Cycling to UCD

Breezer

Right, well petrol isn't getting any cheaper, the car parks aren't getting any bigger and I'm not getting any fitter, so presuming this rain eventually ceases and I don't have to sail to college in an Ark next year I'm thinking of getting a bike.

My concern is locking it up in UCD, I've heard all the stories about bikes disappearing (and quite a few about them reappearing in the bike shop a few days later but that's not really the point).

For anyone that cycles here and has managed not to get their bike stolen, where is a good spot on campus to lock it up? Any time I've cycled in before I've locked the bike up between Science and Comp Sci but tbh if someone stole my current bike I'd almost thank them for freeing up the space in my garage, not to mention reducing my risk of being killed by around a factor of 10. Is there any particular place considered safer (statistically or otherwise :P)?

Also any recommendations regarding locks? I'm worried that if I go overkill I'll end up making the bike more of a target, but if I go one step up from a piece of string it's just going to walk out of there too.

Pride Fighter

Take your saddle off every time you lock up your bike. That is a good preventative measure. Lock it where the camera's are, at least that way if it is robbed services will know who (I dont know where these places are though). I heard that there is a council estate nearby responsible for most of the on campus robbery, but maybe that is just a rumour to keep the D4 heads on their toes:pac:

There's a few good threads on the cycling forums about good locks to use. The kryponite brand do seem to be the best (and handy in case Superman decides to try rob your bike).

Keep in mind what I was told though: a cheap lock is a false economy.

_JOE_

Lock it up in Roebuck beside the new apartments, they even have a shelter...its location alone is away from most of campus, and they have cameras around the area...

Tayto2000

I've been cycling to UCD for a couple of years and although I've had bikes stolen from around Dublin etc, I've never had one taken from UCD (Yet!).

It's like everything else, if a professional thief really wants your bike, they can take it. The trick is to make it less appealing and easy to steal than the one next to it. That's pretty easy here because of all the people who use a bit of string or a little note saying "please don't steal me!!!11!!" ...

Varying where you lock it up every now and then is good too.

Stepherunie

Near health sci there's a good few bike park areas which all seem pretty good - in busy places, lots of people about etc.

I did manage to lose a bike (don't ask) but I've yet to have one stolen from campus. Glen has plenty of good, well protected areas too.

The good lock is always a good way to go. And if you're in any way forgetful (I knwo many who are when it comes to locks). Get one where you can't take out the key until you've locked the lock...

FledNanders

I always lock my bike at the railings along the lake in front of the library building because it's mostly busy there with people smoking etc so tea-leaves might be deterred. So far so good! Also buy a good lock.

boomhower

ok i'm worried now! i cycled to college every(nice)day last year. i locked my bike outside the student centre facing the pitches..
for future reference, is that a bad place? anyone had their bike stolen from there?

aequinoctium

between the science lecture building and chemistry: sheltered and only known to science students

kodmuffin

use common sense too when leaving your bike there ie if your staying late dont leave it in a stupid place-ive always left mine up beside the quinn school-mainly because that leaves me closest to the door,but there is always people out and about up there........if you ever have to leave your bike over night id suggest moving it to near one of the accomodation places!

its sad to say but another good tip is to have a "bad looking" bike!noone is going to want to rob a bike if it looks crap!but if you are bringing a brand shiny new one in people will be going for that first!

RandolphEsq

There are actually council flats beside the Richmond part of campus.

Really the college should have a proper bike lock-up place. Maybe have a designated area (or 5 or 6 designated areas) with proper supervision/security

fish-head

A Kryptonite lock is a good place to start. Two if you think you might be locking it up for a good while.

Lock the frame and at least one of the wheels.

Don't leave quick release wheels unlocked.

Try to make your bike a little unattractive. Gaffa tape, electrical tape, stickers, paint, anything!

Plus search the cycling forum..

dmigsy

I use two types of lock ; U-lock and a thick cable lock. This means any thief needs two pieces of equipment to get your bike.

Breezer

dmigsy wrote: »

I use two types of lock ; U-lock and a thick cable lock. This means any thief needs two pieces of equipment to get your bike.

I like that idea!

Thanks for all the ideas guys. I'll have a look at those Kryptonite locks. Also, aequinoctium, hate to break it to you, but I'm not a science student and I'm very familiar with that lockup area - I'd say anyone who's ever been in Elements knows about it too. But thanks for the tip

passive

My bike got robbed outside the Bernard Shaw in town, two days ago . I had two locks on it, normal cable ones... Only got the bike last week off my brother and hadn't been able to buy a U-lock yet... Cry...

