wahoonc

Not less likely to be stolen, just won't hurt as much financially.

I have several bikes that would cost somewhere north of $1,000 to replace, I do have a separate rider on my homeowner's insurance for replacement cost. I keep the pictures and records of the bikes updated regularly and keep a back up set of files in my safe deposit box.

Police around here will take a report but that is about as far as it goes. We had pictures from a game camera of someone attempting to steal my wife's antique pickup truck, the sheriff's department knows who they are but declined to arrest them for anything, stating that it was a waste of time. We have taken extra precautions to secure our property.

Aaron

cooker

Even seemingly good security habits sometimes let you down. The last time I had a bike stolen (about 2006) it was probably due to a momentary lapse - I think I may have locked the cable around the end post of a full, but unsecured bike stand, and all the thief had to do was lifted the stand and work the cable over the T shaped foot. I often locked in that spot with a U-lock that wasn't prone to that removal technique, so on that particular day I probably went there by habit because the stand was full, and forget that a cable was wrong for that end spot.

Luckily, while it was a new bike, it was not hugely expensive ($450) and I regretted buying it, and that eased the pain a bit. I missed the money, but not the bike.

bragi

The only times I've ever had bikes stolen were when they weren't locked up (i..e, out of my back yard). If you have a decent U-lock, you don't leave your bike out overnight, you lock up in well-traveled areas, etc., it's probably going to be alright. Probably. If a thief really wants your bike, it's gone, no matter what you do. There's not much you can do about liquid nitrogen, for example. My POV is this: I'm going to ride a nice bike wherever I go, and I'm going to enjoy it. I'll do what I can to make it hard to steal, but if it does get stolen, I'll remember that it's a machine, not my dog, get over it, make a claim on my insurance, and get another nice bike. I'm not going to settle for a crappy bike because of a fear that some ******bag might steal it someday.

Roody

I don't think anybody meant you should settle for a crappy bike. Rather, get a bike that you can afford to lose. I think that's good advice for everything in life, except maybe love.

gerv 

Another strategy would be to not fall in love with your bike. Basically if you paid $500 and squeezed a year of commuting out of it, the bike is paid for... count your blessings... and move on.

wahoonc

I agree... to a point. I have to customize most of my bikes to make them comfortable and to fit. Being 6'-2" with long arms and legs makes getting a comfortable, inexpensive (relative) bike a challenge sometimes. Also in this part of the country used bikes other than BSO's are hard to come by. I stopped by the larger thrift store the other day, of the 8 bicycles they had in there only one was decent quality and it was a BMX...

I really don't want to lose any of my bikes and would be very pissed if I did lose one to theft. I have a very low tolerance for thieves, I have worked hard for most of my life and the mindset of someone who just wants to take something because they want it and haven't earned it really pisses me off.

Aaron