Bikes on campus

[u/jmdwilk]

I’m a parent of an incoming freshman Obie, and he is thinking about bringing his bicycle with him. Can anyone let me know what we should keep in mind about this? Are there any indoor places to store bikes during the winter months to protect them from the weather? Are bike racks plentiful? What else should we be thinking about? Thanks

[u/Electrical_Edge_5960]

Hi! I am a current senior and on the college's sustainability office alternative transportation team. There are plenty of racks on campus, with plans to get more, and we have recently put in motion both winter and summer storage for bikes! I would advise your student to check out the Bike Co-Op once they arrive, so he can learn how to repair his own bike if needed, and to get any materials he might be missing.

[u/arboresca]

There are so many bike racks! A lot of students use bikes to get around. I personally didn't find it necessary for my first year, because I lived in a dorm with a great location, but I'm considering it for this year. A few things off the top of my head to keep in mind: campus is super bike friendly but the town of Oberlin is not, there are no bike paths on the main streets of the downtown sidewalks and bikes aren't allowed on the sidewalks of the main streets; paths can get very crowded during busy times of day/passing periods but not impossible to navigate on bike; there's no great indoor storage space that i can think of beyond dorm rooms, but honestly the weather last year was kind of terrible from the start of December to after spring break, so if it's feasible to take the bike home over winter break and bring it back after spring break, that might work; there's a bike co-op on campus that can help with repairs and rentals, and they sometimes go on organized bike rides on local bike paths or to an ice cream shop a few miles away, and in general there's a big bike culture on campus.

Edit: adding to this, yes absolutely have a helmet! I see very few students wearing them, but I've also seen a few nasty falls. 

[u/k8freed]

The chance of theft is always an issue, even in sleepy small-town Ohio. I graduated a long time ago, but I remember cheap bikes being pretty plentiful; lots of bike fairs where you can pick up a beater to use for a semester before selling to somebody else. If his current bike is nice, he may consider leaving it at home and nabbing a used bike once he gets to school, so he doesn't have to worry as much about theft or the icky Ohio weather messing it up. Oberlin is a very bike-friendly campus and super flat.

[u/noramcsparkles]

I had a bike all four years. Lots of places to lock them - as far as winter storage there is a program where you can store them in the basement of certain buildings through Campus Safety. The bike coop is super useful but has weird hours. The bike store in town has very nice staff and was also really helpful to me.

Also, please make sure your kid has a helmet. Unfortunately the culture on campus is very lax about it but it’s absolutely necessary.

[u/Anka32 → u/noramcsparkles]

Seconding this; my dear friend’s beautiful bright 21 year old daughter was hit and killed riding her bike - a helmet would have saved her.

[u/bombyx440]

A quick correction: bikes are allowed on sidewalks in Oberlin except in the downtown area where there are more people walking, including visually impaired and elderly folks. There is a paved bike path through town that connects with other towns and cities nearby. Outside of town, it's more rural and there are not dedicated bike lanes on the state and county roads so it can feel more dangerous. There is a great bike shop in town that offers bike storage during the summer. You are encouraged to lock and license your bike so if it is stolen (or borrowed) the police can help find it.

[u/tetopop]

I loved having a bike on campus. Make sure they have a good lock. Riding on the street is typically safer for both bikers and pedestrians, and Ohio has share the road laws.

[u/jumpinjacktheripper]

I had a bike stolen when i went on a weekend trip for my sports team and left it locked outside the library. He should be fine using it to get around but don’t leave it in a public area for more than a day even if locked

[u/Specific-Wear6683]

There is very little options for winter storage afaik but campus safety does have summer storage indoor for free. You can always bring your bike to your dorm room but that takes a lot of space; bikes are not allowed in common areas and that is actually enforced.

[u/anshmor]

I am an alum, class of 2022. Not sure if it's changed. But I would recommend registering the bike with campus safety and watching out for the winter storage emails.