Lock bike or not?
#2
Banned.
Joined: May 2013
Posts: 67
Likes: 0
From: New Jersey
If you think you co-workers will steal it, lock it. If not don't.
When I commute to work I keep it under a covered storage area where they store brake parts for trains, chains, misc. equipment and a utility vehicle. There is no place to lock it there, and also my workplace parking lot is teeming with cameras. So even if it does get stolen I can tell a foreman to review the camera footage.
When I commute to work I keep it under a covered storage area where they store brake parts for trains, chains, misc. equipment and a utility vehicle. There is no place to lock it there, and also my workplace parking lot is teeming with cameras. So even if it does get stolen I can tell a foreman to review the camera footage.
#3
Senior Member
Joined: Oct 2007
Posts: 747
Likes: 43
From: NW
Bikes: To many to list. I like them all!
If your door is locked when you leave maybe, but I would still feel better if it was locked up anyway.
I don't but I'm the boss and my door is always locked and the bike rests in front of my desk were my eyes are always on it.
I don't but I'm the boss and my door is always locked and the bike rests in front of my desk were my eyes are always on it.
Last edited by tim24k; 09-02-13 at 04:58 AM.
#4
Junior Member
Joined: Sep 2013
Posts: 7
Likes: 0
From: 日本
Bikes: プレシジョントレッキング (2013年モデル)
I live in a country where the top crime is bike theft, so I lock my bike when I go anywhere. I'm a teacher actually, so when I bike to school, I simply bring my bike into the school's building and I don't lock it.
#5
Seņior Member
Joined: Sep 2005
Posts: 13,748
Likes: 10
From: Michigan
Bikes: Windsor Fens, Giant Seek 0 (2014, Alfine 8 + discs)
Where I live I'm just not worried about it. I not only don't lock at work, I don't lock when I leave it in front of grocery stores, Lowes, etc. I don't even really know where my lock is right now.
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Work: the 8 hours that separates bike rides.
Work: the 8 hours that separates bike rides.
#6
xtrajack
Joined: Aug 2008
Posts: 2,058
Likes: 0
From: Maine
Bikes: Kona fire mountain/xtracycle,Univega landrover fs,Nishiki custom sport Ross professional super gran tour Schwinn Mesa (future Xtracycle donor bike)
I got them when I got my bike, then found out that around here, they weren't needed.
#7
Senior Member
Joined: Oct 2007
Posts: 747
Likes: 43
From: NW
Bikes: To many to list. I like them all!
On holladay last year I went to province of Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada. Nobody locked up anything. All the province was like that from what I could see. Very refreshing!
Last edited by tim24k; 09-02-13 at 08:18 AM.
#8
Banned.
Joined: Jun 2009
Posts: 964
Likes: 2
professional bike thiefs will get your bike if it is worth it and they want it. But the real worry comes from young and homeless people who will just jump on an unlocked bike to get somewhere when they are walking.
I always lock my bike, mostly i dont want to get stranded without a way to get back home. I have about 15 riders,,,if somone asked me for a bike I would give it to them and have given away about 50 bikes.
I always lock my bike, mostly i dont want to get stranded without a way to get back home. I have about 15 riders,,,if somone asked me for a bike I would give it to them and have given away about 50 bikes.
#9
Sway Bar Guru
Joined: Aug 2013
Posts: 58
Likes: 0
From: Visalia, CA
Bikes: Cannondale CAAD10; Santa Cruz HighBall; Schwinn Traveler
At work I always bring mine into my office. I trust the guys that work there but there are so many other people coming and going it's just safer, even if not for stealing but getting knocked over, etc. Anywhere else, I don't even lock my nice bike up, it comes in with me or I ride my old crappier bike if it's going to be locked up outside. This was a good idea since my crappy bike had its lock cut and was stolen while I was at dinner a few weeks ago. Now I really won't lock up my nice bike anywhere!!!
#11
Seņior Member
Joined: Sep 2005
Posts: 13,748
Likes: 10
From: Michigan
Bikes: Windsor Fens, Giant Seek 0 (2014, Alfine 8 + discs)
Nope, I'm about 40 minutes from Detroit.
My house hasn't been locked in years either. If I had to lock it, I'd have to pull a bunch of old keys off the wall in the laundry room and figure out if one of them fits the door.
My point is, it's kind of pointless asking on a forum such as this whether people lock their bike or not, unless they can get someone who works in the same building as they do, the advice will probably be useless.
My house hasn't been locked in years either. If I had to lock it, I'd have to pull a bunch of old keys off the wall in the laundry room and figure out if one of them fits the door.
My point is, it's kind of pointless asking on a forum such as this whether people lock their bike or not, unless they can get someone who works in the same building as they do, the advice will probably be useless.
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Work: the 8 hours that separates bike rides.
Work: the 8 hours that separates bike rides.
#12
Senior Member
Joined: Aug 2008
Posts: 4,441
Likes: 235
I keep mine unlocked in the middle of our sound equipment warehouse, but I remove all valuables from the panniers. It's not that we've got thieves roaming around here, but you never know who is going to wander in from outside.
#13
Banned
Joined: Jun 2009
Posts: 4,787
Likes: 3
My bike stands in the corner of my work area, out of the way; it's securely locked by the trepidation the rest of my co-workers have about dealing with me (I was described as "hard to approach" on an annual evaluation recently, LOL).
