Aznman

Going to college, I often lock up my bicycle on an outside parking area for about 7 hours. By the time I am about to go home, there are only a few bicycles left that is parking next to mine. Often times, my bicycle is the only one left in the area.

Some of you might have already realized from my post history that I am quite paranoid about thieves and vandals. It does not help knowing that my bicycle is a lone potential target for several hours (even when the parking area is quite nice).

It would comfort me a bit if I know that I am not the only who have to park this long.
How long do you usually leave your bicycle(s) locked up and parked in a public area?

agent pombero

I voted greater than 24 hours because of a secure bike garage that requires a badge to enter + there are 7 cameras recording. On the street? I will not keep my expensive steed locked up longer than 10 minutes if I'm out of sight. I have locked it up for hours at a time, many times, while I sat by a window in the cafe...ready to come out swinging if anyone tries to cut the lock and cables.

TOTAL CONTROL

Hey Aznman, this is an interesting poll/topic. Sorry if I'm not remembering you, but I started a bike register thread in the Gen dis board, feel free to check it out.

Next, I can't help but point out that your thread title conflicts with your poll title. One ask for an average & the other ask for an exact max time. Either way I answered more than 24. Wow, that brings back memories. I can't believe I use to be so recklas with my bike.

I would spend endless hours in bars (this was when the relationship was starting to go south), & I even would leave it PARKED IN THE BAR WITH ONLY THE REAR WHEEL U LOCKED TO THE FRAME FOR DAYS AT A TIME!!!!!

What the hell was I thinking.......oh yeah, how to make someone love me who won't LOL. These days I park it out side malls with both a heavy cable & u lock.

acidfast7

my bike lives outside.

it's a bike, not a family member.

Bike Gremlin

24 hours plus. Went dancing friday afternoon and locked it in the city centre. Then I went around pubs, drinking and dancing. Went home (on foot). In the saturday afternoon woke up, headache. Remembered. Went back and there it was. Too ugly to be touched, or stollen.

TOTAL CONTROL

LOL, glad to hear I wasn't the only one who left their ride to the watchfull eye of the bar keep. I tiped good so they liked me. Hell they'd have to like me to let me keep it next to the juke box.

Sixty Fiver

I left my bike locked up in a public parking garage for almost two months after crippling myself... there was security and no night time access and all I had to do was clean off the grime that had turned my white bike into one that was nearly black.

wolfchild

Whenever I go to a movie theater bike gets locked outside for about 3 hours.

wolfchild

That's because Germany doesn't have a problem with bike thefts or vandalism

Yeah so what ?? A bike may not be a family member but it's still a precious and expensive possession for a lot of people. Nobody likes when their car is stolen or vandalized, the same is true for bicycles.

Atvar

Ditto.

About four minutes is the average time here for a bike left unguarded to get stolen.




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acidfast7

Perhaps some fiscal constraint is in order?

IMO, when one can't afford to replace what they bought, nor afford insurance to replace what one bought, then one is shopping well over their head.

contango 

It's nothing to do with being unable to afford a replacement, it's just a basic concept of looking after stuff.

I can afford to replace my laptop but I'm not going to leave it unattended in the coffee shop while I go take a leak. I can afford to replace my watch but I'm not going to leave it lying around in the changing room at the gym. Likewise I can afford to replace my bike but I'm not going to leave it unattended without some heavy security.

Telly

Longest time locked outside was on Friday evening when I met up with another cyclist for a drink and had our bikes locked up outside the shop under a lamp-post. We stayed there for a few (2-3?) hours and needless to say, we where both looking out ready to make a dash since this wasn't the safest of areas to lock up the bikes.

