Davis, CA

[Bcmuse]

I'm moving up to Davis, CA from Los Angeles for school in the fall, meaning I'm trading in my
air-polluting automobile for a lot more action on my road bike as my primary source of
transportation.

Anyone ever live in Davis or know what to expect?

Some friends have told me to be careful because bikes got stolen and it rains alot, so no exposed
wedges or frame pumps then and probably a rack and some fenders?

I also currently lock with a generic krypto-lock and a cable lock. Should I upgrade?

 

[Ken]

[email protected] (BcMuse) wrote in news:[email protected]:
> Some friends have told me to be careful because bikes got stolen and it rains alot, so no exposed
> wedges or frame pumps then and probably a rack and some fenders?

Davis is a college town and does experience some petty theft. Bring a backpack. Central California
gets some rain during the winter, but you probably won't get much between May 1 and Thanksgiving.

 

[Tom Keats]

In article <[email protected]>, [email protected] (BcMuse) writes:

> I also currently lock with a generic krypto-lock and a cable lock. Should I
^^^^^^^^
> upgrade?
^^^^^^^^

To what? There's only so far we can go with [quality of] locks. Then, we've gotta worry about the
quality of whatever we're locking /to/. After that, we have to fill in the blanks with savvy and
anti-guile.

Keep your ride in your sight as much as possible. Bring it indoors with you whenever you can, and
when you can quickly reach it with a flying tackle lest anyone dare touch it. Parking meters are
good to lock to, so long as their stems aren't too fat to get a U-lock around, or they have those
rings to lock to. Signs stuck into a collar in the concrete, with an accessible, loosenable
retaining screw in the collar to hold the sign in, are bad things to lock to. So are kick-off-able
wood fence pickets. Park it where there's the most foot traffic, and visibility for passing cops who
might see the glint of a hacksaw in the sunlight. If there are any street ppl who regularly hang
around where you regularly park, maybe get to know them, and regularly slip them a wee stipend to
keep an eye on your bike.

cheers, Tom

--
-- Powered by FreeBSD Above address is just a spam midden. I'm really at: tkeats [curlicue] vcn
[point] bc [point] ca

 

[Robert Chung]

"Tom Keats" <[email protected]> wrote in message news:[email protected]...
> In article <[email protected]>, [email protected] (BcMuse) writes:
>
> > I also currently lock with a generic krypto-lock and a cable lock.
Should I
>
^^^^^^^^
> > upgrade?
> ^^^^^^^^
>
> To what? There's only so far we can go with [quality of] locks. Then, we've gotta worry about the
> quality of whatever we're locking /to/. After that, we have to fill in the blanks with savvy and
> anti-guile.

My general rule of thumb is to try to put my bike next to more expensive bikes that are less
securely locked.

 

[Tom Keats]

In article <[email protected]>, "Robert Chung" <[email protected]> writes:

> My general rule of thumb is to try to put my bike next to more expensive bikes that are less
> securely locked.

That's one tactic, and often a good one (except for the people who get ripped-off).

I figure, when things /really/ go wrong, it's when a bunch of bad things happen simultaneously. And
when things go right, it's when a *bunch* of good things happen simultaneously. So, I've come to
believe in helping as much good stuff to happen as possible. Or at least, not hindering it.

When things go right, it's usually mere, random happenstance. But when they go wrong, it's with
split-second precision

cheers, Tom

--
-- Powered by FreeBSD Above address is just a spam midden. I'm really at: tkeats [curlicue] vcn
[point] bc [point] ca

 

[David L. Johnso]

On Wed, 30 Apr 2003 03:22:11 +0000, BcMuse wrote:

> I'm moving up to Davis, CA from Los Angeles for school in the fall, meaning I'm trading in my
> air-polluting automobile for a lot more action on my road bike as my primary source of
> transportation.
>
> Anyone ever live in Davis or know what to expect?
>
Supposed to be a very bike-friendly area.

> Some friends have told me to be careful because bikes got stolen

Yeah? Those of us living in big cities really feel for you. Bikes get stolen eveywhere. Any lock can
be gotten around, given time. Keep your bike with you when you can, and lock it in plain sight when
you have to. Locking it in an alley is just as bad as leaving it unlocked.

