Bicycle theft

[ratfrink]

I understand that any lock can be broken given enough time; I have stated that several times in this thread. Lern2rede.

If the only thing that would remove two Fahgs in a reasonable amount of time is a hydraulic bolt-cutter, then I think my bike is fairly safe, since I doubt anyone would carry one in a busy city centre.

[skygear]

I have read it. If a job is profitable enough, the hydra shears would be the choice. they are much easier to conceal in a bag than the large cutters.

I apologize if I was mis interpreting your passion for this thread. I haddnt realized you were putting it out there that YOUR bike was the concern.

But, for your viewing pleasure, I will track one down within thenext 30 days to prove a point.

[Sal, a man-deer]

Originally Posted by ratfrink

If the only thing that would remove two Fahgs in a reasonable amount of time is a hydraulic bolt-cutter, then I think my bike is fairly safe, since I doubt anyone would carry one in a busy city centre.

But then again, your two Fahgs don't protect from someone equipped with a 5mm allen key that takes a fancy to some components on your bike.

[skygear]

Originally Posted by Sal, a man-deer

But then again, your two Fahgs don't protect from someone equipped with a 5mm allen key that takes a fancy to some components on your bike.

LOL! well um yeah... Durra ACE components, ZIP wheels, etc.

[Sal, a man-deer]

Originally Posted by Duelist

As someone who just had their bike stolen a few weeks ago, I just came to say that I will kill anyone I find stealing any one's bike, anywhere. I think a lot of my fellow cyclists feel the same way and when we are enraged we can be a dangerous group.

Find something better to steal please. A lot of people depend on their bike for transportation and without it they are helpless.

so let me just say again

FUCK YOU!

That's cute.
Bikes arnt that expensive. I'm sure they have enough money to replace it. If they don't, I'm
sure a few days of public transport won't hurt.

Edit: besides that, I'm sure the hipsters that ride brooks saddles and trackbikes on the street aren't that reliant on their bikes.

[ratfrink]

Good, I look forward to it; I have never heard of, nor can I find any hard evidence of, a Fahg mini being broken.

[ratfrink]

Originally Posted by Sal, a man-deer

But then again, your two Fahgs don't protect from someone equipped with a 5mm allen key that takes a fancy to some components on your bike.

Well apart from the frame and wheels which are locked (the frame is locked twice), what else is worth stealing? A secondhand seatpost with a ripped up Turbo saddle... some cheap secondhand bars and levers... secondhand Shimano 600 cranks. The most expensive item was the Izumi chain - are you going to steal that?

Besides, there are ball-bearings glued into the allen bolts. Are you going to faff around with acetone for fifteen minutes to steal a component which is worth perhaps £10 at most?

[skygear]

Anyone upset about bike theft has had it happen to them... What measures did you take to ensure it wouldn't "disappear"? Personally, I debadge all my property. Stickers, names, etc. It if comes off I take it off. On a couple bilks I have even stripped the paint off and clear coated the metal.

If I go to a store, I take my bike in with me. I store it in my house also, when at work, inside again...

My bicycle(s) has/ have all high end components (SRAM XX, DuraACE 7900 & Di2, ZIPP, Mavic). I ride Road and Mountain, occasional TRI.
I have THOUSANDS invested in upgraded components and frames

[STEROS]

take that shit like a gangster.

when you see the guy unlocking his bike, you just super-charge at him with a flying kick to the jaw (hopefully it'll break) -- take supposed bike, and pedal the fuck off.

[skygear]

Originally Posted by ratfrink

Well apart from the frame and wheels which are locked (the frame is locked twice), what else is worth stealing? A secondhand seatpost with a ripped up Turbo saddle... some cheap secondhand bars and levers... secondhand Shimano 600 cranks. The most expensive item was the Izumi chain - are you going to steal that?

Besides, there are ball-bearings glued into the allen bolts. Are you going to faff around with acetone for fifteen minutes to steal a component which is worth perhaps £10 at most?

OK, so as far as components go...
Bottom Bracket
Anything Titanium
Quick Releases
The lock itself!
Pedals
Cranks
Handle Bars
Shifters
Breaks
Hydraulic Brakes
Derailleur
Shocks
Saddle
Saddle post
lights
Rear Cassette
Hubs
Meters
Bearings
Anything carbon....

You have a lot to learn about your bike


http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_bicycle_parts

[ratfrink]

Let's have a look at that Di2 equipped bike then skygear. What bikes have you got?

I don't do anything to hide the identity of my beater - it hardly has any paint left anyway, although a keen eye would spot the 531 sticker on it. I leave it locked in the garage.

My road bike is mostly Campagnolo Record, and it's locked to the cast-iron balustrade inside my flat. I don't let it out of my sight.

[Sal, a man-deer]

Originally Posted by ratfrink

Well apart from the frame and wheels which are locked (the frame is locked twice), what else is worth stealing? A secondhand seatpost with a ripped up Turbo saddle... some cheap secondhand bars and levers... secondhand Shimano 600 cranks. The most expensive item was the Izumi chain - are you going to steal that?

Besides, there are ball-bearings glued into the allen bolts. Are you going to faff around with acetone for fifteen minutes to steal a component which is worth perhaps £10 at most?

