Go Back  Bike Forums > Bike Forums > General Cycling Discussion
Reload this Page >

Worth locking my new bike up?

Notices
General Cycling Discussion Have a cycling related question or comment that doesn't fit in one of the other specialty forums? Drop on in and post in here! When possible, please select the forum above that most fits your post!

Worth locking my new bike up?

Old 05-23-08, 08:04 PM
  #1  
Newbie
Thread Starter
 
Join Date: May 2008
Posts: 3
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 0 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times in 0 Posts
Worth locking my new bike up?

I am about to buy a bike very soon (most likely a Trek 7200, although not sold on that yet). I definitely want to ride it around the neighborhood and trails. I was also looking forward to riding it around to do some errands. However, as I starting talking with other people, they don't think that is such a good idea. They say it's not worth it to leave your bike unattended at any time, no matter how good the lock.

So, should I forgo the idea of taking my bike on errands that involve parking it? I was going to spend some money and get a decent lock, but I do know no lock is perfect. As I was reading through their "theft guarantees", it sounds like it's really hit or miss.

Another option is to get a crappier bike for errands that I could afford to have stolen. But I don't know how much I'll really be doing errands. I don't think it will be THAT much.

For better context, I don't live in an extremely urban are. It's more suburban. About 30 miles outside of Orlando, FL. I don't see too many people riding bikes around here, so if I parked my bike, it would most likely be the only one.
forkyfork is offline  
Old 05-23-08, 08:20 PM
  #2  
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Sep 2005
Posts: 4,697
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 6 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 10 Times in 9 Posts
https://www.sheldonbrown.com/lock-strategy.html
^^^
St. Sheldon's essay on locking strategy. It's a good read.

No need to live in fear. Buy a good lock, and run some errands.
If it's an area where you would not park your car, then don't park a bike there either. Otherwise give it a chance.
Allen is offline  
Old 05-23-08, 08:59 PM
  #3  
Senior Member
 
Join Date: May 2008
Posts: 247
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 0 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times in 0 Posts
Get a lock. Locks keep honest people honest, and thieves to continue the hunt.

Just remember, if your bike is worth it then there's nothing preventing your bike from being stolen.
gascostalot is offline  
Old 05-24-08, 01:00 AM
  #4  
Senior Member
 
Join Date: May 2008
Posts: 195
Mentioned: 1 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 0 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times in 0 Posts
I have had 3 very nice bike stolen in the bike section of my apartment building when I was younger and houseless. They were all chained and locked. But were stolen anyways. If you live in an apartment building don't leave your bike in the garage with the other bikes. Keep it in your apartment.

All the 3 stolen were nice Italian bikes, Masi, Guerometi and Bianchi all from the 1980's. I wish I still had them all.
pista is offline  
Old 05-24-08, 01:13 AM
  #5  
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Oct 2005
Location: College Park, MD
Posts: 535
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 0 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times in 0 Posts
it's worth locking up any bike. with multiple locks. both wheels. and the frame. to a solid object firmly rooted in the ground. do it.
o-dog is offline  
Old 05-24-08, 08:26 AM
  #6  
Newbie
Thread Starter
 
Join Date: May 2008
Posts: 3
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 0 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times in 0 Posts
I think some of you are misunderstanding. My question was not, "Should I lock my bike up when I leave it somewhere?". Of course I will lock it up if I leave it somewhere.

My question was, "Should I put myself in a position where I have to leave my bike somewhere?" If I take it to the grocery store and park it outside, I will lock it up - no question. But no bike lock is 100% safe. Should I even bother taking it to the grocery store in the first place, knowing that I will have to lock it up?
forkyfork is offline  
Old 05-24-08, 09:14 AM
  #7  
Newbie
Thread Starter
 
Join Date: May 2008
Posts: 3
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 0 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times in 0 Posts
Just because I CAN take my bike everywhere, doesn't mean I necessarily should. The nicer bike I get, the more it's going to suck when it gets stolen.

It was a perfectly valid question. If I lived in an area where there was never any crime, I would do it without thinking. But, people steal bikes. It's just a fact of life. It doesn't care how nice of a bike you have. If it's get stolen, you're out of luck (and you'll have to figure out another way to get home). I was just asking if it was worth the trouble, and so far, I seem to be getting a mixed bag of responses.
forkyfork is offline  
Old 05-24-08, 10:19 AM
  #8  
Pwnerer
 
Wordbiker's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jun 2005
Posts: 2,909
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 4 Post(s)
Liked 4 Times in 4 Posts
There is no area devoid of crime. The trick is to either not give a thief the opportunity, either by deterrence with locks or not riding the bike at all to public places.

