Is biking 4 miles to school ideal?

@LKnomad yes, but they only carry 2 bikes. Most people just leave bikes at school and take the bus or bike to school.

It is doable, but it’s not always going to be comfortable. I would also mention safety. The number of distracted drivers on the roads is at an all time high, they just don’t see bicycles.

As someone who goes to UCD and takes the bus most days, I’ve never once had a problem with buses not showing up in my four years here. I’m curious what area of town has them not showing up. I’m guessing somewhere only serviced by the P and Q, or otherwise infrequently used lines?

Keep in mind that Unitrans will only allow bikes on the buses when it’s either weekend or the last run of the weekday. Even then, they’ll turn you away if they don’t have room. I’ve seen up to four bikes fit on one bus, but they were all skinny road bikes.

As far as apartment recommendations, I’m in my second year living at Aspen Village (west Davis) and absolutely love it. There are 2x2 and 3x2 models. I live in a 2x2 with two other roommates, and my rent comes out to just over 400/month. It’s reasonably priced, in decent condition, and it’s quiet. The only “downside” is that you’re about a 10-15 minute bike ride from campus (depending on traffic, lights, and how fast you are), and about 15 minutes by bus with 3 lines running towards campus that come by every ~15-20 minutes (depends which line you’re trying to catch). I put downside in quotes because that’s really not far from campus at all, but people like to complain about the distance…basically if you want somewhere where you can just pop over to campus in 5 minutes, just avoid west Davis in general. I can’t think of any complex that doesn’t take about 10 minutes to get to campus.

It’s more the road than the weather. I have ridden 2 miles to work every working day from 31 Aug through March 21st, in Indiana. You should be able to do 4 miles each way for about 8-12 cents a mile, and not even work up a sweat. Check around for a local bike coop… Ours usually has a couple of commuter worthy frames available.

Ten to twenty miles each way gets to be uncomfortable in heavy rain or much below freezing. Doable, but difficult. Four is perfect. Bikeforums is a good resource.

For that matter, there are people around who walk further than that every day…

@iamjack: My son has 2 bedroom at Pepperwood (North Davis) and 4 split the rent of $1410. I large bedroom and 1 small bedroom with 1 1/2 baths. Across from the Market place (Safeway) and about 1 mile from campus. Great apartment manger: Russell and I know that his 2 bedroom will be available for Fall since all are moving out. On 2 bus routes and not sure which route K or P has been a problem last week. His neighbors are 5 girls sharing the 2 bedroom apartment so the more the merrier and cheaper.

@PhantomVirgo how many miles is the 10-15 minute bike ride?

Maybe get a car or motorcycle? What’s wrong with the dorms at your college?

Sorry, I had to laugh.

Right now, we’re looking at 12-18 inches of snow.

I wouldn’t want to bike anywhere.

I realize you’re not in my part of the country. But your timing was great :slight_smile:

Minneapolis has something like 7000 people who bicycle commute year round. One of the higher percentages in the US.

At 8 mph, slow enough to keep cool if you’re in any sort of shape, 2 miles takes 15 minutes. At 12 mph, 3 miles in 15 minutes. That’s still light enough not to churn up a sweat if you’re careful and in good shape. At 16 or 17 mph, which I’ve averaged all summer long in a 13 mile commute, I find A shower really useful.

If it’s a warm area, not a lot of rain/cold or bad weather and low crime rate, I’d go for it.

Heck, if you can, save up for a moped.

Otherwise if your location doesn’t fly then it’s a no-go!

@iamjack It’s about 2 miles to the westernmost part of campus I believe? Google maps says 2.6 miles from Aspen Village to Olson Hall, just to give you an idea of the distance to a farther point on campus.

@EYeager The dorms are pretty much only for freshmen. There’s some space for maybe a couple hundred sophomores, but when you consider that there are probably around 5,000-6,000 sophomores in any given year, it’s expected that you live in an apartment in town. And there’s no room for any upperclassmen unless you happen to be an RA.

All of this is fine though, because the apartments around town are much cheaper than the dorms, and many are also better quality.

And for what it’s worth @iamjack , in case you were considering driving, I really wouldn’t. Parking is terrible on campus and parking permits are too expensive to warrant the cost when you can just bike or take the bus easily. I’m not sure if you would even have access to a car, but keep that in mind if you do.

Four miles is very doable, shouldn’t take you more than 25 to 30 minutes each way. Paniers and rain gear are good invenstments to make this extra comfortable. I frequently bike to work about two miles each way. It is almost all downhill to get to my office, so I stay pretty dry (I live in a warm humid climate), it is a sweaty ride home, but that’s okay. It takes me about 7 minutes to get to work, and about 15 to ride home.

@NorthernMom61 I’m scared of panniers because bike theft is high in my city. I’m afraid they’d get stolen because they are so easy to detach.

I have one that you unhook and it folds flat, a shopping basket really, but you can fold in it and slip it into a backpack if you want, or even use it as a bag I suppose.

Perhaps a fixed mount basket on the side of a rear rack may be useful?
http://www.waldsports.com/index.cfm/store/rear-baskets/582-rear-folding-basket/
Doesn’t seem like something a bicycle thief would steal, and would require tools to steal (and thief with tools could steal other things off a bicycle that are more valuable/expensive). Just put your stuff in the basket(s) to ride to class, then take them out when you lock your bicycle somewhere.

My dd has a basket that was put on by our local bike shop. Initially, she did not want me to put a “tacky” basket on her bike. (It actually looks good on the bike.) It’s a good quality basket that I paid for less than $40. There are two pieces. One part is attached permanently to the bike (very unnoticeable, in the center, along the handlebars-the local bike mechanics welded it on). That attachment part receives the basket which snaps and locks into place

The basket is removable and snaps quickly into the setting. Unfortunately for us, all of her friends love that feature and use her bike constantly to carry groceries, large bags, sweatshirts, etc. So when she calls me from the bus, I ask her, “Why aren’t you biking today?” She’ll say, “Sara needed my bike today to go to Target, Safeway, etc.”

She uses a u-shape, Kryptonite lock that DH bought for her, here, in town.

Ditto on the car issues. Do not use a car to get into Davis. It is a headache. DD keeps her car at her townhouse and bikes or buses into Davis. She does have a parking permit because of her job on her campus; they send her on lab errands (to Davis Med Center in Sacramento) and have paid for her pass. But . . . she doesn’t like to drive on campus, so they give her fair warning when she has to make or pick up deliveries.

I think there are some panniers that are also bags. You unhook them from the bike rack and they have either backpack straps that unzip from a flap or have a shoulder strap.

If you have a strong enough desire to make biking work, then you will make it work.