#14
Thread Starter
Senior Member

Joined: Jul 2010
Posts: 3,816
Likes: 23
I have great co-workers, so it's not about them, but rather, the door is sometimes left open even when no one is inside. People who are around and passing the door are mostly co-workers, too, but sometimes there are strangers from outside or part time maintenance workers that we aren't familiar with. I don't want to make my co-workers feel I don't trust them by locking the bike, but OTOH I don't want to fall victim and lose my means of transportation. I'm tired of asking co-workers to close and lock the door when they leave.
#15
Senior Member
Joined: Oct 2007
Posts: 747
Likes: 43
From: NW
Bikes: To many to list. I like them all!
Here in Vancouver, Wa we are the third largest city in the state with a bum on every major corner, holding up a sign wanting money, smoking a cigarette, many with their dog at their side. A lot of them in their twenties and thirties. But it's not as bad as Portland, OR. The wife and I rode along the waterfront, I counted 38 bums on the east side under the Marquam bridge and 68 on the west side sleeping or passed out in the park.
#16
Senior Member
Joined: Sep 2008
Posts: 3,589
Likes: 3
From: Beautiful Long Beach California
Bikes: Eddy Merckx San Remo 76, Eddy Merckx San Remo 76 - Black Silver and Red, Eddy Merckx Sallanches 64 (2); Eddy Merckx MXL;
I lock my bikes when I'm at home with them in the garage.
LOCK IT.
LOCK IT.
#18
Senior Member
Joined: Mar 2012
Posts: 4,869
Likes: 1,108
From: Tallahassee, FL
When I ride to work, I keep my bike in my office and don't lock it. I used to leave it in a locked, empty lab room, but a lot of folks have keys to that, so I locked it there. But carrying a lock is a pain, so I decided keeping it in the office was easier.
#19
That is great. How big of town/city do you live in?
Here in Vancouver, Wa we are the third largest city in the state with a bum on every major corner, holding up a sign wanting money, smoking a cigarette, many with their dog at their side. A lot of them in their twenties and thirties. But it's not as bad as Portland, OR. The wife and I rode along the waterfront, I counted 38 bums on the east side under the Marquam bridge and 68 on the west side sleeping or passed out in the park.
Here in Vancouver, Wa we are the third largest city in the state with a bum on every major corner, holding up a sign wanting money, smoking a cigarette, many with their dog at their side. A lot of them in their twenties and thirties. But it's not as bad as Portland, OR. The wife and I rode along the waterfront, I counted 38 bums on the east side under the Marquam bridge and 68 on the west side sleeping or passed out in the park.
#20
At my last job, my bike was parked by the cargo door of the TV studio. It wouldn't have been too difficult for a stranger to snag it if they happened to walk by when the door was up. But I wasn't too worried. The door was usually shut unless someone was actively loading or unloading something and the State Police headquarters were about 20 feet away.
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"He who serves all, best serves himself" Jack London
#22
Seņior Member
Joined: Sep 2005
Posts: 13,748
Likes: 10
From: Michigan
Bikes: Windsor Fens, Giant Seek 0 (2014, Alfine 8 + discs)
That is great. How big of town/city do you live in?
Here in Vancouver, Wa we are the third largest city in the state with a bum on every major corner, holding up a sign wanting money, smoking a cigarette, many with their dog at their side. A lot of them in their twenties and thirties. But it's not as bad as Portland, OR. The wife and I rode along the waterfront, I counted 38 bums on the east side under the Marquam bridge and 68 on the west side sleeping or passed out in the park.
Here in Vancouver, Wa we are the third largest city in the state with a bum on every major corner, holding up a sign wanting money, smoking a cigarette, many with their dog at their side. A lot of them in their twenties and thirties. But it's not as bad as Portland, OR. The wife and I rode along the waterfront, I counted 38 bums on the east side under the Marquam bridge and 68 on the west side sleeping or passed out in the park.
__________________
Work: the 8 hours that separates bike rides.
Work: the 8 hours that separates bike rides.
#23
Senior Member
Joined: Aug 2012
Posts: 1,850
Likes: 0
From: Lancaster, PA, USA
Bikes: 2012 Trek Allant, 2016 Bianchi Volpe Disc
I lock the frame+rear wheel. I doubt it would be stolen, but the lock discourages the casual thief (especially since my office is right on the walking route from the local high school). Anyone could come by and use the quick-release to steal the front wheel, or use the allen key in the seat bag to steal the seat, or unhook the rear blinky from the rack, etc.
#24
I don't lock my bike, it's more about being forgetful than purposely not locking. I work at a suburbon office bldg - not much crime around, so I never really worried about it in the first place.
I use to lock it up, then one day I realized I forgot the key, so I couldn't lock it, and it took about 2 weeks to find the key, and in that time, I wasn't carrying the lock because - well I couldn't use it . so when I did find the key I then was forgetting to bring the lock. so Now it's been like 6 weeks with no locking.
I use to lock it up, then one day I realized I forgot the key, so I couldn't lock it, and it took about 2 weeks to find the key, and in that time, I wasn't carrying the lock because - well I couldn't use it . so when I did find the key I then was forgetting to bring the lock. so Now it's been like 6 weeks with no locking.





