Bike for Uni ?

Redjeep!

So. After yesterday my son's off to NUIG this autumn and wants a bike to get around on. He is a fairly keen cyclist and normally rides my old Trek 1000, but is worried about it getting nicked.

What's the general opinion ?

a) Buy an older beater bike than he won't be too worried about ?
b) Tell him to use the Trek, but buy the biggest U lock we can find like a Kryptonite or similar, that'd probably cost more than the beater bike or
c) build up a retro steel framed single speed bike so he can be cool :cool: ?

It's not so much the cost of the bike as the Trek probably isn't worth too much anymore, it's just the thought of it getting stolen.

**Timbuk2**

I'm in the exact same position as your son, and was thinking of buying a crappy second hand bike, so if it gets stolen it's not the end of the world (although still not ideal).

I only have one bike, and it's not that it's worth a lot, it's just if it got stolen I'd have no bike. I was thinking of buying a Kryptonite U-lock, and a good cable lock, and using both of them on the bike at the same time (as this would require two different sets of tools, which may discourage potential thieves from bothering). The wheels on my bike aren't quick release so hopefully I won't have hassle in that regard.

I'm staying on the campus which means leaving the bike there overnight, which is a bit risky! I imagine taking the bike into one of the apartments is a big no no!

Redjeep!

**Timbuk2** wrote: »

I'm staying on the campus which means leaving the bike there overnight, which is a bit risky! I imagine taking the bike into one of the apartments is a big no no!

I'd not even thought about it being left out overnight :eek:. I was only thinking about during the day.

I suppose that pretty much confirms the best bet is a combination of buying a crappy old bike AND a really good lock.

Tonyandthewhale

Galway isn't a bad town for bicycle thievery in my experience (not as bad as Dublin and I don't think it's as bad as Limerick either) so I wouldn't be so worried about that (a good u-lock is still a good idea as there are still thieves out there). I'd be more worried about drunken lads kicking in the wheels or otherwise damaging the bike for a laugh if you left it locked up outside in town or on campus at night, I don't know how big an issue this is but it does happen from time to time.

For that reason I'd go with a cheaper beater bike (and a u-lock) if I was going to be locking it up outside at night. There's also the fact that bikes left outside will rust quicker which is a shame for a nice bike.

Having said that don't bother with a beater bike unless you can find something half-way ridable as a big heavy mountain bike or the likes just won't get ridden. I have left my SCR 4.0 locked in Eyre square with a small cable lock over night in my younger more fool-hardy days and it was fine and I know other people who keep nice bikes outdoors over night in galway and they're still bike owners so don't completely sacrifice a nice bike just because you don't want it stolen.

Tonyandthewhale

As regards getting your bike indoors on campus, I always kept my good bike indoors in my room when I lived on campus and although it was against the rules (a fire risk apparently) it wasn't a problem as they never checked. It's probably the same in Galway although I can't say for sure as none of my Galweigian cyclist friends live on campus.

reallyunique

I've lost quite a few bikes in my time but since I've moved to Kryptonite and stout cable locks together I've lost none.
Regardless of what you get, invest in locks! Not locking your bike properly WILL get it stolen. It's not just losing the bike, it's the pain of trying to get home on foot, the feeling of being f***ed-over by some scumbag and the cost of a replacement bike with all the accessories that really hurts. It encourages the 'young-offenders' to try again too so it's bad karma.

Your bike is not just transport, it's personal. You'll feel bad when it gets stolen regardless of the cost, your bike is just not a disposable item, no matter how cheap it was.

So, get some passable second-hand bike (no rusty, dangerous stuff) and avoid anything shiny or pretty. It'll need full mudguards ('cos it rains in Ireland) and it's better if they're nice and tatty too (no getting new ones and thinking they won't make you a target).
There's lots of bikes that are fun to ride without costing a fortune or looking like they'd sell well. Get a good 'U'-lock and a cable lock, cheap lights and you're good to go.

Never lock it beside a bike with better locks than yours Always lock your bike in a very public area and assume you'll get blind drunk and leave it there all weekend.

Actual choice of bike should be down to the usual hybrid vs road that's been sweated over endlessly here. However, unless Uni has changed a lot in the last 30 years everything is secondary to the three pillars of wisdom, sex, beer and study so the bike should be a good flexible, comfortable all-rounder capable of taking abuse. Being fast over long distances may not be as big a factor in real life as it is on the forums. MTBs are great fun but buy an expensive one and keep it for the weekends. Fixies and single-speed are the fashion accessory du-jour so the really pimped-out ones should be stolen first (park near those!).

Of course, this is just an opinion. If it doesn't suit you I'm sure there'll be another one along in a minute

**Timbuk2**

Thanks reallyunique, that's good advice, I agree completely!

Just one question (really sorry to butt in on the thread Redjeep!, but it's related!) - can you buy second hand bikes in bike shops (do they sell them), or would you be better to look on places like adverts.ie, gumtree, etc.?

DisasterIRL

Try buy from bike shops if possible, it's quite easy to bike a stolen bike from someone online, if you buy one off a bike shop you have a lot more comeback. It's also less likely to be stolen as it's in their interest not to have to give refund or the like

reallyunique

Totally agree with DisasterIRL on this, bike shops will sell trade-ins etc and you can avoid both stolen gear (bad karma) and really dodgy bikes (rusty chains, creaky head-set, basically any of my bikes ) Buy from a shop near the Uni or your home if you can. That way when there's a problem (there will be) you don't have to travel far to get it seen to.

