Theft Protectioni?

(Thunder9) may have said:

What's your philosophy/methods for this kind of stuff?

I take nothing along that isn't essential, lock to whatever's available if I must park the bike
where I can't watch it, and sometimes remove easily stolen items like the light and saddle. I don't
ride a high-end bike, but it's been my observation that bike parts thieves can't tell the difference
between a Cannondale and a Roadmaster, and will steal skewered wheels simple because they're easy to
remove. For this reason, I prefer using a solid axle for the front on a bike where speed of wheel
repair or change isn't critical (which is all of mine), since I'll most likely lock through the rear
in any event. Thieves seldom carry wrenches around here, it would seem.

--
My email address is antispammed; pull WEEDS if replying via e-mail. Yes, I have a killfile. If I
don't respond to something, it's also possible that I'm busy.

Thunder9 said:

What kind of bike locks do you use? Do you have a special way of locking your bike? What about your
other valuables? (computers, top end head lights, anything in the case under the seat).

My panniers come off; I have a shoulder strap on one of them, and avoid taking both of them unless I
have a lot of luggage. Lights, pump, and cyclecomputer go in the pannier and come with me. I don't
have a saddlebag.

Locking these little things to the bike is basically futile, and sends the message that they are
worth stealing.

I ensure I lock both wheels (I carry 2 cable locks); the rear wheel is QR, and the front wheel has a
SON in and therefore is worth a fair chunk of change.

However, the most important part of the strategy is to ride a battered-looking road bike; piebald
paint, a Brooks, bar-end shifters, and remember that a clean bike is a stolen bike. Glossy FS bikes
get stolen - never mind that they aren't worth anything.
--
David Damerell <[email hidden]> Kill the tomato!

On Wed, 30 Jul 2003 10:49:03 +0000, Thunder9 did issue forth:

Quoted message said:

What kind of bike locks do you use? Do you have a special way of locking your bike? What about
your other valuables? (computers, top end head lights, anything in the case under the seat).

Depending on how paranoid I'm feeling about my surroundings:

1. D-lock through the rear wheel, around the seatstays and attached to an immovable object, in a
place with a lot of people.

2. As number 1, but with a cable lock running from the D-lock to the front wheel.

3. As number 2, but with the cable lock running through the saddle rails as well.

The really important thing is, no matter what sort of lock you've got, try and lock the bike in a
place with lots of people passing by.

Huw "Rottweiler chained to the downtube" Pritchard

In article <[email hidden]>, [email hidden] says...

Quoted message said:

What kind of bike locks do you use? Do you have a special way of locking your bike? What about your
other valuables? (computers, top end head lights, anything in the case under the seat).

Certainly there's some things you can do to deter theft and make it a little more difficult. Those
little cases under the seat could have a little padlock on them, thus avoiding someone casually
browsing through it as a crime of opportunity. Headlamps and computers can be fastened with non
standard bolts thus making removal more difficult.

What's your philosophy/methods for this kind of stuff?

I've used bike club lock, similar to u-lock. I take all my lights, computers and packs. I never
leave that stuff on the bike as it is just an invitation to get it stolen. It only takes a couple of
minutes to remove these parts. I also double check the item I am locking my bike to. I want to be
sure it it firmly attached to the ground.
-----------------
Alex __O _-\<,_ (_)/ (_)

"Thunder9" <[email hidden]> wrote in message "]news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

What kind of bike locks do you use? Do you have a special way of

I hate using QRs too often. I cable-lock my bike only by the top tube during class and through the
front wheel and downtube overnight. Yes, this leaves the rear wheel free to be taken, but I'm
willing to take the risk. It's an old Giant Kronos, so I don't really care about it too much.

I worried about my bike computer, but then I started leaving it and nothing happened. Then I broke
it during a mountain ride, so I didn't need that anymore.

Seatpost clamp is bolt, so I worry less.

Lights I always take with me. My friend got hers stolen early in the semester.

