I'm a senior at UC Davis - Ask me anything

On the subject of bicyclists, what type of bike would be best for an incoming freshman? I know students at UCSB generally ride beach bikes. What about at UCD? I know rear fenders are important for the rain. Any other suggestions?

@lkg4anwers: My son has a hybrid (mountain/street bike) and has served him well these past 4 years. The best investment is to get buy the best bike lock you can afford. The U-locks (Kryptonite) are excellent. My son has had his bike tampered with several times over the years, but fortunately never stolen. Cannot the same for his roommates whom have gone through several. Always lock the bike frame to the bike stands or you may also find your wheels missing.

The Bike Barn at UCD has annual sales of bikes so you might want to check them out plus there are several bike stores in town, if you do not want to haul one up with you.

Boy, these typos: “is to buy the best bike lock”.

I had a beach cruiser personally, bought when I was a naive freshman who actually didn’t even know how to ride a bike. It got the job done when I needed it, but I wouldn’t recommend it.

If you’re already going to be doing offroading with your bike, a mountain bike works just fine. If not, it’s not worth it.

Hybrids are a nice balance between comfort and speed. For most people, this is probably the best choice overall.

If you’re in it for speed, road bikes are great and fun to ride. Just remember: Just because you can go fast, doesn’t mean you should. This is especially true while on campus.

Personally I’m not a fan of fixies, but if you’d rather not deal with the gears on other bikes then they’re not a bad option.

To add on to what @Gumbymom said about bike locks: Also get a sturdy cable lock. Lock your back wheel (the one with the expensive gears) to the bike rack through the rear triangle, using the u lock. This secures both the back wheel and the frame. Then, use the cable lock to secure your front wheel to the rack.

Other general tips:

  1. Bolt your saddle. You shouldn't be adjusting the height much (if at all) once you've done the initial adjustment, and keeping a quick release on the saddle makes it all the more likely that you'll come out to a saddle-less bike. If you don't bolt it, either invest in another cable lock to lock the saddle, or plan to take it with you when you leave your bike. Personally I think bolting it is just easier.
  2. Park in a well-lit area. This should go without saying.
  3. Don't leave bike lights on your bike. Take them with you and put them on when needed. You'd be surprised how often people swipe bike lights, and there's a good chance you won't notice until it's too late (i.e. it's night).

The main thing to remember is that thieves are opportunistic. If someone really wants your bike, they’re going to get it no matter what you do (barring staying with it at all times). The thing is, they don’t want your specific bike unless it’s a super high end one. They’re just looking for the easy prey. So, don’t be easy prey; put as many deterrents as you can, and as long as you don’t have a very high end bike, you’ll be fine.

Is it hard to find parties at Davis?