<p>How many people use bikes to get around their campus? My daughter has asked for a bike for Christmas and is planning to use it to get around campus next fall. I was all set to get her one then a friend advised that I wait till she starts school to see if it is really practical. Any opinions - pros/cons?</p>
<p>I love my bike and use it every day it's not raining or below freezing, so take this with a grain of salt. ;) </p>
<p>A bike on campus really depends on the type of campus your D is going to: my sister went to a small liberal arts campus, for example, and never used hers because everything was within ten minutes or so. On the other hand, my campus is a pretty big city campus where all my classes are about a mile away, so I really love my bike. The warmer the climate the better they are, obviously, and they are especially useful if your D does not plan on having a car!</p>
<p>If your D's school(s) of choice fit more into the latter than the former category, I'd say get the bike. I would also advise that unless she's going to a campus with nearby mountains etc that you get her either a good town bike or a "hybrid" between the two, since over time it really makes a difference. I also advise buying a good lock, of course, and either a basket or something similar to carry stuff around (really comes in handy after going to the grocery store!).</p>
<p>Most campuses also have cycling clubs that organize cycling trips and offer cheap tune-ups, by the way, and those are always great fun.</p>
<p>A bike is very, very practical if you go to large university and it takes a LOOOOONG time to get from class to class. You don't want to be late! </p>
<p>Some campuses even have bike rentals, and buying her a bike would be easier than her renting one everyday.</p>
<p>I suspect it depends on the campus. At most places it would probably be fine, and I know of several schools where students use bikes more than walking. However, at my school, where you literally have to go up hills both directions to get anywhere on campus and there are stairs everywhere, bikes are almost always a very, very bad idea.</p>
<p>I think it is a good idea, but check out whether the campus is bike friendly. At many schools, there is a disregard for bikers by vehicles and thus are a lot of bike-related injuries and death.</p>
<p>If you do get her a bike - make sure to get a helmet and a really good lock to go with it.</p>
<p>Bikes can be very very adventagous - depending on the type of campus. Good Luck.</p>
<p>My gal uses a bike pretty much exclusively on class days. She loves the exercise also :)</p>
<p>it completely depends on the campus. i go to USC, so the longest walk from corner to corner of campus is about 15 minutes, and that's at a fairly leisurely pace...the campus isn't too large. the on-campus streets are fairly busy during the day, and there's a bike ban during midday weekdays through the middle of campus. </p>
<p>if you live on a campus similar to mine, i personally don't find biking very practical, but so many insist on using them. i could understand people living off campus, but tons of freshman have them. i use a skateboard...it's quite literally almost as fast as people on beach cruiser bikes, i can use it in more places around campus, i don't have to lock it up, and surprisingly it isn't exactly a target of theft despite its convenient size...</p>
<p>...and it just looks cooler and is much more fun :D i suppose the downsides to skateboarding though is that unlike biking, it isn't something that everyone learns. and once you get the hang of basic riding, it takes much more situational awareness when you're on it, because you have to look out for large cracks in the road/sidewalk, and because you can use it in tighter places, it's easier to run into people. overall, it takes a bit of practice if you want to take full advantage of the speed and convenience of skateboarding. i say full advantage because i know people who have longboards (since they're easier to use), but their kicking style, posture, etc isn't efficient or stable. otherwise, i still couldn't imagine using a bike on my campus.</p>
<p>but, i have a friend at Santa Cruz who's sometimes a 30 minute walk away from her classes, up and down steep hills. i could see a bike on that campus being fairly useful.</p>
<p>PHOBOS ya have to realize too tho that on many campus's - skateboards are not allowed - but a bike is - and must follow the rules of the road. At my gals school - they have to register their bikes - same as a car - with campus security - to have them on campus</p>
<p>In certain places using a bike might be good, but in others (Cornell comes to mind) biking is just a pain with the endless hills and gorge-wall climbs.</p>
<p>It certainly does depend on the campus - how spread out it is, how flat it is, etc. In California, you need to register your bike & get a bike license (it costs $8, lasts 3 years, $3 for renewal)</p>
<p>UC Davis = bike central. There are more bikes than people. Most students own a bike, whether they ride it everywhere or not. The central campus is about 1.2 miles square and is very flat, so it could take awhile to get to your next class on foot, but it isn't impossible. I managed for a couple years to get around without a bike. One of the problems I had with my first bike was getting it on & off campus. Neither of the wheels had a quick release & it couldn't fit in my car & I didn't want to buy and attach a bike rack. During summer break, bikes left on campus are confiscated & sold at a public auction in October. I sold that bike and bought a folding bike. I keep it in the trunk of my car so no matter what parking lot I have to park in, my bike is right there with me ready to go. Unfolding it is just 2 quick steps.</p>
<p>Bike rules of thumb:
1) Get a good lock & lock everything. Wheel to frame & to a stationary object. If seat is removable, lock that to the frame also.
