first ATB
Join Date: May 2006
Location: Pikes Peak Region
Posts: 43
Bikes: Custom Electric 36V, Mercian, Klein, Performance, Iron Horse, and many others including home built
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 0 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times
in
0 Posts
The best method to discourage theft is to have a really rauncy paint job on everything including the alloy and chrome parts. Begin by applying a generous coat of paint sealer and then hard wax and then get two or three cans of ugly paint and have at it. Refer to John Allen's website.
How much sense does it make to have a beautiful, state of the art bike with hundreds or even thousands of dollars worth of components all shined up and sitting out whether it is locked or unlocked?? It is like an advertisement shouting STEAL ME! it is better to have a good, efficient, old bike you can just leave around and hop on whenever you need it. Bikes that do not require special wardrobe, shoes and gear to just USE get used much more. Or if theft is a real problem get a folder and carry it inside.
FYI all that is needed to defeat the very "best" locks is a can of freon "freeze"spray and a hardened steel striking instrument and something to use as a back stop. This is an old NYC bike theif's trick and one of the reason that Kryptonite finally had to limit their losses on theft of bikes locked with their products.
When I used to own a shop and customer would come in with lost keys to a Krypronite they had two choices: order and wait for replacement keys or once they had proven ownership I could have the lock off in 3 minutes or less. Chains, U-locks, anything can be easily defeated by a pro in 3 minutes or less. so quickly that suspicion is not stirred among passersby.
Slim