<p>I rode basically everywhere, including to class in Mudd when I lived on 114th. I had two bikes stolen and another one stripped (wheels, seat, brake pads, the works). Yes, i’m a slow learner.</p>
<p>Here are my learnings, so that you may learn from my mistakes:</p>
<ul>
<li><p>Do not **** around with ****ty-ass bike locks. Security up in Low Library has a guy, Ricardo Morales, who will sell you top-quality locks that he gets at a wholesale discount, and he’ll sell them at cost. Get the Kryptonite New York u-lock or chain lock, those are the only ones worth having.</p></li>
<li><p>Do not under any circumstances chain your bike to scaffolding. sure, it looks like a bunch of metal stuff that’s secure, but it can be undone quickly to slip your bike out.</p></li>
<li><p>Do not leave your bike on the street overnight under any circumstances. Physical crime is very low in the columbia neighborhood, and most property crime too, really - but bike theft is tremendous. Not even in outdoor supervised bike racks is anything safe. Bring it indoors. If you have room in your room, great. If you don’t, try to find a spot in the basement. Sufficient security for the basements is just chaining your wheel to the frame, which prevents wheeling the bike around easily, so students won’t be tempted.</p></li>
<li><p>For short-term lock-ups while you’re in class or dropping something off or what-have-you, the local bike racks (and anything to hook up to, really) will do just fine. The problem is extended periods of time, especially overnight.</p></li>
<li><p>you don’t need a helmet just to get around campus (frankly it’s more of a liability than is really necessary), but use one if you’re venturing off-campus at all. it takes a while to feel comfortable biking among the taxicabs and a little extra peace of mind doesn’t hurt.</p></li>
<li><p>The best bike store near columbia is Metro Bikes on 96th just east of broadway. The # is 212-663-7531, and the manager’s name is Dave. They are a great bunch of guys there, the mechanics will often do small tune-ups for you at no cost (always tip the guy), and if they get to know you they have a ton of great advice. If you want a good bike at a good price, get the Trek (I used to have an 820, now I have a 7000, the 7200 is a nicer frame for $100 more). The Trek 7000 is like $230-240, and is a great bike for all city purposes.</p></li>
<li><p>Trek bikes look a lot nicer than they actually are, so they’ll be targets if you have one. One solution (which Metro Bikes suggested to me) is to take a little rubber hosing - they’ll do it for you if you ask nicely - and wrap it around the various frame bars so that it looks like you’re covering up a poor paint job or something. Just wrap up the frame in some black rubber. The bike will look like much less of a bike, but it’ll still run the same. I don’t know for sure that me doing that has made a difference, but I also haven’t had a bike stolen since then either.</p></li>
<li><p>Brake pads wear down quickly in the city, from a lot of rapid stopping and starting. Get those adjusted (and replaced if necessary) when appropriate. If your chain gets wet it’ll rust, guys at a bike shop will have some anti-rust oil that they use. should help keep things going.</p></li>
<li><p>If you keep a bike at Columbia, you absolutely need to do the [Five</a> Boro Bike Tour](<a href=“Home - Bike New YorkBike New York”>Home - Bike New YorkBike New York) one of your years. it’ll occur right around finals time but it’s 100% worth it, literally one of the 20 most awesome experiences of my life.</p></li>
</ul>
<p>that’s all I got on bikes.</p>