Commuting - Biking to work in Manhattan

Hi all,
I live in Manhattan and live about 2 miles away from my office. There is a bike rack outside my building and I would love to bike to work. One problem- I'm very nervous about having my bike stolen...even with the best locking system. Does anyone else in this forum bike to work in New York (or another major city) and what do you think. Also, what's the concensus on foldable bicycles?
Thanks
-Sally

I commute into the village from queens every day, and i leave my bike outside chained to a post. The only thing that i can say is that you roll the dice every time you leave it out.

If you don't already, buy a "New York chain" from kryptonite. It's about the only chain out there that can't be cut by hand-held bolt cutters. That and the U-lock is small enough to prevent the use of a jack to shatter it.

If at all possible, try to get your boss/company to let you store the bike in your cubicle/office/storage area, but if not, the above is a reasonably reliable solution as long as you don't leave it overnight.

good luck!

-chris

Use a craptastic bike to commute... or a cheapie... something undesirable... maybe a Straight Up or something... or some junker you piece together. Yeahhh. Or, you could use a taser and electrify the whole bike as a security measure... mmm, maybe not the best of ideas.

For 2 mile journeys, folders are OK, but get a decent one. Some of the cheapie models will get shaken to death.
An older "beater bike" works well. These can be picked up cheap, and if they were good when new, they should still ride well. Make sure you can fit a luggage rack and fenders. Singlespeeds are light, simple and reliable, hub gears (3, 5, or 7 speed) are clean and easy to use, MTB style deraileur gears (3x8 gears) are overkill for the city, but if they come with the bike, use them.
You can leave an armoured high security chain at each end of your commute, and carry a smaller shackle or cable lock for stopping off at the shops.

Thanks guys for your input. My main goal right now is to bike to and from work...but I really do want to bike in the park on weekends as well. I'm going to do a little more research and find out if I can bring my bicycle up the freight elevator - if the building will allow it. Where I stash it in my apartment is another story- but I'm working on it. I definitely like the taser idea though!

>>>>>>>I live in Manhattan and live about 2 miles away from my office. There is a bike rack outside my building and I would love to bike to work. <<<<<<

I bike to work in Manhattan every day. I bought a cheap Pacific Mountain bike from ToysRUs last month for $90.00 dollars with very good results. It has dual suspension and those knobby wheels really eat up all the ruts, bumps and potholes. The only thing I hate about the bike is that it doesn't shift anymore after one month.

The toy bike stays on the streets 24/7 every day of the week. I leave it by 34th street in one of the most crowded intersections in the city. That cheap toy bike is practically immune from crooks that won't rob it since the parts are worthless. Seriously. The crooks consider it a junk bike.

I use three locks. The New York Chain which goes around the frame and rear wheel. The Kryptonite Goran Cable which goes around the frame and front wheel. A cheap combination lock to hold the seat post down. That's All!

If you do decide to go this route, make it ugly and worthless. It won't shift after a month of use so keep it on one LOW gear. Before you take it out on the street, get it looked at by a local bike shop since those ToysRUS bikes are poorly assembled.

Last year I commuted using a Dahon 3 speed but never left it on the streets overnight. The crooks left that bike alone too since a 16' wheel with 3 speeds and not much value. It looks too strange and the parts are not conventional.

Could you take your bike into your office, and lock it in the mail room or something? I did this when I worked in downtown San Diego. Took my bike up on the elevator. No one ever said anything. Nowadays, I take my bike up to my doctor's office, which is on the 4th floor. I park it in the waiting room.

Originally posted by trmcgeehan
Could you take your bike into your office, and lock it in the mail room or something? I did this when I worked in downtown San Diego. Took my bike up on the elevator. No one ever said anything. Nowadays, I take my bike up to my doctor's office, which is on the 4th floor. I park it in the waiting room.

I work in a fancy shmancy office building. Its the Fox 5 news building and they do alot of filming here.....so they lobby is kind of fancy with security everywhere. I've put in a request asking if I can bring a bike up the freight elevator but I don't have high hopes for a positive answer. I definitely couldn't *sneak* it in without anyone noticing. I've been watching the bike rack lately though. Its outside the building right outside glass doors so you can see it from inside. While there's no guard watching it specifically - I would think it would still be a deterent to thieves....maybe!

