samg07094

K.I.S.S. One approach is to ride a 64cm/25.3" Panasonic Sport Deluxe tank. Put two gray trash cans on the back and carry 50# of groceries. Simple, indeed, and I haven't had a bike stolen once in the last 33 years.

Yahoo !!

I could not leave well enough alone. Surely no one in his right mind is going to snatch a scratched maroon 64cm. Then physically the thief needs to be 6'5" to make off on the Panasonic without slipping off the pedals and taking a nut-buster header.

These wonderful people, bloggers here at BF tempted me to BUY A NEW BIKE. The world has changed and NEW is better. Read and learn, then apply.

O.K., fine.

Dearest Craig's List cooperated by providing a NIB 2009 Cannondale Quick 6, size Large, color Silver, usage none for $200. Assembly was interesting. Nothing I'd call challenging. (OMG... the shifters... they show me what gear I'm in. Next generation, it'll be computers with sultry female voices.) This bike doesn't look like $200. It looks more like $800 or $1,500 once I add some goodies.

Beautiful ride.

And of the 20,000,000 people in the NYC Metro area I am assured that 19,999,000 of them are plotting to jack my ride !! There's preemies lying in incubators at NYH dreaming my spiffy Q6 in technicolor. Nobody dreams the Panasonic. Not even me.

So guys, HELP !!: locks, disguising the logos, preferred locations while shopping, bad spots in NYC (such as Midtown?), registering the ID numbers with someone other than Cdale, a cover, etc. -- what works **********

The Q6 came with a cool looking Avenir lock that sells new for $20. I've used the same $5 wire lock on the tank for 20 years, mainly to keep it from falling over. If somebody steals the 64cm Panasonic, I fear only that they'll come back in a couple weeks when their battered privates heal and beat me up.

The Q6... bye-bye. How do we discourage that?
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URLs below for sites that recommend specific locks and provide instruction for strong lock-down procedures.

Kryptonite's NY Fergitaboutit u-lock and The Club's motorcycle lock and Blackburn San Quentin get good marks. OnGuard Brute 8000, too. Several have insurance for your bike -- dependent on having a new bike with a receipt. Kryponite New York Legend scores a #1 but it weighs 10 pounds.

xuwol7

Only 1 way, always keep it with you, the best lock is the human eye.
If someone really wants it they could always rob you at gun point.

jowilson

Hahahahah . True! We are becoming frail...

But +1 on the best lock being the human eye. And also thunder and lightning. (Or is it technically lightning and then thunder?)

Wilfred Laurier

i am about six foot five
and fit comfortably on most 64 cm road bikes
and i think the large cannondale would be too small for me

also

avoid getting the cannondale stolen by leaving it at home and continue riding the panasonic for errands
use the cannondale for recreational rides on which you do not plan to stop or leave the bike

samg07094

We're hosting the town fireworks display come July, so if you show a little early there's free rides on the Panasonic. BYOH.

Reserving the Cannondale for exercise rides is possible. It's not going to happen. I'll forget. So we need to research what's doable.

Super strong u-locks are recommended as the best route for leaving a bike outside when you go for a movie. There's a raft of $30 imitation cheapos out there -- all to be avoided. There's also web pages detailing how to beat them in a couple minutes. But these guys are the real deal:

-- OnGuard Brute and Pitbull series u-locks

onguardlock.com/wp-content/uploads/2013_OnGuardCatalog_NEW_web.pdf

-- Kryptonite New York Fahgettaboudit chain system and their heavy u-locks

-- The Club Compact Bicycle Lock (in yellow on eBay from Overstock, June 2013) is relatively inexpensive but tests close to the super u-locks

Two u-locks is an option. Secure the frame. Then remove the front wheel and secure it to the rear wheel and the stays with the second u-lock.

Older round key u-locks are to be avoided. Only get flat key locks.

Columbia University gets into this in a big way. They have discounts on several of the better locks, though the list in this flier is a bit dated. Best is to get your bike registered:
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CU Public Safety / NYPD Bike Registration

Protect your bike by registering it.

While registering your bike won't keep it from being stolen, it greatly aids in its return to you if it is recovered by the police. The police will not give you back your bike unless they have proof that it belongs to you. In addition, it helps the police identify and locate the proper owner. CU Public Safety offers FREE bike registration with the NYPD & Columbia University. A unique number is engraved on the bike and a non-removable decal is placed on the bike for easy identification that the bike is registered with the Police. Bike registration is smart and effective.

www.columbia.edu/cu/publicsafety/BikeTheftPrevention.pdf

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This is a national registration. Operates 50 states.

Ask your local police about this program. We're next door to Jersey City... Don't Fahgettaboudit.

BY THE WAY nobody talks about disguising the bike. A no-name name decal, a worn seat. Ugly trash carriers. A big sticker saying it's registered. Can't hurt. Maybe I can find "Panasonic" decals.

