How much is too much?
 

I've asked this before but my mind still isn't made up.

Is riding a fifteen hundred dollar road bike to school practical/overkill?
I have a fahgettaboudit mini u-lock with insurance and a cannondale mini u-lock
with a four foot long cable lock
I plan to use all three locks to secure my bike.

I really don't want to drive to school.

I spent so much money on this bicycle but I feel that if I DO ride it to school,
I'd be getting more of my money's worth by using it everyday.

But is it practical or safe? Should I spend another cruel self earned 400 dollars to
buy a commuter bicycle and save my road bike for the occasional group ride/sport etc?

I know the guys down at the road bike forum would hate to be reading this. :o Haha

Can I have one's opinions? :rolleyes:

Probably depends on the crime level where you live.

Pretty much crime free. Maybe the occasional ******bag.

I'd ride it if you feel safe about the area.

Yeah, ride. It's why you have it, isn't it?

Also:
If there's a bike rack near a main entrance, it's probably in view of a camera too, if that makes you feel better. One further, it won't hurt to get to know the security folks. (I'm assuming you're talking college, here.) I take 'em coffee and bagels occasionally. Not only is it decent karma, they know me, they know my bike, and one of them even now takes smoke breaks near the rack.

Maybe it helps, maybe it doesn't, but hey, nobody's life was ever made worse, nor have the chances of a bike being stolen ever gone up, because security likes you.

What frame material? I would never lock up my carbon, but if you feel comfortable locking your bike up then go for it. You know the area better than us. Also how long is the commute to school? The nice thing about commuting on a road bike is your end of day commute can turn into a nice longer ride.

I occasionally ride my $1500-ish road bike to school here. However, we're grad students off the main campus and so crime at our mini-campus is nonexistent. I wouldn't lock up on the main campus for long.

The main reasons I don't ride my roadie in more often are 1) I don't want to put a rack on it, and B) I hate hauling in an extra pair of shoes.

Ride what you have and LOCK the bike properly. If you are really that concerned purchase a used craigslist beater but still lock it up properly.

I have just a little over 3 grand in my Xtracycle/commuter/utility/pleasure/winter/motor vehicle replacement ride. I also have and sometimes use three different locks,(when I am in a area that I feel is sketchy), in such a manner that a thief would have to defeat all three locks separately, Most of the time in the area where I roll I can just free-lock it (U-lock through front wheel and frame). It doesn't hurt that my bike weighs about 112 pounds, so not many people are willing and/or able to carry it very far.

You are in high school right? I would be more worried about vandalism than theft. If you do ride the bike, keep it low key. Don't show up in full cycling kit bragging about your great new bike. Let's face it, high school kids can be mean especially if you are not one of the "cool" kids.

If you can honestly say you are not worried about your classmates doing stupid stuff to your bike then I say go for it.

Paul

If its low crime, just lock it up good and don't worry about it.

Buy a pair of locking wheel skewers (and replace the QR on your seat post if it has one) so you can use just the U-lock, and ride it everywhere.

Avoid leaving it out in the rain; dry it off and re-lube it if it gets wet.

I guess I'll be the first one to say no. It only takes one scumbag to ruin your day. They don't even have to take your bike. They can just go for the components too.

I have a $1500+ bike and the only reason I bring it to work is because I have a bike locker. If I need to stop by anywhere else where I need to lock up the bike to a rack I bring my $500+ beater. The peace of mind it gives me is worth it. YMMV.

You can always ask the teachers of they'll allow you to bring it inside.

This is very similar to my situation and the way I feel about it. I have an approximately $1500 road bike that I love to ride but will not commute on it so I am bike commuting on a beater used hybrid bike that I have set up ideally for what I need. I am sure it does have to be said that I work in a place where theft has to be kept in the back of your mind all the time. However, even if theft was not a problem at all I would guess that I would still leave the road bike at home just in case the random act of criminal behavior would happen.

Only on BF would someone call a $500 bike a beater. :)

+1

If you're in high school, this is a very good option. Any tenured teachers you're in good with? They often have offices. One step beyond a dedicated classroom, and generally either occupied or locked.

Keep in mind that the lock insurance will only pay up if you can provide evidence the lock was compromised, so if they compromise what the bike was *locked to*, or if the would-be thief takes the evidence with them, you are out of luck. I would get insurance on it separately (ie renters insurance)

If this is a college campus with lots of bikes (of which yours will look nicest) I'd say get a beater.

Also keep in mind that aside from theft risk if you are locking up everyday in a rack with lots of other bikes there are risks of dings and scratches so you may want to get some protective pads to wrap around the bike if you are concerned with keeping its appearance pristine.

Just use a 4th lock, something like a giant chain from Kryptonite would be good. You can leave that at the school. With 4 locks, i don't think any thief would bother with your bike.

This. My most expensive bike isn't worth $500. Hell, the bike I'm converting to a winter commuter cost me less than the rack I'm buying for it.

To the OP -

If its a low crime area, similar bikes are being parked, and you have no enemies. Go ahead and ride the spendy ride.

Otherwise, you might think of finding another option.

My sentiments precisely. My hybrid cost $319.99 brand new. I have put probably $150 into it in accessories though. I would simply **** myself if it got stolen. Lots of bike thievery on my campus, so I paid $5 for the right to use the bike lockers in the parkade in lieu of using the bike racks at the front of the college.

I would only park a $1500 bike in extremely secure bike parking.

+1

I've seen well-locked up bikes outside, and people couldn't steal it, so they just took a baseball bat and went to town on them. Bent the frame, slashed the tires, etc. Also remember that locks are merely theft deterrents and not prevention tools. Any lock can be defeated with enough time and the right tools.

What can I say? I have a very nice steel bike that I picked up for $50 but don't really use anymore. So i've delegated the beater duties to my AL road bike since the ride is so much better. So sue me.:p

EDIT: I believe my signature says it all.:D

I wouldn't lock up either unless I had a true beater. I am paranoid.
Heck, my beater's frame was $700.
It's not really a beater. ;)

How far are you riding?