I think for most BF members, not taking a bike is not an option. Don't live in fear, ride the bike to the store...just take the proper precautions.

I look at bikes like I do cars: Investing heavily into a machine, whether financially or emotionally is a good way to set yourself up for disappointment. Cars get wrecked, bikes get stolen. If it keeps you awake at night, insure yourself to make sure it can be replaced.
__________________
Originally Posted by ahsposo
Ski, bike and wish I was gay.
Wordbiker is offline  
Old 05-24-08, 12:37 PM
  #9  
``````````````
 
CaptainCool's Avatar
 
Join Date: Feb 2007
Location: san jose
Posts: 763
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 0 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 1 Time in 1 Post
A 7200 isn't that much of a theft target. Get a $30-50 U-lock (On-guard or Kryptonite; smaller is better), maybe a cable for the other wheel, lock it well, and stop worrying. Unless you live in San Francisco or New York, you'll be fine.
CaptainCool is offline  
Old 05-24-08, 12:41 PM
  #10  
Senior Member
 
Retro Grouch's Avatar
 
Join Date: Feb 2004
Location: St Peters, Missouri
Posts: 30,225

Bikes: Catrike 559 I own some others but they don't get ridden very much.

Mentioned: 16 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 1572 Post(s)
Liked 642 Times in 363 Posts
Originally Posted by forkyfork
But no bike lock is 100% safe.
Take a calculated risk. You're not 100% safe riding to and from the grocery store either. Assess the risk and try to find a lock combination that matches it. If you're looking for 100% certainties in life you'll never be able to do anything.

Incidentally, the poster who reported a couple of nice bikes being stolen from an apartment bike parking area, that's probably one of the most risky places that you can park your bike. Think of it from the thief's point of view. He gets to case out the bike. He knows that you park it there frequently. He gets to see what kind of lock you are using so he knows what kind of tools he needs to bring with him. It's reasonably out of sight so he knows about how much time he'll have to work. There is no lock that will survive that kind of attack. I wouldn't park anything there but a beater.
Retro Grouch is offline  
Old 05-24-08, 12:58 PM
  #11  
Member
 
Join Date: May 2008
Location: Gainesville, FL
Posts: 32

Bikes: 2007 Gary Fisher Wahoo

Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 0 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times in 0 Posts
I can understand your question fully. If you need to run some errands by bike get a walmart special roadmaster or whatever for 50-75 bucks. New locks cost more than that (the good ones). Save your nice bike for your pleasure rides, trail rides, XC, whatever. I don't even own a bike lock because I don't leave it anywhere except inside my garage at night.
Wahooligan is offline  
Old 05-24-08, 05:09 PM
  #12  
Senior Member
 
alhedges's Avatar
 
Join Date: Mar 2008
Location: Naptown
Posts: 1,133

Bikes: NWT 24sp DD; Brompton M6R

Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 1 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 3 Times in 1 Post
Lock your bike up with any reputable lock - even a cable lock - and you will be fine. There are a handful of urban areas where thieves routinely use tools to cut locks, and a couple of other situations where that might happen (i.e., leaving your bike locked outside for a week in the same place). For most of the rest of the country, any lock will be fine, since the bikes being stolen are the ones that are not locked in the first place.

In terms of general usefulness, it's hard to beat a 6' cable and u-lock combination - it is unfortunately often the case that many places don't have good places to lock bikes with a u-lock alone. At my favorite cafe, for example, I can choose between using the u-lock on a chain-link fence or the cable around a light pole. Obviously, I use the light pole with the cable - but I wouldn't have a good locking option in line of sight with a u-lock alone.
alhedges is offline  
Old 05-24-08, 06:40 PM
  #13  
``````````````
 
CaptainCool's Avatar
 
Join Date: Feb 2007
Location: san jose
Posts: 763
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 0 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 1 Time in 1 Post
Originally Posted by Wahooligan
I can understand your question fully. If you need to run some errands by bike get a walmart special roadmaster or whatever for 50-75 bucks. New locks cost more than that (the good ones). Save your nice bike for your pleasure rides, trail rides, XC, whatever. I don't even own a bike lock because I don't leave it anywhere except inside my garage at night.
Or spend $50 on a Kryptonite Evolution mini U-lock and ride a bike that's faster and more fun to ride.
CaptainCool is offline  
Old 05-24-08, 07:04 PM
  #14  
Senior Member
 
mike's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jul 2000
Location: Snowy midwest
Posts: 5,392
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 4 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 1 Time in 1 Post
MOST bike theft I have been exposed to is simply some teenager walking up to an unlocked bike and riding off with it.

