relyt

I am building up a road bike which I will use for commuting. It will turn out costing only $450 or so total, since I ebayed most of the parts, but it looks really nice. New frame with nice decals, and a carbon fiber fork.

I will be using this bike to ride to campus a few times a week, and it will be locked there up all day when I do. Even though it didn't cost much, it looks attractive and I don't want it stolen. The solution seems to be to make it look unattractive.

I want to do so in a way that won't actually damage the paint. I was thinking of wrapping the fork in hockey tape or something like that. The shape will give it away to someone in the know, but the thieves around here don't know about bikes and just want something shiny to sell. I could cover up the decals with reflective tape.

Will the adhesive on hockey tape damage the carbon fiber in some way?

I lock up really well, but I am still paranoid about it.

Any other ideas?

gbcb

I just let my bike get dirty. I try to keep the drivetrain clean, but don't worry about mud on the frame itself.

cyclezealot

My solution was to buy a mid priced touring bike. I am too fussy about my road bike to have it out of sight for long periods of time. Besides, my commute was 26 miles. That kind of distance, I found the more relaxed frame more comfortable anyway. Plus a touring bike frame is a better choice for carry any significant amount of weight anyway. Plus, I do not like wearing back packs.

bedian

You could wrap the frame and fork with strips of old inner tubes.

mstrpete

Yeah, zip-tie them on, and that'll help protect against paint chipping etc.

epon

Outdoor sign vinyl over the decals in the color of the frame, then take the reflective strips for the back of semis and stick those on the sides over the vinyl and let it dirty dirty. Sharpies are nice for coloring over any printing or a qtip with some spray paint and dab over labels. Use security screws and blue loctite to frustrate any component swipers. Ive also heard of filling in hex holes with plumbers putty.

Bolo Grubb

just buy some decent locks

crazybikerchick

Honestly every time I see a bike wrapped up in hockey tape or inner tubes I figure there's a really nice bike under there And probably the thieves figure the same thing

relyt

Well, I was going to wrap only the fork, and just get some tape to cover the decals, not the whole frame.

I lock up with a Kryptonite Evolution Series4 LS u-lock, through the frame and one wheel. I use a cable lock to secure the other wheel, and the saddle as well. I am thinking about getting locking skewers, I don't know if they are really more secure than a cable lock. They would be more convenient.

The frame is entirely black except for the decals. It is one of these:
https://www.fetishcycles.com/road/inizio/index.html

Unfortunately the decals are under clearcoat, otherwise I would just peel them off.

As far as Loctite goes, it is actually the red loctite that is hard to remove. The blue loctite is "service removable".

CliftonGK1

Krypto NY Fahgettaboudit or Evolution Mini U-Lock with a cable for your wheels. Throw a set of Pitlock skewers on it, and superglue BB's in the rest of the bolt heads. Use an old length of bike chain wrapped in an inner tube to secure your seat to the top of the rear triangle.

DerekU2

I would just get a really good lock and cable. Your bike isn't THAT nice that they're going to bother trying to break a really good lock - especially when there will likely be 4 or 5 others with dinky little cable locks.

kyselad

There's a decent Cannondale around here plastered with Roadmaster decals, which is at least good for a chuckle, though I don't know how well it does against thieves. On the other hand, it also has a big, goofy squeeze horn and some other beater aesthetic choices that help to hide the bling.

But really, if the bike is fairly precious to you, why not get a beater for the commute? You can ugly up a nice bike, but are you going to want hockey tape and such on your weekend ride? It sounds like you're concerned to some degree about the look of the bike, e.g. not wanting to damage the paint, but what good is all that if you're just uglying it up anyway? Better to have a bike you don't mind banging around a bit (which will happen to your locked bike when you're not around) for your commute and save the nice bike for your lycra rides.

knobster

A bike is a bike, unless it's a collectors item. If not, then just get a lock with a guarantee on it. If it gets nabbed, then just file a claim on it to replace. Just make sure to have a backup commuter. See, this gives you a reason to build something else!

Pig_Chaser

OH OH OH...Put a 'Protected by Smith and Wesson' Bumper sticker on it, problem solved.

and maybe hang some of those bull testicles you see on trucks.

ken cummings

Lay off riding in full kit or other high end clothes. Hot gear means a hot bike to me. When a neighbor goes by in Astana gear I suspect the bike is not from Walmart. Even a good walmart bike.

robertlinthicum

My stand-by method of camouflage was banana stickers (Chiquita, Dole, you get the idea). I managed to cover an entire frame eventually.

By the way, I have observed that that most bike thieves (in the DC area, anyway) don't know much about the value of what they are stealing, but rather opt for soft targets (easily defeated cable locks, etc).

cyclezealot

Don't you think , most thiefs might recognize a deluxe frame, even if not a cyclist. An expensive bike, just screams out beaucoup dollars.

MrCjolsen

Two words: Rattlecan repaint.

Think like a dirtball loser for a second. You don't know squat about bikes except that shiny ones that say "Cannondale", "Specialized", "Trek", or "Bianchi" will fetch more meth money than an old spray painted "ten speed." (loser code for any bike with drop bars, even fixed gears).

With that said, just make sure you park it next to a bike that's prettier and more shiny than yours.

epon

That reminds me, there is spray paint for cars that will scrub off with soap and water. Might be worth a shot.

2manybikes

In many places you can get a fully functioning bike for $10. Or a very low price, or free. Keep the good bike for other rides. Get a bike that truly is cheap and looks lousy. It can be a great rider and still be cheap and scratched, even rusted.

thirdin77

I've heard of people wrapping their bikes in electric tape but I concur with another poster; when you cover your frame, others wonder what's so worth covering up.. must be a pretty nice frame if the owner wants to conceal it. I am reminded of seeing people's car windows left down at trail heads so that, instead of having their windows broken, the owners just let thieves inside so that the thieves will find that nothing was left in there to be stolen.

Has your bike been built yet? If not, I think it would be better to just get a cheap aluminum frame from Nashbar or something and then paint it some bland color.