<p>What are the best bike shops around? Is it worth traveling somewhere? or is the one at the UV the way to go?</p>
<p>A word of advice......
It is popular at SC to bring the oldest bike one can find to use on campus. Purchase an excellent lock.<br>
If you do bike racing and need a fantastic bike there are shops all around Los Angeles. I would not ride an expensive bike around campus.</p>
<p>It gets stolen?</p>
<p>Nickel,
Unfortunately, on large college campuses today there is a problem with theft. A family member was at Stanford and only rode an old bike there.
Another family member who attended the Univ. of Geogia in the small town of Athens was mugged and terribly beaten right on the main street opposite the main gate of UGA. This was in the evening on a well lighted sidewalk.</p>
<p>Don't worry because I don't get scared easily. xD I lived a block or two away from USC for eight years and nothing terrible happened except that my house was broken into when I was away and my neighbor shot her boyfriend. Mhmm... Actually that is terrible. ^_^''</p>
<p>Lyons bike shop has cheaper prices than the one in the UV, although it is a little farther (on Vermont and 29th). That's made up for by the better service, IMO.</p>
<p>Is it necessary to have a bike or can you get around walking?</p>
<p>Most of the people I know have a bike (or some other form of transportation, like a skateboard or something). Walking across campus doesn't take too long, but it gets tiring to walk to your classes all day. I'd recommend having one.</p>
<p>Awh man, I don't know how to ride a bike. DX</p>
<p>Lots of people find used bikes on craigslist. You could probably buy one off a graduating senior..?</p>
<p>The security people at Explore told us that at the end of the year, so many bikes are abandoned that they give them all to a charitable organization.</p>
<p>You probably won't need a bike freshman year, but it will be very useful after you move off of campus. The bikes at the UV are about $125 (this number fluctuates depending on the time of year) and are the beach cruiser style. There are certain precautions you can take that will lower the chance of your bike being stolen. There is also a bike sale of abandoned bikes at the beginning of the year, but it is extremely crowded and the bikes sell out pretty fast.</p>
<p>you can get by without a bike but i love having one handy for
-when i'm late to class
-want to travel at night and its cold/dark/scary
-far classes
-trips to trogro (midnight snack runs)</p>
<p>My brother is a Senior at USC. He has had his bike stolen three times. The first one was a nice beach cruiser. The second one my dads old,old bike. The third one was a 100.00 bike from a beach shop. He drives his bike everywhere. Get the best lock, or just put it in your room. Also if you get a car, take an old one. He has a old Toyota Tundra that after 4 years has been bumped into, hit,scrapped, air let out of the tires etc.</p>
<p>You can put your bike in your room????</p>
<p>I guess it would be a little crowded.</p>
<p>A little? XD</p>
<p>Some of my friends keep it in their apartments, but only when they leave for the weekend or break. Keeping it in a dorm room on a regular basis would leave it way too cramped.</p>
<p>The best method is to get a U-Lock and lock the back side of your bike to the rack by sticking it through the frame. They won't be able to take your bike unless they cut the U-Lock, which can be pretty hard to do if you buy a nice one. I can tell people have tried to cut through mine because there are cut marks around it. I've been lucky so far though.</p>
<p>Over breaks (Thanksgiving, winter, spring) most students store their bikes in their rooms.</p>
<p>
[QUOTE]
Lyons bike shop has cheaper prices than the one in the UV, although it is a little farther (on Vermont and 29th). That's made up for by the better service, IMO.
[/QUOTE]
</p>
<p>
[QUOTE]
Lots of people find used bikes on craigslist. You could probably buy one off a graduating senior..?
[/QUOTE]
</p>
<p>Thanks guys.</p>
<p>Does lyons bike shop sell normal bikes? aka ones with flat handlebars and handbrakes?</p>