>>>>>>I work in a fancy shmancy office building. Its the Fox 5 news building and they do alot of filming here.....so they lobby is kind of fancy with security everywhere. I've put in a request asking if I can bring a bike up the freight elevator but I don't have high hopes for a positive answer. <<<<<<

I know the buidling you work at. Forget bringing it in the elevator. The buidling doesn't have insurance for your bike so I guess you're stuck putting it on the rack.

This is a true story.

Last year, someone locked a brand new Jamis MTB in the middle of several buidlings in full view of thousands entering and leaving those offices. Later that evening, I only saw the bare frame and the lock attached to the pole. All the parts were STOLEN!

I happen to like 3 speeds junk bikes for this reason. The Sturmey Archer/Sram Spectro offer VERY reliable shifting while a cheap MTB from Toys R US with 27 gears is practically a single speed. If you can find a good Schwinn 3 speed, buy it in a heartbeat.

One more thing. If you see ANY bike cops, please respect the traffic light. I nearly recieved a big time ticket this morning while commuting to work but the moment I was ready to jump the light, someone did it before me. Those bike cops wasted no time in chasing him down. I can only imagine what the fine is for crossing a red light in Midtown Manhattan. I suspect it must equal several points and about $250.00.

I also suggest a cheapie. thieves will steal or trash anything.

A friends ten year old mnt. bike was locked 15 feet from his works front door. every 10 minutes he would lean over the counter and check on it. He looks out once and it's GONE! He runs out and sees a cop putting the bike in his cop car. Of course, he freaks out and says, "that's my bike!".

turns out a kid was using wire cutters to cut his lock and a nice kind lady saw this and called the cops. the cops showed up just as the cable/lock fell to the ground.

this bike was worth nothing really, looked like junk but still was almost stolen.
it only takes seconds......

Another suggestion: Move to Kentucky. Crooks in this state don't know how to ride a bike, so your bike should be safe.
But if you had a vintage Pontiac Trans Am with wide "tars" on the back, it would be stolen in a split second. :D

I suggest either taping, innertubing, or spraypainting over the frame. Make it look dirty. Swap out all quick releases with bolts that take a wrench. Kryptonite chain as previously mentioned... it's heavy but you can leave it at work.

But be prepared for the bike to be stolen. In nyc you could take a blowtorch to a bike and people would just walk by. If you can't get it inside, at least get it out of view from the street.

Mine's locked outside my building... gotta go check on it now. :rolleyes:

Good luck and don't let it stop you from riding!

I know how to keep my bike from being stolen in NYC- I moved to Maryland. Now I need to know how to keep my bike from being stolen in Maryland.

Man, am I glad I don't have to worry about that stuff!

I live in the country where we can leave the house unlocked if we want, leave the keys in our cars, and never worry about anythng being stolen.

Good luck finding a good solution to your problem, Sally!

Originally posted by Sallyf14
Hi all,
I live in Manhattan and live about 2 miles away from my office. There is a bike rack outside my building and I would love to bike to work. One problem- I'm very nervous about having my bike stolen...

Sally, if you only have a two-mile commute, you can fix up an old bike for the job. Keep your nice bike indoors .

She purchased a folding bike and discovered the same thing I did. Most office buidings in New York City WILL NOT allow any bikes inside. No exemptions. One of the reasons I purchased a folding bike was to be able to bring it inside the office. Unfortunately, I work in one of the most secure buildings in Manhattan so this is impossible.

You have no choice but to leave the folder parked outside. I saw two folding bikes outside the NBC studios by Fifth Avenue the other day so it can be done.

I agree with the junk bike theory in Manhattan. It works well and a cheap three speed or Pacific MTB with two expensive chains works well in Manhattan. All over NYC, are junk bikes attached to poles by the truck loads. Most are rusting and worthless bikes owned by food delivery clerks with little money.

I would suggest taking it apart if you can't get the entire thing into the office. At school I see people leaving kleins outside in the rain with only a cheap heavy wire lock around the frame. Even on my craptastical diamondback I would remove the front tire, lock it around the back and take the seat post with me. Maybe even take the front wheel with you, since it's not that big and could probably be stashed under a desk. I just purchased a Lemond Propad which will be seeing me through 9 months of study abroad in England and I am trying to think of ways to not get it ripped off.