--
Phil, Squid-in-Training

I've never locked a bike somewhere, but does anybody remove the front wheel and lock it to the
rear wheel, the frame, and an immovable object? That is, just QR the front wheel and add it to
option 1 below.

Also, with a QR saddle, you could certainly do the same thing...or you could bring it in with you,
and make it difficult to ride away with the bike.

Huw Pritchard said:

Depending on how paranoid I'm feeling about my surroundings:

1. D-lock through the rear wheel, around the seatstays and attached to an immovable object, in a
place with a lot of people.

2. As number 1, but with a cable lock running from the D-lock to the front wheel.

3. As number 2, but with the cable lock running through the saddle rails as well.

The really important thing is, no matter what sort of lock you've got, try and lock the bike in a
place with lots of people passing by.

Huw "Rottweiler chained to the downtube" Pritchard

--
Rick Onanian

Rick Onanian said:

I've never locked a bike somewhere, but does anybody remove the front wheel and lock it to the
rear wheel, the frame, and an immovable object? That is, just QR the front wheel and add it to
option 1 below.

I have seen this technique used but it seems a bit of a hassle especially if you have "lawyer lips"
on your dropouts. It might also be a bit tight depending on your U-Lock.

Quoted message said:

Also, with a QR saddle, you could certainly do the same thing...or you could bring it in with you,
and make it difficult to ride away with the bike.

Added hassle of carrying a saddle and seatpost around with you... and then trying to replace it at
the correct height. If you're willing to put up with it though it would sure decrease the chances of
having your QR saddle pinched.

Dani

Quoted message said:

Huw Pritchard said:

Depending on how paranoid I'm feeling about my surroundings:

1. D-lock through the rear wheel, around the seatstays and attached to an immovable object, in a
place with a lot of people.

2. As number 1, but with a cable lock running from the D-lock to the front wheel.

3. As number 2, but with the cable lock running through the saddle rails as well.

The really important thing is, no matter what sort of lock you've got, try and lock the bike in a
place with lots of people passing by.

Huw "Rottweiler chained to the downtube" Pritchard

asqui' may have said:

Rick Onanian said:

Also, with a QR saddle, you could certainly do the same thing...or you could bring it in with
you, and make it difficult to ride away with the bike.

Added hassle of carrying a saddle and seatpost around with you... and then trying to replace it at
the correct height. If you're willing to put up with it though it would sure decrease the chances
of having your QR saddle pinched.

A dot of nail polish or a felt-tip marker line on the seat post makes getting it back to the right
height a snap. (If you don't have nail polish, presumably you have a close firiend who does.) I
keep my rear flasher clamped to the post at the drop-in mark, but not everybody would want it
mounted that low.

--
My email address is antispammed; pull WEEDS if replying via e-mail. Yes, I have a killfile. If I
don't respond to something, it's also possible that I'm busy.

After much questioning on this matter I have settled upon a Kryptonite New York U-Lock and
Kryptoflex cable. The cable has an eyelet at each end which allows me to thread it through the front
tyre then poke one end through the eyelet at the other end, tighten it up like a noose, then thread
the other eyelet into the U-Lock before securing the rear wheel to a fixed post with said U-Lock.

All lights, bottles, bags, and computers come with me.

The Kryptoflex cable also offers a backup plan for when you don't have a post small enough to fit
into the U-Lock, or when you want to use a tree instead -- Lock it as before, noose on front wheel,
U-Lock on rear, only instead of having the fixed object inside the U-Lock you locate it between the
frame and cable. This of course reduces your security level because now your "bike"[1] is secured to
the object by the cable only, whereas before the "bike" was secured by the U-Lock, with the cable as
auxillary protection for the front wheel.

[1] By "bike" I mean "the rear wheel, between the seat and chain stays".

Dani

Thunder9 said:

What kind of bike locks do you use? Do you have a special way of locking your bike? What about
your other valuables? (computers, top end head lights, anything in the case under the seat).

