kshapero

I have expensive (to me anyway) lights and a computer on my bike. When I go into a building and lock up my bike outside, I often wonder should I take my lights and computer in with me or just leave them on the bike? Your thoughts?

trailangel

Just leave everything on so it's easier to take it all.
Oh... I mean, are you kidding. Gone in a heartbeat.

JanMM

Depends on where you are but if you are locking the bike, best to take with you whatever is easy to steal and that you don't want stolen.

jefnvk

I've had used and patched tubes, of all things, stolen from my bike. I don't trust anything not bolted on to stay there.

Oddly enough I don't even bother locking the bike half the time, though.

wipekitty

If you like it, take it with you!

I live in a pretty low crime area, and (stupidly) left my light on the bike while going into a store for less than 10 minutes. It got taken, as did my cheapo quick release fender.

The fender ticked me off more than the light. It was raining that day.

linberl

Someone just took a completely empty triangle bag that had a tear in it off my son's bike when he was getting a beverage. People will take anything, just to be a-holes, even if it is worthless. Take it with you or zip tie it with stainless steel zip ties - they will deter lazy thieves.

Gresp15C

I live in a pretty tame area, and simply leave everything on the bike. Even downtown or on the university campus, nobody has ever disturbed my stuff.

It's a judgment call based on how well you know your own locale, and how much risk you're willing to accept.

canklecat

All quick release devices go with me from my errand bike -- anything that costs more than a few bucks to replace. Takes a little longer but I'm not usually in a big hurry.

The one exception I make is the Cygolite Hotshot rear LED on one bike. I set the clamp high enough on the seat post to block removal via the quick release. So essentially it's bolted on and would need a screwdriver to remove. I recharge it on the bike. It's not my errand bike and is usually within sight of wherever I stop to eat or rest.

The only things I leave on the errand bicycle are the grocery panniers, cargo net and bungee cords, and water bottle. I suppose they could steal the panniers but they'd have to quickly figure out the latching mechanism, and the panniers don't look worth stealing.

When I commuted to work on a motorcycle I was running late one morning and locked the helmet to the bike's helmet lock via the D ring. It was stolen. Some fool cut the strap. The helmet was cheap, my spare, cost only $20 or so, and now worthless with a cut strap because those cannot be replaced or repaired.

Rollfast

My Bell Radian set is still on the Schwinn out there...the rear was already dead but the front still lights up after nights between 20 and 35F.

52telecaster

I leave a bag on at the grocery but I have hex fasteners in my wheels and my lights are dyno so they don't come off easily. I always lock the bike.

Cyclist0084

Take it in with you!!

Between my Hero4 Session, Edge 800 and headlight (at night), I can have up to $450 worth of gadgets on my handlebars and I'll be damned if I'm going to leave them on my bike just so some junkie can trade them in for his $10 fix. Nope, they all go in my pockets whenever I lock up my bike, even if I'll be away from it for just a few minutes.

Way back when I was a teenager, a friend and I used to ride our bikes to the local bowling alley that had a pretty good video game arcade in it. We'd spend hours in there, playing all the hottest games. The bike rack was pretty much in sight from wherever you'd be in the game room, so keeping an eye on our bikes was easy enough, but one day, I looked out the window and saw a guy going thru my handlebar bag. By the time I was able to get out to the bike, the guy had taken off with the "emergency" money I kept in there, along with a few (admittedly cheap) bike tools. Lesson learned. Ever since then, anything of value is kept with me.

indyfabz

Take them in when conditions suggest that you could lose them.

If I am touring and stop for lunch in the middle of nowhere Montana, I probably won't even lock up my bike. When I commute to downtown Philly, I take my off my lights, computer and saddle bag. See the difference?

TimothyH

Is this even a real question?

Jim from Boston

Good answer

I thought similarly when I read the OP. One nice aspect of BF is that so many subscribers respond. Personally and gratefully, my bike and all attachments are always in a secure zone or under my visualization.

10 Wheels

Your Choice....................

2 Piece

This is how I roll. I really feel sorry for all the cyclist out there that live in such high crime areas. I do lock my bicycle up, but that only keeps the honest people honest. I leave my panniers, lights, saddle bag on pretty much all the time and never have had a problem. Only exception is there is a yearly local festival that can and does attract a lot of opportunistic individuals so I pretty much leave all the extras at home.

pdlamb

+1


I sometimes take off the Garmin (but not usually). But since my commute is not to downtown Philly/San Francisco/Detroit, I don't worry about things too much. Gas station out in the country with ice cream? Naw. Sonic? Hey, I'm sitting right next to the bike.

indyfabz

Actually, I don't even bother putting on my saddle bag anymore. My commute is fewer than 2 miles. One morning I forgot to take the bag off. I left work only to find that someone had stolen it. (My office building is next to a very busy c-store. Lots of shady characters hanging around asking for money.) So now I just toss it in my messenger bag so I don't forget to take it off.

chopsteeks

If it is worth $$$$, take it in !!

Milton Keynes

Or leave it on your bike and post your address so the rest of us can have some new gear.

drlogik 

It depends on where I'm locking my bike. The area I live in thefts off of bikes and bike theft is pretty rare so I leave them attached. Other places in town I take them off. Technically though even "safe" places probably aren't completely safe though.

Retro Grouch 

Since you ask, you simply make a conscious decision. The choice is between the risk of having your possessions stolen balanced against the inconvenience of removing and carrying your stuff (and maybe even the whole bike) with you. There is no perfect choice.

I can think of dozens of factors that would impact the decision that I would make. You can never totally eliminate the risk of having anything left in a public space stolen. Given time and technology, people have broken into bank vaults. All that you can do is to take whatever precautions you deem will balance the risk of theft against the inconvenience of carrying everything with you. Whatever the outcome of the decision that you make, rest in the knowledge that was your choice so you brought it onto yourself.

SquidPuppet

I drive a convertible car with the top down. When I park in public places for extended time periods, should I leave my laptop, wallet and cell phone on the seats?

locolobo13 

What Retro Grouch said above makes sense. That's what I do. Make my own decision each time I stop.

I went several years going into fast food places and leaving my light and computer on the bike. Both the light and computer were cheapies anyway. But a few months ago in and out of McDs for coffee, maybe 5 min, my light was gone. Now I put both in my pocket before going into the store or restaurant. Most of the time.

Ultimately it is up to you. And you are the one who will have to live with the consequences.

chopsteeks

Forget the laptop and wallet.....that whole car is coming with me. Oh, I will leave the cell phone.....will just make it easier to track me down.