Barabaika

58cm is on the larger side for him. It's for a leaning forward position.
Road Bike Size Sheet
https://www.ebicycles.com/bicycle-to...i=&b=Calculate
Frame sizes to consider:
55cm, 56cm, 57cm, 58cm, 59cm
21.5", 22", 22.5", 23"


Mountain Bike Size Sheet
Frame sizes to consider:
18", 18.5", 19", 19.5"
46cm, 47cm, 48cm, 49cm, 50cm

ecnewell 

If I was going to build the perfect campus bike, I would start with a 90s hardtail--sturdy, ubiquitous, cheap--and build it into something akin to a Surly Steamroller. Flat bars, single speed, maybe even a coaster brake. Paint it an ugly brown, hop on and go!

FrenchFit 

For a while I lent my son an old Schwinn Twin tandem to ride around the campus in the fall, pickle green as I remember. He reported the bike was a total chick magnet, he was a very popular -- Uber lite. Of course the length of the bike was just about the length of his dorm room.

I think we sold it for $250.

jcb3

If it is an outdoor bike (likely) single speed beach cruiser and a can of wd40

SkyDog75

Genius!

Lascauxcaveman 

Best idea yet!

Apart from that, I'd look at a few CL ads with the lad and discuss the upsides and downsides of each of the categories in consideration. If it was me, 18 years old, in a flat town like Lubbock, I'd want a really crappy looking fixie, with mismatched wheels and tires, fenders and a rear rack.

Loose Chain

You are exactly right. In the old west horse thieves were hung. I do not have a problem with that today. It is not like somebody accidentally steals something.

Bicycles will never be a viable form of transportation until the law treats them as an important resource and not a child's toy.

Paint the campus beater with latex paint. Maybe wax it first. That way you could pressure wash it off. Or, my favorite new discovery, Plasti Dip in matte black. It will peel off.

Bikerider007

Since you said flat land, a cheap fixed gear will blend right in and low to no maintenance is a good thing.

ollo_ollo

From the Eugene OR CL: 80's Schwinn tandem - $50 (Veneta)! Was a OBO also

uncle uncle

An 80's Walmart or Kmart bike, stripped of any derailleur, or derailleur related item, but with brakes that actually stop you. Out of the 1000's of bikes that I see on my daughters college campus, 90+ percent of them are this (minus the brake upgrades). I rode department store quality bikes when I was a kid, clear up to going to college... but I always dreamed of having a quality bicycle, in spite of the junk I was riding. I'm not sure that the opposite situation is corollary, i.e., that a nice bicycle will convince someone to seek a life with a bicycle as a part of it.

Clang

Pre-distressed flat bar singlespeed. Tange 2 frame.

Novara Strada - $100 (Central East)
https://austin.craigslist.org/bik/6067333441.html


Just add 700C wheelset
Raleigh Technium - $50 (Austin)
https://austin.craigslist.org/bik/6091248204.html


Is your burly son man enough to rock a mauve bike? Ditch the goofy tri-bars I guess.
Raleigh Technium 480 - $75 (east austin)
https://austin.craigslist.org/bik/6032297258.html


That Trek 950 sold, but this is nice too. Deore DX stuff.
GT karakoram elite - $125 (hyde park)
https://austin.craigslist.org/bik/6081370857.html

Camilo

I sent both of my kids to college with rigid (no suspension front or rear) mountain bike frames fitted with smooth tires, fenders and a rack. They were perfect for campus use - over curbs, across fields, roads, into town and back, plenty of gearing, etc. Nothing that would be tempting to steal - although people will steal anything - and no great loss if they were.

I made sure they fit and were comfortable.

Think utility only.

Senior Ryder 00 

Another vote for a ridged MTB, set up as 1X. My city/utility bike is a 2004 Fuji Nevada 1 X 8 with faded paint and it rarely gets a second look. It's running 1.25 tires and what look like stock wheels. I live in a hilly section of Salem, OR and the 11-32 cassette with a 42 tooth ring allows me to go almost anywhere and I'm old.

Cheers,

Van

vonfilm 

I purchased a bike off of Austin's Craigslist today, a 93? Trek 930 Singletrack with an 18"/46cm frame. It is in very good shape with no rust and appears to be totally stock. The tires were flat and the rd cable was broken. It is in Electric Plum sun faded in places to white. The sun fading is quite attractive. It has the lugged True Temper OX Comp II Double Butted Chrome Moly frame.

