Advocacy & Safety - Safeguarding my bike, as best as one can

I think my bike is safe locked up outside the store or wherever I may be. I say to myself it's an old ten speed, no one really wants it ... but, maybe someone does, has intentions of converting an old ten speed to a fixed gear. I think my lock and chain are pretty good, that's what the guy who sold it to me told me, anyway ... but, I've heard that thieves carry snippers that can cut thick chains like butter. Thing is, always having been a law abiding citizen, one who's never had a bike stolen (by luck of the draw, I suppose) it is all speculation on my part. Does anyone know where I might find either an insider perspective (thief or victim) or current law enforcement article dealing with this so I might feel better prepared and secure in knowing that I am doing everything I possibly can to assure that my bike will be where I left it?

what lock do you have?

Does anyone know where I might find either an insider perspective (thief or victim) or current law enforcement article dealing with this so I might feel better prepared and secure in knowing that I am doing everything I possibly can to assure that my bike will be where I left it?
--- Check out this thread from November 18th entitled: "Bike Theft: Where to Reduce the Risk?"
www.bikeforums.net/showthread.php?t=154503&highlight=location

I had the chain cut on one old 10 speed on a corner with 4 cops on it.

Chains and cables etc just keep the lazy from stealing your bike. Fortunately, thats most of the potential thieves.

i was thinking of getting a trailer and leaving an attack-trained pit bull locked to the bike.

plus, hauling the extra (slavering) weight around would provide a better workout.

Chains and cables etc just keep the lazy from stealing your bike. Fortunately, thats most of the potential thieves.

*nods*

Exactly. Usually, I lock the rear wheel through the rear triangle to a solid object like a post-and-ring with a u-lock, and cable the front wheel to whatever is locking the rear wheel to that solid object. It's a pretty easy way of making it look like way too much effort to steal your bike -- the old "I don't need to outrun the bear, I just need to outrun you" theory.

If this sounds confusing, imagine a cable with looped ends. Take one loop, slide it through the other to create a big loop. The front wheel should be within that loop, and the free end with the loop on it should be threaded onto the u-lock that goes through the rear wheel and post.

I don't really buy the idea that spending $90 on a u-lock or hardcore chain will prevent theft. I use a sub-$20 u-lock from Planet Bike, and a $7 looped cable to do what I described above, and I've never had a theft. Of course, I'm not sure how many people would really want my bike -- looks crappy, but great parts. Perhaps experienced thieves would take the time to look at the parts, but casual people looking to score an easy bike wouldn't even bother. I did, however, have one jackass try to steal my frame while at a local mall once, and after I ran after him I noticed he had been trying to cut the cable with a swiss army knife, which would have only netted him the wheel, had he been able to unbolt it from the frame. What an idiot.

One of the advantages of riding a 27 pound fixed gear conversion = nothing really markeatable to steal = normal U-lock combination lock or something cheaper.

Eventually I will buy me something nicer, lighter, prettier ... but I will not be likely to lock it on a high incident area.

I had the chain cut on one old 10 speed on a corner with 4 cops on it.

Chains and cables etc just keep the lazy from stealing your bike. Fortunately, thats most of the potential thieves.

So they don't just do it in NY?