@Planner There are bike racks usually outside any building on campus. I’d be surprised if a building didn’t have bike racks. Some students store their bikes inside, but most just leave them out.
Depends. The kids I know who store their bikes inside (ie. in their room) have expensive bikes, but most others just leave their bikes outside and I’ve seen my fair share of expensive bikes in bike racks. I’ve seen expensive and cheap bikes stolen, but I think as long as you lock up your bike properly, no one’s going to steal it. Bike thieves are looking for a quick steal–no one’s going to spend 20 minutes trying to saw through a U-lock to steal a bike.
And buying bikes is just a matter of preference, I guess? I’ve had a mountain bike for years, so I just brought that one with me. Some have cheap bikes, some have expensive bikes. I guess it just depends on how you want to get around. I don’t think many people consider buying a cheap bike in the event it gets stolen. Just have a nice lock and you should be fine.