Bikes at College Dorms

[Eden]

When I was in college I had my locked bike stolen from inside one of the dorm buildings - and our campus was out in the middle of nowhere. I wouldn't suggest having anything nice on campus.

[Bad JuJu]

At the university where I teach, the students also have to keep their bikes locked to outside racks, but I've never heard of any significant damage being done to any of them. (And I'm pretty sure I'd hear about it if it happened, since my students generally know I'm a cyclist.) But, our campus is several miles outside of town, so there aren't a lot of non-campus people who bother to come out there--though it does happen occasionally.

On the other hand, I'd be hesitant to keep a nice bike outside all the time, even if the risk of gratuitous damage is minimal. You've still got rain, thunderstorms, snow, and possibly high winds to think about.

[Crankin]

This is a major issue for kids who are serious cyclists and people who just want to use their bikes to commute. When my younger son left to go to U of A in Tucson, he went with the intention of continuing to race. He had a brand new carbon custom bike that was his graduation present. He found out that he could not keep his bike in the dorm and that sent him into a real spiral with several phone calls back and forth to the dean from my husband. There was a locked area inside a parking garage, but he did not want the bike to be exposed in any way to the elements, especially the dust/wind whipping through the garage in a desert climate. The cycling team laughed and said,"Oh yea, every year some poor freshman gets caught keeping their bike in the room." So, this is what he did. he kept it inparts under his bed. He convinced the RA to look the other way. But eventually, it wore on him and he stopped riding.

[SalsaMTB]

At my university, bike theft was a problem, but if you were smart, it wasn't too bad. I think (not positive) there was a place in the dorms where you could keep your bike. It was a locked storage room, but multiple people on the floor had access, it was not just your room. So, there was a risk involved. We had to register our bikes on campus, and like someone else said, just make sure you have no quick releases and lock the frame and wheel up. If you are concerned about the seat, just take it with you to class.

It didn't seem like the people who stole bikes really know what was a good bike. They just went for the easy target!

[farrellcollie]

What about a folding bike kept in its bag? My downtube cost about $$250 and came with a bag to keep it in when folded up. I use it to commute to my office on a midwestern campus. This is my second year using it and it has been reliable. I don't regularly bag mine - it is just easier to carry up the stairs when the elevator is out and fun to ride. But it did come with a bag.

[KnottedYet]

Oooh, the folding bike is a great idea!! I'll have to remember that when SKnot starts college.

I went to the University of Washington and had bikes the whole time. We could keep them in our rooms at first, then later we had to keep bikes in a "Bike Room" on each dorm floor. (what had been a study room)

When I lived off campus I kept my bikes in my house or apartment. When I locked up on campus during class I never took anything off the bike. Never even locked up the front wheel. Nothing got stolen. I guess I was lucky. Or my bike was crap...

[Clare]

Perhaps the campus has bike lockers? The University I go to has these bike lockers placed around campus and can be rented for the year. Maybe that campus does too?

[Geonz]

Yea, bike theft and vandalism and pieces-parts stealing is horrendous on campus here, too (U of I), but not so bad here-here (Parkland COllege, outskirts of same town). Guess the thieves know they get better pickings at the U.
It's a big motivator for off-campus housing (where theft is still awful but you can at least keep the thing in your room).

[GLC1968]

When I was in college I had my locked bike stolen from inside one of the dorm buildings - and our campus was out in the middle of nowhere. I wouldn't suggest having anything nice on campus.

Ditto, exactly. My lock was cut off a rack in the dorm basement.

My roommate had a beautiful Trek mtb back in the day when no one knew what mtb's were (barely) and she kept it locked up in our dorm room!

And we went to a small, weathy school in the middle of nowhere. Go figure.

[Triskeliongirl]

I forgot to add that my daughter's current solution is to keep an older, relatively inexpensive hybrid at school (i.e. beater), and to use both a U-lock and a cable lock, to at least make it not the easiest bike on the rack to steal.

[dingster1]

I second the beater bike route. Craiglist??? Goodwill??? Garage sales????

[wannaduacentury]

At the college where I work, I've seen bikes stored in the stairwell-even though I'm sure it was against policy, but no one said anything and I would've put mine there too. locked to somethng sturdy of course-out of the weather. At my Univ- nearby town, bikes are left outside locked to racks. I'm sure some got stolen, but I've seen them left alone too. On one rack I saw the same 3 bikes and no one touched them(one was a beater mtn bike and one a cruiser) and it was a high traffic area. So I guess it's where you are. I agree that campuses should have storage for bikes, that can't take up that much space can they?