There used to be a maxim that all bikes in the city weighed 40 pounds. A 20-pound bike needs a
20-pound lock, a 30-pound bike needs a 10-pound lock. A 40-pound bike needs no lock.

> and it rains alot, so no exposed wedges or frame pumps then and probably a rack and some fenders?

Rains a lot? In the Central Valley?  You will see absolutely 0 rain from Memorial Day to Labor Day.
It will occsaionally rain in the rest of the year, but annual rainfall is maybe 15 inches. There is
a reason all that grassland is brown.

--

David L. Johnson

__o | And though I have the gift of prophecy, and understand all _`\(,_ | mysteries, and all
knowledge; and though I have all faith, so (_)/ (_) | that I could remove mountains, and have not
charity, I am nothing. [1 Corinth. 13:2]

 

[Scott]

Bring an old clunker bike that is functional for riding around campus. Save your good bike for real
cycling. There are more than a few bicycle vs. bicycle accidents each year. It rains more in Davis
than in L.A.

BcMuse wrote:

> I'm moving up to Davis, CA from Los Angeles for school in the fall, meaning I'm trading in my
> air-polluting automobile for a lot more action on my road bike as my primary source of
> transportation.
>
> Anyone ever live in Davis or know what to expect?
>
> Some friends have told me to be careful because bikes got stolen and it rains alot, so no exposed
> wedges or frame pumps then and probably a rack and some fenders?
>
> I also currently lock with a generic krypto-lock and a cable lock. Should I upgrade?

 

[Terry Morse]

"David L. Johnson" wrote:

> Rains a lot? In the Central Valley?  You will see absolutely 0 rain from Memorial Day to Labor
> Day. It will occsaionally rain in the rest of the year, but annual rainfall is maybe 15 inches.

Those 15" typically fall in a few short weeks, so winter quarter can be very wet. The clouds that
drop 500" of snow on the Sierra crest pass over Davis, dropping rain.
--
terry morse Palo Alto, CA http://www.terrymorse.com/bike/

 

[Jym Dyer]

=v= It's pretty flat there, so if you're worried about theft, you might want to consider a cheap
beater bike. <_Jym_

 

[Gary German]

"Tom Keats" <[email protected]> wrote in message news:[email protected]...
> In article <[email protected]>, [email protected] (BcMuse) writes:
>
> > I also currently lock with a generic krypto-lock and a cable lock.
Should I
>
^^^^^^^^
> > upgrade?
> ^^^^^^^^
>
> To what? There's only so far we can go with [quality of] locks. Then, we've gotta worry about the
> quality of whatever we're locking /to/. After that, we have to fill in the blanks with savvy and
> anti-guile.
>
> Keep your ride in your sight as much as possible. Bring it indoors with you whenever you can, and
> when you can quickly reach it with a flying tackle lest anyone dare touch it. Parking meters are
> good to lock to, so long as their stems aren't too fat to get a U-lock around, or they have those
> rings to lock to. Signs stuck into a collar in the concrete, with an accessible, loosenable
> retaining screw in the collar to hold the sign in, are bad things to lock to. So are kick-off-able
> wood fence pickets. Park it where there's the most foot traffic, and visibility for passing cops
> who might see the glint of a hacksaw in the sunlight. If there are any street ppl who regularly
> hang around where you regularly park, maybe get to know them, and regularly slip them a wee
> stipend to keep an eye on your bike.
>
>
> cheers, Tom
>
> --
> -- Powered by FreeBSD Above address is just a spam midden. I'm really at: tkeats [curlicue] vcn
> [point] bc [point] ca

If you follow this advice, you'll get a ticket at Davis. There are a million bikes on campus (my
daughter goes there)...fortunately, there are also a million bike racks. Sometimes it's hard finding
one open, but locking it to something like a tree or a parking sign will get you cited for sure
(and, if your bike isn't registered with the city, they'll impound it).

Most theft takes place off-campus. Best advice is to bring it into your apartment, if possible.

BTW - Davis is a great place to ride...reasonably flat in town, with challenging hills to the west,
and lots and lots of bikes.

