POLL: College Bike Regs

Quoted message said:

My son is shopping for a college to attend. Some years ago I visited
my brother at Brigham Young University and was astounded to see dozens of
bikes rusting at a rack in mid-winter because the school has a rool
against taking them inside the dorms. (Supposedly it's a fire hazard.)

If there's no room for them inside the dorms, such that they'd
get in the way during an evacuation, I could believe that.
Otherwise, it just sounds like a pretext that some administrator
would claim because he doesn't like bikes inside the dorms.

Quoted message said:

I'm wondering if we should be thinking beater bike for my son in case he
ends up at a school with similar rules.
Anyone else care to comment on rules regarding the use and storage of
bicycles at their alma mater?

We had no such rules at Michigan State. In fact there were bike
storage rooms inside the dorm that I lived in, where your bike
could be kept dry, warm, and safe from the elements.
--
"Premature optimization is the root of all evil."
--D. E. Knuth, "Structured Programming with go to Statements"

Quoted message said:

My son is shopping for a college to attend. Some years ago I visited
my brother at Brigham Young University and was astounded to see dozens of
bikes rusting at a rack in mid-winter because the school has a rool
against taking them inside the dorms. (Supposedly it's a fire hazard.)
I'm wondering if we should be thinking beater bike for my son in case he
ends up at a school with similar rules.
Anyone else care to comment on rules regarding the use and storage of
bicycles at their alma mater?

Bill

They have a rool? Kool!

Bill said:

My son is shopping for a college to attend. Some years ago I visited
my brother at Brigham Young University and was astounded to see dozens of
bikes rusting at a rack in mid-winter because the school has a rool
against taking them inside the dorms. (Supposedly it's a fire hazard.)

Reminds me of an upper-level manager I had a while back... He banned
bicycles from the office, claiming that the "petroleum products" (grease)
in the "metal cylinders" (hubs, bottom brackets) would be an explosive
hazard during a fire. Reasoning with him was futile; he basically didn't
like bikes but wouldn't just come out and say so.

Quoted message said:

I'm wondering if we should be thinking beater bike for my son in case he
ends up at a school with similar rules.

The guys I knew in college who had nice bikes kept them in their rooms
(usually suspended from the ceiling). They also had beater bikes that they
rode to class. Even if there's room to store a nice bike in the dorm,
you'll be stuck locking it up outside once you get to class. For that, you
want something indestructible that won't attract a thief's attention.
--
Darin McGrew, [email hidden], http://www.rahul.net/mcgrew/

"The quickest way to double your money is to fold it
and put it back in your pocket." - Will Rogers

Get a nice folding bicycle with bag. Dahon is the most popular among
the Chicago Folding Bicycle Society. Folds in 45 seconds, then bag it
and take it in. Hang in closet or beside your classroom seat.

Quoted message said:

My son is shopping for a college to attend. Some years ago I visited
my brother at Brigham Young University and was astounded to see dozens of
bikes rusting at a rack in mid-winter because the school has a rool
against taking them inside the dorms. (Supposedly it's a fire hazard.)
I'm wondering if we should be thinking beater bike for my son in case he
ends up at a school with similar rules.
Anyone else care to comment on rules regarding the use and storage of
bicycles at their alma mater?

Bill

__o | The American fascist would prefer not to use violence.
_`\(,_ | His method is to poison the channels of public information
(_)/ (_) | --Henry A. Wallace

"Mike A Schwab"> wrote > Get a nice folding bicycle with bag. Dahon is the
most popular among

Quoted message said:

the Chicago Folding Bicycle Society. Folds in 45 seconds, then bag it
and take it in. Hang in closet or beside your classroom seat.

This would work only if the son was immune to peer pressure--unlikely in an
18 year old male.
I bought a Bike Friday 2 years ago and am still getting stares and comments
when I ride it...and I am not on a college campus (nor do I care about
"fitting in" or "being cool"😉.

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

Quoted message said:

"Mike A Schwab"> wrote > Get a nice folding bicycle with bag. Dahon is
the most popular among

Quoted message said:

the Chicago Folding Bicycle Society. Folds in 45 seconds, then bag it
and take it in. Hang in closet or beside your classroom seat.

This would work only if the son was immune to peer pressure--unlikely in
an 18 year old male.
I bought a Bike Friday 2 years ago and am still getting stares and
comments when I ride it...and I am not on a college campus (nor do I care
about "fitting in" or "being cool"😉.

Gals dig a folder.

Quoted message said:

Gals dig a folder.

Assuming you are talking about bicycles.....tell us more.

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

My son is shopping for a college to attend. Some years ago I visited
my brother at Brigham Young University and was astounded to see dozens of
bikes rusting at a rack in mid-winter because the school has a rool
against taking them inside the dorms. (Supposedly it's a fire hazard.)
I'm wondering if we should be thinking beater bike for my son in case he
ends up at a school with similar rules.
Anyone else care to comment on rules regarding the use and storage of
bicycles at their alma mater?

I managed to park my Bianchi outside for about 7 years without any
problems (This was at home though). A little weather is not going to
do much if any damage[1]. You probably were seeing cheap beater bikes
that students, who knew nothing about bikes, had bought at the Utah
equivalent of Canadian Tire or Wal-Mart or, else, picked up cheaply
second hand.

