bike stolen lock advice

[montreal5]

so i live in NYC, and have had a cheapish hybrid for about 3 months, i originally worked at the un, so i could put it in their garage. then i switched jobs and started parking my company's bike rack on b'way in midtown.

After just 3 weeks it'd been pinched. It's my own fault, I had a cheap cable lock that i put thru the back tire and a u-lock for the front. I thought that would be enough of a deterrent, coupled with the fact that a security guard and building staff are out there a lot. There is also a camera.

I am bummed that i lost my bike, but i am also happy, b/c i feel that i should get a better bike (prob $600). The thing that makes me hesitate is the possibility that my new bike will be stolen too. Is there a lock or chain i can get to really deter, or is this a lost cause? Should i just get a huffy and give up the 10-20 miles i do in central park after work and weekends?

 

[JTE83]

A u lock should do just fine. U lock only the front wheel and the bike will be stolen without the front wheel. You must U lock the rear wheel and frame together, and use a good cable for the front wheel. Have you home or rent insurance insure the bike.

 

[hd reynolds]

so i live in NYC, and have had a cheapish hybrid for about 3 months, i originally worked at the un, so i could put it in their garage. then i switched jobs and started parking my company's bike rack on b'way in midtown.

After just 3 weeks it'd been pinched. It's my own fault, I had a cheap cable lock that i put thru the back tire and a u-lock for the front. I thought that would be enough of a deterrent, coupled with the fact that a security guard and building staff are out there a lot. There is also a camera.

I am bummed that i lost my bike, but i am also happy, b/c i feel that i should get a better bike (prob $600). The thing that makes me hesitate is the possibility that my new bike will be stolen too. Is there a lock or chain i can get to really deter, or is this a lost cause? Should i just get a huffy and give up the 10-20 miles i do in central park after work and weekends?

NYC... its not the crime capital of the world for nothing.

 

[shymin]

so i live in NYC, and have had a cheapish hybrid for about 3 months, i originally worked at the un, so i could put it in their garage. then i switched jobs and started parking my company's bike rack on b'way in midtown.

After just 3 weeks it'd been pinched. It's my own fault, I had a cheap cable lock that i put thru the back tire and a u-lock for the front. I thought that would be enough of a deterrent, coupled with the fact that a security guard and building staff are out there a lot. There is also a camera.

I am bummed that i lost my bike, but i am also happy, b/c i feel that i should get a better bike (prob $600). The thing that makes me hesitate is the possibility that my new bike will be stolen too. Is there a lock or chain i can get to really deter, or is this a lost cause? Should i just get a huffy and give up the 10-20 miles i do in central park after work and weekends?

My friend said, no lock is the best lock....so .....

 

[Bob Ross]

You must U lock the rear wheel and frame together

Anyone ever read (and agree with) Sheldon Brown's contention that the U-Lock *only* needs to encompass the rear wheel, and *not* necessarily a frame member? He says so long as the U-Lock is somewhere inside the rear triangle it will be impossible to remove the frame from the locked wheel.

I can sort of visualize why this is so, but I've never tried it. And to be honest, since I just bought a molto expensivo bike I have no intention of trying it, or of ever leaving my bike locked up unattended anywhere. But still, interesting concept. Opens up more possibilities for what objects you could lock your bike to, or what size U-Lock you require (smaller being harder to pry open).

Oh, yeah, for NYC... forget about a cable lock. Get the best U-Lock you can find for the back half of the bike. Get either one of those gigantic case-hardened square-link chains that weighs 40 lbs *or* a second U-Lock (also the best you can find) for the front half of the bike. Expect to still find your bike missing, or stripped of all valuable parts.

Get homeowner's (or renter's) insurance with a deductible that is considerably less than the value of your bike.

 

[SamB]

Anyone ever read (and agree with) Sheldon Brown's contention that the U-Lock *only* needs to encompass the rear wheel, and *not* necessarily a frame member? He says so long as the U-Lock is somewhere inside the rear triangle it will be impossible to remove the frame from the locked wheel.

Hmmm. Sheldon Brown is correct that locking only the rear wheel inside the rear triangle makes it impossible to remove the frame from the wheel without destroying the wheel, but a hacksaw that would not even scratch the U-lock will easily cut through the rim and tire. The U-lock then may be slipped through the break in the rim, and the frame is free.

If a thief is willing to remove and leave behind a rear wheel that is locked outside the rear triangle, he/she will have no problem with destroying the wheel to get that same bike.

- Sam

 

[DiabloScott]

Hmmm. Sheldon Brown is correct that locking only the rear wheel inside the rear triangle makes it impossible to remove the frame from the wheel without destroying the wheel, but a hacksaw that would not even scratch the U-lock will easily cut through the rim and tire. The U-lock then may be slipped through the break in the rim, and the frame is free.


- Sam

I suspect hacksawing through a tire and rim is not nearly as easy as you think.

Best locking system is a U-lock and a beefy cable lock with its own padlock (not locked with the U-lock). That'll require two different tools and take twice as much time. But as the saying goes... "if they want it bad enough..."

 

[JTE83]

I would like to visit NYC and ride my bike there. But it seems that city is terrible with bike thieves. In Chicago, I lock up my $3700 Dura Ace bikes and they don't get stolen or stripped.

Can I safely lock up a 105 bike in Manhatten and it won't get stripped?

 

[Bob Ross]

Can I safely lock up a 105 bike in Manhatten and it won't get stripped?

What's that Clint Eastwood line from Dirty Harry...something about "Do ya feel lucky, punk? Well? Do ya?"

 

[Bob Ross]

I suspect hacksawing through a tire and rim is not nearly as easy as you think.

Browne cites this as one reason his method works: getting a hacksaw blade through a rim that's being compressed at 120psi is no small feat. Kevlar tire beads provide an additional obstacle

...apparently. As I said, I've never tried it. And have no intention of ever putting it to a test.

 

[montreal5]

I would like to visit NYC and ride my bike there. But it seems that city is terrible with bike thieves. In Chicago, I lock up my $3700 Dura Ace bikes and they don't get stolen or stripped.

Can I safely lock up a 105 bike in Manhatten and it won't get stripped?

I'm getting a new bike, probably not more than $600. I also got a kryptonite U-lock and the enormous chain that I see most messengers use which I'll leave on the rack. Hopefully this will be enough, but I also looked into parking in a garage. Depending on which garage, parking was anywhere from $30/month to $10/day all the way up to $30/hour.

The guard looked at the security camera and apparently, the guy popped into the bike area at 3:45pm (broad daylight) pulled out some small tool, and broke my feeble chain off in 30 secs.

This isn't a deserted alleyway either. It's on a street with a pub across the street, not to mention 2 loading docks.

Both locks have an anti-theft warranty so I should be ok for at least a year, but know I know why I only ever see crappy mountainbikes chained up in public.

 

[schmoopy]

I know of a few people that work in a nyc office building who have asked nicely and received permission to bring the bike inside. There is usually a corner somewhere in the lobby, etc... that you can secure it.

It's worth a try.

 

[montreal5]

I know of a few people that work in a nyc office building who have asked nicely and received permission to bring the bike inside. There is usually a corner somewhere in the lobby, etc... that you can secure it.

It's worth a try.

Before I stated working here, I aksed the building staff and they said no. Wankers.