GG

 

[Tim Smith]

Ken <[email protected]> wrote:

>[email protected] (BcMuse) wrote in news:[email protected]:
>> Some friends have told me to be careful because bikes got stolen and it rains alot, so no exposed
>> wedges or frame pumps then and probably a rack and some fenders?
>
>Davis is a college town and does experience some petty theft. Bring a backpack. Central California
>gets some rain during the winter, but you probably won't get much between May 1 and Thanksgiving.

Generally true. This year might be an exception.

I lived in Davis for two years. Very hot in the summer (>100 F many days), but it cools down at
night, unlike the midwest or the south/southwest. Winters are rainy and chilly, but with the right
gear you can ride year-round.

Any bike left unlocked will get stolen in Davis. I had a truly trashy 5-speed (derailleur!) bike
that wasn't locked stolen after one night left unlocked. This was a bike that wouldn't have brought
$5 at a garage sale.

 

[Kbh]

Maybe OT, but I have a friend who moved from Maine to Davis, CA and his welcome was a ticket for
riding through a stop sign. Lets not argue about obeying traffic signs, etc... but just appreciate
moving from Maine to CA and in the first week getting a ticket on your BIKE!

"BcMuse" <[email protected]> wrote in message news:[email protected]...
> I'm moving up to Davis, CA from Los Angeles for school in the fall,
meaning I'm
> trading in my air-polluting automobile for a lot more action on my road
bike as
> my primary source of transportation.
>
> Anyone ever live in Davis or know what to expect?
>
> Some friends have told me to be careful because bikes got stolen and it
rains
> alot, so no exposed wedges or frame pumps then and probably a rack and
some
> fenders?
>
> I also currently lock with a generic krypto-lock and a cable lock. Should
I
> upgrade?

 

[Tom Kunich]

[email protected] (BcMuse) wrote in message news:<[email protected]>...
> I'm moving up to Davis, CA from Los Angeles for school in the fall
>
> Anyone ever live in Davis or know what to expect?

Davis is a really neat town. You'll love it there and will want to try and find work there after you
get out of school.

Since it's a college town petty theft is pretty endemic. Put all of your stuff in a backpack and
take it with you. Do not use a good bike for transportation especially around the campus. You can
ask the campus cops when they hold the yearly auction and pick up a junker for commuting between
classes. Use a Krytonite lock at all times and be sure that whatever you lock to can't be moved
easily. As someone else suggested, lock your bike up near better bikes with cheaper locks.

The Davis bike clubs (I think there are two of them, a town club and the college club) have some
really great members with lots of experience and knowledge of all the best routes. The riding around
that area is fantastic with routes that go all the way to Nevada City if you know how. There is just
about any kind of riding you want from dead flat to damned steep and long. And you can enter the
Dunlop TT next spring.

Rain is not a problem since it rains so seldom as a rule that you look forward to it in order to
have some time off of the bike. It rains more in the SF bay area and last year I put in 3,000 (dry)
miles in the first four months and it was a wet year. It isn't LA basin, but that's good.

 

[Thomas Reynolds]

[email protected] (BcMuse) wrote in message news:<[email protected]>...
> I'm moving up to Davis, CA from Los Angeles for school in the fall, meaning I'm trading in my
> air-polluting automobile for a lot more action on my road bike as my primary source of
> transportation.
>
> Anyone ever live in Davis or know what to expect?
>
I have only limited experience, having gone to Davis for a few brevets. But from my observation
Davis, CA is the most bicycle friendly town I have ever seen. There are intersections in town where
a special walk button exist in the bike lane for cyclists. San Diego (my home) is a decent place to
ride but the city of Davis seems built for cyclists.

Tom

 

[Ralph Bean]

The Davis Police are extremely strict at enforcing automobile driving laws and also at enforcing the
DMV laws that apply to bicycles. It is common for bicyclists to get cited, especially for cruising
through stop signs.

Ralph

"KBH" <[email protected]> wrote in message news:[email protected]...
> Maybe OT, but I have a friend who moved from Maine to Davis, CA and his welcome was a ticket for
> riding through a stop sign. Lets not argue about obeying traffic signs, etc... but just appreciate
> moving from Maine to CA and in the first week getting a ticket on your BIKE!

 

[Ralph Bean]

True. And any good quality wheel left unlocked is subject to being stolen from the bicycle.
Bicycling-related theft is extremely active in Davis.

Ralph

"Tim Smith" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...

