What do you do to deter bike thefts?How does bike thefts affects your cycling habits?

[Froze]

My one minute for max time to cut through a lock with an angle grinder is wrong. The longest it took for an angle grinder to cut through the best lock, which is the Kryptonite NY Fahgettaboutit 10 pound hardened steel chain lock was just 30 seconds. So that means that a thief would have your bike in less than 30 seconds. But again this would have to be a pro and not some opportunistic looking for a quick score with small basic hand tools.

The one minute thing I was thinking about was a massive chain used for locking motorcycles that weighed 18 pounds, and the reason it took one minute was because the guy had to make two cuts instead of just one!

The other thing is that so far there hasn't been a bicycle lock made that a picker can't open in less than a couple of minutes. The thing about a picker is that he simply looks like he's having trouble with his key and not making a racket with an angle grinder which would be much more obvious.

There was picker on Youtube that was purposely picking a lock to see what people would say on a busy walking sidewalk, and only one person out of hundreds that walked by asked if he was having trouble with his lock, to which he said his lock was stiff and the key was having trouble working it, and that person just walked away satisfied with the answer.

There was another YouTube video that showed the same guy using a large bolt cutter going after his lock, people passing by just ignoring him, the weird thing was a cop car stopped to watch the guy for about 15 seconds and then took off! The cops never once asked what he was doing!! that's New York city for you.

So even having the bike locked up in plain sight of people won't guarantee that the bike won't be stolen because most people, at least here in the US, don't want to get involved, after all it's not their bike so why should they risk their life or get beat up over someone else's bike?

 

[Henrywrites]

I only leave my bike when I can park and lock it in front of a guard or a working CCTV camera, that way at least the thieves get discouraged with the additional measures and not just locking it.

The thing is that keeping the bike secured is always something we can take serious. I have been in a situation where I lost a bike which I used for less than a year and it felt so difficult surviving at that time.

 

[Chuckabutty]

I keep my bikes in a locked shed at home, but I know that thieves would enter the shed if they could see the bike, and ride off with it. That happened to a neighbor. So even though my shed is locked, I keep the bikes tethered with good cable locks to shelving framework. My fat bike has the cable lock but also a 4" U lock that perfectly fits the back tire. I thread it over the wheel and through the spokes, so even if the cable was cut, they're not going to just ride away with it.

Someone said that a thief will use a car jack to break the U lock, but I fail to see how that could work being the wheel leave no room to put a jack. When I stop at a fast food place for coffee or whatever, I'll use the cable to lock it to a bike stand or sign post, and I'll put my rechargeable light, bike computer and pump in my helmet, and take them inside with me. Then I'll sit where I can see the bike. And if I have to go out and tend to a thief, my friend Ruger will assist me should the thief give me any trouble.

 

[Chuckabutty]

Professional bike thieves will find a way to steal a bike. There is no foolproof way to prevent a theft unless the bike is locked in a bank vault.

Yes, I've heard of thieves having battery-powered grinders, but tell me when was the last time you saw someone hanging around bikes with such a tool?

I feel I've done all I can do to prevent my bike being stolen when I'm on the road. I use a cable to tether the bike to a post and a 'U' lock on the wheel. If they cut the cable, they'r going to have to carry the bike away if they don't have a grinder, but I never leave the bike outside of places such as Walmart where I can't see it. If I stop anywhere, it's usually at a fast food place for coffee or lunch, and I sit where I can see the bike. Then if anyone starts to mess with it and give me any trouble, I might have to get my brother Ruger to help me.

 

[Froze]

chuckabutty, really that is all you can do is what your doing, you could add another cheaper different type of lock (not a cable), this would mean that a wannabe thief would have to destroy two locks instead of one, something like the Master Lock Street Cuffs, their cheap and portable; and or you can get those PitLock locks specially the locking skewers to prevent your wheels from getting stolen, but some parts of the country bike thieves are stealing components off bikes so depending on where you live you might want a PitLock to stop that, see: https://www.pitlock.de/en

And learn how to lock the bike properly; see: http://reviews.mtbr.com/how-to-get-your-stolen-bike-back

Like I said before most of the pro bike thieves are in the very large cities, if you're not in one of those cities your situation maybe quite tame, but only you can tell how tame it is where you live.

As far as battery powered angle grinders go, in those really large cities more and more thieves are going to that tool because it's fast, sure it makes a lot of noise but remember in a city that noise will be muted more plus if anyone is around they don't want get involved and possibly get killed over someone else's bike so they just ignore such things. Ignore? Really? yup watch these video:

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And this how ineffective the GPS locks are, note the limited range of these things, the cop and the news reporter had to be on the chase or the GPS would be outside their range and they would lose the bike. see:

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[Chuckabutty]

... and or you can get those PitLock locks specially the locking skewers to prevent your wheels from getting stolen, but some parts of the country bike thieves are stealing components off bikes so depending on where you live you might want a PitLock to stop that, see: https://www.pitlock.de/en

My fat bike has a QR on the front wheel, but if a thief has an adjustable wrench as a part of his kit, it takes seconds to loosen the nuts and steal the wheel. Those Pitlocks would be the way to go. I was just checking out wheel prices for the fatty if something should happen to them. The front wheel is around $187 plus tax and shipping. The back wheel is around $218 plus tax and shipping.

