Bike security at the HB pier area
 

Hey, I'm planning on riding up to HB from Mission Viejo. The distance is not really a concern, but rather what do I do with my bike once I get there? I'm an avid cyclist (don't own a car since a year ago) but I tend not to ride much in areas where security is an issue (Mission Viejo/Lake Forest/Irvine). I know in places where biking is extremely popular, bike theft can be an issue such as Holland and maybe HB, haha. I have a decent combo lock and all. This is my bike model:
http://www.bicycledoctor.co.uk/graphics/trek75fx.jpg

And I hope this pic shows for all of you as this is my actual bike:
http://photos-c.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos..._7345260_n.jpg

Can anyone give good advice as to where I could lock it up? I'll be at the beach for a couple hours and my friends will be to the left of the pier somewhere on the sand. So preferably some place near there and again, safety is my biggest concern. Thanks in advance!!!

Under the pier is a huge bike rack. It's a crowded area, and thieves don't like a large number of eyes. Locking up a bike for hours is fraught with peril anywhere. I'd recommend locking up in the most public area as close to you as possible.

Or ride a crap bike like I do.

Yea, if it wasn't a 80k roundtrip, I'd consider a beater but I think that's rather far to take my old moutain bike. But I wasn't aware of the bike rack under the pier. And I don't think I'd be too far away from it for very long so I could go over there every 30 minutes or so if I felt like it. I agree with living it locked up for a long time is bad no matter what. I agree with you about keeping it in a crowded area. I guess that's the basis I assumed someone would answer the question. I appreciate telling me about such an area (under the pier). If there's any other area like maybe for the restaurant over there, I'd appreciate letting me know! Question, would locking it up on main street itself by all the shops be bad??? Lots of people walking over there and cops maybe.

As long as you have a decent lock (decent meaning kryptonite or similar quality) you should not have a problem with a crowded area. Thieves will look for the easy targets when in view of the public, and will not pull out a massive pair of bolt cutters which are necessary for beefier locks... Anything they can cut through with small bolt cutters that can be concealed in the hand should be avoided.

IMHO Restaurants are not really the ideal spot to lock the bike, there is public traffic but no one is paying attention to the bike, they are interested in food.

The pier has a Police Sub station, 204 5th street. Park it near there. JAX bike shop is on the 400 block of Main Street and they carry Trek. Maybe you can park it in there and get a tune up while you're at it.

True story:

Years ago, at the Shorehouse on Main in HB, my lock stuck shut. Would not open for anything. I got a ride home, came back with a Skilsaw & a 50' orange extension cord. I unplugged a beer sign, ran the cord through the door, and cut the lock. Took about 20 seconds complete with a a roostertail of sparks 4' long.

No-one asked or interferred, not even the bar staff.

I thought it would be more like 50 miles or so.

I always keep my bike in sight even with a lock. So if you're going for a daytrip you might lock it several places as you meander through town. I don't think leaving a bike locked in one place for a long time is a smart thing to do.

80K = 48 Miles

You say you have a combo lock?

Have you thought about getting a u-lock, too?

Most people I know now double lock their bikes in urban areas...ala Sheldon.

I've got a similar story - it involved a frozen U-Lock, and a HUGE pair of bolt cutters. (the handles were about 2 1/2 feet long.)

On the weekends, it is shoulder to shoulder bikes under the pier. We lock up under there or up on top of the pier against the hand railing. I have seen many high zoot bikes locked up along there. No worries, enjoy yourself. Many unlocked bikes for the thieves.

Go to JAX bike shop; give the mechanic a saw buck, and he'll park it in his cage.

saw buck? is that a ten spot?

A five dollar in roman numeral is V which is called a fin. A saw buck is two fins: VV which looks like the teeth of a saw.

Thank you all for your advice. I was there for an hour and a half and I locked it under the peer with all the other bikes are. I had no problems at all. As for getting a tune up while I'm off doing something else, no thank you. A bike is the easiest thing in the world to maintain, I don't need to pay a premium for that. And paying $10-$20 for bike parking is even worse than a car. If I had stayed around there longer I'd probably have taken merckx rider's advice and moved it around a couple times if I was there all day. I agree that the longer the bike is there the longer someone can plan a move or the more likelihood the thieves will see it in the first place. That headwind was quite something getting over to HB but it was nice easily cruising at 29km/h on the way back on the Santa Ana River trail. I was struggling to get to 18 riding toward the ocean!

You have experienced the Drunk's Wind. Guys struggle against it in the morning, hit Main St. and drink their fill. In the afternoon they're blown back inland where they fall asleep convinced that a day of drinking & riding has got them back in shape.

Next time, be sure & stop in the middle of the ped bridge over the Santa Ana river & let fly with a good luck piss. Face North so's to avoid blowback.

Haha, that's classic. Yea, I can see how people would get being physically fit and a nice tail wind mixed up.