> Any bike left unlocked will get stolen in Davis.

 

[Jobst Brandt]

Ralph Bean writes:

> The Davis Police are extremely strict at enforcing automobile driving laws and also at enforcing
> the DMV laws that apply to bicycles. It is common for bicyclists to get cited, especially for
> cruising through stop signs.

Oh what a difference. Just down the way at Stanford, (Can't we all just get along) the campus is
patrolled by the Stanford section of the Sheriff's department and bicyclists are cited at stop signs
only when ignoring the right of way of a car. There are no traffic lights on the campus except on
Palm Drive, the main arterial. Besides, you've got to be pretty rude to run into pedestrian in a
cross walk.

The attitude is that the campus is for academics and not for cars. The whole place is laid out to be
auto unfriendly. It's a pleasure to ride bicycle there.

Jobst Brandt [email protected] Palo Alto CA

 

[Matt O'Toole]

"Ralph Bean" <[email protected]> wrote in message news:[email protected]...

> True. And any good quality wheel left unlocked is subject
to being stolen
> from the bicycle. Bicycling-related theft is extremely active in Davis.

The sick thing about this is, UC students are generally middle-class or higher, and if they're not
already they will be. IOW, they don't need to be ripping off bikes and bike parts. The same thing
happens at UC Irvine, and USC, where tuition is over $20k a year. This doesn't reflect well on the
ethics of today's college students.

Matt O.

 

[Bernie]

Tom Kunich wrote:

> [email protected] (BcMuse) wrote in message news:<[email protected]>...
> > I'm moving up to Davis, CA from Los Angeles for school in the fall
> >
> > Anyone ever live in Davis or know what to expect?
>
> Davis is a really neat town. You'll love it there and will want to try and find work there after
> you get out of school.
>
> Since it's a college town petty theft is pretty endemic. Put all of your stuff in a backpack and
> take it with you. Do not use a good bike for transportation especially around the campus. You can
> ask the campus cops when they hold the yearly auction and pick up a junker for commuting between
> classes. Use a Krytonite lock at all times and be sure that whatever you lock to can't be moved
> easily. As someone else suggested, lock your bike up near better bikes with cheaper locks.
>
> The Davis bike clubs (I think there are two of them, a town club and the college club) have some
> really great members with lots of experience and knowledge of all the best routes. The riding
> around that area is fantastic with routes that go all the way to Nevada City if you know how.
> There is just about any kind of riding you want from dead flat to damned steep and long. And you
> can enter the Dunlop TT next spring.
>
> Rain is not a problem since it rains so seldom as a rule that you look forward to it in order to
> have some time off of the bike. It rains more in the SF bay area and last year I put in 3,000
> (dry) miles in the first four months and it was a wet year. It isn't LA basin, but that's good.

Hasn't Davis been voted one of the most bicycle friendly towns in the US? I'm sure they included
bycycle clearance on "normal" city streets when the town plan was designed. No, it was just people,
not a miracle. You can check this site by Paul Dorn. He is a commuting cycling actionist, who lives
or used to live in Davis. http://runmuki.com/paul/writing/davis.html He is a good writer, i.e. a
good read. I've been to Davis a few times in the past 20 years, and it always looked like a
beautiful place to ride. Been to Lost Angeles too, can't say the same. Best regards, Bernie ( a
Californiaphile from Canada)

 

[David L. Johnso]

On Fri, 02 May 2003 21:26:27 +0000, Ralph Bean wrote:

> The Davis Police are extremely strict at enforcing automobile driving laws and also at enforcing
> the DMV laws that apply to bicycles. It is common for bicyclists to get cited, especially for
> cruising through stop signs.

Gee, ain't that a sin. Actually, this is a good practice. I was downtown (Philly) a couple days ago
and was embarassed at the cyclists who blew through stoplights. Not only is it stupid-dangerous, but
it cements in the minds of drivers that cyclists are not real traffic, since they don't think of
themselves as such.

This has somewhat less relevance in Philadelphia, though, since a lot of drivers also ignore lights,
and of course stop signs are for tourists only.

--

David L. Johnson

__o | I don't believe you, you've got the whole damn thing all wrong. _`\(,_ | He's not the kind
you have to wind-up on Sundays. --Ian (_)/ (_) | Anderson