A few months ago I saw a 'ghost' bike chained to a railing. In case you're not familiar with' ghost' bikes, they are bikes that have been spray painted white, (tires, saddle and all) and left in a place where a cyclist has been killed. I passed it on the trip out. A couple of hours later I returned, that way, and the wheels were gone.

Like I said before most of the pro bike thieves are in the very large cities, if you're not in one of those cities your situation maybe quite tame, but only you can tell how tame it is where you live.

It's not tame, here. I don't live in a city or a rural area. It's kind of in between, but the rate of bike theft is quite high. A local lady parked her new bike outside an office for just a couple of minutes. It was gone when she came out. No locks to secure it. Most of the thieves around here are just out to take unsecured bikes, and there are plenty of them.

I doubt they want the bikes for themselves, more like to sell to get drugs. Both my bikes are registered with the local police. They have all the details, including photos, but in the event of a theft, it's unlikely they'll find it unless they got really lucky within minutes of the theft.

In the city of Tampa, the police have been hot on the trail of bike thieves. Someone riding a bike at night with no lights, is mostly likely delivering drugs, and the cops know this. They've caught many a thief that way, but that has now been stopped. The cops have been accused of racial profiling because 99% of the thieves are non-white. So an innocent person may be checked out; that's the price we have to pay for police vigilance. It's not a hardship. Now thieves are even more likely to get away with their crimes.

... plus if anyone is around they don't want get involved and possibly get killed over someone else's bike so they just ignore such things. Ignore? Really? yup watch these video:

I can't blame anyone for not getting involved. The way things are in Florida, you're likely to get shot for interfering. These guys don't want to get arrested or jailed. That's why I'm armed in case I have to deal with a thief messing with my bike.

I know my 'U' lock and a cable are the best I can do, but it's still too easy to steal the bike. A thief could pull up next to the bike, in a pickup, cut the cable, toss the bike in the back of the pickup and deal with the 'U' lock in his own sweet time.

So, I only leave the bike where I can see it and can get to it, quickly, if someone tampers with it. I even take my bike rechargeable light,tire pump and bike computer, inside the restaurant. I put them in my helmet because I don't leave that outside, either.

Incidentally, a couple of guys made video where they set bikes up for thieves to take. One bike, they sawed right through the frame so it was in two halves, then temporarily put it together and taped around the cuts. A thief rode off with it but didn't get far when the bike fell apart. The best one they set up involved a metal saddle with a propane torch heating it from underneath. A few thieves soon found out how hot that saddle was. They jumped off the bike, holding their butts, while the two guys who set it up, ran after them with a fire extinguisher and doused them.

 

[Froze]

If you read that one site with the diagrams on how to lock a bike you should be able to lock the bike to something sturdy using the U or D (depending on where you're from) lock instead of using the cable, the cable is only suppose to secure the wheels not the bike.

http://reviews.mtbr.com/how-to-get-your-stolen-bike-back

 

[greatscott]

Existem muitos requisitos que devem ser seguidos com a ajuda deste texto de aspecto. Mas se você está procurando ajuda na descrição do problema como uma dissertação, você está convidado a ter certeza aqui.

Huh??

 

[Nedwesty]

I work in a building in DC and leave it in the bike rack unsecured. There are lots of guns in this building. I pity the fool.

 

[BikeCommuteAdvocate]

I work in a building in DC and leave it in the bike rack unsecured. There are lots of guns in this building. I pity the fool.

Not sure how much good that would do you if they just acted like they owned it and walked off!

 

[highspeed]

Do you Think of a bulky chain? several chains? GPS trackers? taking you bike wherever your go? Uglifying the bike? Using your old bike to do errands?
what if there was no crime in your city? would you cycle more if you were not concerned about your bike security?

I use two cable locks to deter most thieves. Once a thief attempted to steal my bike. He cut most of the one cable with a cable cutter, but a friend screamed at him and he ran off.

 

[DustBowlRefugee]

Absolutely, the fear of bike theft can be a real buzzkill! But no need to resort to bulky chains or several GPS trackers. Consider getting a lock that's both strong and lightweight, like a U-lock or a folding lock. And if you're worried about your bike's appearance, there are discreet options available.

As for using your old bike for errands, why not? It's a great way to give it some love and reduce your carbon footprint. And if your city is crime-free, consider yourself lucky! But it's always better to be safe than sorry, so invest in a good lock regardless.

And hey, if you're still concerned about bike security, you can always cycle faster than the thieves Just kidding, sort of. Stay safe out there!

 

[clyds paul]

Ah, the age-old question of bike security and its impact on our cycling habits. While some may see bulky chains and GPS trackers as an "uglification" of their beloved two-wheeled steeds, I see them as necessary evils in a world where bike theft is as common as sunshine in San Diego.

But let's entertain the idea of a crime-free city for a moment. Would I cycle more without the worry of theft? Sure, why not. But I can't help but think that such a utopia would attract even more road cyclists, clogging up the streets and slowing down us enthusiasts who know how to truly appreciate the power and grace of a well-maintained bicycle.

So, keep your GPS trackers and bulky chains, fellow cyclists. After all, they're just another opportunity to show off your bike maintenance skills and keep the riff-raff at bay.