wrk101

Doesn't really matter what you paid for it, its what it is worth to you. My favorite bike cost me $15, getting it stolen would be a really bad day. And I am not finding a replacement for $15.

Myself, if he wants FG, I'd just get one of those crappy Thruster bikes at Walmart. Or better yet, pick up a used Walmart/box store MTB.

At a recent visit to a college campus, almost all the bikes I saw were beat up Walmart junkers.

Johno59

Yeh, I thought as much as well. But the daughter is a 95 lb, vegan gynecologist, who literally wouldn't hurt a fly. I just think it was a stupid kid who didn't realize he could have easily killed someone.
The moral of the tale is make sure your kids test their brakes every time they mount up. Bit like checking your safety - you can't do often enough.

nlerner

You're always going against the grain, Tom, but an ingrained habit might be more, uh, habitual.

KonAaron Snake 

I'm really not trying to be argumentative, but this just doesn't track for me...stealing brake pads? It reads like an attack or maybe a prank? A rather vicious one. I'd really report this to campus security and see if there are cameras.

I'd assume if the person had a tool to loosen brake pads, they could also pull other parts that would be easier to sell/more valuable.

Anyway - best wishes, and glad she's OK! I've had brakes fail while riding (once with a three seat tandem!!!), and it is NOT fun.

riva

This whole thing depends on how bad the area is.. I've no idea, but I'd do a eighties ladies $50 mtb if its sooper bad. Low top tube discount.. and paint schemes just as rad!

I had bikes stolen at college. After a $20 murray bmx went missing I gave up. Just walked.

Johno59

The police were pretty shocked as to the implications of what could have happened. But they said it wasn't the first time that week they'd heard of such. Perhaps a YouTube site depicting mad cyclists FAILs running red lights at the bottom of a hill was their depressing explanation of the culprits MO.
I spoke to the world-famous LBS owner and he got really upset. He'd never heard of stealing brake pads but he furiously recounted how some kid walked into his shop and took down his personally bespoke built commuter off the display wall and rode off on it. So nothing on God's good earth surprised him. Poor guy was still furiously upset by his loss.
Be prepared, it only takes a few seconds to check your brakes and wheel nuts are secure

stormpeakco

If no other choice besides a U lock then I'd go w/ two Pragmasis U locks (or Laclede vs. Pragmasis security chain w/ higher grade shrouded shackle padlock).

kingston 

My daughter transferred to Northwestern this Fall, and I bought her a 2004 Fuji Osaka in great shape for two hundred bucks, put new B&M lights on it, and gave her the same master u-lock I used when I went to NU thirty years ago.

ltokuno

I use two u-locks. One for locking a wheel and the frame to the rack, and the other for locking the other wheel to the frame. It's easier than a u-lock and cable.
I go to a school with tons of bikes on campus (70k+ students) and bike theft here is rampant. It's not really the lock that's going to deter theft. It's the situational stuff. For example, I never leave my bike overnight anywhere, and when I lock it up I do it in a place that gets some decent foot traffic. When I can I use the bike lockers or the valet service. I also tend to lock it up in the middle of other bikes. Doing this I don't think anyone has noticed the Dura Ace 7400 parts on it. People just tend to think it's just another college kid bike.

Johno59

I was having a pint in the middle of London just before midnight and this guy came up and unlocked his really nice bike.

He pulled a nice brown Brooks from his bag and remounted it. He then unlocked the front wheel from where it had been locked to the rear frame, took out the front skewer from his bag and mounted it on the forks. He then unlocked the rear rest of the bike from the post and returned the rear skewer thru the rear axle and secured it.

He straightened the handlebars and tightened them. Then a pair of pedals where mounted, lights, camera action. Good to Go. It took him less than five minutes.

I spoke to him briefly about his routine and he said that because of theft he was now unisureable and coz he refused to ride a beater the hassle was necessary, but it had worked for over a year and was definitely worth from every aspect.

dualresponse

I remember my bike in college (1988-1992)- it made it through. Lots of good memories. Just restored it, but it also got a lot of abuse/ outdoors/dings/ wear/etc. I remember getting to college my freshmen year, on my first day having to lock the bike outside, where it promptly got drenched in a late summer downpour, and I felt helpless that I couldn't bring it in.

I remember taking the seat/seatpost out so it wouldn't get stolen. Not only would rain go straight down the seatpost, I had to walk around with a silly seat. Eventually, I left the seat/seatpost on the bike, where it got stolen.

I also remember several other people on campus who had their bikes stolen. There was always that element of stress.

I'd say, either mentally be ready to let the bianchi "go" and be cool with that decision, or craiglist him a bike for "his" adventures. Maybe, 30 years from now, he can restore "his" ride- being the bianchi, or whatever he gets on CL.

noglider 

Another idea: Equip your son with two bikes. I had my new pride and joy stolen from me in my sophomore year in college. My roommate loaned me the bike he wasn't using. It created an appreciation for beater bikes. I soon replaced the pride and joy with a fine bike which I rode on weekends and didn't lock up.

dylanschaw

Yes, I remember my first bike at college (1993-1997) too. Sadly that I didn't have enough time for riding because a lack of time. But I never regret of studying at college, to be honest. Everything was fine except for the lack of time. Those days were pretty damn good.

jadocs

Due to unforeseen circumstances, overnight I could see.....but three months????

KonAaron Snake 

Don't ask me...it wasn't my bike when that happened.

My GUESS is that a kid got his dad's bike. Whether inherited, handed down...I don't know. I do know that the frame was sold by an equipment manager at one point, and ended up at a shop in Wiss. That shop was sold and the current owners knew nothing about it and were distinctly disinterested.

This is conjecture, but I think it's good conjecture...

When I got the bike, the brake pads were fubar and he used Shimano cables with campy ergo levers. They were jammed in the brakes and the bike didn't function. I SUSPECT what happened is that the kid ended up with a bike that wasn't appropriate for his use, and which cost more to maintain than he wanted to spend. When he used the wrong cables, he got frustrated and abandoned it.

I believe I've (mostly) done right by the bike, though I kept it campy rather than restoring it to 7400. I do have all the bits to make that happen, including the Wolber Profil rims and avocet ti saddle. I tried to contact Steve Bauer about it once, but he never returned messages.

jadocs

Oh ok...yeah I couldn't imagine someone on BF doing that on purpose with such a nice bike.

KonAaron Snake 

I would not leave one of Steve Bauer's bikes outside.

deux jambes

Spotted in the wild...

Chombi1 

Mehhh!...... just forget about the plan to lend your kid the nice Bianchi......and avoid all the stress and worrying.
Just take a trip to the big box store and buy a cheap, welded aluminum, town bike beater or even an adult scooter to get him started.
If he wants a fancier bike, he can save up his allowance or work at campus and also be responsible for its security by buying his own lock and figuring out for himself how to keep the bike safe. That's what my brothers and I, and a lot of our college cycling friends did.... it should still work for college kids today.
Anyway, it will be a good learning experience before he gets to be responsible for bigger stuff like a car, house and family....

P!N20

"Hey let's steal this bike...nah, I heard those brakes suck."

ltokuno

I have seen this far too many times on campus.

Johno59

Looks brand new

noglider 

Yeah, cable locks are a joke. I used a cable cutter through one, and it was like a pair of scissors going through paper.