Certainly there's some things you can do to deter theft and make it a little more difficult. Those
little cases under the seat could have a little padlock on them, thus avoiding someone casually
browsing through it as a crime of opportunity. Headlamps and computers can be fastened with non
standard bolts thus making removal more difficult.

What's your philosophy/methods for this kind of stuff?

Regards, Thunder9

Thunder9 said:

What kind of bike locks do you use? Do you have a special way of locking your bike? What about
your other valuables? (computers, top end head lights, anything in the case under the seat).

I have both cable and U-locks, but I often use only one per bike. Some people use both around here.
On some racks, such practice makes it difficult to lock more than one bike at a time. That can be a
problem if there aren't enough racks for bikes. As for locking, I remove the front wheel and run the
lock through both wheels, the frame, and the bike rack. If I'm going to be away from sight of the
bike for a while, I'll also carry my seatpost and saddle with me (theft of those two items is very
high around here).

I carry all "valuables" with me when I leave my bike locked. My light has a quick-release mounting.
My U-lock doubles as a seat-post rack and I usually carry a rack pack on it. I carry all my stuff
with me in the pack when the bike's locked up.

Quoted message said:

Certainly there's some things you can do to deter theft and make it a little more difficult. Those
little cases under the seat could have a little padlock on them, thus avoiding someone casually
browsing through it as a crime of opportunity. Headlamps and computers can be fastened with non
standard bolts thus making removal more difficult.

Use the kind that attach and detach easily and carry with you. I don't like carrying a lot of extra
stuff with me when I ride (like padlocks), but I don't mind things I can throw everything else in
when I'm not riding (like rack pack or backpack).

Rick Onanian said:

I've never locked a bike somewhere, but does anybody remove the front wheel and lock it to the
rear wheel, the frame, and an immovable object? That is, just QR the front wheel and add it to
option 1 below.

(snip)

My front wheel is QR, so I often remove it and run the Ulock through it, rear wheel, seat tube, and
immovable object. Depending on the immovable object, it can indeed be difficult or impossible to get
the lock around everything.

When at home, the bike is in a locked room, on the road i is either inside, if possible, and always
where I can see it. If I can't bring it inside, like on a rest stop on a ride, i wlii park it at the
window near the door, and be sure to seat myself at that window.

In cases of locations I frequent often (library, etc.) I will take a good, heavy duty U lock and
leave it loked to the bike rack. That way I don't have to lug it along every time.

May you have the wind at your back. And a really low gear for the hills! Chris

Chris'Z Corner "The Website for the Common Bicyclist": geocities.comczcornerOpen ↗

42 to get your bike.

mike korenchuk said:

[email hidden] (Thunder9) wrote in message news:<[email hidden]>...

Quoted message said:

What kind of bike locks do you use? Do you have a special way of locking your bike? What about
your other valuables? (computers, top end head lights, anything in the case under the seat).

Certainly there's some things you can do to deter theft and make it a little more difficult. Those
little cases under the seat could have a little padlock on them, thus avoiding someone casually
browsing through it as a crime of opportunity. Headlamps and computers can be fastened with non
standard bolts thus making removal more difficult.

What's your philosophy/methods for this kind of stuff?

Regards, Thunder9

I am no longer a believer in cable-locking in high traffic areas, having lost a couple of nice
Specializeds this Spring at high noon on Saturday in Downtown London, Ontario. Tourist Hint:
U-Locks dangling from every local bike is a dead givaway that you are in a high-theft area.

Hey that's my neighbourhood. Sorry to hear of your luck. How long did you leave them? It's usually
not that bad, AFAIK most bike theft is in suburbia. In 18+ years living here I have lost two bikes
one cabled, one chained.

