steel wheels theftproof?
02-24-17, 03:20 PM
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steel wheels theftproof?
Hey so I was wondering If i swapped out my alloy wheels for rusty but rideable steelies.
Would it make my bike less attractive for thieves or would they be able to tell its a good bike and nick it anyway.
Would it make my bike less attractive for thieves or would they be able to tell its a good bike and nick it anyway.
02-24-17, 04:25 PM
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Thieves don't care, and your brakes will suck.
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02-24-17, 04:26 PM
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02-24-17, 04:28 PM
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Best thing is buy a Really strong lock and a security chain, and lock it up to something solid.
02-24-17, 05:18 PM
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There are basically three categories to bike theft:
-bulk theft. These guys basically steal every bike that looks rideable and whose locks their tools can break. Steal e'm first and worry about sellability later. Selling an expensive bike cheap won't bother them as they got it even cheaper. There'll be more bikes to steal and sell tomorrow.
-utility/opportunity theft. Someone wanting a bike to ride right now finds one unlocked or with an easily defeated lock and decides to help themselves.
-then there's the rare, but existing custom/bespoke theft. Someone targeting expensive bikes deliberately. Those of my bikes that might fall in that category never gets left on the street.
02-24-17, 05:32 PM
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The psychology of bike theft is murderously hard to predict.
IME - it loosely relates to the balance of attractiveness and ease of theft. But these are in comparison to the "competition" (nearby locked bikes). A really nice bike is a target unless theres a nicer or less securely locked bike nearby.
But there are no real rules, and attractiveness is in the eye of the beholder. Red bikes tend to get stolen more often, and BITD when I was in retail, we had gold (really more like mustard) colored bikes who's main virtue was that the color was so ugly that even thieves didn't want them.
Despite living and riding in NYC for many years, I've never had a bike stolen (yes, I knocked wood just now), and TWICE my black, Columbus tube, Campy Record Frejus had it's chain cut so they could move it out of their way and steal the bike behind it. If bikes had feelings mine would still be seeing a shrink over this insult.
IME - it loosely relates to the balance of attractiveness and ease of theft. But these are in comparison to the "competition" (nearby locked bikes). A really nice bike is a target unless theres a nicer or less securely locked bike nearby.
But there are no real rules, and attractiveness is in the eye of the beholder. Red bikes tend to get stolen more often, and BITD when I was in retail, we had gold (really more like mustard) colored bikes who's main virtue was that the color was so ugly that even thieves didn't want them.
Despite living and riding in NYC for many years, I've never had a bike stolen (yes, I knocked wood just now), and TWICE my black, Columbus tube, Campy Record Frejus had it's chain cut so they could move it out of their way and steal the bike behind it. If bikes had feelings mine would still be seeing a shrink over this insult.
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02-24-17, 06:25 PM
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Don't forget the "I'm drunk and think it is a good idea to steal a bike" category. Those folks certainly are not caring if the wheels are steel or alloy.
That said, my regular riding bike is keeping its steel wheels until they are no longer usable (judging by the spokes this warm winter, probably not that much longer), or I come across a cheap replacement set, the brakes are not as atrocious as everyone claims. Probably wouldn't go bombing down hills on them, but for flat ground commuting, adequate.
That said, my regular riding bike is keeping its steel wheels until they are no longer usable (judging by the spokes this warm winter, probably not that much longer), or I come across a cheap replacement set, the brakes are not as atrocious as everyone claims. Probably wouldn't go bombing down hills on them, but for flat ground commuting, adequate.
02-25-17, 04:57 AM
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I consider them a subset of the "Utility/opportunity" category. Being drunk doesn't make them special enough IMO.
Last edited by dabac; 02-25-17 at 06:13 AM.
02-27-17, 03:22 PM
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Steel wheels aren't, in any way, shape, or form, worth it. I'd buy a set of cheap Cr18s and let kids go at them with spray paint (after taping the brake track) before I'd ride steel wheels.
I've only ridden a very small handful of bikes with steel wheels with brakes that I'd consider acceptable now-a-day.
Perhaps we had the wrong pads, as steel pads were harder back in the day. Maybe the brake arms were bent, who knows, but the majority of bikes I ride with steel wheels don't brake well.
I've only ridden a very small handful of bikes with steel wheels with brakes that I'd consider acceptable now-a-day.
Perhaps we had the wrong pads, as steel pads were harder back in the day. Maybe the brake arms were bent, who knows, but the majority of bikes I ride with steel wheels don't brake well.
