Folding Bikes - Stupid Brompton owners!

It never ceases to amaze me that people are leaving their Bromptons, locking them using only a cheap wire lock, I saw one with a wire lock around a tree & the seatpost! DOH!
The other day there was another which was locked to a bike stand using a large snake lock which was only around the top tube! (simply drop seat, lift & thread the rear end through the large loop, disappear into the sunset) :roflmao2:
I'm going to start taking pics of these morons that can pay large amounts for their Brommies, then tie them to a twig with string or if they do lock them it's with a Poundshop special! :eek::eek::eek::eek::lol:

I have a colleague at work with a $2000 Birdy... he uses a 50c lock which is broken to boot.

They might be stupid but it doesn't mean they should be stolen. We have far too many bike thieves in the UK who the police don't bother about or get off lightly when caught.

Anyway the whole purpose of my Brommie is I can fold it and bring into 99% of places with me avoiding the need for a lock!

Same here, I don’t use a lock because the bike goes with me into buildings.

I even take my old Strida 3 inside with me, If a pub or restaurant says leave it outside, then out it goes with my bum on the seat. And off I go to find somewhere that will accept me with my bike.
The wire lock around the seat was in Kensington (with all the Brommies going walkies in London)
I almost got a pic of the other one, which was in Colchester, but when I walked back with my camera later, it had gone.

Safe & theft-free riding! :thumb:

that kinda defeats the purpose of having a brommie or any small folders for that matter, doesn't it...

I have a colleague at work with a $2000 Birdy... he uses a 50c lock which is broken to boot.

This isn't a case of " I have a friend ", is it ?

I even take my old Strida 3 inside with me, If a pub or restaurant says leave it outside, then out it goes with my bum on the seat. And off I go to find somewhere that will accept me with my bike.

Haha Chop well said, same here! I've only ever been refused entry in one snobbish pub in West Hampstead London by some bar manager who thought she was God's gift to men and didn't understand what a folding bke was. I upped and went to the pub next door and spent £30 on food and drinks there!

If you go to "You Tube" and search for ...."How to seal a bike"....or something like that term. You'll see this guy stealing his own bike just to prove a point that nobody but nobody will bother with you.
I think a couple people asked if he needed help.....:lol:
In the middle of the city with cars going by and people walking right past him.....he rode away every time.

Look here....

http://www.youtube.com/results?search_type=&search_query=how+to+steal+a+bike&aq=f

see ya

Haha Chop well said, same here! I've only ever been refused entry in one snobbish pub in West Hampstead London by some bar manager who thought she was God's gift to men and didn't understand what a folding bke was. I upped and went to the pub next door and spent £30 on food and drinks there!

I'll be in 'The Metropolis' tomorrow, we're doing a gig @ Battersea Arts Centre, I'm with 'Reverend Billy & the gospel choir of life after shopping' http://www.revbilly.com

They are a spoof religion which fights for green issues and against globalism, we're doing a cycle action in Cambridge on Monday.

I'm in Grantham today, I went for a ride earlier, as it was called Low Road I thought I'd leave the Strida & take the Long-John, then I found out that it's called Low Road because it climbs to High Road & against the wind! DOH! LOL!

Haha Chop well said, same here! I've only ever been refused entry in one snobbish pub in West Hampstead London by some bar manager who thought she was God's gift to men and didn't understand what a folding bke was. I upped and went to the pub next door and spent £30 on food and drinks there!

Good for you. Myself and my wife entred a cafe and there were no seats. The owner kicked a coulpe out with a pushchair, stating it was a fire hazard rather rudely. That meant there was space for us, but not liking the mans attitude, plus my wife was expecting so shortly we would have been in simular postion soon; therefore, we also found another establishment.

Good for you. Myself and my wife entred a cafe and there were no seats. The owner kicked a coulpe out with a pushchair, stating it was a fire hazard rather rudely. That meant there was space for us, but not liking the mans attitude, plus my wife was expecting so shortly we would have been in simular postion soon; therefore, we also found another establishment.