If anyone tries to sell you a Raleigh Las Vegas in the next couple of weeks, stab them in the face and call me for further instructions...

On the plus side I'll be using my crappy French cheap supermarket bike for going to UCD, so less likely to suffer from theft there...

passive

passive wrote: »

My bike got robbed outside the Bernard Shaw in town, two days ago . I had two locks on it, normal cable ones... Only got the bike last week off my brother and hadn't been able to buy a U-lock yet... Cry...

If anyone tries to sell you a Raleigh Las Vegas in the next couple of weeks, stab them in the face and call me for further instructions...

On the plus side I'll be using my crappy French cheap supermarket bike for going to UCD, so less likely to suffer from theft there...

If you have any pics post them up in the cycling forum, since those guys (or the commuters amongst them) would be likely to see them.

Sorry to hear it got knicked though.

Dave!

kodmuffin wrote: »

its sad to say but another good tip is to have a "bad looking" bike!noone is going to want to rob a bike if it looks crap!but if you are bringing a brand shiny new one in people will be going for that first!

OR, make the bike really conspicuous! Then (a) a thief will be less likely to rob a bike if people will notice it/him; and (b) if it does get robbed, you'll be more likely to have witnesses

So get a pink bike with a basket and stabilisers, and add some glitter to it. Tie some cans onto the back of it, and erect a huge English flag on top!

bassman22

Breezer wrote: »

I like that idea!

Thanks for all the ideas guys. I'll have a look at those Kryptonite locks. Also, aequinoctium, hate to break it to you, but I'm not a science student and I'm very familiar with that lockup area - I'd say anyone who's ever been in Elements knows about it too. But thanks for the tip

lol or anyone who's ever had a lecture in science cause you can see it from the tunnel.

actually had a bike stolen from ucd myself. (i blame it on one of those chain/coil locks) its an awful feeling. use a good strong U lock. and lock it in a well walked busy place. and try make it look unattractive. i remember i just got muck and grime and put it on my new bike after the other one was stolen. it didnt look convincing tho, (maybe use spray paint?)
although theres only one way of getting the proper road dust on!

hatful

One of my tires was let down and a part was snapped off by persons unknown on the last day of term. Also know someone who had theres stolen. There should be an indoor lock up area.

Apart from that don't buy a shiny new bike, buy a second hander so that if something does happen you won't be dissappointed.

bobbi

On a positive note....i cycled a good bit in my 3 years of college.some-times i left my bike overnight(The racks between arts and the library) and i never had a problem. My bike was alright bought it new in 1st year worth around E200.I had one of U locks.

Good luck with the cycling its a great way to keep fit!

Alkers

You've got to be carefull what you lock it to also, some of the bike racks in UCD would be a lot easier to break than a half decent U-lock. I nearly always lock mine to a full lampost.

DirkVoodoo

A good lock does not make your bike more of a target.

If you are talking about the majority of bike thefts, they are crimes of opportunity. Someone looking for a quick, easy to steal bike that they can get a few quid for. If someone really wants the bike because of the make/model, then they will probably have some proper tools for getting through a lock quickly.

Things to do:

Multiple locks mean multiple tools. A U lock and cable lock combo will deter any thief.

Get rid of quick releases. Some idiots will just steal a wheel if they cant get to the bike for the sake of it.

Park along the main promenade. I park outside engineering (restaurant side, I have a kryptonite New York which is big and yellow and seems to work!) as it is rarely without some onlookers and is well lit in evenings.

Don't leave your bike overnight. There are fewer bikes around, fewer people and more time for someone to work in the dark.

Don't park near a car park if you can avoid it. The "man in the van" will pull up (e.g. behind library) and make off with the bike.

When using the U-lock, get as much of the bike through it as possible, place it high and generally if it is hard for you to get on, it will be hard for someone to get tools near it.

So, in summary, it tends not to matter what bike you have (unless you are mad and parking a carbon road bike outside) but rather how easy it is to make off with.

Tayto2000

Wow! Good karma for you indeed...

So was the guy on it the one who stole it or had he bought it of the thief? Seems a bit mad to rob a bike and then just openly ride it around five minutes down the road...

Cortazar

If you're going to leave a bike on campus, and you're in Arts, leave it at the railings between the library and the Arts block steps. There's always people around there. Don't put it in the designated cycling area beside 911, hundreds of bikes have been stolen from there.

