As a messenger there are some times when I free lock my bike... this happens when I have nothing to lock my bike to.

Most of the time I am locking up to parking meters, signs etc and then I am putting the lock around the top tube... my wheels and seat post have no quick releases.

This is because you would have to be the dumbest thief on the planet to try and steal one of the messenger's bikes here... there are only 20 of us working in a small downtown and the risk of being caught by the owner or another messenger is extremely high.

If I was to catch someone trying to jack one of the guy's bikes they would find themselves u-locked to a post.