In my experience any locked bike is _usually_ safe for at least an hour or so. An unlocked bike is
good to go anytime. Anything shiny even if junk from Walmart, Canadian Tire etc. must be U-locked.
Anything black, old, weird or dirty can just be cable or chain locked to something solid. Anything
decent should be U-locked to something solid with a cable though anything that's attached to a
quick release.

If somebody really wants your bike a lock will not stop them just slow them down. Even the monster
locks will fall prey to the correct approach and modern cordless tools make life too easy.

I would not leave a really good bike unattended anywhere anytime.

I vary the locks on my bikes depending on my perceived risk. My locks run from a large Kryptonite
U-Lock and cable loop, through a couple of lesser U-locks and stops at a beefy looking, easy to
coil, armoured cable lock, probably wimpier than it looks. I think lesser locks are really not worth
hauling as they will stop only honest people, drunks and pre-kindergarten gang members.

Stolen bikes should always be reported to the police regardless of value, but it doesn't do
much good.

I think most bikes just get sold by the truck load in another city, people don't record their serial
numbers and there is no way to trace them.

The police auction here can sometimes be a good source of previously owned bikes if idiots don't get
in a bidding frenzy.

Prior to writing this I just got back from buying a loaf of bread and cream. I left my grunge black,
single speed, cow horned, urban assault bike unlocked for 10 minutes, downtown, no problems. I would
relish catching some punk trying to ride away on it, but I like a little fun :-)

Marcus

Marcus Coles <[email hidden]> wrote in message news:<[email hidden]>...

Quoted message said:

mike korenchuk said:

[email hidden] (Thunder9) wrote in message
news:<[email hidden]>...

Quoted message said:

What kind of bike locks do you use? Do you have a special way of locking your bike? What about
your other valuables? (computers, top end head lights, anything in the case under the seat).

Certainly there's some things you can do to deter theft and make it a little more difficult.
Those little cases under the seat could have a little padlock on them, thus avoiding someone
casually browsing through it as a crime of opportunity. Headlamps and computers can be fastened
with non standard bolts thus making removal more difficult.

What's your philosophy/methods for this kind of stuff?

Regards, Thunder9

I am no longer a believer in cable-locking in high traffic areas, having lost a couple of nice
Specializeds this Spring at high noon on Saturday in Downtown London, Ontario. Tourist Hint:
U-Locks dangling from every local bike is a dead givaway that you are in a high-theft area.

Hey that's my neighbourhood. Sorry to hear of your luck. How long did you leave them?

11:30 AM till 2 PM cable locked tot he downtown comfort inn gaurd rail in their parking lot behind
the hotel. Reported to police. Decent insurance settlement enabled upgrades. But still.....

Quoted message said:

It's usually not that bad, AFAIK most bike theft is in suburbia. In 18+ years living here I have
lost two bikes one cabled, one chained.

In my experience any locked bike is _usually_ safe for at least an hour or so. An unlocked bike is
good to go anytime. Anything shiny even if junk from Walmart, Canadian Tire etc. must be U-locked.
Anything black, old, weird or dirty can just be cable or chain locked to something solid. Anything
decent should be U-locked to something solid with a cable though anything that's attached to a
quick release.

If somebody really wants your bike a lock will not stop them just slow them down. Even the monster
locks will fall prey to the correct approach and modern cordless tools make life too easy.

I would not leave a really good bike unattended anywhere anytime.

I vary the locks on my bikes depending on my perceived risk. My locks run from a large Kryptonite
U-Lock and cable loop, through a couple of lesser U-locks and stops at a beefy looking, easy to
coil, armoured cable lock, probably wimpier than it looks. I think lesser locks are really not
worth hauling as they will stop only honest people, drunks and pre-kindergarten gang members.

Stolen bikes should always be reported to the police regardless of value, but it doesn't do
much good.

I think most bikes just get sold by the truck load in another city, people don't record their
serial numbers and there is no way to trace them.

The police auction here can sometimes be a good source of previously owned bikes if idiots don't
get in a bidding frenzy.

