Student proofing a bicycle

[Milkfloat]

When I was at Uni I had a secondhand BSO - it was treated as disposable, but I kept it all 4 years and junked it at the end. I did not need my parents help in deciding what I needed and how to look after it, getting away from all that was one of the reasons for going to Uni.

 

[swansonj]

When I was at Uni I had a secondhand BSO - it was treated as disposable, but I kept it all 4 years and junked it at the end. I did not need my parents help in deciding what I needed and how to look after it, getting away from all that was one of the reasons for going to Uni.

I take the point about not micro-managing a student-age child's life. However, that cuts both ways. We want her to have as much freedom to enjoy herself in whatever ways she chooses ... and I figure she'll be better placed for that if she starts out with a means of transport that is enjoyable, functional, and as reliable as possible. Me, I was different, fettling a bike and scouring all the multiple bike shops of my university town for ultra-cheap components was part of the fun, but I've got enough sense to realise that she's different, and the parenting error would be to assume she has to enjoy her cycling in the same way I do.

 

[Pale Rider]

Chain it to her wrist.

 

[w00hoo_kent]

From experience, a lot of people will turn up with bikes, most won't use them at all, those that do use them the majority won't bother locking them. So some security makes use of the one eyed man is king metaphor. Ours had an integral wheel lock on the bike they took which was really useful (like the one linked to on page 1 almost definitely) and didn't lose the bike in 3 years use mainly relying on a Knog Party Frank (which looks wimpy as anything to me, but they refused to carry a heavy chain around) and the wheel lock. The bike lived inside from the second they were out of Halls, which was a couple of months in to the first year because they hated halls.

Again, the bike didn't look special (the mixte we have bought very second hand from a local guy who does up bikes and sells them from his driveway for charity) and it had no maintenance done to it to make it any better, although the single speed and the hard tail Commencal also saw use at Uni and still managed to stay un-stolen. Also no maintenance at all except the times they came home. Nothing special on tyres, I don't think there were many/any punctures, but if they were they walked the bike to an LBS and paid to have it sorted (students, loads of disposable time). The mixte had a pair of new continentals on it but nothing special.

If you are going N+1 (which sounds unlikely) then wait until you know the distances and consider a town bike as it'll be set up to cope with having nothing done to it for ages and will be enough bike for her to pootle around on.

 

[User33236]

Pay £18 and get her cycle 'breakdown cover'?

https://www.eta.co.uk/breakdown/bicycle/cycle-breakdown-faqs/

 

[seraphina]

As others have suggested, I would seriously consider buying a cheap ratbike for uni. No quick release anything - pranksters will remove saddles etc just because they can, not necessarily because they want to actually steal anything. Lights - quick release so you can bung them in your pocket/bag.

If she does want to bring her nice bike, be very, very sure it's insured, either through your home contents or a specific policy.

Hope she gets the results she wants!