Sad reminder - lock your wheels

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03-10-05 | 07:33 AM

#26

peripatetic

Senior Member

Joined: Oct 2004

Posts: 2,124

Likes: 2

From: NYC

Bikes: All 70s and 80s, only steel.

Quote:

Originally Posted by prevail24

I also dont lock my bike by itslef anywhere for too long. If I am at a show or something, there is always someone out there keeping an eye on her.

Devil's Advocate points out (through some book on urban cycling that I was perusing at Barnes & Noble the other day) that when you lock up your bike with a bunch of other bikes, you make it easy for a thief to disguise his/her actions. This bike actually suggested locking your bike slightly removed from large racks filled with bikes. Of course, when you're talking bike shows, then you're talking a huge convention center or something full of rabid, theft-paranoid bicyclists.

I visited my Mom a few months ago in SF. Coming from New York, I was flabbergasted at how blithely people there lock up their bikes on the streets. Transplant some crackhead from here, and they'd have field day!

03-10-05 | 07:40 AM

#27

HelluvaStella

NoGoSlow

Joined: Dec 2004

Posts: 862

Likes: 1

From: Philly

Bikes: Stella fixy conversion, Trek 2300, Specialized Rock Hopper, Schwinn Collegiate 3, Mz Skorpion

Quote:

Originally Posted by FixednotBroken

when i can find a post that's not too wide, i'll lock both wheels with my chain - tho when i'm feeling truly paranoid i bring a u-lock specifically for the back wheel.

i had a chuckle back at monster track when i ducked out to check on my bike, and ran into a couple of people doing the exact same thing.

Jeez, now I feel better. I thought I was the ONLY one. (And my bike's a POS)

03-10-05 | 08:48 AM

#28

Ya Tu Sabes

Rebel Thousandaire

Joined: Sep 2004

Posts: 733

Likes: 1

From: Hartford, CT

Bikes: Public D8, Yuba Mundo (cargo), Novara Buzz (1-speed, soon to be 2-speed w/ a kickback hub), Xootr 1-speed folder

Quote:

Originally Posted by polytoxic

I have successfully tackled those screws before. When I was a freshman at New Jersey Institute of Technology (talk about a rough neihborhood) our dorm room door handles where fastened down with them. It would cost us 10 bucks if we lost our keys or locked ourselves out and needed someone to open the door for us. I took 4 of those fasteners off with the biggest flat head I can find from a fellow dorm mate and ALOT of elbow grease. After that we would break into other people's dorm room's for good ole college pranks

I think they actually make a special drill bit type thing that fits over the whole head of the screw snugly.

03-10-05 | 09:32 AM

#29

FixednotBroken

no one wants an alien

Joined: Jun 2004

Posts: 784

Likes: 0

From: Brooklyn

Bikes: grandis track bike, cesare track bike, bianchi road bike

Quote:

Originally Posted by HelluvaStella

Jeez, now I feel better. I thought I was the ONLY one. (And my bike's a POS)

yup, ya gotta be vigilant - and a little lucky - to hold on to your bike in NYC.

03-10-05 | 09:41 AM

#30

operator

cab horn

Joined: Jun 2004

Posts: 28,353

Likes: 30

From: Toronto

Bikes: 1987 Bianchi Campione

Quote:

Originally Posted by Raiyn

It was on Sheldon's site under Locking Strategy. It's the same philosophy I use.

It makese sense. Too bad you never actually see this type of locking on the street. Most of the time the rame and wheel are locked to the post. Newbs.

03-10-05 | 09:57 AM

#31

moxfyre

cyclist/gearhead/cycli...

Joined: Oct 2004

Posts: 4,166

Likes: 1

From: DC / Maryland suburbs

Bikes: Homebuilt tourer/commuter, modified-beyond-recognition 1990 Trek 1100, reasonably stock 2002-ish Gary Fisher Hoo Koo E Koo

Quote:

Originally Posted by operator

It makese sense. Too bad you never actually see this type of locking on the street. Most of the time the rame and wheel are locked to the post. Newbs.

Frankly, I think locking that locking the rear triangle is a bit safer, because that way a thief can't cut or deform your rear in order to steal the frame. Not that I think that happens much...

03-10-05 | 11:05 AM

#32

Schiek

Rhymes With Bike

Joined: Oct 2003

Posts: 1,221

Likes: 0

From: Washington DC

Nowhere in DC is safe. At work, I lock my bike in a garage that has valet parking and building security. Even in this seemingly low-crime environment, every bike on the rack lost rear wheels except for me in one 12-hour span about six months ago.

NY-Chain around the rack, frame and rear wheel. Mini-U around the front wheel and frame. The chain stays at work and the mini-u/cable combo travels in the bag for quick errand stops.

__________________
destructible.
In The Crosshairs

03-10-05 | 11:10 AM

#33

riderx

BFSSFG old timer

Joined: Apr 2001

Posts: 1,912

Likes: 1

From: Fredrock

Quote:

Originally Posted by operator

It makese sense. Too bad you never actually see this type of locking on the street. Most of the time the rame and wheel are locked to the post. Newbs.

I've got to disagree w/ Sheldon on this one. The less room you have to put a tool in there, the better. Locking the frame and wheel takes care of this. It's the same reason he advocates the Krypto mini lock.

03-10-05 | 11:44 AM

#34

TimArchy

Senior Member

Joined: Jun 2003

Posts: 1,155

Likes: 0

From: Atlanta

Bikes: Zeus (Razesa) tarck, Giant TCR road, Eddy Merckx road, Fuji Touring Series IV for everything else

I've always thought the sheldon brown method was dodgy if only because a thief might do some damage to your rear wheel and frame before they figured out that they can't get it off easily. I'd rather they could tell from a distance that my bike was securely locked.

tim