At any given time, hundreds of bicycles are likely to be locked up in buildings or outdoor areas belonging to New York University, and some of them will never be reclaimed. Instead, they will disintegrate in the elements or create obstructions in indoor areas until they are removed and thrown out by maintenance workers. Now, the abandoned bikes have a rejuvenated future. A few months ago the university approved a plan for students to work with an environmental group to recycle those bikes in an effort to encourage cycling and also lessen the waste created by discarding them.