location, location, location
Nailed it. When I work day shifts I park my carbon Devinci on a busy college campus, but in an old converted smoke shack. It's tucked right in the corner of a campus hospital (mostly primary care and diagnostic services), below ground level and not visible from the street, and the campus is non-smoking, AND across the street is gated federal property which is strictly enforced...ergo the hoodlums tend to congregate in other areas where bike racks are out in the open.
I use a u-lock through the front wheel/frame/rack, and a cable running through the rear wheel/u lock/rack. I don't know about others here, but I don't care to ride a sh*tty beater on the premise that something
might happen to a nicer bike. I ride my nice bike everywhere, I am just cautious of where it is parked and how it is locked up. My buddy rides his SuperSix EVO everywhere - doesn't own a car - and exclusively uses a thin cable lock...I'm not as brazen as him but he's had great luck. It's all about where you park it.