Prior to writing this I just got back from buying a loaf of bread and cream. I left my grunge
black, single speed, cow horned, urban assault bike unlocked for 10 minutes, downtown, no
problems. I would relish catching some punk trying to ride away on it, but I like a little fun :-)

Marcus

mike korenchuk said:

Marcus Coles <[email hidden]> wrote in message news:<[email hidden]>...

Quoted message said:

mike korenchuk said:

[email hidden] (Thunder9) wrote in message news:<[email hidden]>...

>What kind of bike locks do you use? Do you have a special way of locking your bike? What about
>your other valuables? (computers, top end head lights, anything in the case under the seat).
>
>Certainly there's some things you can do to deter theft and make it a little more difficult.
>Those little cases under the seat could have a little padlock on them, thus avoiding someone
>casually browsing through it as a crime of opportunity. Headlamps and computers can be fastened
>with non standard bolts thus making removal more difficult.
>
>What's your philosophy/methods for this kind of stuff?
>
>Regards, Thunder9

I am no longer a believer in cable-locking in high traffic areas, having lost a couple of nice
Specializeds this Spring at high noon on Saturday in Downtown London, Ontario. Tourist Hint:
U-Locks dangling from every local bike is a dead givaway that you are in a high-theft area.

Hey that's my neighbourhood. Sorry to hear of your luck. How long did you leave them?

11:30 AM till 2 PM cable locked tot he downtown comfort inn gaurd rail in their parking lot behind
the hotel. Reported to police. Decent insurance settlement enabled upgrades. But still.....

I'm glad you made out OK on that in the end, but as you say it still sucks.

In looking at that parking lot it is not immediately visible from the street. I would imagine it was
set up by someone in the vicinity either in the Hotel or adjacent properties.

I hope you did manage to sample some of the riding around here, some of it is quite pleasant. Not
much in the way of hills though.

(mike korenchuk) said:

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

I am no longer a believer in cable-locking in high traffic areas, having lost a couple of nice
Specializeds this Spring at high noon on Saturday in Downtown London, Ontario. Tourist Hint:
U-Locks dangling from every local bike is a dead givaway that you are in a high-theft area.

Hey that's my neighbourhood. Sorry to hear of your luck. How long did you leave them?

11:30 AM till 2 PM cable locked tot he downtown comfort inn gaurd rail in their parking lot behind
the hotel. Reported to police. Decent insurance settlement enabled upgrades. But still.....

What kind of insurance did you have to protect your bike?

Thanks, Thunder9

Chris Zacho The Wheelman said:

[email hidden] (Marcus Coles) wrote: <snipped>

Quoted message said:

Stolen bikes should always be reported to the police regardless of value, but it doesn't do much
good. I think most bikes just get sold by the truck load in another city, people don't record
their serial numbers and there is no way to trace them.

Quoted message said:

Marcus </snip>

Wouldn't matter if the police did ave the serial number, unless they're (you're) fortunate enough
that the bike is recovered before it reaches the strip shop.

Serial numbers are usually removed and/or changed. If they can't, the frame is usually destroyed.
Most of the thieve's profits come from the components.

I've heard this story before, even from police, it does hold true for cars and motorcycles and I
have been exposed to some really good deals on which I passed.

I have never seen much traffic in used bicycle components with the exception of the collector and
extreme highend stuff.

A whole assembly group for a bicycle is only worth between $100 and $3000 new and the majority in
the $200-300 range.

I look around the the rougher areas of town, have been to some rough looking shops, keep an eye on
the for sale stuff and rarely see new frames and used components, and if I do it's got a plausible
warranty story and a not "too good" price attached.

Perhaps there is a huge bicycle parts underground and I haven't run into
it.

Quoted message said:

I've always wondered why someone hasn't come up with a "Lo-Jack" type system for bicycles?

It costs more than what you are protecting.

Marcus
--
Currently looking for $50 10spd Ergos ;-)