tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12774197.post660896440429008253..comments2024-03-22T19:54:40.394-05:00Comments on Two Cities Two Wheels: Bike Thievery Around the NationMatthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08627112052787992404noreply@blogger.comBlogger6125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12774197.post-70926875782839413552007-08-08T22:54:00.000-05:002007-08-08T22:54:00.000-05:00Actually, I thought a good bait bike thing would b...Actually, I thought a good bait bike thing would be to take a bike, park it and lock it with a cheesy lock, and unhook the brake cables. Do this at the top of a big hill, preferably with a busy street at the bottom. Let the hilarity ensue.Matthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08627112052787992404noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12774197.post-46218866049971047152007-08-08T22:47:00.000-05:002007-08-08T22:47:00.000-05:00BTW, one of the new enforcement measures being con...BTW, one of the new enforcement measures being considered in Minneapolis is a "bait bike" program. <BR/><BR/>I have often had sick and demented bait bike fantasies of my own. I have considered leaving a tantalizing bike hastily locked in some high risk location, then waiting for the thief to make his attempt. At that point, I jump out of the bushes and beat him with a length of pipe.Jim Thillhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/18343496548505700507noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12774197.post-29960688834081641412007-08-08T22:43:00.000-05:002007-08-08T22:43:00.000-05:00Bike thefts follow predictable patterns. One's cha...Bike thefts follow predictable patterns. One's chances of being a victim are drastically increased by the following:<BR/>1. Leaving the garage door open over night or for several days at a time.<BR/>2. Leaving the bike locked or unlocked and unattended anywhere in a public place for days, weeks, or months at a time.<BR/><BR/>Avoiding these pitfalls is more important than having exchanged one's Kryptonite barrel-key lock back during the recall. Having a great lock is a deterrent; there are always easier targets to be found.<BR/><BR/>I heard recently that Minneapolis is spending a bunch of extra money for police to investigate bike thefts.Jim Thillhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/18343496548505700507noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12774197.post-56827017953892594822007-08-08T16:16:00.000-05:002007-08-08T16:16:00.000-05:00I've done a set of Pitlocks. I'll be writing abou...I've done a set of Pitlocks. I'll be writing about them shortly. I carry the socket on my bicycle keychain along with the Kryptonite key for my short shackle, the OnGuard key for my long shackle lock, and a bottle opener. Initially, I was annoyed that the Pitlock took a 14mm wrench (instead of, say, a 15mm) but once I cut off the skewer so it didn't stick out any more I can use a 5mm allen wrench through the socket's holes to undo it. I haven't had any wheels stolen yet, but on the other hand, I didn't in the prior 30 years either.Matthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08627112052787992404noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12774197.post-58756037161772552872007-08-08T14:24:00.000-05:002007-08-08T14:24:00.000-05:00I live in an area (Bellevue, WA--on the "eastside"...I live in an area (Bellevue, WA--on the "eastside" of the Seattle area) where bike use is high but bike theft is relatively low. In spite of that, I am not comfortable leaving my bike locked up at a rack for longer than it takes to buy groceries. I don't ride to the movies because I don't trust leaving my bike locked up outside the theater that long. I have both a cable lock and a ulock but since there often are no real bike racks, I have to lock up to suitable trees, fences, or posts and the ulock often doesn't work. So I'm seriously considering a Kryptonite New York Fahgettaboudit chain lock. Only problem: the 3'3" model weighs nearly 9 pounds and the 5' model weighs nearly 12. That's a commitment to locking my bike.<BR/><BR/>I'm also going to get <A HREF="http://www.peterwhitecycles.com/pitlock.asp" REL="nofollow">some pitlocks from Peter White Cycle</A> to secure front and rear wheels and seatpost.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12774197.post-63623972667366621942007-08-08T11:44:00.000-05:002007-08-08T11:44:00.000-05:00As North American adults start using bicycles for ...As North American adults start using bicycles for transportation, they will realize that there's more to it than not falling off. The good news is, <A HREF="http://www.daysofleisure.com/writing/How_to_not_get_your_bike_stolen_in_New_York_City.html" REL="nofollow">it's not a foregone conclusion that your bike will be stolen</A>. You just have to learn good locking skills.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com