Lowlife bike thief scumbags

I never leave a bike outside anywhere unless it is in my sight and within 6 feet.

I don't believe anything other than a seriously heavy D lock is much of a deterrent-and I don't want to carry one of those around.

Bruce

I agree with Bruce, but that only applies to my good bikes. They are intended for serious rides and are never locked outside. If I can't take them inside a building when I reach my destination, I don't take them out. Instead, I rely on an inexpensive road bike/mountain bike that would not be a great loss if stolen and I make sure it looks undesirable to thieves. Even then, I use a Kryptonite U Lock for the frame and a cable for the wheels. Bike thieves, with modern technology, can strip parts with ease in seconds, and cut through locks, any locks, within a few minutes, in full public view. In my view, living in the fourth largest city in North America, there is no safe way to keep your bike from being stolen, if locked up outside. It's not a question of if - only a question of when.

I used to work in the bike industry, and my customers told me all kinds of tales about how inventive thieves were able to steal their bikes.

When I was a courier, I rode the most undesirable looking road bike I could, and did not leave it for very long while doing pickups/deliveries. The only luxury was a high quality seat, but that could be taken in seconds with basic tools.

Exactly as above, never leave a good bike locked outside unless in view. I use an old bike (it's good but doesn't look it) for odd errands where I ned to leave it and use a D lock with that.

Really sad to hear that Nick. You just can't have anything these days . I agree with the others in that the best D lock possible at all times and have an additional cable through the wheels. They aren't easy to carry but are the most effective. These days I only take my bike when I can leave it indoors. In terms of GPS tracking the problem is concealing the unit and battery life, I have a tracker on my motorbike and the unit is hidden in the best possible place but I'm sure any specialist thieves could find it relatively quickly . I use tagging on my motorbike as well from a company called Datatag , i'm not sure if they do cycles as well but I imagine it could be quite a good deterrent. 

Peter.

Sad news. All bikes left outside are stolen eventually.

(I don't understand why those massive, and presumably expensive, security cameras have a picture quality like a 50 year-old 12" CRT TV, when for a couple of hundred dollars I can pick up a high resolution GoPro.)

Sad news. All bikes left outside are stolen eventually.

Depends where you live. In this part of (fairly) rural Yorkshire, I see bikes that are left unattended and not being nicked.

steve (Who had a very nice and not very old Peugeot 12-speed road bike stolen in 1981, never to be seen again. I'd only cleaned it the day before too...)

I stopped a bike theft last Saturday morning. Whilst in the queue at the greengrocer stall at the market I noticed a cyclist leave his bike with a lock whilst he went into McDonalds. Within 30 seconds this guy pounced on the bike with a pair of cutters. I shouted and made my way toward him and he ran off. 20 years ago I may have chased the bugger down but my knees aren't up to it now. 

Guys,

Thanks for the responses. It has been a hard lesson to learn.

we won't be letting the buggers get us down and will be getting him a new bike but, he will not be leaving it out of sight.

Cheers,

Nick

Chaps

I ride one of these

http://www.pashley.co.uk/bikes/bicycles/parabike.php

I have been advised that very few Pashleys get stolen, so go out and buy a Pashley in the knowledge that you have a quality bike that is safe as houses.

About 10 years ago, I cycled into Swindon and secured the Pashley with a heavy duty lock and a very heavy chain. I wandered off to do whatever I had to do and on my return discovered that the key to the padlock had fallen out of a hole in my pocket and could be anywhere in the town centre.

I caught a taxi back home and then discovered that I had lost the spare key to the padlock. I made myself some tea and nibbled some Dundee cake whilst waiting for my wife to come home. I have a pair of 2ft long bolt cutters in the garage and on her arrival we drove back to where the bicycle was parked.

I got out of the car in the town centre which was still busy and cut the padlock with the cutters. This took about 20 seconds with me grunting like a pig. Not one person asked me what I was doing.

I then returned to the car and put the cutters in the boot and Mrs Mick drove off and I then cycled off in broad daylight.

I concluded that stealing bicycles must be an easy way to make a living.

Regards

Mick

Shackle locks or U-locks: The most durable and secure locks are the d-shaped shackle locks or u-locks, now a trusted and classic design. Most models will have a rubberised coating to protect your frame, while a high weight is an indication of armouring. Essentially a giant padlock with which you attach your bike's frame to a fixed point such as a lamppost or bike rack, the shackle lock is much more resistant to being cut than cable or chain locks. Many manufacturers offer combination cable/shackle locks which enable the bike’s wheels to be secured to the shackle, via a looped cable.

More here

Something like this. Always fix your bike to something fixed.

Also use these (don't lose that special allen key though) or some other similar device.

(And use some good puncture protection tires so you wont need to change them more then once every 3 or 5 years: Continental Contact or Schwalbe Marathon).

Chains are also very effective, but they have to be really heavy and made from good hardened steel.

Cable locks are just for show.

Mick

That is because no respectable bike thief would be seen dead with a Pashley...not even the Post Office these days....

Lionel

The department that purchased bicycles for the Post Office came under me in the 1980s and 1990s and I got to know the company well.  The frames are all made by hand and bronzed rather than welded and overall it does appeal to middle England types.

The Royal Mail did not renew its contract with Pashley because of changing postal habits. When I joined the PO in 1982, Posties delivered envelopes and hardly anything else and the bicycle was the best way of helping to transport mail on the final walk.

Today,  Posties tend to deliver more small parcels due to internet buying and a hand pulled trolley is more appropriate. If for some reason the need for a bicycle came back, I would wager my life that the contract would return to Pashley who have always given a first class service.

Fortunately Pashley have done well thanks to the cycling boom in London where women have favoured this model.

http://www.pashley.co.uk/bikes...les/sonnet-bliss.php

However bicycles like mine are well made and durable but have "an old mans bike" look about them which makes them less attractive to your average bike thief.

I also use two D locks and I have never had any problems.

Regards

Mick

+1. Nothing gives 100% protection, but it is much harder for a thief to cut through a D-lock's 13-14mm of hardened steel. Most will look for an easier target.

After Mrs. Hook's bike was stolen year before last, I bought us D-locks made by Kryptonite. They came with clever frame-based carriers, and the keys also have small LEDs, so very easy to use after dark. They were expensive - close to $100 USD each -- but well worth it IMO.

Blimey even Superman can't steal your bikes Hook.

Howard, I am sure you have noticed that life is full of funny little coincidences. I mention the brand Kryptonite, and it makes you think of Superman...

Well, we just got home from running to the grocers, and we were listening to the radio. The story was about how, in the vast majority of people, the left side of the face is more dominant. For example, when most people smile, they raise the left corner of their mouth a couple of millimeters higher than the right. Also, when it comes to men's hair, a part on the right is seen by most as weak, whereas a part on the left is strong. They cited several real-life examples of this, but one that really caught my attention was...