up
fratboys). and learn to ride on the road (faster. fewer pedestrians. and, once you're over the
initial fear, not very hard at all--you can drive on the roads, can't you?)

I'm a grad student in London; it's a big busy city and the building I live in has nowhere to store
bicycles indoors (not anywhere they'd *let* us store bikes anyway) so I ride an UGLY pink mixte
(that's a girls' bike) with a 3-speed hub brake. It's ugly enough that nobody wants to steal it (and
it's locked up decently). I leave it outside to deal with the weather. If I had different
arrangements--secure indoor bike storage, say--I would have brought my nice bike from home.

-Luigi

02 Jun 2003 22:32:09 GMT, <[email hidden]>, zeldabee

Quoted message said:

Not really. I've used a cargo trailer without problems, but wouldn't feel comfortable with a baby
in a trailer in the city. Depending on childcare arrangements, it's looking like I won't be able to
commute by bike until he's old enough for a bike seat, and I'm not so sure how I feel about those.

On a MTB, I've seen the soft sling back-pack carriers work for infants.

Of course, as always, Sheldon Brown has the answer: sheldonbrown.comcarrababy.htmlOpen ↗
--
zk

[email hidden] (bluesman5920) wrote in
:"]news:[email hidden]:

Quoted message said:

So, taking out the seat (or replacing the mechanism), several decent locks, and I should be set to
go? Also the bike that I mentioned (trek 4100 alpha), is that a good bike? I have forgotten a lot
about bikes since I had a very serious bike accident 10 years ago and I really haven't ridden
since (but I'm not afraid to start again.)

(There really aren't any used bike shops or pawn shops in my area and I got a sum of graduation
money specifically for a bike so that bike looks like my only option at the moment.)

Just my opinion....

I think you could live with one good U-lock as long as you remove the front wheel and run the lock
through the frame and both wheels AND attach to a firm metal upright like a no parking sign.

I took a quick look at the Trek website. The 4100 doesn't appear to have a quick release seatpost so
I think you're OK there. For $250 it will do the job. I wouldn't sink more into it though, beyond
routine upkeep.

In article said:

To summarize: your bike will most likely be stolen, vandalized, it will take you 10 minutes to lock
your 3 different locks, you will carry with you 1 helmet, 1 saddle and two wheels. ;-) Still, don't
feel discouraged by everything they say !

Just to offer one counterexample to all this doom and gloom. I live near a big college campus, and
have a couple bikes (old 10-speeds of probably no real monetary value), which I've left on or near
campus completely unlocked overnight on several occasions without their being touched.

Now I use a newer bike, which I also frequently park on or near campus, and I always lock it with an
inexpensive U-lock but I don't take any additional precautions.

A reasonable amount of caution (like an ordinary U-lock, always used) is probably all that's
required. You won't eliminate the risk of theft entirely (you never can), but you'll probably get
through college without having the bike stolen.

--Bruce F.