I'm currently building a bike for a good friend's son who is going off to college. It's a mid-1990s Mercian. Its going to Boston. I'm having second thoughts and thinking of just giving him the cash and telling him to buy a decent enough beater off of the local Craigslist, and having a LBS replace the chain and giving it a maintenance once over. Currently, I've installed pit locks, replacing the skewers and seat post bolt. I've also install Ezy MKS pedals that he can remove between classes and carry in his daypack. All parts are used, low to mid range and do not match. The locks and chain will be Kryptonite's New York lock standard. Heavy, yes, but probably the best available. these locks will at least frustrate would be thieves. I'm hoping that he'll be able to keep it in his dorm with him overnight.
Russell Duncan Saratoga, WY On Sunday, August 6, 2023 at 8:34:18 PM UTC-6 Ryan wrote: > One thing, Leah...and believe me ,no offense meant, but I know your > penchant for pretty things😊 If that bike goes to college, you might want > to dial down the bling. Just sayin'. In this wicked world, it's stressful > owning nice things. Your son SHOULD be able to ride his lovely Clem to > college, but I would just hate to think of it being stolen for both your > sakes. Especially given the history of the bike....so I'm leaning into the > nice but understated beater more and more...worked for me when I was still > commuting before I retired. My beater was the old battle-scarred, but still > elegant PX-10 > > On Sunday, August 6, 2023 at 8:36:41 PM UTC-5 Roberta wrote: > >> This is really tough. A lot has to do with where he is going and how >> much he will be using the bike. Someone above said to get the lay of the >> land before deciding. I kept my bike vertical in my dorm room, but it was >> outside and locked up when I went to work or class; even a long bike like >> his doesn't need to take up that much room (or keep it behind the bed). >> Johnny above said that the Clem L will be too long for bus racks. I can >> attest that my 55cm Platypus is too long for bus racks and Amtrak, if he >> needs those transportation options. From a purely logical perspective, get >> a beater. >> >> However, I know you (and you'll have to ask your son). How much joy is >> he going to get riding a nice bike to class and thinking of his grandfather >> when he does? How much will he be heartbroken IF the bike disappears? If >> a lot of joy, get him Dynolights so you'll know he's able to be seen, >> Hexlocks on the wheel set, saddle and seat post and two really good >> U-locks. Take the bags off the bike when parked. Teach him good and bad >> ways to lock up the bike. Show him what to look for (like unbolted bike >> stands and cut thru lock-to bars). Get good pictures of it and register for >> it on bike registry sites. Hide an air tag. Just make it harder to >> steal. >> >> Although I'm sure you'll be heartbroken IF the bike disappears, since it >> was your Dad's originally, you can physically replace it. >> >> Roberta >> >> On Saturday, August 5, 2023 at 10:54:39 PM UTC-4 Bicycle Belle Ding Ding! >> wrote: >> >>> It nearly kills me to say it, but my older son will be heading to >>> college in a year. Freshman aren’t to bring cars to campus, so that leaves >>> buses, bikes, and your own two feet for transportation. My boys have grown >>> up riding Clem Hs; this son rides a 52 cm cast-off from my husband (who >>> doesn’t ride, sigh). >>> >>> My 6’3” Dad had a blue 59 cm Clem on order when he died suddenly in >>> 2020, and his blue Clem has sat, boxed, waiting for my boy to grow into it. >>> I lugged the gargantuan box up from the basement last week to see how if >>> the bike would fit. “Now that I’ve obtained optimal height,” my son is fond >>> of saying… >>> >>> Anyway, he’s 6’1” now (likely still growing) and I need him to decide if >>> he wants to stick with his old Clem H (that he was fond of) or settle into >>> this Clem L. Because whichever bike he chooses is getting new wheels, dyno >>> and fenders and going to college with him. At first he was opposed to the >>> idea of a new Clem; he liked his old Clem, thought it looked cool. But >>> after the - as he calls it - Big Bike was assembled, he really began to >>> like it. “It looks elegant,” he said. It really does, all long and lithe, >>> in blue and silver. He put his saddle and bags on the bike and we test rode >>> it tonight. He said, “I am really liking the Big Bike. I like that my knees >>> don’t have anything to hit (geez, were his knees hitting his bars?!) and it >>> looks elegant. It feels more at home now that I have my old saddle on it.” >>> >>> I have mixed feelings about sending him to college with this bike, >>> because it’s so nice. I also doubt he’ll be able to get it on a bus bike >>> rack - and I have no idea how often he will want to do that. His bike life >>> is totally unknown at this point. All I know is that I’m getting him dyno >>> because the kid has never remembered to charge a light in his LIFE and I >>> will not sleep at night without it.The 52 takes 650b wheels and the 59 >>> takes 700c, so I don’t want to buy the wheels until I know which bike he >>> really wants. But as of now, he wants his new bike. >>> >>> I know people will say we should just get a beater. I know why that >>> would be advisable, but I also hate to think of a Clem languishing when it >>> could be serving a noble purpose. I’d love for him and his Clem to journey >>> through undergrad together. >>> >>> I am wondering…has anyone gone to college or sent their kid to college >>> with a Clem? What do you have to say about it? Photos in the next post… >>> Leah >>> >> -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "RBW Owners Bunch" group. To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to rbw-owners-bunch+unsubscr...@googlegroups.com. To view this discussion on the web visit https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/rbw-owners-bunch/51ad5b0f-3369-43ad-be36-57b7ba206228n%40googlegroups.com.
