<p>I see of ton of no-speed retro-style bikes when I visit campus. I'd like to get one to quickly get around the campus. Where does everyone buy these and about how much do they cost?</p>
<p>UV or the DPS bike auction for less than $50 i think. But spend twice as much on the lock as you do on the bike.</p>
<p>sweet. Do you know when these are held?</p>
<p>You don't need to spend twice as much, depending on how cheap you get the bike for. Just get one that looks beefier than most and you should be fine, although there's no guarantee. Most people get the cheapo U-locks, black with red lines (you may see them around).</p>
<p>There also is a really good bike shop, Lion's, at 29th and Vermont. He has many reasonably-priced used bikes that he has gone over to put in good shape. Also free air for tires.</p>
<p>I should add to my previous post that when I said most people get the cheap locks, I meant don't get one of those. Spend a little extra for something better.</p>
<p>Yeah when's this year's bicycle auction going to be held? I really need to get a bike from the auction or give a visit to target or Walmart.</p>
<p>Curious to hear from folks (either parents or students) who have first hand knowledge of having a bike at college. </p>
<p>(1) What type of locks have you (or your child) used? (ex: U-Lock, Kryptonite lock, cable locks, etc.)</p>
<p>(2) What locks worked and what did NOT work?</p>
<p>(3) How did you lock up your bike? (U-lock frame to post, remove front-tire and U-Lock to post with frame, or other methods?)</p>
<p>(4) Did you find that "Quick-Release" parts were taken frequently - even if the bike frame was securely fastened with a U-Lock (i.e. were the quick-release seat, quick-release front tire, stolen even if the bike frame was secured).</p>
<p>(5) Combination -v- Key Locks (and why)?</p>
<p>(6) Any other recommendations? Suggestions? Anything you would do differently? </p>
<p>We are planning to buy a low-budget, less than $100, Target or Walmart type bike (just in case it is stolen). </p>
<p>Thanks</p>
<p>(1) What type of locks have you (or your child) used? (ex: U-Lock, Kryptonite lock, cable locks, etc.)</p>
<p>I used two locks: 1) a Bell U-Lock, and 2) a Kryptonite cable lock.</p>
<p>(2) What locks worked and what did NOT work?</p>
<p>I would say that both worked because 1) my bike did not get stolen, and 2) neither of my two locks got cut off. However, the general consensus is to go no lower than a U-Lock, simply because it's more difficult to saw through than a cable lock.</p>
<p>(3) How did you lock up your bike? (U-lock frame to post, remove front-tire and U-Lock to post with frame, or other methods?)</p>
<p>I locked the back wheel frame with the U-Lock to the bike rack most of the time. If I had a few minutes to spare, or if I knew that it was the last time I would use the bike for the day, I would also lock the cable lock around both wheels. Yeah, it sounds like overkill, but at least my bike didn't get stolen.</p>
<p>(4) Did you find that "Quick-Release" parts were taken frequently - even if the bike frame was securely fastened with a U-Lock (i.e. were the quick-release seat, quick-release front tire, stolen even if the bike frame was secured).</p>
<p>One of my friends had her bike seat stolen, and another one of my friends had his front disc brake taken out. Depending on how you lock it, some thieves steal everything short of one wheel. Yeah, it sounds funny, but it does happen. You just kind of hope for the best. I, personally, never got any bike parts stolen.</p>
<p>(5) Combination -v- Key Locks (and why)?</p>
<p>I've dealt with both: combination for my Kryptonite cable lock, and key lock for my Bell U-Lock. I prefer key locks, but I think that's completely psychological.</p>
<p>(6) Any other recommendations? Suggestions? Anything you would do differently?</p>
<p>If you know you're going to be gone for a while (such as Thanksgiving break, winter break, and so forth), bring up your bike to your room and leave it there (as long as your roommate(s) consent to the idea). It sounds like such a hassle trying to bring it up the elevator and what not, but trust me, it's less of a hassle than finding out five minutes before the midterm that your bike seat got stolen.</p>
<p>We are planning to buy a low-budget, less than $100, Target or Walmart type bike (just in case it is stolen).</p>
<p>That's a great idea. It's not to brag or anything, but my parents bought me a nice bike during my junior year of high school so that I could bike twenty five miles to my volunteer location twice a week. It's great and all, but if my bike is to get stolen (knock on oak, maple, or any other type of wood), then I would obviously suffer a greater financial loss than someone who bought a bike for significantly cheaper.</p>
<p>Thanks</p>
<p>You're welcome. :)</p>
<p>My D purchased a bike last year (freshman year) and it was stolen within 3 weeks. She lived at the Radisson and had a lock on it. She purchased a cheap lock. I want to say it was like $20.00 or so. The bike shop tried to tell her to purchase the more expensive one but she did not listen. </p>
<p>I just bought her a bike last weekend from Lion's and bought her their most expensive lock. I think she will have better luck. Mainly because she is living at Tuscany where they have 24-hour serveyance and the bikes are locked in a cage that requires their key fab. </p>
<p>Bikes get stolen all the time. You really have to be aware of them and lock them at all times. You can register them, but I'm told that's a double edged sword. You may recover your bike easier, however, if you park it or do something illegal, it's easier to ticket you, etc....</p>
<p>Oh, to the original poster: Their called beach cruisers. That's pretty much all anyone has up there.</p>
<p>If the u-lock is not a Kryptonite or OnGuard 4 or 5 star model, it will do very little to slow down anyone <em>planning</em> to steal a bike. All of the others are laughably vulnerable to thieves who come equipped to steal bikes. Most cable locks can be cut with ordinary garden shears if the thief is willing to spend a little time.</p>
<p>I use a Kryptonite chain closed with a Kryptonite mini-u. I close the mini-u around one of the bike tubes so that it is filled and cannot be jacked. The chain can't be jacked and requires a bolt cutter too long to fit in a backpack. However, I do this because my bike is my primary off-campus transportation.</p>
<p>The bike racks on campus are very poorly designed an they make locking a bike properly with an ordinary u-lock very difficult. You must back the bike in to get the lock through the frame. A lot of students just lock the wheel. You see lots of solitary wheels u-locked to racks all over campus.</p>
<p>If you feel like you need a bike for on-campus transport, buy a used beach cruiser, preferably one that is cheap and looks like crap. Buy a moderately priced u-lock that will deter the less determined thieves and always lock the frame to the rack.</p>
<p>It takes less than 15 minutes to walk from JKP to Lyons Ctr. If you're not using you bike for off-campus transport, you should seriously consider just walking. Between the oblivious undergrads talking on their phones while piloting their cruisers with one hand, ignoring all traffic conventions, and the psychos driving the golf-carts, campus is hazardous enough already.</p>
<p>When in school, I had a cheap bike from the store on Fig that has since closed down. We always speculated that they were selling us our own bikes back again.... anyway, had a U-lock, and my wheel got stolen.</p>
<p>Now that I'm out of school and have a nicer bike, I use an OnGuard, umm.... I want to say it's a Bulldog or similar name. Anyway, it's a U-lock PLUS a cable, so I thread the cable through my wheels and then through the U, and lock the U to the frame and a post. It's a pain to carry the cable around as well, but in my opinion if you really want to be sure that nothing gets stolen, that's the way to go.</p>
<p>I've used a cable combo lock on a rental bike before, and I was terrified the bike would get stolen, so I ended up keeping the bike in my room with me at night. The combo was convenient, one less key to carry, but the safety on those cable locks is significantly less than that of U-locks.</p>