Riding a Bike to Class: Students & Faculty Experiences

[Hepth]

Well it says:
"Note: Not as pictured, Pedals do NOT come with clip/straps and Forks are BlackCarbon finish NOT Body colored"

I'll likely replace the plastic pedals (I am assuming they will be plastic) with some dual sided aluminum ones anyway. I remember breaking those plastic ones as a kid. There is a local bike shop down the road from me, within riding distance to true the wheels. I want to do all the setup of the derailleur and such myself. I am more than capable, and probably more precise than most at calibration/metrology. I could do the wheels myself, but I don't have the rig to do it.

The derailleur i think will come already setup if its anything like the one i got. Its almost completely put together.

 

[jtbell]

I want to urge you to wear a helmet.

Seconded. I'm alive today because I was wearing a helmet when I got sideswiped by an old guy in a pickup truck while riding my bike thirteen years ago. I woke up as the EMTs were loading me into an ambulance. I think the local police still have the cracked helmet for show-and-tells in schools.

No head injury except for that brief concussion. I did have three broken bones elsewhere, and had to spend most of the summer living on the reclining chair in our living room because I couldn't get out of bed easily until the bones healed.

 

[MATLABdude]

Just to cover the bases, make sure you know what the bylaws and regulations are regarding cycling in your municipality or county. For instance, mine treats cyclists as slow moving, non-licensed vehicles when on the road (with attendant duties to signal, obey traffic signals, stop for pedestrians, etc.) and requires a bell (to signal passes) and reflectors.

My city publishes a bike map, but it was last updated four years ago (and bike trails were greatly revamped within the last two). I was recently delighted to discover that Google Maps now has an option for cyclists, taking them through designated cycling and lower-traffic paths (where available):
http://googlemapsbikethere.org/2010/03/10/google-bike-directions-are-now-live/

For instance, if you like cycle touring, Google estimates it'd take you 11 days to cycle from Rogers Arena in Vancouver (home of the Canucks) to TD Gardens in Boston (home of the Bruins):
http://maps.google.com/maps?saddr=R...AFoA&vpsrc=0&dirflg=b&mra=ls&t=m&z=4&lci=bike

 

[ArcanaNoir]

That's a good point about bike rules. For example, at UF in Gainesville you can get a ticket for riding your bike on the side walk, not having a headlight after dark, riding your bike through a crosswalk, or wearing headphones while riding your bike. Other universities do not take the bike rules quite so seriously.

 

[QuarkCharmer]

The Florida bike laws are entirely reasonable, and my university apparently has shower facilities for such travel which is news to me. There are no headphone regulations or other rules except for the headlight during night hours which really won't apply to me anyway.

 

[QuarkCharmer]

Well, it's a done deal. I'll let you guys know how it goes in ~5 days when it gets here. Any other advice is appreciated.

 

[turbo]

Well, it's a done deal. I'll let you guys know how it goes in ~5 days when it gets here. Any other advice is appreciated.

Good luck. As with any big investment, anti-theft is important. Don't rely on padlocks or other locks that use flat keys with internal pins. Those can be picked in seconds. Depending on construction and wear, combination locks can be defeated quickly, too. I think that your best bet is a cylinder lock with a cylindrical key, like you see used in vending machines. Very tough for a novice to pick.

We didn't have very good bike-locks available 40+ years ago, but the creeps had ready access to VERY good bolt-cutters. After buying two new 10-speeds for thieves, I gave up and walked. A guy on my floor (dorm, freshman year) was the son of a dentist, and owned a beautiful Peugeot. He managed to avoid losing it to theft by getting permission to stash it in some well-traveled places during classes, and always lugging it up to his room every night.

 

[DoggerDan]

I'm an avid runner, I probably do 10 miles every other day...

I read a ton of reviews and how-to's online and I simply cannot find any reason why I would take a single gear over multiple or the other way around. After reading all of that and talking to two local bike shops I still can't decide on one or the other.