My (just my) experience with bike shops is that at the high-end the staff are pretty snotty to you if you're not known to them from some club or other. It's all a bit of a closed-shop. If you're buying second-hand it'll probably be from a more main-stream shop and they'll be more likely to do the customer service thing. That said, no matter where you go you'll be "the mark" and they'll be selling whatever stock they have so make sure you've done the research and that you know what you want before you go in. Get to ride the bike for a decent while not just in the car-park, whoever is going to ride this should feel comfortable on it. Tell the salesperson what you want the bike for etc and let them make recommendations but if your gut feeling is that they're steering you towards the wrong bike then you're probably right. Be polite but leave and try somewhere else, you can always go back later.

Having said all that, the real bargains live on the net. With adverts.ie I've found that I've ended up buying from families trading up or just clearing out stuff. It's all been very safe and the deals have been good. Just take a look at the seller, the place where the sale is going down, the bike itself. If you've any doubts about either then walk. A quick phone call should give you an idea if it's going to be kosher. It's not worth buying a dodgy bike, ever! Don't fixate on a particular bike or on "getting it by the weekend" or you'll do a lousy deal. Be cheeky, don't be afraid to make a low offer as a lot of "asking prices" are just fantasies. Online bikes will probably need a service, factor it into the price and get it done at your local bike shop. It won't be your last visit so smile when they tell you how much it'll cost.

IMHO bike shops are the ideal places to buy unless you'll maintain it yourself and really know what you're buying. The net may be cheaper up front but in the long run you'll end up in the shop for maintenance and accessories anyway. Might as well have a relationship with 'em from the start.

On buying (generally): Take your time, find the right bike and avoid being sold a new one by some professional sales person. It seems obvious but salespeople make their living by getting you to part with your money, you're just an amateur and you'll easily get steered in whatever direction they want despite the fact that you know it's going to happen and you're very clear headed. Have a type of bike (hybrid, road), a size (whatever is likely to fit) and a condition (bit battered, not too old, not too shiny etc) all written down. Compare what you see with your notes. If it's not right, don't buy it. Give yourself the broadest price range possible, it's far better to get the right bike at the wrong price than the wrong bike at the right price. You're at an automatic disadvantage as you need it for the start of college but try not to get pressured. If there's nothing in the shops then try online but don't buy the wrong bike. Don't forget you can always ask for advice on the forums about a particular bike (take a picture) or online ad. I've never known this place to be short of opinions.

Good Luck!

blorg

Get a decent entry-level second-hand hybrid for about town. Something with Shimano 7 speed that works well but make sure it looks a bit scruffy. Avoid brands like Trek that are appealing to thieves.

If you do this right you'll have a nice riding bike and you don't even need a really good lock. I used two hybrids as beaters over 10 years in Dublin with a general cable lock and neither was ever stolen. This was after losing 4 Trek hybrids in a year (2000) with sawn-through locks and so on. My last one was a Dawes Discovery 201. Great bike, not appealing to thieves.

Buying from adverts.ie, donedeal or so on is fine if you have a bit of cop on, the vast majority of sellers are legit. I'd spend €100-200 on the bike depending on what it was, working condition, etc.

Redjeep!

Thanks everyone. It kind of confirms my thoughts about buying a used hybrid in the €100 - €200 range. I do a lot of cycling myself and can service and fix most problems so hopefully can pick out something.

I'll ask around in my LBS and club and see if anything pops up.

gman2k

DisasterIRL wrote: »

Try buy from bike shops if possible, it's quite easy to bike a stolen bike from someone online, if you buy one off a bike shop you have a lot more comeback. It's also less likely to be stolen as it's in their interest not to have to give refund or the like

What?????


Sure there are stolen bikes out there for sale, like anything that can be sold second hand.
And yes, new bikes come with warranties.........
But then, you can get very good value in the SH private sale market.

goldencleric

Redjeep! wrote: »

So. After yesterday my son's off to NUIG this autumn and wants a bike to get around on. He is a fairly keen cyclist and normally rides my old Trek 1000, but is worried about it getting nicked.

What's the general opinion ?

a) Buy an older beater bike than he won't be too worried about ?
b) Tell him to use the Trek, but buy the biggest U lock we can find like a Kryptonite or similar, that'd probably cost more than the beater bike or
c) build up a retro steel framed single speed bike so he can be cool :cool: ?

It's not so much the cost of the bike as the Trek probably isn't worth too much anymore, it's just the thought of it getting stolen.

I went with option C and never looked back

Honestly though I did get an old steel singlespeed for college, did a nice 10km commute on it twice a day and absolutely loved it. Was nice to be liberated from the crappy bus (not to say the service is crappy because it was actually quite decent, but you know what I mean).

I've been working the last year and cycling isn't really an option unfortunately due to distance. I cannot wait to go back to college in September and get reacquainted with the old thing, oh how I miss it.

cython

gman2k wrote: »

What?????


Sure there are stolen bikes out there for sale, like anything that can be sold second hand.
And yes, new bikes come with warranties.........
But then, you can get very good value in the SH private sale market.

I think he was actually suggesting finding a bike shop that sells second hand bikes, that they may have acquired through trade ins. That way you have some recourse if the bike did turn out to be stolen, while that eventuality is also lessened, as they're more likely to have gotten it from the rightful owner. I mean let's face it, your garden variety bike thief is highly unlikely to steal a bike to trade it in, rather than selling it outright, and bike shops have little incentive to buy bikes without making a sale. Nor is it in their interest to buy a bike that they have doubts over the ownership of.

sarkozy

I'd go for the beater plus good U-lock option. Single-speeds are 'cool' therefore get stolen and impractical for in and around Galway with hills, etc. An expensive bike, locked overnight would be too risky, but a decent, cheap-enough hybrid locked with an ABUS lock would be best. Kryptonite are good, but ABUS are better.