bikiola

hi out there, first post!
i've been commuting in philadelphia for a couple of years and never have problems with my bike getting stolen (ny lock 3 foot chain with, gulp, ev disc lock which will soon get replaced!)... i'm moving to new york and was wondering if anyone can give any tips about locking up, etc? should i really be scared or is a lot of it myth? i have a two year old surly crosscheck, which looks like a road bike; i've heard that road bikes get stolen far, far less often than mtb bikes -- can anyone speak to this?
thanks for your help kids!
peace
yon

vrkelley

Well you probably know to lock the bike in well let places etc. But it's wise to actually lock the bike when you arrive home (even if the bike comes inside). It's a pain but it's worth it.

Mtn Mike

I don't worry about my bike getting stolen from work, and I'm still using my same ol' kryptonite U-lock! Must have something to do with riding a 1986 $50 bike.

greenbreezer

vrkelley brings up a good point: lock up your bike even at home. I live in a very suburban area and the police will be the first to say that the most common way bikes in our area are stolen is right out of people's garages! It's that "opportune thief" who sees an unlocked bike in a garage and makes off with it. It's not unusual for me to be out walking the dog and see an open garage with no one around so I'll ring the doorbell and let the occupants know their garage door is wide open. They're always grateful.

jstream

I don't know about other states, but here in Wisconsin (specifically Milwaukee) if something is stolen out of an unlocked garage it is a misdemeanor and the police probably will not even come to check it out... If it is from a locked garage it will be a felony and the police will absolutely come.

The lesson here?

Always lock your bike, then your garage. Your insurance company will not be happy to replace your stolen bike if they find out the garage was left open.

Erick L

Here's proper locking technique (taken from this site):

alanbikehouston

Richard Ballantine's 2001 book "Richard's 21st-Century Bicycle Book" has a lengthy, superb discussion of protecting your bike while parked, or riding, or at home. Buy his book.

Major points Mr. Ballantine makes:

-don't buy a lock with a round key - too easy for lock picks (duh) (This was three years ago)

-in a city like NYC, use three different locks, a hefty u-lock, a hefty chain, and a hefty cable, locking the frame and both wheels to two separate things that are both stronger than the bike locks

-park where the bike is seen, such as next to the theatre ticket office, not in the alley behing the theatre

And, my OWN stategy:

-ride old, dirty bikes, and park next to new, shiny, clean bikes with $5 locks

Dahon.Steve

Good one..

A .99 Cent box of bic pens will open up all those locks! ;-)

Dahon.Steve

I used to commute in New York City with a Dahon Piccolo a couple of years ago. However, all the food merchants and messengers are now using American locks.

I use a department store bike and would never ride a new one into the city. A Surly Crosscheck is a name brand bike and would stick out like a sore thumb. I don't see many new bikes on the street and find cheap single speeds from the 70's still in action! In fact, I used to see a guy bring in his Trek hybrid dressed for commuting fence. His bike is there no more and only the "wrecks" are still parked by the fence.

Did you ever think about using a folding bike? This way you can bring the bike inside your place of work instead of leaving it outside.