What kind of running shoes do you have? Are they $29.95 Payless specials? Or are they more like $70+ running shoes from Nike, Adidas, or one of the other top brands?

If the latter, get a multi-speed.

 

[QuarkCharmer]

What kind of running shoes do you have? Are they $29.95 Payless specials? Or are they more like $70+ running shoes from Nike, Adidas, or one of the other top brands?

If the latter, get a multi-speed.

How exactly did you come to that conclusion for the latter?

 

[QuarkCharmer]

This thing should be delivered today! I know you all are as excited as I am.

 

[gravenewworld]

Get a road bike that is fixed gear if you are just using it to commute. It is less maintenance and a lot easier to fix. Something like a popped chain on a bike with gears can be a HUGE pain in the ace to fix.

 

[KrisOhn]

Get a road bike that is fixed gear if you are just using it to commute. It is less maintenance and a lot easier to fix. Something like a popped chain on a bike with gears can be a HUGE pain in the ace to fix.

I'm assuming you mean a chain that has fallen off. When a chain falls of on a bike with gears you have your rear derailleur to give you slack, on a fixed gear you don't. On a fixed gear you also can't coast, if the bike is moving, you are pedaling.

If you mean when a chain has broken, they're a pain to fix no matter what you have.

 

[MATLABdude]

My riding kit (shoved into my backpack) consists of:

1. Compact hand pump (Filzer Mini-Zee)
2. Quick Stik for stripping tires off the rim
3. Spare tube
4. Wet naps (to clean up after repairing)
5. Rema innertube patch kit (the one with the vulcanizing glue, not the crappy self-adherent type)--it's better to just replace the tube and fix at home, but the no-good, bad, evil day that doesn't end isn't always so accommodating
6. Small first aid kit (with Advil, gauze, band-aids, Band-Aid antiseptic wash, nitrile gloves, alcohol and ammonium wipes, small baggie for waste--everything you need to treat road rash)
7. Compact bike tool (Filzer I-Tool Grande), which includes a chain tool

If you don't have the first aid kit, pack some disposable gloves--handy for when you need to make those on-the-go repairs. If you have the right chain, you can get master links or other insertable links that make chain removal / re-sizing easier.

I'd also suggest taking a look at some of the maintain / repair guides at MEC:
http://www.mec.ca/AST/ContentPrimary/Learn/Cycling/RepairAndMaintenance/BicycleMaintenance.jsp
http://www.mec.ca/AST/ContentPrimary/Learn/Cycling/RepairAndMaintenance/BikeTireRepair.jsp

 

[QuarkCharmer]

I ordered a little patch kit, replacement tubes, all that etc.

It arrived today. I bolted it all together but have not tightened anything down yet (Yes I know the handlebars are upside-down). The size is correct which is great. I have no clue how to shift the thing, there are 4 levers for shifting...

Anyway, there were a few scrapes on the bike. The crankset has a pit on it's backside, there is a scuff under that thing that holds the handlebars and on the side of one of the braking mechanisms, as well as some scratches on the frame. It's nothing I can't live with, but it's a new bike. Do you think it's picky to send it back or request compensation? The UPS guy signed off that the box was damaged in shipping, and I took pictures as I examined every part while inspecting it and tossing on the wheels so I could set it up somewhere.

Yeah that's a helmet, and yes I look silly in it. But at least it weighs practically nothing compared to the helmets I knew and never sported growing up.

I actually have a cycling backpack already that I can put any tools or whatever in. It's an osprey something or other that I use for hiking. I liked it because it's tiny, holds 3 liters of water, and still has plenty of storage.

 

[MATLABdude]

I can't speak for you, but I imagine that it's going to get plenty dinged and scratched up as you make use of it (mine sure has). As it's an aluminum frame, it's also not going to rust any.