Services are aware of the problem, there were a few articles in the college papers last year, but prob won't do much about it.

As an aside, I've been locking my bike in UCD for years and never had a problem. There's wisdom in the other posts: buy a decent lock...

Donnaghm

I hope to cycle from Crumlin to UCD most days which will take 25mins at least. I was wondering how do poeple avoid becoming sticky and clammy as a result of cycling each day. I'm not the fittest, which is partly why I'm choosing to cycle, so I'll probably arrive in college each day covered in sweat and will remain so for the duration of the day. How do I avoid this? Besides using the bus course.

Stepherunie

A) Cycle Slowly - probably won't happen though, I've tried that

Bring a change of clothes

C) Join the gym and have a shower there when you get in

D) Make friends with people on campus use there showers.

Just a few ideas. Hope that helps.

Stark

As far as I know, you can use the showers in the UCD sports centre without being a member there.

hatful

Would there be any point in putting a petition in the S.U for the building of an indoor bike shelter? Or am I being naive... I there any legal reason why ucd would not want to build such a structure?

Stepherunie

I don't think there's necessarily a need for a petition, more a call down to the office and maybe chat to Dan or Aodhan about it.

The college is all about the green of late so I don't see why encouraging the use of bikes by having a good shelter wouldn't be something achievable.

hatful

Stepherunie wrote: »

I don't think there's necessarily a need for a petition, more a call down to the office and maybe chat to Dan or Aodhan about it.

The college is all about the green of late so I don't see why encouraging the use of bikes by having a good shelter wouldn't be something achievable.

I'm graduating this semester so I'm really just putting ideas out there, I contacted the student safety officer in the S.U in May via the comment form on the S.U website and it was ignored.

Donnaghm

Stepherunie wrote: »

A) Cycle Slowly - probably won't happen though, I've tried that

Bring a change of clothes

C) Join the gym and have a shower there when you get in

D) Make friends with people on campus use there showers.

Just a few ideas. Hope that helps.

I may wear shorts on the bike and change in the library toilets. Seems like a pain in the ass though. I wouldn't tolerate someone coming in to my house for a shower each day so I don't expect anyone to tolerate me doing that. As for cycling slowly, sometimes I break into a sweat from sitting down so that might not work. I think I'll choose the going to the gym option. Speaking of which, what is the fee for the college gym? I heard it is a s***e gym!
Oh and by the way, cheers for the speedy replies.

Thomas_S_Hunterson

hatful wrote: »

Would there be any point in putting a petition in the S.U for the building of an indoor bike shelter? Or am I being naive... I there any legal reason why ucd would not want to build such a structure?

Well if they make the facilities too good, then people might want to start holding them responsible when their bike gets nicked.

Personally I think more facilities like those around science would be ideal, preferably with security cameras. They allow for bikes to be packed quite densely so they don't take up a huge amount of room and they're sheltered.

rgt320q

Stepherunie wrote: »

A) Cycle Slowly - probably won't happen though, I've tried that

Bring a change of clothes

C) Join the gym and have a shower there when you get in

D) Make friends with people on campus use there showers.

Just a few ideas. Hope that helps.

Another option is to just head into one of the toilets and wipe off the sweat with a small hand towel or else toilet paper followed by a good dose of Lynx or somethin'. Apparently (non-scented) baby wipes are great for this. Personally, I'm planning on getting a locker then leaving a few bits like a small towel, baby wipes, can of deoderant etc. in there for when I need it. May save you on having to splash out ~€180 on the gym if you weren't intending to join anyway.

A dedicated bike shelter would be good. If not that, then some more rather conspicuous cameras around the bike areas would be in order.

delta_bravo

There are free showers and dressing rooms in ucd sports centre also. Its not only the gym that has them. Thats what i use

Tayto2000

I think secure bike parking is to be included in the planned multistorey car park... can't recall where I read that though.

Might be useful to try talking to the buildings department as well as the SU they're the ones who usually plan, pay for and install that kind of stuff. It's needed too, the demand for more bike space can be seen by the number of bikes chained to every immovable object in the College...

Check out this facility in Columbia!

hatful

The story is old :

http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=2054889189&highlight=bicycle

I think there was a poll concerning thefts a while back but I can't find it.

There is clearly a need for a secure area to leave bikes, ucd has a large cycling population...

Xhristy

This post has been deleted.

Thomas_S_Hunterson

Xhristy wrote: »

This post has been deleted.

Downstairs in the changing rooms.