Bike Security
 

The general attitude among all cyclists I personally know is that they will not leave a bike locked outside a store. I stress over how safe my bike is every time I put the locks on, I figure if I quit riding to go shopping I have already lost my quest to be as car free as I can.

Whats the attitude over here in the car free group?

I lock up my bike outside, on the street, all over, including downtown. How else are you going to get things done? Bike theft is a problem, but not an overwhelming one. Get a U-lock, maybe a cable as a backup, and you're probably going to be okay. Of course, your bike makes a difference, too. If your only bike is a $3000 mountain bike, maybe you should get a beater for city trips. In my case, I have a hybrid. It has a steel frame, and hopelessly out of date components. I can lock it up with a U-lock and no one will touch it; even though I personally love that bike and ride it all over creation, no self-respecting thief will bother to steal it.

My bike is my car. I'm not wanting to lose it. 'Nuff said.

Although i do drive trucks (for treework and 5 ton truck for rolloff bins) , my bike is my child (actually my ornery cuss of a cat is my child but...), i ride it daily (average about 70kms a day, its my main transportation. . I lock up with a very thick 3/8" Abus squarelink chain) high grade chain and mini U lock, and i have a smaller chain (5/16" grade 70 transport chain, with ABUS Discus lock ) on the bike to lock the front wheel to the frame. Every allen bolt head is filled with epoxy and a steel ball bearing. I have waterproof cards with my name, address, contact info, etc in in the handlebars, fork steerer tube, and seatpost and seattube. The wheels have my info on the rim strip and on the inside of the tire casing, with a jiffy marker. The inside of my hub axles (bullseye) have a mini waterproof info card wrapped around it with a elastic band. I ONLY lock to the big lamp standards (12" diameter, 1/4" thick steelwall tubing) and i never am away from the bike for more than a few minutes.

yup, its my baby all right. A lot of time, money and effort getting it just the way i wanted it.

I like my bikes, a lot. That being said, I'm not going to let fear overtake my joy of riding them. Some common sense and a Sold Secure Gold and ART Foundation Four Star rated lock go a long way.

Whoa! Every allen bolt head filled? How do you change brake pads? On the other hand, I am beginning to see where you're coming from. Just lost a Brooks B17N and a seat post. After replacing them I did fill those two allen bolts with epoxy. I'm not sure though, if someone tries to take them now and fails, I expect to find my bike somehow vandalized (tyres slashed etc) when I return.

I have a small frame mounted lock for the rear tyre (those are pretty much standard here) and an Abus U-lock for locking the front tyre and frame. I lock up fully everywhere except in one local shopping mall that has very good bike stands and that I consider a low to medium risk place anyways. Their stands allow me to lock my bike to the stand with just the frame mounted rear lock, so I sometimes leave front tyre unlocked.

--J

^^^

Pitlock makes a nice locking seatpost clamp.

http://www.pitlock.com/images/sattelschelle003k.jpg
http://www.pitlock.com/sortiment/sat...len/index.html

Theft vulnerability varies hugely by location. To make a blanket statement about locking-up--either way-- is foolish.

I fully expect that some day, something will be tampered with or stolen from my bike. Or the whole thing will be taken. I do my best about locking strategies and securing accessories, but I don't let the threat keep me from using my bike for commuting, shopping and errands.

Rochester NY is the car theft capital of New York State. (It's also the murder capital of New York State, but that's a different thread.) Our numbers for these crimes make New York City look like Podunk. Yet, every day people drive their cars and park them places--even in "dangerous" neighborhoods. Why should I live my life differently?

That said, in good weather I generally ride my roadie, even for routine grocery shopping. While not high bling, it is moderate bling and gets comments everywhere I ride it. I won't use it on errands to certain parts of the city. I use my hybrid instead. That's not because I think it's less likely to be stolen, it's because it's cheaper to replace if it is stolen.

It's easy to fall into the trap of thinking that only bling bikes get stolen. Bikes are frequently stolen from the rack where I work (the Public Library, where we even provide locks for those who don't have them), and none of them are bling bikes. They're bikes that most avid cyclists would turn their noses up at. But, they represent convenient, disposable transport. Our local car theft stats mirror that as well. Beaters are stolen more regularly that Beemers.

Anyway, it would be very difficult for me to live my life without using my bike for basic transport, commuting, and shopping. I also feel that since cycling is *my choice* for transport, it's *my responsibility* (not the store's) for securing it. Given the complete absence of bike-through grocery stores, banks, barber shops and whatnot, I'll continue to lock-up outside, doing the best I can.

I lock mine up out side, but then our local police are known to be excessively harsh on lawbreakers, and the local population is well known for putting a stop to lawbreakers (beatings, so forth). So maybe I shouldn't count.

