I have been lucky. The last time a bicycle of mine was stolen was 1985, so 32 years ago. But since then, I have been fairly assiduous about locking up, including when I tour. I use a medium or heavy duty U lock.

I don't always lock up my bike in rural settings. As others have mentioned, be aware of your surroundings, and trust your spidey sense!

I am more concerned about theft while I am at home, as most of the time, I use my touring bike for commuting, recreation, and hauling groceries. When I park in a sketchy neighbourhood, I use a U lock and a cable.

I experienced my first significant theft only three days ago. I locked my bike using the U lock + cable while visiting a bad part of town. When I returned two hours later, my carbon seat post and Brooks saddle were gone! Arg!! Also, my LED flashing light was strapped to the post.

Expensive mistake!

Note to self: in the future, secure the saddle by looping the cable lock through the railings!