Best bikes you can buy when going to college

Life in college is not just about studying and passing your classes. Among most students’ difficulties, are not just unsupervised money management and time schedule, but also getting around safely and in a timely manner.

The perfect solution for small and medium-sized daily commutes is buying a bike. Not only cheap and environmentally friendly compared to a car, nowadays most campuses and cities are bike friendly and encourage the transportation method.

Best Bikes for College Students

Objectively speaking, the GMC Denali Road Bike is the best choice for a college student. Perfect for every transportation needs you might have during your college experience, this masterpiece is designed for city travel, and its extremely durable lightweight aluminum frame has an ergonomic format that provides for an amazing biking experience. The reasonable price also makes it ideal for those under a tight budget.

The GMC Denali Road Bike sports 700c tires. Big tires are important because they help you achieve higher speeds, and make cycling on flat surfaces a lot easier. Even though going uphill starts turning into a bigger problem as tire size goes up, the 700c size is in that sweet spot where the cons are almost nothing compared to the pros.

If you are looking for an even cheaper initial investment, some great choices are the Schwinn Men’s Network 3.0 700C Hybrid Bicycle, and the Roadmaster Granite Peak Men’s Mountain Bike.

The first has one of the best suspension forks for its price range, and an excellent aluminum frame, that combined with the padded seat provides for a very comfortable commute to classes. Still, the Network 3.0 700C Hybrid Bicycle loses to the GMC Denali Road Bike because it was specifically designed to surpass rough terrains, especially snow, consequently, it struggles a bit in urban terrain. The bike has a different amount of spokes on the front and on the back wheel, and this can turn simple obstacles like high curbs or bumps into real nightmares.

The second one sports a 3 chainrings crank that allows you to achieve really high speeds compared to other bikes of the same price range. Designed for urban and off-road locomotion, the Roadmaster Granite Peak Men’s Mountain Bike brings together the best of both worlds for a unique biking experience. Mixing the ergonomic advantages of standard urban bicycles, and extremely useful characteristics from mountain bikes, this hybrid can transform natural obstacles into dust and you probably won’t feel a thing. Its main disadvantage compared to the competition is that while combining extremely useful characteristics from both categories, it doesn’t excel in any, and that can turn simple tasks like flat uphills and quick shiftings into a living hell.

Here are some other noteworthy nominees for the “best bike for college” title:

Pacific Stratus Men’s Mountain Bike: With very large tires for extra grip on rough terrains, the strong brakes and aluminum body make for a force to be reckoned with. Under specific conditions, this bike can be a very solid choice.

Sonoma Men’s Chainless Drive Evolution Urban Commuter Bicycle: With its unique shaft drive technology, this bike delivers a smooth ride for most urban commutes. With a very powerful gear system, gear changing is barely noticeable.

The Different Types of Bikes Suitable for College

When choosing the ideal bike, knowing the main categories is very important so that you can purchase the one that suits your needs the best.

Road Bicycles

Designed to achieve high speeds and to move on smooth pavement or flat surfaces, these bikes normally come with very thin tires and drop handlebars, that will help you get as little wind resistance as possible. One of the most uncomfortable bike types, and not capable of carrying heavy weights, these are far from ideal for college life.

Cyclocross Bicycles

A variant of the road bicycle, this one still sports the drop handlebar but uses wider tires that make for more off-road traction and also biking through rougher paths somewhat easier. This is the ideal bike type for daily commutes. Their versatility and capacity to carry light weights make urban locomotion as easy as it gets.

Touring Bicycles

Another variant of the road bicycle. Touring bicycles are designed for pavement and other flat surfaces, but more durable for use on self-supported long-distance riding. They are basically road bicycles but focusing less on the speed and more on day-to-day usage. Comfort isn’t as neglected here as it is by road bicycles.

Mountain Bikes

Designed for riding through rough off-road trails, their biggest difference in comparison to road bicycles and its variants is the presence of shock absorbers. Mountain bikes have flat or upright handlebars and a low gear range that facilitates passage through up steep trails. They easily surpass most natural obstacles, such as irregular roads and snow layers.

Hybrid Bikes

Ideally, these should be the definitive solution for every problem a casual or commuter should have with bicycles. While trying to ally the best from both worlds, hybrid bikes don’t specialize in any, and under extreme conditions, they will never be as good as a model designed especially for those situations.

How to Choose a Bike

Normally, as a college student, you should be mainly focusing on urban locomotion and cost-benefit choices. The model will be determined mainly by your budget, and the specific adversities that you will face during your commute.

If your commute consists mainly of flat surfaces, and the region you live in rarely suffers from heavy climate obstacles such as snow, a road bicycle or a hybrid bike might be the ideal choice for you. On the other hand, if you face bumpy roads and/or snow frequently, It is hard to go wrong with a mountain bike.

Some useful tips when it comes to bike shopping:

A budget for more than just the bike: No matter your price range, you will still have to buy accessories like a helmet and a pump. Bottle cages and special water bottles are optional but extremely recommended.

If buying in person, test the model: bike shopping is almost like cloth shopping, finding the most fitting model is crucial. There is no shame in asking for a “test drive”. Make sure to put the same apparel and shoes you plan on wearing during your regular commutes, so that you emulate it as close as possible to reality.

Top 5 bicycle-friendly college campuses in the USA

Encouraged by most of the country’s universities, including nine out of the top ten ranked, cycling is by the day becoming a more common view around campuses.

Andy Clarke, President of the League of American Bicyclists stated that “Campus leaders are recognizing the immediate and long-term impact that a vibrant bike culture can create for their institutions”.

Some renowned universities that support and encourage cycling are:

Harvard University: With the objective of building a more healthy and sustainable campus, Harvard already launched several pro-bike campaigns.

Yale University: By increasing bicycle parking capacity and bringing a 50-bicycle bike share in their campus, Yale is making biking a safer and friendlier mode of transportation.

University of Iowa: Bicycling is considered an important part of the university’s culture, constant efforts are made by both the faculty and the students to encourage cycling.