:thumb:

It never ceases to amaze me that people are leaving their Bromptons, locking them using only a cheap wire lock, I saw one with a wire lock around a tree & the seatpost! DOH!
The other day there was another which was locked to a bike stand using a large snake lock which was only around the top tube! (simply drop seat, lift & thread the rear end through the large loop, disappear into the sunset) :roflmao2:
I'm going to start taking pics of these morons that can pay large amounts for their Brommies, then tie them to a twig with string or if they do lock them it's with a Poundshop special! :eek::eek::eek::eek::lol:

Why do you care what some other cyclist does with their property?...:twitchy: Just get on with your day and don't worry about it...:rolleyes:

Grade Your Bike Locking Skill. (http://www.streetfilms.org/archives/hal-and-kerri-grade-your-bike-locking/)

It never ceases to amaze me that people are leaving their Bromptons, locking them using only a cheap wire lock, I saw one with a wire lock around a tree & the seatpost! DOH!
The other day there was another which was locked to a bike stand using a large snake lock which was only around the top tube! (simply drop seat, lift & thread the rear end through the large loop, disappear into the sunset) :roflmao2:
I'm going to start taking pics of these morons that can pay large amounts for their Brommies, then tie them to a twig with string or if they do lock them it's with a Poundshop special! :eek::eek::eek::eek::lol:

I really thought that the people in the UK generally have more "bike-sense" but I guess for the most part I was wrong. Perhaps there are reasons that one is not aware of when one comes upon a poorly locked Brompton (or any other decent bike) anywhere in the world:


People being the creatures of habit that they are, still follow mommy's and daddy's-and parental figures like law enforcement & security guards-orders when it comes to bikes: lock the bike with a cable lock (after all it is only a toy for the kid), ride the bike on sidewalks for safety and protection from "those" cars and "those" people ("my own" family is always excepted), and my favorite-keep that &%&#@*&% "dirty" thing out of the house (or store, library-wherever it is most likely vandalized or stolen outside).



The owners have plenty of money to spare for one or more replacements (and perhaps they like to get the latest model available each year-or sooner).


The bike is just a fancy ego-stroking accessory, not a serious commuter tool or a thing of art or beauty-and treated as such.


I am pleased to state that I still have my faithful little Brommi for over 3 years now. I try to keep it as nice as possible and be kind to it. By that sort of treatment I expect it to perform during times of trial as well as fun for many more years to come.

Same here, I don’t use a lock because the bike goes with me into buildings.

I have a different philosophy: I don't use a lock on my folder to force me to only ride my bike places where it can go with me into buildings.

I have a different philosophy: I don't use a lock on my folder to force me to only ride my bike places where it can go with me into buildings.

Actually, I always have a simple cable lock with me when I go out with one of my folding bikes. Even indoors just like laptop computers, if the thing does not have some sort of lock on it when I have to get up or go away from it for "just a moment," it will be snatched because it does not require tools to take the bike and anyone can do so with ease and not call attention to themselves. It is generally outdoors even around here in gangland that a bike is snatched or tampered with when it is fully locked up even with the more hardened U-lock or other fancy locking techniques. I think it is some sort of psychologically distancing factor with other potential witnesses causing them to ignore a crime in progress unless it is "theirs". If you walk into a more stable neighborhood grocery store or the like, you will trip over the piles of even junky department store bikes that nervous owners leave inside at the door literally as others appear to know this.

Because of the above, I only use folding bikes now as they are the most theft resistant bike around. I gave away my last nonfolding regular bike a year ago even though I really like the bike. It was a "matter of time" as far as potential theft was concerned and I really did not like that feeling hanging over the bike every time I rode it.

Now this is secure ......from robbers and dogs.
NOTE, the lock.

Anyway the whole purpose of my Brommie is I can fold it and bring into 99% of places with me avoiding the need for a lock!

Actually, it's more like 90% (or less) will accept a folding bicycle inside. That is why you always need to have that cover with you at all times. Then there are places where you really don't want to carry a 25 lb bicycle with you like shopping malls where lots of walking is involved. I believe the Brompton and Strida are the few bikes where you can roll it but then there are those evil "Stares" that no one likes.

I've seen a Ti Brompton locked in to a pole in New York City in full view of thousands! LOL! I guess the owner thought all those people would defend his poor folder should crooks decide to bring industrial strength equiptment to remove his bike.

If you are really worried here is a poor mans LoJack for bicycles.

GPS tracker(bug) with texting
http://www.bikeforums.net/showthread.php?t=542844

I carry locks, because I have been completely rebuffed with my Downtubes in a couple of places. Clients who are in serviced offices are the worst, because the desk staff don't work for the client, and don't give a crap whether I'm costing £1200 a day to be there, they're just not interested.

I would never lock my birdy.. that's the whole point in NYC of having a folder.

That said, when I am in Germany, I have a lock for it.