Mickeymann

My son is an incoming freshman at Univ. of Oregon....pretty flat campus, lots of rain. I'm getting him a bike for high school graduation. He thinks he needs a single speed road bike to get around campus. Is a hybrid better? With the wet weather and parking outside, what is the right bike for this kid? $300 budget.

MRT2

A new bike for college? Look for something used. Old, 90s or early 2000s era hybrid. Might even be a good thing if it looks a little beat up. College campuses are magnets for bike theft. Make sure you get him a decent lock as well.

Pompiere

I have had two in college and about to send a 3rd, so I have seen a few campus bike racks.

The bikes are going to be outside in the weather, and jammed in a cluster, so a new bike is not going to look that way for long. Look at the bikes in the racks when you go on a tour. You don't want something that stands out as a theft magnet. My ideal campus bike would be old and beat up, but mechanically sound. Single speed mechanical bits are easier to keep working than a fragile derailleur.

Check on where he has to park the bike, in relationship to where his classes are. My daughter stopped riding her bike because the time to put the bike in the rack didn't make it any faster than just walking.

gpburdell

Not to mention the social aspect of talking to friends (and dating prospects) as he's walking between classes may dissuade bike use.

I'd suggest something else for a nice graduation gift and shop craigslist for an ugly yet mechanically sound bike. Especially if you're near any large college and graduating seniors are unloading stuff.

rumrunn6

my 2 cents, let him pick out his own bike, then let go of whether it's a good choice.

personally I wouldn't get a college kid a new bike cuz it will likely be vandalized or stolen, but that's my opinion

Mickeymann

Great advice, folks. I appreciate the insight.

cycleheimer

If you can, or know somebody who can, true wheels and make other adjustments to a bike just out of the box...
Nashbar Hounder Single-Speed Road Bike


Nashbar Argyle Single-Speed Bike

www.nashbar.com











Follow the special discounts they offer. You can catch 20% off sales now and then, which can also be a great time to stock up on accessories. Another good time to stock up on "bike stuff" is during their "at least 72% off on 72 items for 72 hours" sales. Some reviewers said the saddles on the bikes above were uncomfortable, but you sometimes catch those for about $12 on sale at Nashbar.

As far as hybrids go, for example, second hand Treks from the '90s are pretty nice. Sometimes you catch them in excellent shape for $100+/-. Make sure the frame size is correct. The components and frame material are usually indicators of how good the overall quality is. Pretty decent new tires can be had online for about $30 a pair when on sale. BTW, heavier riders may do better with mountain bikes and wider tires. Include a helmet, lock and cable, patch kit, foot pump, multi-tool, and a spare inner tube or two with the bike.

fietsbob

Spend a Lot on Strong Locks since College Bike racks are a bike thief's hunting grounds ..

CliffordK

Is your kid here in Oregon yet?

Fixies and single speed (not quite the same) are popular , but I've never figured them out.

Eugene has a wonderful network of riverside and canal side bike paths which are flat and would be great for a fixie. To the north it is relatively flat. However, in all other directions it can be hilly (not so great for fixie bikes).

I'm not a MTB person, but there are some active local MTB groups and some trails for riding.

$300 is low for buying a good "road bike", although apparently there are quite a few good used ones listed on Craigslist in Southern California. You could buy an OK (cheap) fixie for that amount for getting around campus.
I agree, get him involved.

It might be a fun last family project to hunt down a good used bike on Craigslist. Tune it up in the garage, then send him off with it. Get exactly what he wants.

Or, perhaps send him up to Oregon with $300 in the pocket and have him buy a bike here, and thus you don't have to worry about shipping and transportation.

Eugene used to have a theft problem. I don't know what it is like now.

I rode a pretty nice Colnago road bike through my college years and never had a problem.

It was under the bed when in my Co-op. I think I had it often locked right outside the door at my quad (and usually walked the half mile to campus). But I also commuted the 8+ miles to campus from my parent's house on it. I might have been saved by the huge popularity of the MTBs at that time, but I was always very particular about locking my bike, and it was never left out on campus at night. I think when I would study late, I often brought it inside the building with me.

jskash

I would suggest looking for a bike that does not have quick release wheels and saddle. They would be way to easy to steal.

Korina

College student? Because I have to agree; beater bike that runs well. Bike theft is a cottage industry here, especially at Humboldt State University (aka Hills and Stairs University), so CraigsList or a bike co-op should have something for you. Also, if you go in knowing there's a chance your bike will be stolen, you won't be as shocked if it happens. Here's hoping it doesn't.

l_Simmons000

What rating do you use to choose the best bike for students? Is there some kind of scale of choice or is it all rather arbitrary and does not affect anything. After all, I can recommend several modern options. Of course, choosing them isn't as easy as continuing to college.

Outrider1

I like his idea of a single speed road bike.

lateflyer 

Daughter's boyfriend has had two stolen on a campus you wouldn't have thought it would have been a big problem. I agree with others, cheap looking bike that works well and spend extra on a good lock.

blacknbluebikes 

You MUST assume this bike is going to be stolen. This posture leads to a "no tears" situation. In fact, I'd say "you take this bike to school and if you make good marks, I'll get you a better one for off-campus use in the future." My high-school graduation present, a nice SLR camera, was ripped-off from my dorm room on the second day of freshman year - and I'm STILL bummed about it (don't ask). Get a used hard-tail mountain bike, wrap it with used inner-tubes, get a big U-lock/cable combo that isn't too easy to cut (they all are to some extent) and possibly invest a little to make the fit right. One day you just might get the call of "well, Dad, you were right. they stole it" and, as parent of two college students - you won't hear that "you were right" too often. I'd give them the bike as a "go get 'em" present, not as a graduation present.

Delmarva

It sounds like he knows something about bikes. So just take him shopping at a bike store and let him pick. And get a good lock that can be secured to a rack.

My son changed careers and went back to school at UNC Chapel Hill with a nice mountain bike and a cheap lock. Bike was stolen within the first semester. The replacement had a much better lock and survived the rest of school.

sande005

I'm way past collage age, but the above tales ring true. Bought a real beater of a bike the summer after high school graduation, and spent a fair amount of $$ replacing/upgrading the components and making sure it was perfect mechanically. It looked horrible, but rode great. Included a very stout lock. Stolen 3 days after I arrived on campus! From then on, I didn't have a bike unless I was living somewhere where I could bring it inside.
He will be transporting things while riding, whether via backpack or strapped on to a rack - so have him test out his potential steed for such use.

eatontkd

1971 Schwinn
My daughter rides a 1971 Schwinn for all her campus jaunts. It was cheap,($25.00) easy for her to maintain, and nobody "wants" it!!