I installed Panaracer Pasella 26x 1.75 tires and left it with my LBS to true the wheels. I was able to get this for only $40. When I get this back I will post some pictures.

I appreciate everyone who commented and made suggestions on what to buy. I was convinced by the consensus that a rigid framed MTB was the way to go and I learned that a MTB calls for a smaller frame than abroad bike. Thanks to everyone.

Clyde1820

28 lbs, lugged steel, fairly bomb proof. And nobody'll bat an eye, in the bike racks. Nice choice for a simple, durable "beater" bike for around campus and town.

ApolloSoyuz1975

I like this idea, especially for a decent bike like the CL Trek. Hope things work out for O/P

yakbass

How about he mows some yards, goes to his LBS, and spends his $ on a bike?


Sorry to be snarky, but if you are footing the tuition, seems reasonable that he invest a little sweat equity to satisfy his needs.


I'll get off my soapbox now (61yo and cranky).

vonfilm 

When this 930 is done I will have about $100 in it. Anything in a LBS would cost far more. If I have to replace it yearly do to theft, I won't mind too much.

My son is a pretty good kid, does very well in his AP classes, is an Eagle Scout, was an offensive lineman on his Varsity team, has a job at a local resteraunt, saves his money for college. He is currently in China for his senior trip in the Global Studies program. The only thing I fault him for is his lack of interest in bicycles.

FlMTNdude

Seems like a lot of people expressed concern about theft. Besides the ugly factor, the other way to prevent theft is make him earn (like minimum wage labor earn) the bike. He may think so now, but it won't kill him. He will know what it took to get it so will make more effort to keep it locked up and secure. Maybe I am not part of the norm here, been working for spending money, then gas and insurance money, etc, since I was 10. He will live.

oddjob2

Congratulations on raising a good one. I have much respect for the young men who attain Eagle Scout ranking. I bailed scouting with 17 merit badges, as I entered prep school in 9th grade.

Lubbock, high theft, really?

dunrobin

Good kid. Good dad. When he comes home ask him to join you for a ride with a spare road bike. After the mtb he might just enjoy/get the thrill.

JReade

Oh brother.

sevenmag

I sent my son off to college with a Schwinn prelude that I happily put some claris components that I had left over on. It lasted exactly one semester before it was stolen because he wasn't particularly diligent about locking it outside his dorm.

I still had his old mountain bike around, but I had given it nearly a complete overhaul because I took it over for hunting purposes. ( I love hunting off a bicycle. ) I gave it up and sent it off to school. Another semester, and other unlocked bike stolen. He did say that the mountain bike was much better suited for on campus use. So I bought him a new, cheap 29er from nashbar when he came home for the summer. When he went back to school, he moved off campus and didn't need the bike. So it sits in my shop gathering dust atm.

What's the moral to all this? Don't send anything expensive, or one that you've put to much work into, and solid hybrid/ mountain type frames will probably work best on campus.

On the upside, when he took the mountain bike back to school, I treated myself to a bikes direct fat bike. Love that thing.

HBCruiser1

Thefts are huge at colleges so yes, keep it simple. And since they're stored outside don't spend much money on them as they'll be virtually destroyed in a couple of years. For a flat campus I'd prefer a SS cruiser, no gears or brakes to adjust or rust.

My main thing to add, send him off with some oil and maybe a pump, the biggest killers of bikes (next to theft) is rusty chains and low tires. Teach him to keep the tires pumped up and the chain lubed and it'll last him through college. And a good U-lock, even if he can only lock the wheel to the frame (saw hundreds of bikes locked like that at my kid's college).

vonfilm 

Here are a few pictures of the 93 Trek 930. What do you think of the sunfaded patina? Repaint or not?
1993 Trek 930 Singletrack by vonfilm, on Flickr

1993 Trek 930 Singletrack by vonfilm, on Flickr

1993 Trek 930 Singletrack by vonfilm, on Flickr
1993 Trek 930 Singletrack by vonfilm, on Flickr
1993 Trek 930 Singletrack by vonfilm, on Flickr
1993 Trek 930 Singletrack by vonfilm, on Flickr

1993 Trek 930 Singletrack by vonfilm, on Flickr
1993 Trek 930 Singletrack by vonfilm, on Flickr
1993 Trek 930 Singletrack by vonfilm, on Flickr
1993 Trek 930 Singletrack by vonfilm, on Flickr