tcs

Exploring, so you don't know what sort of bike parking furniture you'll find, if any. Left and unattended for prolonged periods of time, so the situation will favor the miscreants. On the street in the city, the worst scenario for bike security.

If that's really how you're going to use a bike, I'm thinking a good sturdy $75 hybrid off craigs list and two of those $13 OnGuard u-lock+cable sets from the big box store.

agent pombero

Insured with who?

Hangtownmatt

I like this suggestion. Multiple locks of various weights and inconvenience based on the situation.

Matt

fat_bike_nut

I certainly do this sorta thing with my bikes. My Surly Long Haul Trucker cost me $990 stock before taxes, and with all the add-ons and upgrades I made (saddle, tires, handlebars, fenders, rack, etc.), it's well over $1500. Most of the places I ride to are low-theft areas, so I tend to use one of these most of the time all by itself:

https://www.rivbike.com/product-p/lk10.htm

I also carry around an extra cable and a Kryptonite NY Fahgettaboutit when I go to higher-theft areas. One cable to secure my Brooks saddle, one cable for the front wheel, and the U-lock for the rear wheel (Sheldon Brown locking method). But it's heavy, so I only carry it when I know I'm going to a place where my bike has a higher probability of getting stolen. Of course, I'm moving to San Francisco next month to start my new job, so I'm looking at getting a cheap beater bike and an additional chain lock to go with it. I definitely wouldn't want to lock up my Surly or my Bike Friday outdoors up there.

CyclingVirgin

https://www.midwestenergynews.com/wp-...e-gun-rack.jpg

GeneO 

In my office. I am fortunate to be able to say that.

For this new puppy now:

b_young

I lock it up on the bike rack with a thin cable lock 12hr shift during outages (nuke plant). Normal work day I just tie it to the rack so the wind won't blow it over. Everyone here thinks I am stupid for riding it anyway. The only people that would want to steal it already have one. I guess its one benefit of rural living.

newridenewme

at home i keep it in a shed' at workin a private parking lot, when i have to park anywere else i use three diffrent locks

Snowman219

Must be hard to go to the bathroom?

rms13

At home it's in the living room and at work it's in my cube. I will take it to the grocery store and lock it up with u lock and cable locks and I'm usually in and out in 10 minutes. I lock it up at Starbucks within my line of sight the whole time. I've locked it at bar/restaurants also when I'm sitting outside and can see it. I live in a very low crime city (especially by Los Angeles standards) and most people driver Mercedes here and don't ride bikes so I don't think the area is a hot spot for thieves since they won't find many good bikes locked up around here. But if I was going out to a bar at night around here I would probably take my $200 fixie instead of my Cross Check

RGNY

home: locked garage

around town: u-lock (don't have to leave it for very long)

work: u-lock, and sniper in the guard tower overlooking the parking lot.


that said, i do have a Pake Rum Runner parts bin bike set up in case i was going to leave it on the street for any length of time.

noglider 

You can buy or build an inexpensive bike that rides nicely. When you lock up a bike, know that it might be gone when you come back. If you can't tolerate that, don't lock it. I got my 1971 Raleigh Super Course from the trash and rebuilt it with inexpensive stuff. The wheels are moderately light, so the bike rides quite well.

David Bierbaum

When I take my bicycle to the store, I always park it where there are many many eyes on it, so that the guy with bolt cutters or dremel will stand out as probably not being the owner of my bicycle... which isn't worth much anyway, except to me.

rms13

I used to think parking in a high traffic area was added defense until I watched Casey Neistat's Bike Thief video

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UGttmR2DTY8

nkfrench 

It would break my heart if something happened with my good bike.
Fortunately most of my rides have safe parking or are group rides so a friend can guard the bikes.

If I am on a solo ride and will be parking a bike in dubious areas, I'll ride my backup bike. I don't like riding it so much, but it's fitted and servicable.
If it's damaged/stolen, it won't be cheap but it's easily replaceable.

David Bierbaum

His problem is that he lives in New York City! Big cities seem to suffer more from "my own business"itis than smaller and more suburban/rural midwest cities...

krobinson103

I don't. I built a commuter/tourer from 3 broken bikes and the bits I had at home. Thats what gets parked outside. If the NEXT brand name doesn't deter a thief I don't know what will.

Santaria

Kryptonite NY-grade 5' chain and disk lock + kryptonite u-lock when I'm stuck at the university for a few hours; inside the office. If I'm at the store, the two-lock combo works well enough.

rumrunn6

@ caloso ~ what does a fully enclosed and locked bike box look like, is that something one can buy? (sounds like pure genius) is it something you built? how did it come to pass that you acquired one of these? how did your employer react to you installing one? is it weather proof and outside? or inside some building?

spivonious

Mine's worth $700 new and it stays outside during work locked up with a $20 u-lock through the rear wheel/frame. My office is on a back alley in a small town with not much foot traffic.

I do take off the easily grabbed accessories (light, computer) but there's nothing stopping someone from taking the front wheel (QR) or seat (simple allen bolt), or just cutting the lock (probably about 30 seconds with the right tool).

My boss rides his race bike in every so often and doesn't even lock it up.

Mr. Embrey

Keep it wedged firmly between your ass and the road.

But seriously, try not to lock it up in sketchy areas. And when possible keep it within your line of sight. Check in on it often. And don't roll up wearing a full TDF outfit.

CenturionIM

I guess I could give an update: right now I commute on my Centurion Ironman (150$) and Miyata 710 (350$ with new tire, yeah I overpaid) with 2 kryptonite u locks + cable. I would still cry if I lost them though, spent a lot of them working on and riding them.

Sold my 800+ trek

sebnukem

I have a $1400+ bike and a good u-lock does its job.

mrleft2000

I paid for my expensive bike with gas savings from riding my beater bike. So even if it's gone, it's been paid for. It'll become less stressful to own it, once you get your money's worth out of it. So it gives you extra incentive to up the volume of riding.

Last week, I rode my beater bike to work, forgot to bring the lock and just parked it at the bike rack as is. It was still there when I came to pick it up. I love my beater bike; it's so stress free.

noglider 

I know, it's very useful to learn to love beater bikes. Some of them ride well, and some don't. My 51-year-old English 3-speed is the opposite of thief-bait. No one looks at it. I see a lot of old 3-speeds locked up outside in NYC. That's nice to know. But it's not a swift bike. Take a mid-level frame and put nice wheels tires on it. It helps if the paint is trashed.

I once had a beater bike that rode really well. I passed some teenagers, and one of them yelled out to me, "Cheap bike!" It made me feel good that I had fooled them.