I simply chemically dissolve the epoxy with a chemical, then pry out the balls. The only spot i dont have filled is the brake pads (only running a front brake). No biggie if they go missing, i have spares in the pack. The stem/bar/brake lever/seatpost/seat/derailer boltheads are all filled though, Once you dial in the adjustment, there is really no need to keep dialing it in, and if for some strange reason i need to, a few drops of epoxy dissolver and your good to go.

Could you name some epoxy dissolving products? I've never had a problem with someone unbolting something but I'd like to know.

ahmen - I'm not worried mush about it here, as bikes are looked down on by the vast majority of the populace. I lock em up with an $11 cable lock in a visible place. i.e. the grocery store has no bike rack, so I lock it to a tree right in front of the store.

back in the college days theft was much more a concern, I locked it with a fancy cable lock then - kevlar cord enclosed by interlocking thimble-shaped hardned steel cover.

theives are opportunists. 2 of my friend's pos Huffy's were stolen when left unlocked for "just a sec".

Turns out the stuff I used is not epoxy at all. Some kind of superglue, but acetone dissolves it well. Might work with epoxy, too.

--J

i use methylene Chloride based solvents (some brake cleaners, better paint strippers)

(in response to dissolving epoxy

+1

I expect to have a bike stolen/vandalised some time or other (past experience has taught me this), I just try to have a secure locking setup so that it doesn't happen too frequently (in my experience I get a bike stolen about once every five years, but my locking practises have improved).

Having a bike stolen is a bit like losing a friend, but if you had good use of it, then you've got an excuse to replace stuff.

Since my rims are wearing out, I almost considered not locking up both wheels to encourage myself to replace them - but I don't want to support the theft econmy, so I don't do that. However, I suppose that then the person who gets the stolen goods will have rim failure (maybe it is a good idea :))

This philosophy definitely keeps me from forking out more than about $500 on a bike, because I can't really afford to replace much more than that at this time.

A pair of eyes is the best lock, IMHO. However, U-Locks work pretty awesome too.

I just lock up next to better-looking bikes :) But honestly, it's a concern. Then again, it's a concern that I'll get mugged walking down the street, or hit by a bus, or struck by lightning, or fall down one of those metal grates. But you know, I'll take my chances.

If I'm just popping in to pick some stuff up I have no problem, even using (GASP :eek: ) a cable lock sometimes. That's one of the reasons I love my old skool banana yellow 3-speed, nobody is going to put any effort into taking it. Additionally, almost all stores in B'more now have uniformed security loitering in the doorways, so unless they decide to boost the bike there would be someone watching it go away.

I lock all of my bikes all of the time. Some of my bikes have the European style wheel lock. I use that in conjunction with a Krypto cable and a Ulock. I figure the more locks and types the better within reason. I may eventually get a Krypto NY Fagedaboutit on of these days. I normally don't leave my bikes for a long period of time so don't worry too much about components getting gone. I do replace QR seat posts with normal binder bolts. Sometimes if I think it may be an issue I will pull a front QR wheel and lock it down with the u lock. But that is a rare occurrence.

Aaron:)

It all depends on the area. I feel safe in west Little Rock, but not quite as safe in downtown Little Rock.


Though I have to say, the only time I had a bike stolen and the police recovered it was in St. Pete.

The only time my bikes are unlocked is when they are inside my own apartment. I could probably get away with leaving it for a few seconds around here, but I don't risk it.

I use a mini U-lock for most quick lockdowns, sometimes with a thick cable for longer stays.

I agree. I learned not to focus too much on location, but rather knowing that certain individuals are drawn to crimes of opportunity and will snatch anything if not locked, take some time with the rest of the locks, no matter how "hardened" or hyped the locks claim to be.

You do not need to fork over more than that amount for a decent bike nowadays. But IMO I find that a real cop out in not addressing the needs of a present bike. You still have the bike, don't you? If you need to replace something, don't use excuses or unconciously set up something that you will regret later. A bike owner/user is just as guilty as a bike thief if he/she makes it easy to take. If that person is caught, the thief does get into alot of trouble and ruins his/her life for future decent employment. Then the cycle continues.....

Old yellow three speeds, not too expensive bikes, Huffy type bikes, it does not matter in the end. If the bike in question has a handbars, saddle, pedals, and tires they are subject to thief and will disappear in almost any part of the world. I think that the day of the bike will be postponed indefinately if most people are put off by the sheer threat of theft.

My solution is the folding bike. This bike fits almost any budget, style, gearing, size, and need that comes up. And the age of funny, rickety, unreliable, not very foldable bikes are at an end. Today the most basic ones come with the technological improvements that all bikes have gotten over the last 30 or more years. I have 3 now and no longer have a use for nonfolding bikes since my area is so crime ridden. No more compromises or fears-complete liberation!

For more information, see below:

Ride it, lock it as good as you can and it will still get stolen.
Oh well, it's still cheaper than a stinkin' car!