Sussex University Campus - worth having a bike?

[KEELIEDW]

My daughter starts in hall at Falmer campus at the end of this month. Can anyone tell me how bike-friendly Brighton is? The distance, less than 4 miles to the sea-front & town centre shops, would seem to be ideal for cycling. But is there a reasonable route?

[EMD_Nic]

My daughter starts in hall at Falmer campus at the end of this month. Can anyone tell me how bike-friendly Brighton is? The distance, less than 4 miles to the sea-front & town centre shops, would seem to be ideal for cycling. But is there a reasonable route?

Brighton itself is a very bike friendly city from my days there five/six years ago so things should have got even better since. However that hill up to the Falmer campus...I would use a swear word but I won't....it's a bit on the steep side! Saying that some of the buses to the university will take bikes for a small extra cost.

[Fonant]

Can anyone tell me how bike-friendly Brighton is?

Check out Bricycles - http://www.bricycles.org.uk

[Wildduck]

One of the main questions must be cycle security on campus.

Has been a big problem at the University of Southampton here, greatly (but not totally solved) by having locking cycle cages. Not sure what they have at the halls of residence though.

[Halla]

There are cycle ways marked within Brighton City centre and marked cycle provision next to the road between the City & the University. There is also a cycle path next to the A27 from Falmer to Lewes ( County Town of East Sussex).

I would strongly recommend that the bike is locked securely at the campus and in the city centre. There is a major bike theft problem in Brighton. Bikes can be marked by the Police or Evans Cycles.

Agree Bricycles & Cycle Lewes Web sites could be helpful.

Halla

[eileithyia]

Well can only from a short day visit to Brighton back in the summer(?). There seemed to be quite a few well marked cycle ways and lots of bikes locked up around the place. I guess the important thing is to ensure it is not too trendy looking and desirable to nick.
As someone who has cycled right from my early days of living in the nurses' home I would say it is always worth having bike to get around on.
A bit of rearranging of my room and my bike lived in my room with me.

[captainff]

Hi there!

I've lived around the Brighton area all of my life and yes, having a bike is worthwhile. The council has spent vast sums of money on improving the cycle paths through the city and was awarded a massive government grant to assist with this.

The main Lewes Road that starts near the Palace Pier and continues past the University's Falmer campus has a cycle path up most of it's length. It's relatively flat and many riders use it every day.

The only negative side of cycling in Brighton is, as mentioned above, theft and petty vandalism but I don't necessarily think that these are any worse than in any other major conurbation. Sensible precautions and a decent lock should be enough to avoid the worst of that.

The public transport links to the campus are also very good so she could use those on particularly wet days!

[KEELIEDW]

Many thanks for all your replies, sounds reasonably OK as long as she always U-locks it. I've got a revolting-looking, almost worthless old mountain bike for her, it's ideal for a high theft area. Actually it goes very nicely, but if/when it gets stolen it's not the end of the world.

[workhard]

get her something with drop bars; she will never have to lock it!