exas

do people do it? i was thinking about getting a blinkie and a saddlebag but i am afraid that when i lock up my bike in a public place people might swipe them because they are so easy to take

what are your thoughts on this?

FlatFender

yes they do.
My Cannondale SuperV was stripped of everything but the front wheel once.

Boudicca

When I lived in Europe, anything that wasn't padlocked down disappeared -- lights, basket, bungee cord, pump. In North America I've been lucky so far, even with easy-to-remove stuff like computers and pumps.

I shouldn't say that one. Bound to be courting disaster.

Carbon Based

Many lights have some sort of quick release fitting so they can be separated from the clamp and taken along with you, so there's nothing to steal.

Cosmoline

I use a Topeak system and it's been working great. The bag has built-in panniers that fold up when not in use. The center section holds a lot, and has a top area you can use for tools. The best part it is slides on and off easily with no tie-downs to worry about. REI carries them



I keep anything valuable in it and just use it as a briefcase. The amount of petty thieving varies from region to region. Up here people steal bikes but rarely bother with the stuff on them unless it looks valuable.

Phantoj

A guy at work has this bag and I think it's pretty cool.

nelson249

People do swipe stuff. When I leave my bike locked up I generally aways take the bag and the easily detached stuff like the pump etc. I generally leave the blinkie on and haven't lost one yet. I am more worried about wheels and use a quick release that needs an allen wrench as an extra complication to a potential thief. It also helps when I park my decade old Mongoose next to a really expensive new bike.

cooker

Take everything with you.

wrafl

Yes they do. Anything left on the bike is free stuff for the thief. Never leave anything that could be taken off easily. Take a bag like the one pictured above.
I have the exact model and it holds a lot, even use it for occasional light grocery shopping by dropping the built in panniers to hold 64 oz. oj or apple juice with still room to stuff few little things from the store.

kjmillig

My trunk box is bolted on, and my rear light is "permanently" attached to the box. My headlight and horn are also bolted on, so they can't be casually stolen.
I used to use a handlebar bag all the time and carried it on my shoulder when I parked my bike. I always slide my computer off and drop it in my pocket. So as everyone else has said, yes, people steal stuff, sometimes just because they can. Take it with you.

Buglady

I take my handlebar bag with me (it has a shoulder strap so I basically treat it as a purse), and if I'm feeling paranoid I'll pop my blinkies off and into the bag as well. Panniers kind of depend on the day - most of the time all they're going to get is sweaty clothing and my lunch leftovers . If I have tools or whatever in the panniers I will sometimes grab them, or if I'm going to be away fromt he bike for a while.

Sledbikes

use triangulated screws like the ones on mc donalds toys Torx screws work good too

huerro

I have only had a bungee taken (sometimes I forget and leave lights of computer on the bike)

My roommate had his rear QR skewer taken and didn't notice untill he was riding the bike home and thought he noticed something strange with the handling.

matimeo

That's why I ride beater bikes.

cooker

Not stolen, but twice I've locked up outside and come out and ridden off not noticing some prankster had loosened my QR.

nelson249

Which is another reason I have replaced the QR on my main commuter.

Cosmoline

That's the whole point! You slide it off and take it with you. The Topeak racks have a special slide and latch system. If you wanted to leave it on, I suppose you could lock it in place with a cable.

JanMM

Organized Crime is responsible for most of this kind of bike stuff theft.

MKahrl

I once had the dustcaps stolen off my pedals. I didn't think to take them with me.

kjmillig

Dude! I thought I was the only one that's happend to! How ******** can some people be to steal something like that?