Folding Bikes - Bike Theft Considerations

http://www.sfbg.com/entry.php?entry_id=2836&catid=4

Here is another article on Bike Theft in a major urban center of San Francisco USA. Here the writer attempts to locate latest one (yes one) of several bikes stolen from him over a period of time. He did everthing right as far as a good citizen of the upper class (i.e. not poor) would or should do under the same or similar circumstances. Read this article with an open mind and heart-and be grateful that you are considering or own a folding bike of any make or model. Because they are so portable, they are the closest thing to theft proof that one can buy. Not those pricey U Locks with names like Pit Bull, New York or some other nonsense like that. Just try to collect on the insurance that is offered with some of those locks. Now that is a real nightmare!

Yeah, that article is a few months old already. Since his bike got stolen out of his garage, I am not sure how a folding bike would have changed anything. And you can't always bring a folding bike indoors.

Personally, I don't really care that much. A bike is a commodity item and almost always replaceable.

A Bicycle isn't always a commodity. Sometimes, a lot of work and love goes into building a bike, in which case it isn't exactly a replaceable commodity. I would be crushed if my bike, a humble frankenbike, was stolen.

EDIT: Not only that, but if I took my bike to the city and had it stolen there, I would be stranded a very long way from home.

Interesting article for a number of reasons. Tends to agree with an unproven opinion of mine. Law enforcement isn't all that serious about deterring, catching, or punishing bike thieves, and that exacerbates the problem.

Last bike of mine to be stolen would have been in the late 1970s. One of those heavy old Schwinn 10 speeds, like a Continental or Varsity. I wasn't a "serious" bicyclist, then, didn't know much about them; it was just a cheap way to get around town. It still bothered me a lot that some parasite stole my stuff. It's not just a matter of how easy it is to replace; I've never gotten rid of the old fashioned notion that theft is actually wrong.


I agree with Sir Lunch-a-lot about the attachment one can develop for a bike. Also, commodity or not, a bike stolen from a public place probably isn't going to be fully covered by insurance. Finding even $250 to replace a low end hybrid is something I think most people would care about, even if they can easily afford it.

A folding bike isn't a guarantee against theft, of course. It could be stolen out of your home. Some place that you're desperate to get into might not let you bring it inside. Any bike could be taken away from you by force. Still, it improves your chances a bit.

How easy is it to steal a bike in public space? Easy!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZbklkFuFk-4&mode=related&search=
Edd

In the UK, Bromptons in particular are highly prized by bike thieves - so much so that a gang last year was finally caught after brazenly selling dozens on Ebay...

When I have cycled in Copenhagen or Malmo, I often leave my bike unlocked overnight. Amazingly, when I return to it in the morning, it would still be there! If only this was the case in London, or SF or NY.

Theft seems to be low key here in Melbourne. Bikes are often locked up with the most pathetic locks, and sometimes not at all. Even so, I am a bit paranoid about my own bikes. Just the other day whilke doing some lunchtime shoppping, there was not a structure in sight for locking my R20 to, so I just wheeled it into the shop. The floor assistants didn't bat an eyelid.

A Bicycle isn't always a commodity. Sometimes, a lot of work and love goes into building a bike, in which case it isn't exactly a replaceable commodity. I would be crushed if my bike, a humble frankenbike, was stolen.
Meh, it is to me. ;) I've had bikes (and other objects) stolen in the past, and it sucks but there are far, far, far worse things that can happen in life. Even if I lost a bike in mid-tour, I'd be unhappy but am usually prepared.

Bikes are material things, most of them are cheap, they can be replaced. I'm much more attached to the idea of cheap, simple, fun, exercise-oriented, clean transit than in Material Object X.



A bike stolen from a public place probably isn't going to be fully covered by insurance. Finding even $250 to replace a low end hybrid is something I think most people would care about, even if they can easily afford it.
True, I doubt my bike would be covered. And I'm definitely not saying I'd jump for joy if someone took my bike!

But unless it was an Orbea Orca, I wouldn't get into a twist about it. In fact, one of the reasons why I don't spend a lot of money on an individual bike is precisely so that I don't have to tear my hair out if it gets stolen or busted beyond repair.

Yeah, that article is a few months old already. Since his bike got stolen out of his garage, I am not sure how a folding bike would have changed anything. And you can't always bring a folding bike indoors.

Personally, I don't really care that much. A bike is a commodity item and almost always replaceable.


Interesting article for a number of reasons. Tends to agree with an unproven opinion of mine. Law enforcement isn't all that serious about deterring, catching, or punishing bike thieves, and that exacerbates the problem.

A folding bike isn't a guarantee against theft, of course. It could be stolen out of your home. Some place that you're desperate to get into might not let you bring it inside. Any bike could be taken away from you by force. Still, it improves your chances a bit.

I agree that even folding bikes are not 100% theft proof. They are the only bikes that work here. I have been using these bikes exclusively for over three years now in an area noted for violent bike jacking (a distant relative was so robbed only a few blocks from my old high school) and a huge amount of any type of theft-both reported and unreported-even gang violence. My last bike was stolen here in the same area over 25 years ago. It was not an extremely expensive model. Just one that did not have any way of really securing it-by taking it with me. Most of the time this is good enough. And I could still enjoy a good day actually riding any type of bike-even if it just a folder.

"Bikes are one of the four commodities of the street — cash, drugs, sex, and bikes," Veysey told me. "You can virtually exchange one for another."