Three words - "cordless angle grinder".

If you have to leave your bike parked somewhere, use a POS bike and a cheesy cable lock and try to park next to a nicer bike.

You can only try to make it as difficult as possible to take it. I don't think someone is as likely to take something if they have to be there trying to cut and saw for a while in public.

Or do like I do and park next to a valet stand where the valets park their bikes. They're out there every day and don't want people messing with their bikes, so they keep a lookout.

Of course, If I had a bike with an ashtabula crank, I wouldn't be so careful about locking it up. Getting it ripped would be an excuse to upgrade. bk

I lock my frame and rear wheel up with my U-Lock then loop a cable around the front wheel, connecting it with the U-Lock.

Last night, I tried the "saw through the rim after cutting spokes" method on a scrap wheel.

Maybe my cordless Black And Decker cip-saw had a weak motor in it (Not likely, since it handles any other job I've thrown at it), and maybe I had the wrong blades (AL cutting blades, used to cut down dry-wall studs).

The tire was deflated, and I cut half the spokes out.

My cip-saw jammed a few times on the rim. It took a total of 8 1/2 minutes to get through a steel rim. 7 minutes flat through an AL rim. Both still had the tires mounted.

On the AL rim, I had to change a blade. It dulled very quickly. Both rims hung up on the kevlar bead of the tires, but I did get through.

Something tells me, a crook wont bother (In most cases) to cut through the rim of the rear wheel. Why? It just takes too fricking long.

Think about it. You have to carry a power tool. The battery most likely wont have a full charge (Mine did). And, I doubt a crook would carry spare blades with him/her.

Then, put together: There's plenty more easy pickings out there. Most I can get with a pair of dike cutters, or a pen (Yes, many still use those defective u-locks). Even better? Many crooks I'm sure have figured out the same thing I have: Those round key locks? A properly filed down round key will unlock about 3/4 of the locks.

I've done enough automotive demolition with a cordless Milwaukee Sawzall to believe that with the correct blade I could be through any bicycle rim in less than 30 seconds, probably closer to 10 seconds. 7 or 8 minutes seems like forever.

It's like anything else, you need the right tools for the job and a little practice. Fresh charge on the saw, some new blades (the saw changes blades in 5 seconds with the quick release) I might even carry a tiny squirt bottle of cutting oil.

Most likely, a Milwaukee would do better. They are heavier duty, and heavier to carry. Also, even with the spokes cut out of the wheel, the rim is still under a bit of compression forces, pinching blades.

Also, the metal wasn't the most problem. The kevlar bead was :)

True. With a fresh battery, the proper blade(s), and some cutting oil I'm sure you could get it off in less time. I'm positive that an experienced crook would get it off even faster.

But, then again, an experienced crook probably wont carry a tool box to a crime scene, wont want to bother having to replace the rear wheel, and would most likely attack the locking mechanism instead of the thing being stolen.

I really do believe bike theft is a crime of opportunity and locks just keep relatively honest people honest. But for as expensive as many bikes are today it makes a little planning profitable for the up-scale bike thief. I don't think they'd care how badly they destroyed your bike or frame given the high prices that individual bike parts bring on ebay. I bet not all bike thieves are crack addicts.

And yeah, it's THAT high-tech guy with a van, Sawzall and 4-foot bolt cutters that would steal MY bike, I have bad luck that way.