Cyclist0383

You can get a gold rated Onguard (they are sometimes sold under the Magnum name in Europe) for under 20 GBP.

curb hash

Anyone use a laptop motion alarm. I saw them in a Staples for $20. Are they too sensitive to be practicle? Sort of takes away the thief's advantage of your being unaware so long as you're within earshot.

Herneka

I used to ride my main bike everywhere and locked it down with an old chain lock. After i got my Specialized, i still ride the old Schwinn everywhere, or another inexpensive bike when i commute.

Besides the chain lock, i park next to more expensive and often easier to steal mountain bikes. There aren't a lot of road bikes around here, and they generally aren't that popular. Having pretty basic/beat up/non-fancy bikes tells anyone around here that they won't be getting much for their efforts. I'm also rather tall, so all my bike frames are about as big as i can find, which is way too big for most people around here.

But, i figure, if someone wants to steal it anyway, they're going to steal it. I just hope it's one of my cheap/beater bikes than something i'd cry over.

[904]

I don't really need to leave my bike alone for more than 15 minutes at a time, so I just run my krypto new york through my front wheel, frame, and the object I am locking to. If I must leave it for longer, I will use the ulock and a chain (a la home depot). I NEVER free lock. Way too risky considering I've seen bikes with tacoed wheels get stolen from librarys.

[904]

right on! They still would steal it in my area. Rich kids with nothing better to do then vandalize.

njm

For your reference, there's a nice (and long) thread about this entitled "How not to get your bike stolen" in the SS/FG forum. Have a read through it, it's pretty helpful.

You can also search the commuting forum for a story about someone's nice bike being stolen by a thief using an angle grinder, complete with security camera footage. Scary! I think the consensus was that routinely locking in the same place every day lets evildoers figure out when they could work on your bike/lock.

As 'nother said -- this sounded really wise to me, actually -- there's a set of best practices to reduce risk, but no set of un-defeatable bike theft countermeasures.

[904]

There's so many threads about bicycle security! Losing track...

beoba

$60/$80/$130 is cheap? For some pieces of metal? A reasonable price would be $10-$20, considering it probably takes $3-5 to make the things.

Retro Grouch 

Even the cheesiest lock is about 90% effective because it cuts out the most casual thieves.

To go from 90% effective to 99% effective you engage in a progressively more high tech and more expensive game of one-up-manship with the thief that you will eventually lose. Given the time and technology, anything can be cut. The thief doesn't have to be neat either. If he ruins the bike frame, that's OK. He can still sell off the parts.

All commuter bikes weigh the same. You can commute on a 40 lb disposable bike with no lock, or ride a 20 lb bike and carry a 20 lb lock.

knotty

A cordless 4" angle grinder with a cutoff wheel will probably make short work with any chain or lock.

knotty

Cyclist0383

Read what I wrote again and get back to me.

[904]

It's just a matter of buying enough time to make short work of them lol.

beoba

Still looks like a postvertisement to me. I'm quoting prices from the site you linked.

Cyclist0383

Jaa, I'm selling these from Canada while living in Latvia.

Now on to the meat of the matter; do you know the difference in meaning between 'cheap' and 'cheaper'?

folder fanatic

I agree. I used to use only beaters, old bikes I had for years, and rentals. Now I only use folding bikes and take them folded up everywhere with me (no exceptions). These bikes are the closest thing to theft proof there is-yet even these are stolen when the owner/user locks them up and leaves them like regular bikes. They are theft resisitant at best, but these bikes have worked for me for a very long time (several years).

Izengabe

If you live in New York City you can go to most police precincts and register your bike with the NYPD.

They etch an ID number on your bike so if your bike is stolen and the police recover it they can get it back to you. They also give you a decal to put on your bike so potential thieves know your bike is registered with the NYPD.

thebikeguy

There's something to be said about the beater idea.It just has to look like such a P.O.S. that no one would want to rip it off.You can't just paint the components because bike thieves aren't stupid.Newer components look like newer components.I have this 1971 CCM 5speed that I use as my go anywhere bike.I don't even carry a lock with me when I'm using it.There's not a piece on it that's not rusty,paint's faded and badly scratched up.But mechanically it is 100%.I got the bike out of the trash and had to put a rear brake cable and a tube to make it rideable.Well, it's been 2 full summers and I still have it.No takers!With the tires pumped up good and hard(50-60 psi) it really tours along.I've surprised more than a few road bikers on it by passing them with a rusty old bike.It's priceless.And if it ever does get ripped off, oh well,All I have in it is a couples hours worth of work.Bike was free + free parts = I've probably put 4-500 miles on it so far.Only thing I'd miss is the seat.
I always park next to the fanciest,shiniest bike in the rack and it just accentuates the "crappiness" that much more.Either that or just lay it on the ground near the door,make it look like it was just dumped there.If I'm really concerned because I'm in a particularly bad area,I'll let the air out of the tires(I carry a pump with me all the time).

elgalad

[904]

that'll work!

darksmaster923

take off the wheels and bringem with u

[904]

they'll still go after the frame

Trike

that fork is bent watch out!

farnorth51

Get the craziest looking recumbent you can find. Preferably with under seat steering and a short wheel base. Lock it up with a cable and I don't think you will have to many problems.

Garfield Cat

When riding in a group, assign one rider to attend to the bikes. The attendant gets free coffee and a roll. When riding alone, and you're stopped at a coffee place like Starbuck's, find another bike rider sitting outside with his expensive bike and ask for a favor with a free scone.

Ornery

For Auto theft, there are bait cars. Somebody ought to make a comparable bike for bike thieves. Better yet, booby trap bikes, with two foot, spring loaded spikes, that shoot up through the seat...