Even though the chance of a bike being stolen is very high, I'm usually more worried about minor theft of items and vandalism which takes seconds to happen, since I always leave the bike in a spot where I can see it.

contango 

That's my primary concern too - things like lights are easy to steal but also easy to remove, and yet it gets to be a royal PITA to have to take off the lights, GPS, saddle bag, water bottles, pump etc and carry them all away only to them have to put them all back on before leaving. Even if damage isn't intentional, locking bikes either side of an inverted U-shape bike park does leave you vulnerable to how careful the guy parking the other side is. If he nudges the bike to the point it falls it could put a strain on the spokes that you won't notice until later, like when you hear that tell-tale snap while pulling away from the lights.

acidfast7

The question is parking time ... if you want a trailer queen that gets stored inside that more power to you.

However, my bike is nothing more than a tool for fun/commuting, as are most bikes over here and they get stored outside, usually at the train stations or subway stops.

acidfast7

some photos of bicycles as tools:

bikes at the Hauptbahnhof:


left outside in all weather conditions:


SRAM gave everyone a new seat cover as marketing, which is great for when the bike is left in rain:


don't leave it too long of the Ordnungsamt will remove it:

contango 

I'm aware what the question is, I was responding to your comment:

If someone can only afford a very basic BSO to get around should they wait until they can afford two, in case the first one gets stolen? In principle I'd agree with the approach of not buying something so expensive (whatever "expensive" means based on your specific financial circumstances) that you'd be ruined if anything happened to it. That said the problems of having a bike rendered inoperable (whether it's stolen, critical parts are stolen or it's vandalised or otherwise damaged) are often far beyond the financial cost of replacing or fixing it. Not least because it leaves you away from home with your transport home removed. Where I live that would just be annoying as I could take the train home, and the station is barely a mile on foot from home. For those in more rural areas it becomes a much bigger problem.

acidfast7

As far as my fiscal constraint comment, I think people shouldn't be buying a bike until that have at least 12 months of net salary saved in the US or 6 months in Europe (due to differences in the unemployment insurance). At which point, I'd still hesitate to spend more than 20% of a month's net salary on a commuting bike (this is the commuting forum, right?).

Hope that clarifies my perspective.

Bike Gremlin

My starting pay was about 150 euros per MONTH. I could spend 10 euros per month for bus ticket, or pay some 30 euros for a decent second hand bicycle - and make sure I keep it save (inside firm office, inside home). Why leave anything for thieves? Bikes get stollen in my city regularly, just leave it out and it's gone. Even crapy looking bikes get stolen, sold for 5 e 2nd hand later.

ursle

You need to get another inexpensive bike for your commute and leave the nice one home, wasting brain cycles worrying about it is exasperating and somebody's gonna grab an expensive bike sooner or later, if somebody grabs the cheap one get another.
Your poll doesn't have the choice "never"

acidfast7

Yeah, it's a little tougher in the Central/East*.

I looked it up for Hessen (state Frankfurt is in), average gross full-time salary is €4250/month or €51000/year ($5525 and $66300). After automatic deductions, one is looking at €2442 and €29308 ($3174 and $38095), respectively.

20% would leave €500 or $700, which seems reasonable.

*Personally, I would rather live/work in the Central/East, especially Budapest, Cluj, Istanbul or Riga/Tallinn/Vilnius, but I can't find many universities willing to take a chance on an American, also the nepotism, even in Germany, can be kind of tough. So, maybe I should state that my values are more for the US/Canadian/Western European market.

acidfast7

Also, FWIW, it's €70/month for a public transport ticket and roughly €200-250 for a good second bike. So the %s breakdown similar to Serbia.

JReade

I bought my commuter for $150 used...and I should save up a years worth of salary before I should make that investment? It's not uncommon for me to spend that at the grocery store for a few weeks worth of food...or should I wait to do that too?

acidfast7

Standard emergency fund advice is 6-12 months.

JReade

Right, I'm aware of that. I bought most of my bikes off Craigslist, a nice commuter is the 1992 Hardrock I bought for $85 dollars. Lets say the average wage is $30,000 a year after taxes, after living at 1/4 your monthly take home, you are still left waiting 1 year and 3 months at minimum to make an $85 dollar purchase. That seems a bit over the top.