Make it inconvenient and you are 99.9% safe.

I was in a coffee shop with my friend. There is BIG front window for us to watch the street. I parked a bike across the street with no lock. I just took the chain off of the front chainring. Sure enough, some dirtbag tried to ride it. After his feet spun around and he just about fell over because the chain was not connected, he just looked at it, dropped the bike on it's side and walked away.

I suggest that you take it a step farther and use a lock, but any reasonable lock like a sturdy cable lock will do the trick in most cases.
mike is offline  
Old 05-24-08, 09:53 PM
  #15  
Senior Member
 
ken cummings's Avatar
 
Join Date: Dec 2005
Location: northern California
Posts: 5,603

Bikes: Bruce Gordon BLT, Cannondale parts bike, Ecodyne recumbent trike, Counterpoint Opus 2, miyata 1000

Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 1 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times in 0 Posts
To encourage lock use and to have it with you all of the time a full-sized U-bolt lock can fit neatly through the rails of a saddle. When I go to a high risk area like the local junior college I also carry a cable lock. When commuting regularly I leave a massive chain with a commercial grade lock at the job site.
even then I still carry the U-bolt in case I stop to shop on the way.
ken cummings is offline  
Old 05-26-08, 03:48 AM
  #16  
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Aug 2006
Posts: 998
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 0 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times in 0 Posts
Originally Posted by ken cummings
To encourage lock use and to have it with you all of the time a full-sized U-bolt lock can fit neatly through the rails of a saddle. When I go to a high risk area like the local junior college I also carry a cable lock. When commuting regularly I leave a massive chain with a commercial grade lock at the job site.
even then I still carry the U-bolt in case I stop to shop on the way.
I think that is the best advice I've seen on this topic.
mlts22 is offline  
Old 05-26-08, 05:47 AM
  #17  
Delusions of Grandeur
 
Dzrtrat's Avatar
 
Join Date: May 2008
Location: East Texas
Posts: 208

Bikes: '92 Specialized Crossroads, '79 Schwinn Varsity, '72 Schwinn Speedster

Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 0 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times in 0 Posts
How about this? https://www.alibaba.com/product-free/...cle_Alarm.html
Dzrtrat is offline  
Old 05-26-08, 06:03 AM
  #18  
Senior Member
 
maddyfish's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jul 2006
Location: Ky. and FL.
Posts: 3,944

Bikes: KHS steel SS

Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 0 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times in 0 Posts
Originally Posted by AllenG
https://www.sheldonbrown.com/lock-strategy.html
^^^
St. Sheldon's essay on locking strategy. It's a good read.
.
SOmebody always posts this^^^^^ an I'll always write it; it's a good way to get your bike mangled. You and I may know that the rear wheel won't come out of the frame when it is locked, but will the thief? It may take some aggressive pulling, jerking, and bending to convince him of that. Just go ahead and lock the frame, there is no reason not to, and it may save you some trouble.
maddyfish is offline  
Old 05-26-08, 07:54 AM
  #19  
Senior Member
 
Join Date: May 2008
Location: New England
Posts: 325

Bikes: 2020 Fuji Bighorn 1.3, 2005 LeMond Buenos Aires, 2013 Jamis Coda Elite

Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 3 Post(s)
Liked 0 Times in 0 Posts
Great website, I'd heard of it before but never checked it out - thanks a lot for reminding me.

This thread is a great topic too. I just bought a new 05 LeMond Buenos Aires, and already thinking of buying another bike to run errands etc (since I dont plan to leave my LeMond anywhere out of my sight!). I have an old Raleigh mtn bike to get around, run errands etc. but after 12 years I suddenly have an urge to replace it!

Originally Posted by AllenG
https://www.sheldonbrown.com/lock-strategy.html
^^^
St. Sheldon's essay on locking strategy. It's a good read.

