So I will be attending Michigan State this fall. Michigan State's campus is extremely large so I will be in need of a bike. I really wanted to get something nicer than the average Walmart brand. I have been searching for the past few weeks and the white Windsor Dover 1.0 really caught my eye. I am about 5'10" and the size chart puts me with an 18" bike. The problem is I can't find the bike in my size anywhere. So I guess my question is how much difference is there between an 18" and 20"? Would you advise against me getting a 20"? If so, do you have any other bike suggestions? Any advice would be greatly appreciated!

Thanks,
AJ

Just as there are differences in pants, shoe and shirt sizes there are differences in bike sizes. If you wear a size 7 shoe and the store only has a size 9 would you be asking if it would fit??

Pick a different color.

Pick a different bike.............there are boat loads of that comfort/hybrid/city bike style to choose from. They are not all that different in the same relative price points.

I suggest you go no bigger, in fact my first thought was you should consider smaller. College campus bikes get jacked, doesn't matter if it's Ivy League or State schools. Used is a great idea, even better if it's disguised to look like a landfill bike. So, purchase accordingly. A throw away Walmart bike is a suitable option; no one will want it.

Bikes get abandoned , campus security clears the bike racks , and auctions them off .

if you have a secure place indoors for the theft magnet you desire then shop the local bike shops.

Even if the seat tube length of a 20" bike will work for you, the length of the top tube on that size frame might make the bike pretty uncomfortable if you have to lean forward a lot to reach the bars.

If you're willing to make the drive SE a bit (and enter Wolverine territory ), there's always a ton of pretty decent, inexpensive used bikes in Ann Arbor on annarbor.craigslist.org

Good luck!

My suggestion: Draft - Urban Series, Bikes | SEBikes.com

Keep us posted!

- Andy

yeah... pretty much THIS!!!

Hi AJ,

Welcome to BF and to MSU! I work at MSU and bike commute to campus almost year round. The previous posters have pretty much already said what I would say regarding bike theft and abandoned bikes on campus. MSU has a bike store (bikes.msu.edu) that sells both new and used bikes. The new bikes are primarily Fuji which in my mind are good value for the money although you may be able to get better prices on them elsewhere. The bike store just happens to be putting on a big used bike sale tomorrow (August 8th) if you happen to already be in the area you might want to see what they offer. Craiglist always has a good selection of bikes for sale in the Lansing/East Lansing area and as already mentioned the Ann Arbor area is a good place to look at on Craigslist. Lastly, if you want to buy new, there are half a dozen decent local bike stores around town and one very close to campus. I've bought several bikes from Denny's in Okemos and can highly recommend them for their knowledge and service but you'd be quite happy with any of them. I would avoid getting anything expensive or that stands out due to the risk of theft. My fat bike got stolen the very first day I rode it to work because, I suspect, it stood out from the sea of similar bikes it was parked with. The thief used a grinder to cut both my U lock and cable lock so the fact that there are always people moving around campus doesn't seem to be a deterrent. I am fortunate that I can keep my bike in my office and no longer leave it locked outside. The MSU campus is laced with bike paths and you can easily get anywhere on foot or by bike. The Lansing River Trail runs all the way across campus along the Red Cedar River and a separate bikes-only path is currently being constructed alongside the original path to make it even more useful. Good luck on your bike search and welcome to MSU.

You have all been a big help, thank you so much! I've been looking around a little more online, but not much luck. I think I am just going to wait to check out the bike stores around campus. Thanks again!

Do you know how long this sale will last? I will be up in EL this Saturday to help my girlfriend move in early. Thanks for the advise by the way. Go Green!

As far as I can tell the used bike sale is only on for tomorrow. That said, the bike store offers both refurbed and non-refurb bikes year round through the MSU Surplus store near Farm and Service Roads. Last time I was there they had several hundred bikes on display of all types and sizes. Unfortunately they are only open on weekdays from 10-5.

Scratch and dent new stock is also an option, so definitely ask.

- Andy