John Kane, Kingston ON Canada

1. Apply oil to chain at least once a year 🙂

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news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

My son is shopping for a college to attend. Some years ago I visited
my brother at Brigham Young University and was astounded to see dozens of
bikes rusting at a rack in mid-winter because the school has a rool
against taking them inside the dorms. (Supposedly it's a fire hazard.)
I'm wondering if we should be thinking beater bike for my son in case he
ends up at a school with similar rules.
Anyone else care to comment on rules regarding the use and storage of
bicycles at their alma mater?

A beater's not a bad idea, regardless. Here's my daughter's experience at a
small liberal arts college:

Freshman year, old junky Roadmaster: bike semi-stripped while parked
outside.
Sophomore year, used pink Specialized Crossroads bought for $40: Stolen off
locked porch (it was a screen porch)
Senior year: Old Schwinn Breeze, acquired for free out of friend's basement,
stolen out of dorm bike room.
Surviving: Schwinn Caliente, bright lime green, from the 1970's.

My other daughter took a new Giant Sedona to a different campus, and after 3
years she's still got it. The Sedona's a modest bike, but worth more than
all her older sister's models put together.

So, it's a risk. A beater lowers the cost of taking that risk.

Mike Kruger said:

A beater's not a bad idea, regardless. Here's my daughter's experience at a
small liberal arts college:

Freshman year, old junky Roadmaster: bike semi-stripped while parked
outside.
Sophomore year, used pink Specialized Crossroads bought for $40: Stolen off
locked porch (it was a screen porch)
Senior year: Old Schwinn Breeze, acquired for free out of friend's basement,
stolen out of dorm bike room.
Surviving: Schwinn Caliente, bright lime green, from the 1970's.

My other daughter took a new Giant Sedona to a different campus, and after 3
years she's still got it. The Sedona's a modest bike, but worth more than
all her older sister's models put together.

So, it's a risk. A beater lowers the cost of taking that risk.

Indeed. Here at GA Tech it goes in cycles. When I first got here,
there were QR'd front wheels and popped cables on every rack. Nowadays,
you rarely here about bikes being stolen. Oddly enough, those that are
stolen tend to be the Xmart bikes since those folks are the type to
think locking the front wheel or a fork blade(!!!) is sufficient. All
of the nice bikes seem to hang around these days.

Darin McGrew said:

Reminds me of an upper-level manager I had a while back... He banned
bicycles from the office, claiming that the "petroleum products" (grease)
in the "metal cylinders" (hubs, bottom brackets) would be an explosive
hazard during a fire. Reasoning with him was futile; he basically didn't
like bikes but wouldn't just come out and say so.

What did he do about office chairs with oil-filled shocks and/or
lubricateed swivels?

I said:

Quoted message said:

Reminds me of an upper-level manager I had a while back... He banned
bicycles from the office, claiming that the "petroleum products" (grease)
in the "metal cylinders" (hubs, bottom brackets) would be an explosive
hazard during a fire. Reasoning with him was futile; he basically didn't
like bikes but wouldn't just come out and say so.

Brian Huntley said:

What did he do about office chairs with oil-filled shocks and/or
lubricateed swivels?

Not to mention all the other office hazards. Comparing the warnings (or
lack thereof) on a tube of bicycle grease with the warnings on the products
in the supply cabinet was interesting, but completely beside the point.

He had an assortment of weak (and sometimes humorous) excuses like this
one, but reasoning with him about the excuses didn't change the underlying
issue: he just didn't want bikes in the office.
--
Darin McGrew, [email hidden], http://www.rahul.net/mcgrew/
Web Design Group, [email hidden], http://www.HTMLHelp.com/

"Adventure is nothing but a romantic name for trouble." - Louis L'Amour

Quoted message said:

I'm wondering if we should be thinking beater bike for my son in case he
ends up at a school with similar rules.
Anyone else care to comment on rules regarding the use and storage of
bicycles at their alma mater?

I went to a small local university branch and never had much of a
problem in an area with 100 inches of rain per year since the
buildings had covered walkways with railings. I'm sure that the
rules are tighter now that they've added more buildings, but some
racks are at least under a roof.

I would suggest that you not worry about the bike storage rules
as a criterion for considering the school. There are several
companies that make bike lockers that can be bolted to the
concrete or a building. see http://huntco.com/bikepod/ for
example of a personal locker for 1 bike. perhaps your son could
buy one and install it near his dorm door.

the biggest problem with getting kids to ride bikes to high
school here is that too many of them have expensive full
suspension konas and cannondales, and don't want to lock them in
an open rack because they fear vandalism, something that goes
away when lockers are used.

Dennis P. Harris said:

the biggest problem with getting kids to ride bikes to high
school here is that too many of them have expensive full
suspension konas and cannondales, and don't want to lock them in
an open rack because they fear vandalism, something that goes
away when lockers are used.

One day last week my son's bike had a flat so he took my brand-new road
bike to school. When he informed my by text message, I replied, "Thx, I
needed something to worry about all day." And I did.

Bill

__o | Better a cruel truth than a comfortable delusion.
_`\(,_ |
(_)/ (_) | --Edward Abbey