Read the full article at the Bicycle Vault Blog

Student use of bicycles has been steadily increasing at Luther. However, according to alum Janne Filsrand (‘94), insufficient accommodations have been made by the college to facilitate this growth.

Filsrand, an urban design consultant, visited campus last week for events sponsored by the Center for Ethics and Public Life in collaboration with the Sense of Vocation program.
“When I brought up the topic [of bike theft] in a class, I was surprised that in a rather small seminar, four students reported having had a bike stolen at Luther, and one of the students indicated he had had three bikes stolen,” Filsrand said. “Another one noted that he’d helped retrieve one out of a tree, as it had been thrown off the hill by Farwell.”
There are a few factors that may contribute to high numbers of bicycle theft on campus.
“The lack of secure bicycle parking, coupled with the impression of Decorah as a ‘safe’ environment, results in many students leaving bicycles unlocked, and bike theft and vandalism is rampant,” Flisrand said.

According to the Student Life Office, the college does not keep records regarding bike theft, but recently, students have reported high incidences of theft.
“Last fall, someone stole my bike frame and back wheel, and just left my front wheel locked into the rack,” Hannah Aamot (‘14) said.

The San Francisco Bike Collective sets the national standard for securing bicycles and states that the most secure way to lock a bicycle is with a U-lock properly securing the frame, and front and back wheels. With short racks, a U-lock can only be attached to the front wheel, which can be easily removed, and alternative locks can be easily clipped and are highly discouraged.

Luther currently has bike racks scattered around the campus, but they are primarily short racks. Most of the racks are located behind buildings or tucked behind shrubs and bushes. Filsrand observed that bikes are often left in stacks in front of buildings, leaning against walls and secured to handrails, which can block sidewalks for pedestrians.
Luther College bicycle regulation 27.1 prohibits “attachment to trees, posts, signs, handrails or handicapped ramps,” stating that bicycles violating this rule may be removed and confiscated. Newer buildings, such as Valders and Sampson Hoffland, were designed with easily accessible bike-parking areas. Bike areas near older buildings have not been recently updated.

Private donations have been made by concerned alumni such as Flisrand in an effort to correct this situation.

New and more secure bike racks are an important step in preventing bike theft on campus. Other proposed steps include educating students on proper bike locking, and some form of compensation for stolen bicycles.

By: Luke Muyskens & Melissa Erickson, Staff Writer & News EditorMay 5, 2011