No need to live in fear. Buy a good lock, and run some errands.
If it's an area where you would not park your car, then don't park a bike there either. Otherwise give it a chance.
deburn is offline  
Old 05-26-08, 05:44 PM
  #20  
Strong with the Fred
 
Big_e's Avatar
 
Join Date: May 2008
Location: Dallas, TX
Posts: 970
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 2 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 2 Times in 2 Posts
By all means run errands on a bike. Most of my favorite stores are really out of bicycling range but I will certainly ride to the grocers or bakery. If you get lucky like me, you might find an old junker at a garage sale, fix it up and use that for riding around town. My .02 cents.
Ernest
Big_e is offline  
Old 05-26-08, 05:52 PM
  #21  
Junior Member
 
Join Date: Oct 2004
Location: Sacramento, CA USA
Posts: 186

Bikes: not worth mentioning

Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 8 Post(s)
Liked 0 Times in 0 Posts
Personally, I wouldn't lock up my $500 Giant w/ a chain or a U-lock. There are still other removable parts that can get stolen off of a bike.

Now a bicycle locker, I might consider putting mine in w/ a lock protected from cutting, but I think the door can still be pried open w/ a crowbar.
ablang is offline  
Old 05-26-08, 07:55 PM
  #22  
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Sep 2005
Posts: 4,697
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 6 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 10 Times in 9 Posts
Originally Posted by ablang
Personally, I wouldn't lock up my $500 Giant w/ a chain or a U-lock. There are still other removable parts that can get stolen off of a bike.

Now a bicycle locker, I might consider putting mine in w/ a lock protected from cutting, but I think the door can still be pried open w/ a crowbar.
The same could be said about your home.

How much do y'all fret about your cars?

Unless one's bike is made of solid gold and diamonds don't fret so much.
There are not legions of thieves wondering the streets looking for bikes to steal. Yes bikes do get stolen, usually when one leaves it outside overnight and for days on end.
I have several bikes north of $1.5K, some north of $3K. I've had them all over the South and still have them all. No lock is going to stop a determined thief, but it will deter the hell out of one.
Just show a little prudence, like not parking in front of a crack house, and you'll be OK.
Allen is offline  
Old 05-26-08, 08:51 PM
  #23  
Member
 
Join Date: May 2008
Location: Gainesville, FL
Posts: 32

Bikes: 2007 Gary Fisher Wahoo

Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 0 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times in 0 Posts
Stealing a bicycle isn't Grand Theft Auto like stealing a car. Its also a lot easier to steal a bicycle than a car (although some cars are very easy to break into). Different areas have different crime statistics. In my town when I was shopping for a bicycle twice in the same day I went into a bike shop and someone was there looking for their stolen bicycle to see if someone brought it in. Coincidence? Bikes get stolen all the time here. I wouldn't leave mine locked up out of site for even an hour. If I needed to run errands by bicycle I would sure as hell buy a walmart bicycle for that, and lock it up.
Wahooligan is offline  
Old 05-26-08, 09:36 PM
  #24  
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Apr 2008
Location: Iowa City, IA
Posts: 433

Bikes: 2008 Surly LHT, 2008 Trek 7.2fx

Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 0 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times in 0 Posts
I guess it depends on where you live. In some of the heavier, more ubranized (and thus often more crime ridden) areas, you might take some consideration into whether or not you will take your bike for fear of theft. Beyond a heavy urban zone, I doubt you would have to worry too much about a locked bike being stolen. I just can't imagine there being enough bikes to steal for a theif to carry the tools to steal them in most places.

If you're really worried, use a mini u-lock on the rear wheel/frame like in the Sheldon Brown article and a chain to lock up the front wheel/frame to a rack or post. However, it seems silly to not take a bike out of fear of theft. No lock is 100% effective, and that includes the one on your door at home.

Originally Posted by Wordbiker
Cars get wrecked, bikes get stolen.
Conversely, cars get stolen, and bikes get wrecked. Either way there is a risk.
mesasone is offline  
Old 05-26-08, 10:05 PM
  #25  
Senior Member
 
alhedges's Avatar
 
Join Date: Mar 2008
Location: Naptown
Posts: 1,133

Bikes: NWT 24sp DD; Brompton M6R

Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 1 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 3 Times in 1 Post
Originally Posted by Wahooligan
SIn my town when I was shopping for a bicycle twice in the same day I went into a bike shop and someone was there looking for their stolen bicycle to see if someone brought it in. Coincidence? Bikes get stolen all the time here. I wouldn't leave mine locked up out of site for even an hour. If I needed to run errands by bicycle I would sure as hell buy a walmart bicycle for that, and lock it up.
But were the stolen bikes even locked?
alhedges is offline  

Thread Tools
Search this Thread

Contact Us - Archive - Advertising - Cookie Policy - Privacy Statement - Terms of Service -

Copyright © 2024 MH Sub I, LLC dba Internet Brands. All rights reserved. Use of this site indicates your consent to the Terms of Use.