I live in student accommodation, which means I cant store my bike inside (€100 fine), Although there are bike racks outside they are unsheltered. There is a bike rack which is half sheltered (Like a bus stop), but that is a 5 minute walkaway, not great as I use my bike to go to classes a lot. I can hire a bike locker but that is a ten minute walkaway. I use my bike to go to work on weekends, around 20 minutes each way. I live in Ireland and it rains around once a week, worse in winter of course. Since bikes deteriorate in the rain is it better to buy a single speed bike for less moving parts, or maybe use a bike shelter.

If most of it is alloy, a bike should be able to get you through a few years without the metal parts (chain, derailleurs, screws, bolts, etc) rusting up too badly if you keep it well-covered.
Eleven81 Nylon Bike Cover Black | Bikewagon
Feel fortunate that you do not have to contend with -17C temperatures.
In your favor, I think your college is being entirely unreasonable for not allowing bikes in.
To answer your question, if you feel that extra gears would help, don't worry about them freezing up. Just keep everything covered. In my neck of the woods, I have had to resort to a propane torch to get locks, derailleurs unfrozen. It works.

A bike cover seems like a hassle as I use the bike a lot, are chain covers worthwhile?

How much do you value your bike?

I'm planning on spending €250 to €500 on a new bike, a single speed or B'Twin Triban 500 SE, my current bike is a heavy, cheap mountain bike

If you are deciding what bike to buy, then consider a belt-driven alluminum bike. No gear components to rust, no chain to rust...the less steel the better.

Buy the cheapest beater bike that will get you where you are going and don't worry about it. It will be garbage after four years in the weather anyway.

My daughter is in the same situation. People buy new bikes for their kids and the university auctions off hundreds of them, abandoned at the end of every school year.

I would spend as little as possible. Graduate, get a good job and then buy a nice bike.

Large universities sometimes have a bike coop where a student can get a cheap bike.


-Tim-

That is an almost every college rule. Simply no room for everyone to keep one inside, especially when you consider a large number of them never see use, and colleges don't want to deal with students lugging them around inside buildings.

Use your current bike unless you have a specific need for something else. Heavy, cheap MTB are perfect for college campuses, where damage is likely when the next guy comes late to class and tosses his bike on the rack in a manner that results in his handlebars in your spokes, and where theft is rampant. Ditch the knobbies, toss some commuter tires on it, and it will suit you well. MTB will keep you more upright than a road bike, too, easier to pick your way through a crowd.

Where can I get some commuter tyres?

Not sure about Ireland specifically, but any bike shop should be able to help you, or if you can change your own tires, the internet.

LOTS of options out there. I used a 1.95" wide version (strictly because that is what the local sporting goods store stocked) of these when I had mine setup strictly for pavement: Kenda Kwest High Pressure 26" Tire > Components > Tires > Pavement Tires | Jenson USA

Once you get rid of the knobbies and cut down on the width, a MTB is quite pleasant to ride on the road. I got caught up riding mine in a group ride of road bikes on the local path this spring, had no problem keeping up.

Do I need a wheel set and tyres or just tyres?

Literally any bike shop should be able to sell you slick tires for your bike.

Chain Reaction seems to have very reasonable prices if you wanted to order online and they are in Ireland for you.

Chain Reaction Cycles | MTB | Road | TRI | Run

If you want covered parking - I would - then this is your best bet. Sporting a bike cover on campus is just asking for someone to mess with your ride. There is covered parking at my workplace but it's a block away from the building in which I work; it's about a 5 minute walk from my desk, not that big of a deal and as a nice bonus I get some hilarious looks as I walk to and fro in kit which of course means my dick is nearly visible.

It may be worth looking at a bunch of the shops around town to see who's buying those abandoned bikes and re-selling them. They're often sold at half the original price, or 100 dollars/pounds/euros, whichever is less.

Folding Bike you may be able to bag it up and stow it under your bed.

Just tires and maybe tubes (depending on width difference of old and new tires and if they are old enough to justify just replacing anyhow), assuming there is nothing functionally wrong with the wheels you have now.

By a lock and recycle plastic bags. Common size from most stores over the seat, something a bit larger for the bars/controls.

Get an old dutch/english 3sp. The ugly black ones nobody wants to steal. Fenders and a chain guard means hou stay clean. They will last years in the elements with minimal makntenance.

I also recommend you don't buy anything fancy. Bike theft is high at college campuses and then there's random damage and vandalism. DItto on the plastic bag to keep the seat dry, and maybe an occasional clean and lube. When finances permit, an off-campus apartment or private room rental somewhere will solve the indoor problem at night.

My sure used a bike, he salvaged out of the garbage, and used it for 3 years to bet back and forth from his dorm. He stored it outside in the northern New York rain and snow. It lasted, but you just have to constantly oil the chain and derailleur.

I prefer the plastic hair shower caps for the seat. You can find them in the women's beauty aisle, they come in a pack of 20 or so for $1. They have an elastic band that keeps them in place, and they crumple down enough that you can shove them up in the seat rails for storage when riding the bike. Actually have one stored under all my bike seats.

I'm going to echo the crowd, and say don't buy anything new. Your old, cheap MTB is perfect for the mission at hand.
Due to the risk of theft, vandalism, and just plain accidental damage, you don't want anything that is obviously a 'nice bike.'
An alloy framed, belt drive, disc brake hybrid would make a wonderful all-weather commuter, but it'd get stolen inside of a month if it's stored on a public bike rack.

For the weather, use a plastic bag over the seat to protect the vinyl/leather/foam, it's easy to stuff in a pocket while you ride, then tie it over the seat when you leave it for the day.
Use a spray penetrating oil on the chain, and cogs to prevent rust; WD-40, JB80, TKX, etc. It's not the best, but it'll keep the parts moving, and is easy to apply, just give it a quick squirt, and wipe with a rag (or not)
If you can find it, get a spray White Lithium grease, with a needle applicator and get some in to the shifter mechanisms. Again, there's better options, but it will keep the moving parts inside alive when left in the elements.
Get a decent lock; I like one with a cypher instead of a key, so there's nothing to loose, and a long cable to wrap around the frame / wheels, it makes it more akward to steal than a U-lock alone.

I'd even leave the tires alone, at least utill they wear out. With most of your riding under 30 minute trips, going to slicks won't make that much difference, and having knobby tires means that any more-or-less horizontal surface is available to use, if needed.

If you do go with another bike, keep it as low key as possible. I had an older Cannondale MTB (still a $1000 bike) that I had to store outside for a year at ODU. It was successful, other than having a set of $15 BMX pedals stolen off of it, due flat-black paint job, and mostly subdued finishes. (the pedals were anodized purple)

I used the above tips, and tried to rack it in conspicuous places (right by the front door)

By a lock and recycle plastic bags......lay a lonely bike in need of care.

Of course I meant "buy", where's the edit button?

OP says he will get fined. This is typical at many universities. They don't distinguish between transportation and athletic equipment.


-Tim-

Well the old Houses, ex warehouses, on the canals in AMS were taxed by the frontal width. so they are narrow.

then the Old Oma and Opa bikes stayed on the street , locked up so as to not get thrown in the water, or nicked.