Wilfred Laurier

my point about my height was that if the panasonic fits you well
the cannondale may not be a good fit
but that is up to you to decide

as for locking

get a beefy u lock
take the front wheel off and place it next to the rear wheel
attach the lock so it is holding both wheels and the frame and something solid
like a bike rack or parking meter

as for the seatpost
i can think of three possible solutions

1
take the seat off and bring it with you
although this is not very convenient
2
run a thin cable around the seat rails and around a frame tube and lock it with a small lock
or lock the cable with the u lock used on the wheels and frame
although having to feed a cable through your seat every time will take a while
3
get seat height and angle and fore aft perfectly adjusted
which might mean all the way out at the max if my fears about the fit are correct
then use a drill with a bit slightly larger than the allen key size on the bolts of the seat binder and seatpost clamp
so thieves cannot loosen the bolts with their allen keys
4
i forgot about this one
some companies make locking seat bolts
that have a keyed or unique wrench pattern

in the end
if a thief sees your bike and decides he likes it
or knows he can sell it for cash to buy crack or booze or marihuana
then your bike will be gone

this is why i recommended using the panasonic
thieves are less likely to want it
or figure they need to sell two similar bikes to buy opium or oxycontin or psiloscybin
and they will keep looking

samg07094

Good morning, WL !

5
Replace the expensive new saddle with an old cheap saddle that also feels better. This option fits with disguising the bike generally.

The seat's a problem. Thieves can be expected to carry bolt cutters, so wire is useless. Then you've got weak points at the tube clamp and the post clamp underneath. The Quick 6 has an aluminum frame that is no help at all; carbon would be worse.

Yes, this takes a welder...... Replace the tube clamp with a solid steel nut-and-bolt item. Then measure very carefully with the seat in fixed position. Use power tools to cut a length of hardened steel and weld it to the seat and the top of the clamp bolt.

As I get older and need to lower the seat, cut an inch out of this security rod and reweld it.

What I really don't like -- just for this New York / New Jersey "urban" environment -- the quick-release nuts on the skewers that attach the Quick's wheels. Nobody is racing the Quick 6 bike and you have to put an extra 5 pounds on it with The Hulk's u-lock.

What do you think of using simple nuts, acorn nuts on the ends, and maybe a drop of #1 or #2 Locktite liquid? This rig comes off with a regular socket wrench quickly enough, but maybe it can discourage using a hand held nut driver?

Is there a standard approach to removing this vulnerability?

BY THE WAY: yes, WL, the 64cm Panasonic is way too big for me. Mounting it goes best putting one foot on a pedal, pushing off to a standing position, then stepping over to get fully on-saddle. Now that I can smell a "70" coming round the corner, that's a damn foolish approach to getting on a bicycle. Shrinking her down to 60cm is iffy; a safer choice is more like 58cm. (I'm tall but it's mainly in my torso. 32" inseam for pants.)

One suggestion is to go to a police auction to find me an old lugged 1020 frame with 27x1.25 at the 58cm-60cm size, compatible to the Panasonic. The bikes there go for $10 instead of paying $125 for a reportedly solid frame off eBay or CL.

Bikes take time. I'd hate to lose the Quick 6. Gotta do what I can.

rydabent

After having a bike stolen right out of the back of my garage, I now lock my bike and trike to shelving in the garage.

alba-ny

I live in Queens, and I am terrified of someone stealing or vandalising my bike. So, I go pretty overboard.

-It has a ring lock on the frame, to start, and I glued all the bolts that I could think of. (I've been wanting Pitlocks, but I can only make use of them on the seat post and for my headlight which someone nearly stole.)
-A Kryptonite NY u-lock is my main lock
-The mini Kryptonite u-lock from my 5' fuggetaboutit chain goes on the rails of the Brooks saddle securing a cable that loops around the frame, rear wheel, and my panniers. (The 5' chain was an excellent bit of deterrence and peace of mind, but the thing is at least 10lbs, my bike 40lbs, the other locks another 10lb. Ugh. Getting back uphill with groceries and all that lock weight isn't happening.)
-Lastly, I put a BikeClub lock on the front wheel.

Three very obvious and beefy locks, the frame lock, and an accessory cable... I expect my bike looks like far too much trouble to be high on a thief's list.
I hope.

Leebo

Don't lock it up outside.

Wilfred Laurier

aha!

i only now realized that you are the same poster as the
harry potters wand to shrink my bike
thread

Booger1

If it's a bicycle I want,it doesn't leave my sight or gets parked and locked inside of wherever I am.Otherwise,your out of luck,if somebody wants your bike bad enough,it's gone.

xuwol7

I u-lock my Look 586 to my ankle even whilst I am riding. It may slow me down but at least it's not going get stolen.
When I sleep I use 2 u-locks.

Just use use your beater or get insurance.

samg07094

All of which weighs more than some of the bikes that our super-fanatics describe here. Upgrade yer bicycle, spend that weight gain on protection.

The mention of a "BikeClub lock" bring up an interesting alternative.

"The Club" guys have a lock they call The Motorcycle Club. It comes in as beefy as the Brutes and Fahgettaboudits. Half the cost. Adjustable for length so a bike's front wheel can be locked in with the frame, rear wheel and a post. (They use a circular key. Theirs defeats the Bic pen attack.)

https://www.theclub.com/catalog/the-m...e-club-p19.htm

xuwol7's ankle lock could be augmented romantically. The guys do say they love their bikes. At worst, the morning after pill is now legal, maybe for bicycles?

alba-ny

The weight of the locks is ridiculous, for sure. However, those weight less than the five foot chain I used to use (along with the bigger U, because I always use two.)

I haven't had the bike club for long, but I like it very well. It is much lighter than the big Kryptonite U and gives me decent peace of mind when I take forever shopping. The motercycle one is probably a great alternative to heavier bike Ulocks. Being able to clamp it tighter to avoid leverage space is a plus.