Brad.

P.S use a D lock at the very least

You'd think that a city like New York, which is legendary for both its bike theft problems and its traffic congestion, would have some kind of statutory requirement for its office buildings to provide safe and secure long term bike parking for building employees that are bicycle commuters, that would at a minimum be both indoors and under surveillance by building security. Without such provisions for bicycle commuters, where's the incentive to bicycle to work, and what's the mode split for bicycle commuting? I'd have to guess that it's less than 0.5%. Surely, NYC could do a little more than nothing to require its commercial property owners to provide safe bicycle parking facilities for commuters. It's a damn shame, I tell you...

Originally posted by randya
You'd think that a city like New York, which is legendary...could do a little more...to provide safe bicycle parking facilities for commuters. It's a damn shame, I tell you...
Amen.

I ended up buying a Dahon folding bike- which is working out perfectly. The other perk is that I have a small apartment (though its decent for Manhattan) and the folder is a much better fit than a full size would be. I got a Boardwalk D6 and I'm breaking it in beautifully!

>>>>>You'd think that a city like New York, which is legendary...could do a little more...to provide safe bicycle parking facilities for commuters. It's a damn shame, I tell you... <<<<<

Most of the office buildings in Manhattan do not want to pay extra insurance which would run into the thousands for a handful of bike commuters. In my building with over 50 floors of office space, there are only TWO bike commuters. Myself and another man who commutes about once a week. That's all folks.

There is no way my building is going to put up with that expense for two lowly bike commuters.

I bought the bike but the bag was on backorder (supposedly its due in this week) so I haven't even tried to bring it in the office building yet. I will keep you posted when I do and see if security tries to make a fuss or not. Even folded up, the bike is not small so it will be interesting to see how well it fits in the bag.

Originally posted by MsVicki
I live in the country where we can leave the house unlocked if we want, leave the keys in our cars, and never worry about anythng being stolen.

What's your address?


Just kidding!!

Originally posted by Dahon.Steve
Most of the office buildings in Manhattan do not want to pay extra insurance which would run into the thousands for a handful of bike commuters. In my building with over 50 floors of office space, there are only TWO bike commuters. Myself and another man who commutes about once a week. That's all folks.

There is no way my building is going to put up with that expense for two lowly bike commuters.

Well then, it's more than a damn shame, it's f***ing pitiful. Of course, It's not just the building owners who are at fault here; in fact, I'd fault the city's politicians first and foremost, for not having the balls, ovaries or political will to require such a simple amenity as safe and secure bicycle parking for commuters.

Even Los Angeles, our country's great shrine to the personal automobile, requires companies with more that a certain number of employees (50 or 100, I think) to provide safe and secure bike parking, lockers and showers for those who want to commute by bicycle, AS AN INCENTIVE TO DO SO.

The politicians are supposed to work for WE THE PEOPLE, and not for the corporate owners getting fat on Manhattan real estate. If y'all don't hold them accountable, you'll never get safe and secure bicycle parking for commuters.

Originally posted by MsVicki
Man, am I glad I don't have to worry about that stuff!

I live in the country where we can leave the house unlocked if we want, leave the keys in our cars, and never worry about anythng being stolen.

Good luck finding a good solution to your problem, Sally!

I know what you mean. Our village has a zero crime rate at the moment.

My friend leaves his Mercedes parked outside unlocked. (I'm not that stupid)

Originally posted by randya
...I'd fault the city's politicians first and foremost, for not having the balls, ovaries or political will to require such a simple amenity as safe and secure bicycle parking for commuters.

I don't know. Buildings aren't required to provide car parking... and if you want "safe and secure" you pay for a garage with employees keeping an eye out.

Of course it would be nice but from the POV of the non-bicyclist, it would seem like tossing money to a special interest, not a basic amenity.

I just wish my building would allow bikes past the security gates. I would have no problem stashing my bike in my office.

The fact is, bike theft receives no police attention in nyc. And in general, a lot of "petty crime" is tolerated. This functions to prevent disenfranchised people from organizing.

If there were more bike commuters, we could organize and change the policy. But people don't want to commute under the current policy. Catch-22

BTW, I started commuting from Brooklyn this spring... haven't missed a day yet, and the bike is still locked outside... I hope!