2) Don't ride in the rain unless you have fenders</p>
<p>When I lived on campus I biked everywhere. My advice:</p>
<ol>
<li> Get a cheap, used bike. The less is costs, the less worry.</li>
<li> Don't be afraid to keep your nice mountain bike locked away for single-tracking on the weekends. Use the cheap town bike for commuting.</li>
<li> Ride slow, wear a helmet, etc.</li>
<li> Fenders are very nice when it rains.</li>
<li> Racks are of limited use. I just used a daypack.</li>
<li> A "town bike" (I like that term) with 25c or 27c tires and 21 to 24 speeds is a lot more practical than a knobby-tired mountain bike or a 17-pound criterium bike. It's cheap transportation for limited distances, not a recreation tool. The nicer the bike (see #1) the greater the chance it will be stolen.</li>
</ol>
<p>For what it's worth, I bought my bike for $40 and when I graduated I sold it to another student for $35. I think I could have gotten the full $40, but I was in a hurry...</p>
<p>I think it depends on the campus. My school is big enough that some students can convince themselves they need a bike, but then they end up getting in everyones way on the paths around campus. YMMV</p>
<p>I rode my bike for two weeks and stopped. Sure, it'll take a shorter time to get to class, but the 5-8 minute difference isn't that big of a deal. It takes more effort to ride uphill so when I'm carrying a bit of stuff, it's a really bad idea.</p>
<p>I personally did not enjoy my bike. I walk to class everyday now and it only takes 10 minutes.</p>
<p>If your D does use a bike on campus, remind her to carry a plastic bag on rainy days. Tie it around the seat and you'll have a dry seat when you get out of class! (Towels stay wet too long...bags dry quick)Worked wonders for me. Except for the occasional days when someone else would steal my bag. Grr...</p>
<p>Thanks for all the input. Sounds like the bike may be a good idea but perhaps we need to check more into how practical it would be at her campus. It is a large campus. I have been trying to remember if we saw bike racks on the tour but cannot recall. I know they had them at one school we toured. One of her good friends has a brother going to her first choice so I will suggest she talk to him and see how common/uncommon bikes are. The suggestion of a second hand bike is a good idea. Thanks everyone.</p>
<p>What sorts of bikes do you guys have? I'm afraid to take my bike on campus because I really like it....I'm thinking of maybe grabbing a cheaper one...</p>
<p>
[quote]
PHOBOS ya have to realize too tho that on many campus's - skateboards are not allowed - but a bike is - and must follow the rules of the road. At my gals school - they have to register their bikes - same as a car - with campus security - to have them on campus
[/quote]
hmm...didn't know that, and to ban skateboards sounds almost a little prudish, but different strokes for different...schools? :p maybe because so many people use them around here i find it strange to ban them.</p>
<p>and yeah, registration's pretty important around here. DPS (campus police) regularly impounds improperly locked/parked bikes (because they've been cracking down on bike theft), and i'd assume you could only get it back if it were registered.</p>
<p>Skateboards aren't banned at my school, and I think we are pretty conservative. But you don't see too many skateboards proper, a lot of longboards and things like that.</p>
<p>Anyways, just bought this bad boy last week:
Schwinn</a> Fastback</p>
<p>2006 model, here's a pic:<a href="http://www.schwinn-jpn.com/images/06bikes/b1_fastback.jpg%5B/url%5D">http://www.schwinn-jpn.com/images/06bikes/b1_fastback.jpg</a></p>
<p>If you search the forum under bike locks you will find many helpful threads.Very interesting reading.</p>
<p>I'm really into biking so I'm planning on joining the cycling club at the school I'll be attending. Hopefully the bike (Specialized) won't get stolen. I've heard a lot about thefts...</p>