There may be two levers per handle derailleur control (I'm assuming you don't mean the brakes!), but that's to shift up and shift down. Take a spin down your street and get used to it! If you have big clouds of bugs (or frequent rain storms, lots of gravel or small debris on the road) you might want a pair of safety / bike glasses.

Sheldon Brown has thoughts on shifting, and where your cadence ought to be (I think there was a thread on this recently):
http://sheldonbrown.com/gears.html

I bought myself a copy of Zinn and the Art of Mountain Bike Maintenance (which also covers hybrid bikes) and am slowly making my way through it, but you may want his Road Bike book instead (if yours is more of the pure road-bike variety). If you're getting it, support PF!
https://www.physicsforums.com/showthread.php?t=473931

 

[QuarkCharmer]

I figure it will take some rocks, naturally though, I would prefer it be delivered in perfect condition. Some of the gouges look like they were caused by a rock, or by a tap and hammer. I need to remember to use that pf amazon link. I should make it a shortcut on my desktop I use amazon so often.

Yes, I mean that it has 4 levers for the gears not including the brakes lol. One long and one small on each side. I'm guessing they shift the front and back chainring up and down but I haven't had time to mess with it yet. My weekdays are long.

Thanks for the links to the guides. I don't know the last time I have changed a bike tire. Luckily my other bike (also in image) has never got a flat.

I live in Florida, glasses are needed for walking to keep the eye-seeking bugs and sun away. I'll have to give it a ride when I bolt it all together and make sure the brakes and everything are aligned, but I choked on quite possibly the dumbest test question today and deserve nothing more than to spend the rest of the night in study.

I mean really stupid. I worked out a rather complicated area problem down to the integral of 1/(x^2+1) and I was so in "test mode" that I did not even notice that (x^2+1) = (1+x^2) and was thus, a common form. So I used trig sub to solve it (we haven't learned that yet either, but I gave it a shot), and then worked the very next problem down to the integral of x/(x^2+a) and drew blanks on that one. How embarrassing, I got all of the hard integrals correct I am absolutely sure. I think those two are the only ones I could have missed on a 15 question exam with 2 extra credit problems.

 

[lisab]

Oh it's really nice, QC!

 

[MATLABdude]

Sorry, couldn't see how bad the gouging actually was! That being the case, and if you're so inclined, I'd see if anything can come of the insurance.

As for the test, good on ya--you knew the majority of what you had in front of you! Tests are as much about how quickly you work and how you handle stress as they are about what you know. Can't do well without some of both!

EDIT: and yes, definitely a nice, shiny new bike!

 

[QuarkCharmer]

I was going to assemble it fully today and try it out but you know what? There is a fancy new bicycle valve stem that my compressor won't fit! Autoparts stores don't have a presta adapter and I don't live near a bike shop lol.

 

[physics girl phd]

...and my university apparently has shower facilities for such travel which is news to me...

I just found out there's a shower in our building too... but it's apparently in one of the men's bathrooms AND doesn't have a door or curtain to the stall.

This came up because there is bathroom renovation going on on my floor... that finally added functional toilets but still no stalls or main door... and not sure as to the "gender." Only for the adventurous/exhibitionist grad students now...

 

[KrisOhn]

I was going to assemble it fully today and try it out but you know what? There is a fancy new bicycle valve stem that my compressor won't fit! Autoparts stores don't have a presta adapter and I don't live near a bike shop lol.

Yea, presta valves can be a pain in the a**.

 

[QuarkCharmer]

I just found out there's a shower in our building too... but it's apparently in one of the men's bathrooms AND doesn't have a door or curtain to the stall.

This came up because there is bathroom renovation going on on my floor... that finally added functional toilets but still no stalls or main door... and not sure as to the "gender." Only for the adventurous/exhibitionist grad students now...

Yeah I heard they started offering grad programs in gender studies.

