Originally Posted by
telkanuru
IMO, as someone who's in a vaguely similar position (grad student), the best thing you can do is to find a nice, solid old bike and bring it to a local shop to replace and tune all the necessary bits. You can usually find an old frame for cheap, and basic part restoration is also pretty good.
Also, a lot of colleges will have a bike co-op, which is usually a great place to find refurbished bikes.
http://www.quadbikes.org/ is where I go, for example.
I say all this because anything that looks new on a college campus is going to be a target for theft, and few colleges provide indoor bike storage.
Good luck!
This. You don't want anything that looks very nice on the bike... those are the first to go. This includes accessories... if you have a frame-mounted pump, lights, whatever, take them with you. I was lazy and left some dollar-store bungee cords I use to strap down my bag with, and even those got snatched. You might also keep an eye out for bike "kitchens". Similar to co-ops, but usually more like just a shared shop space. Usually you pay a nominal fee and can use their tools. Great way to learn how to maintain the bike for cheap until you can get your own tools (if you so choose).
Only other suggestion I'd have is to go the folding route. Citizen Bike has some cheap ones, but I've heard mixed reviews. Bromptons are really popular with small folded size, but pricey. Then again, theft is less of an issue. Lots in-between those two price points... might stop by the folding sub-forum to get some ideas. I think for mild to moderate commuting the Citizen Bikes are probably OK. I may be picking one up in a few months, so I guess we'll see. I have some night classes that have me getting out at about 9:30pm, and I'm a little concerned about my Novara Randonee getting stolen at some point. I'd be more comfortable if I can just fold it up, throw it in a bag and take it with me.