Hope when this message is read, someone might come up with some ideas please. My son started uni in October, based in London. He decided to take his bike with him as it is an half an hour walk each way. He had to park his bike and chained it to rallings outside his hall of residence. Into his second week some dirty dog, stole just his bicycle seat. So we took the bike and replaced a new seat, at the same time we bought an extra lock just to secure his seat. All in all his bicycle has 4 chained locks. One to secure the seat, two to secure the wheels and the third to secure all three together. This morning I had a call from him to say his bike has gone!! I am struggling to come to terms with this news. I know there are worst things in the world then just a stolen bike!
Sorry to hear that. Riding around with 4 locks can't have been much fun either. My only suggestion is to get a 2ndhand one that isn't particularly valuable or smart, that way it would be less tempting. I know friends who remove the seat when they chain their bike up - its all about deterrents. Another thought is do the uni not provide somewhere in the halls as opposed to outside, maybe the student union could help, he can't be the only one?
Crossed fingers I've been lucky over the years with mine
Another alternative - could he get a folding bike? They sometimes even have lockers big enough for these!
Students in Cambridge seem to just leave their bikes unlocked...though they get stolen both locked and unlocked.
I notice people with expensive bikes take the seat and sometimes the front wheel with them. I've already told my son he should buy himself a really old bike when he gets there. Having said that he just wrecked the good bike this morning crashing in the car park when someone in a car came in the exit and he braked hard to avoid them. Only a couple of months since I spent £50 getting it patched up after his last accident.....never his fault of course the cars should get out of his way.....so should pedestrian's old ladies on motility scooters and other cyclists......no interest in riding defensively.....i stand by my decision not to get him driving lessons.
I don't car who's fault it was I've told him not to scream about like he's the only person in the world.
Yes he did get hurt...grazes and I made sure the antiseptic went on as well...bit of sting to make him think.
Don't I sound mean...it's the frustration.....and being screamed at half an hour after the teen hearing test thing I found on another thread!
Thank you for your kind suggestions. The bike is insured, but that hasn't make it any better, for now we have to looked for a receipt that is at least 10 years old. I'm on a looked out at the free cycle site in case someone is getting rid of their old bike. I had thought about the fold up bike, according to my boy they are a bit wobbly. The university does provide a secured bike shack, but the problem is at his residence.
Kea, hope your boy is okay!
Hi Arumlily, he's very sore today and won't be riding his bike for a while looks like front wheel and brakes need replacing! I'm glad he's not a Uni yet (3rd year in 6th form!)...keep having these dramas as you do when you have someone with Asperger's Syndrome. He got his first Uni offer yesterday just before he crashed.
Does your son live in a hall of residence? If so wonder why they don't provide places for bicycles? He needs to make his bike unappealing in some way, having an old one is just one way.
When I was at uni I had a very old bright pink and purple bike - that seemed to do the trick! I also made sure I always left it next to a much nicer looking bike. My friend had to resort to bringing the bike indoors to prevent theft of theirs, although that created a health and safety risk as if we'd had a house fire we would have all had to clamber over it to get out...not ideal...
As others have mentioned, probably the best option is to go for an old bike which isn't attractive for theft (and doesn't hurt so much if it is stolen), even then I would definitely remove the saddle and if it's quick release the front wheel too. I used to find that final year students would often give away their bikes for nothing or a couple of pints as they didn't want to take them home at the end of the academic year (although i appreciate that doesn't help much at this trime of year!!).
Hope it all gets sorted out.
x
Are there any bike shops selling secondhand cheap bikes ....I know you can get them in Cambridge but then it's packed with bikes.
Police auction....may even find your own :(