General Cycling Discussion - More bikes on college campuses this year?

Maybe it's just the nice weather (and that I didn't really take note of the number of bikes last September), but I've noticed a TON of bikes at my college in the first week and a half of the semester. Around 11:00 this morning I went to get my bike and drop some stuff off at my house (3 miles off-campus), when I got to the rack (which MAY be built to fit 10 bikes) I saw 15-20 bikes locked up (some locked to each other) and one seemed to be cabled to a pillar near the rack.

Besides the volume of bikes, I've been impressed by the variety. Most of the bikes are still knobby-tired mountain bikes, but I've seen some slick-tired mountain bikes, a few old road/touring bikes (I ride a 1985 Trek 620), a couple of cruisers, what looked to be one single speed mountain bike, and one adult tricycle.

I figure (and hope) that the number of bikes out will decrease as the weather gets worse. Even though we have what seems like 50 racks on campus, to my knowledge, only two are actually covered by a roof.


Do any other college students/faculty/staff notice more bikes around this year?

Maybe it's just the nice weather (and that I didn't really take note of the number of bikes last September), but I've noticed a TON of bikes at my college in the first week and a half of the semester. Around 11:00 this morning I went to get my bike and drop some stuff off at my house (3 miles off-campus), when I got to the rack (which MAY be built to fit 10 bikes) I saw 15-20 bikes locked up (some locked to each other) and one seemed to be cabled to a pillar near the rack.

Besides the volume of bikes, I've been impressed by the variety. Most of the bikes are still knobby-tired mountain bikes, but I've seen some slick-tired mountain bikes, a few old road/touring bikes (I ride a 1985 Trek 620), a couple of cruisers, what looked to be one single speed mountain bike, and one adult tricycle.

I figure (and hope) that the number of bikes out will decrease as the weather gets worse. Even though we have what seems like 50 racks on campus, to my knowledge, only two are actually covered by a roof.


Do any other college students/faculty/staff notice more bikes around this year?


I don't know how big your campus is, but at the University of Wisconsin, it's motorized scooters that people use.

I expect that we'll see more bicycle and scooter usage as gas prices and insurance rates continue to climb (in Toronto/Ontario, insurance is obscene in its pricing). Add to that the fact that students are poorer than in previous years, along with a rising debt load and it becomes an issue of cost savings more than anything else. (plus it can help battle the freshman 10 -- weight gained during the 1st year).

I know I'm seeing more bicycles this year at York (Seneca College and York University) combined as well as more students than ever.

I don't know how big your campus is, but at the University of Wisconsin, it's motorized scooters that people use.

My college (http://www.tcnj.edu/~ccr/maps/) is not big at all. We have about 5,700 students and we have one real road that goes around the outside of the campus (the rest of the "roads" that are marked on the map are just extra-wide sidewalks that are just wide enough to fit one campus service vehicle).

I have noticed a few oddities this year. (I'm in campus law enforcement) True, mostly low-to-mid range MTBs, but lots more hybrids than usual. Also, I've noticed a few brands (probably Chinese) of low-end roadsters. These are new, usually set up with "aero" brakes and downtube shifters, and rather cheezy components.

At least one fixie and a couple of singlespeeds, and we have several of the faculty riding recumbents.

Ive noticed a bit more on campus this year compared to last. It could be due to gas prices and amazing weather this past week, but theres still a lot of people out. Most of them are huge mountain bikes but Ive seen 2 fixed gear bikes other then my own. I cant wait to actually run into one of these guys and say whats up. Were definately the minority.

Haven't really noticed more bikes. Then again there are always tons of bikes here, so it's hard to tell.

Some huge nests of bikes on Stanford!

My college (http://www.tcnj.edu/~ccr/maps/) is not big at all. We have about 5,700 students and we have one real road that goes around the outside of the campus (the rest of the "roads" that are marked on the map are just extra-wide sidewalks that are just wide enough to fit one campus service vehicle).

And that one road is a perfect 1 1/2 mile loop around the campus with a couple of small hills...nice to ride if you want to avoid the surrounding traffic.

I'm in campus law enforcement

I completely forgot about campus police. Apparently, our police have a bike patrol team, but I've only seen a member of it out riding once (and it was over the summer). Hopefully with gas prices where they are, the police will do more patrols on their bikes.


And that one road is a perfect 1 1/2 mile loop around the campus with a couple of small hills...nice to ride if you want to avoid the surrounding traffic.

I couldn't agree more. It's probably one of the nicest roads in Ewing that's not near the Mountain View golf course.

Strange to think when I was at college (in the UK) the most popular mode of transport was a 125cc motorbike.
At the age of 16 you could buy yourself a little 125cc bike, stick a couple of 'L' plates on it and of you went. Before you could drive a car you had to wait till you were 17, have some lessons and then take your test. Considering it took on average a year to pass their test ment most people were riding around on smallish motorbikes for a couple of years before they had regular access to a car.
Maybe that's why bikes and cycles seem more accepted over here, most people had at least a couple of years .

<snip> Do any other college students/faculty/staff notice more bikes around this year?
No. Only more SUVs. Duke students don't ride bikes, they are just herded around in air-conditioned shuttle buses. I would say that most cyclists on campus are faculty and staff. For every new bike arriving on campus in the fall semester, an equal number will be abandoned by the end of the school year.

I've definitely noticed more bikes at UNC. Just another reason why we are better than Duke :p.

I expect that we'll see more bicycle and scooter usage as gas prices and insurance rates continue to climb (in Toronto/Ontario, insurance is obscene in its pricing). Add to that the fact that students are poorer than in previous years, along with a rising debt load and it becomes an issue of cost savings more than anything else. (plus it can help battle the freshman 10 -- weight gained during the 1st year).


That's funny I lost 5 pounds down to 119 my freshman year.

That's funny I lost 5 pounds down to 119 my freshman year.

How long ago was that? Recent reports suggest that students are putting on weight rather than losing it because they are taking cars to classes and eating fast food.

I couldn't agree more. It's probably one of the nicest roads in Ewing that's not near the Mountain View golf course.

WORD!!!