 

[GregJ]

Got a new bike yesterday. Although it seems it was made for 14 year-old, but it was all I could afford :(

 

[MarcoD]

I have two bikes and no car. But that's normal in the Netherlands which is completely flat and has separate bike lanes everywhere. Everyone is bike crazy, this is a picture outside at the train station (one of the three bike parking places there):

It's a way of living here.

(Anyway, as a Dutchman I would say it's hardly about the weather but about the road conditions and the amount of hill climbing.)

 

[QuarkCharmer]

I have two bikes and no car. But that's normal in the Netherlands which is completely flat and has separate bike lanes everywhere. Everyone is bike crazy, this is a picture outside at the train station (one of the three bike parking places there):

It's a way of living here.

(Anyway, as a Dutchman I would say it's hardly about the weather but about the road conditions and the amount of hill climbing.)

That looks a bit like our car parking lot lol.

 

[KrisOhn]

I have two bikes and no car. But that's normal in the Netherlands which is completely flat and has separate bike lanes everywhere. Everyone is bike crazy, this is a picture outside at the train station (one of the three bike parking places there):

It's a way of living here.

(Anyway, as a Dutchman I would say it's hardly about the weather but about the road conditions and the amount of hill climbing.)

Oh man, time to move to the Netherlands I guess...

 

[Kinase]

Personally I skate (longboard) to class. It's easier to get off if i need to, it's really fun, and I can take it with me so no one will steal it or anything like that. I even made two of my own after building a wood press. plus it's funny to see people's reactions after talking to me since I'm not, uhh, a frat kid I guess.

 

[QuarkCharmer]

I went out for a ride today and learned how to use the gears but it wasn't working quite like I read. Looks like the rear ring does not shift all the way down to the smallest sprocket. I guess it's time to learn how to adjust the derailleur. If anyone knows a good resource for that..

 

[MATLABdude]

I went out for a ride today and learned how to use the gears but it wasn't working quite like I read. Looks like the rear ring does not shift all the way down to the smallest sprocket. I guess it's time to learn how to adjust the derailleur. If anyone knows a good resource for that..

Does the rear shifter indicate that it's gone to the highest gear (smallest sprocket), and indicates that you can only shift to the second-lowest? If so, your index is off by one and you need to manually (using a screwdriver or some such) shift the chain down (put it on the highest gear setting first and then just shift the chain to the bottom sprocket). If you hear rattling (like it's attempting to shift), you may need lubrication / derailleur cable trimming, but really, that shouldn't happen until after the break-in period (30-50 hours, or so I've been told by the LBS--note that there wasn't a profit motive involved, since the adjustment was provided free of charge!)

Sheldon Brown is a great quick resource. Zinn is probably more exhaustive. (Both mentioned and linked in previous posts in this thread by myself).

 

[QuarkCharmer]

Does the rear shifter indicate that it's gone to the highest gear (smallest sprocket), and indicates that you can only shift to the second-lowest? If so, your index is off by one and you need to manually (using a screwdriver or some such) shift the chain down (put it on the highest gear setting first and then just shift the chain to the bottom sprocket). If you hear rattling (like it's attempting to shift), you may need lubrication / derailleur cable trimming, but really, that shouldn't happen until after the break-in period (30-50 hours, or so I've been told by the LBS--note that there wasn't a profit motive involved, since the adjustment was provided free of charge!)

Sheldon Brown is a great quick resource. Zinn is probably more exhaustive. (Both mentioned and linked in previous posts in this thread by myself).

I found a picture of the adjustment locations and gave it a shot last night until I got tired of trying to figure out which limit screw did what and took the whole thing apart to see how it works. Now it makes senses, works perfectly, rubs the front derailleur cage a little bit when the chain is on a low front and high rear gear(s). It was fun, and probably a useful skill to have. I did notice that the front derailleur's cable slips off the roller on it's back side. Looks like the lever for the thing is too far inward towards the seat tube. It only touches the roller in the lowest front gear but I think I'm going to call them about it. There is no way it was designed like this and I cannot see any alternative mounting method that would still shift gears.