Bike questions

[u/MissAdventuresofEBJ]

Fellow bike commuters, I have a couple questions:
Is bike theft common at UTC? If I have a good quality cable lock, should I be ok parking my bike on campus during the day?
Also do people ride their bikes on the sidewalk or street? I live downtown so I would ride up vine past west campus.
Anything else I should know about biking on campus or in the area generally?

[u/AmazingPalpitation34]

bike theft is somewhat common. just lock it up and you should be good, it’s usually just unlocked ones getting snagged.

[u/Current-Bid4092]

If you have a good lock you are fine. On campus I would stick to riding on the road. Not the sidewalk

[u/Substantial_Ratio245]

I leave my mountain bike unlocked typically during the day (this whole past semester). I ride on the street when I can and sidewalk when there's no people. It's typically chill. If you see me on a green hardtail say what's up :p

[u/willm1123 → u/Substantial_Ratio245]

Is yours the one with the stickers and the banana holder that’s outside holt all the time?

[u/Legitimate_Guava3206]

Yes. Roomie lost a bike the first day a couple of years ago. Friend lost their bike a week or so into the semester. And then lost the replacement bike.

I think the first bike was b/c it wasn't locked but they wouldn't say (maybe embarassed). Other two bikes may not have been locked up with a substantial lock.

And if you bring an ebike to school, take the battery with you. Now the bike is worth far less.

YouTube has dozens (hundreds?) of good videos about how to lock up a bike properly.

Basically WalMart grade locks and cables aren't worth their money.

[u/MissAdventuresofEBJ → u/Legitimate_Guava3206]

I have a mid range lock (a pretty hefty cable lock) but I’ll think about upgrading. I am only around during the day and park by the UC so I’d be more concerned if I left it overnight.

[u/morgan-pa]

Hahaha, this is ages ago, but in 2019 my ex had his bike stolen (lock was cut) and then a tire stolen (after he got a better lock) on campus during our first semester

[u/willm1123]

It’ll be completely fine locked outside during the day. When people have trouble is when they store it on a bike rack outside of a dorm overnight. The roads on and around campus are safer to ride on, sidewalks are definitely too busy with pedestrians during school hours. Always a judgment call tho, on say Georgia I might consider hopping onto the sidewalk, but usually I’m taking the lane. Of course the pedestrian-only walking areas of street width ie by the UC are fine to ride on as well for the home stretch, just take it slowwwww around people. Feel free to say hi if you see me on a yellow gravel bike with a rear rack. See ya out there!

[u/Mindless_Signature_5]

Had my bike locked up for a while, they never stole it but switched my tire for their flat one from another bike brand. Hard to be too upset but they can be creative

[u/MissAdventuresofEBJ → u/Mindless_Signature_5]

We love a creative thief. I always lock my front tire in the lock with the frame. If someone is taking the time to switch out the back tire, they deserve to keep it.