People will steal anything if it's not locked down. You're smart with the ball bearings in the bolts though. Many people think just because they have a length of old chain around the rails of their seat that it's safe. Anyone could get that off in 2 mins with a chaintool

[ratfrink]

Skygear, that's some delicious copypasta you're serving. Let me re-iterate what I've already said:

Bottom Bracket - Some old cup/cone unit, worthless
Pedals - MKS copies, £3 at most
Cranks - old shimano 600, beaten up, maybe £10
Handle Bars - unbranded, worthless
Shifters - n/a
Breaks - weinmann 500, £10
Hydraulic Brakes - n/a
Derailleur - n/a
Shocks - n/a
Saddle - Turbo, ripped, £10
Saddle post - unknown, £5
lights - I take them with me
Rear Cassette - n/a
Hubs - brampton... the whole wheels are worth maybe £50. Are you gotta cut all 72 spokes just to get some shitty old steel hubs out?
Meters - I don't use one on my beater, but if I did, I would take it with me.
Bearings - you're going to steal used ball-bearings... they cost 10p each
Anything carbon.... - no, nothing carbon.


Believe me, I know bicycles inside out. I have a Cat. 2 race licence, I used to work in a bike shop, I'm a Cytech level 3 qualified mechanic, I have a degree in industrial design in which I specialised in bicycle design, and I have worked for one of the UK's major bicycle manufacturers. Christ, I'm actually famous on Zoklet for being 'the bike guy' - any time a bike thread comes up, someone sends me an email asking for advice.

[skygear]

Originally Posted by ratfrink

Let's have a look at that Di2 equipped bike then skygear. What bikes have you got?

I don't do anything to hide the identity of my beater - it hardly has any paint left anyway, although a keen eye would spot the 531 sticker on it. I leave it locked in the garage.

My road bike is mostly Campagnolo Record, and it's locked to the cast-iron balustrade inside my flat. I don't let it out of my sight.

Campy is nice. I had a mix before I upgraded....
I found that campy ran great when it was dirty, me liking everything pristine, I sold all my stuff I wasn't using and bought items I would use. Getting it via "PRO DEAL" helped on the $$$$$ issue also

Look - you obviously know a quality bike, my point is why bother with locks when you keep yours in your house? Keep the Beater there too. I hold no pre-justice to any bike or property for that matter. My Motorcycle even comes indoors during the tourist season when not in use and that includes winter.

I have learned over the years, the only safe place is in your possession.

[skygear]

Originally Posted by ratfrink

Skygear, that's some delicious copypasta you're serving. Let me re-iterate what I've already said:

Bottom Bracket - Some old cup/cone unit, worthless
Pedals - MKS copies, £3 at most
Cranks - old shimano 600, beaten up, maybe £10
Handle Bars - unbranded, worthless
Shifters - n/a
Breaks - weinmann 500, £10
Hydraulic Brakes - n/a
Derailleur - n/a
Shocks - n/a
Saddle - Turbo, ripped, £10
Saddle post - unknown, £5
lights - I take them with me
Rear Cassette - n/a
Hubs - brampton... the whole wheels are worth maybe £50. Are you gotta cut all 72 spokes just to get some shitty old steel hubs out?
Meters - I don't use one on my beater, but if I did, I would take it with me.
Bearings - you're going to steal used ball-bearings... they cost 10p each
Anything carbon.... - no, nothing carbon.


Believe me, I know bicycles inside out. I have a Cat. 2 race licence, I used to work in a bike shop, I'm a Cytech level 3 qualified mechanic, I have a degree in industrial design in which I specialised in bicycle design, and I have worked for one of the UK's major bicycle manufacturers. Christ, I'm actually famous on Zoklet for being 'the bike guy' - any time a bike thread comes up, someone sends me an email asking for advice.

My apologies, I wasn't trying to undermine you and did not know your qualifications or had any interaction with you besides the Saddle thread - to allude to you being "The Bike Guy"

It wasn't actually copy paste... I too was a bike mechanic and built up some nice customs in my time.

If I said "NukeProof" would that help with my legitimacy? I used to build custom wheels for people.


Again to touch the list. I was nearly trying to point out that there are other components on ALL bikes that are of value

[Sal, a man-deer]

Can we get back to the original topic? Bicycle theft.

[skygear]

Originally Posted by Sal, a man-deer

Can we get back to the original topic? Bicycle theft.

I think it has ALL been covered....

[ratfrink]

Yeah Nukeproof are pretty well-regarded in DH circles, but being mainly a road/touring guy, I don't have much firsthand experience of them. It's good that they make cold-forged components - many 'boutique' manufacturers start with billet and machine components out of it, but cold-forging is much much stronger.

I don't bring the beater inside because it's Fahg'd against a railing inside a locked garage that has CCTV. I think it's secure enough for something that's worth £100 at most. Besides, I can't be bothered to carry it up three floors to my flat every day, and my flat is already full of bikes (road bike, touring bike, two mountain bikes, folding bike).

[Sal, a man-deer]

Surely people have a few stories and stuff

[SillyString]

Originally Posted by Duelist

As someone who just had their bike stolen a few weeks ago, I just came to say that I will kill anyone I find stealing any one's bike, anywhere. I think a lot of my fellow cyclists feel the same way and when we are enraged we can be a dangerous group.

Find something better to steal please. A lot of people depend on their bike for transportation and without it they are helpless.

so let me just say again

FUCK YOU!

Anyone stealing anything from anyone is pretty dicked..

Personally, I'm tired of making, being friends with people who need help..

They dick you over...over and over, and people like me fall for it over and over again...

Fucked part is..

Now when I tell them no...the say to everyone I'm a dick....

[JustinBieberz]

So, if I wanted to prevent someone from stealing my bicycle, how would I do it?

[skygear]

Originally Posted by JustinBieberz

So, if I wanted to prevent someone from stealing my bicycle, how would I do it?

keep it with you...

[ratfrink]

Originally Posted by JustinBieberz

So, if I wanted to prevent someone from stealing my bicycle, how would I do it?

If someone wants to steal your bicycle, there's not a lot you can do. Even if you keep it with you, they could knock you off and take it (unfortunately this seems to be happening more and more in London).

However, if someone's just out to steal any bicycle, then you've gotta make yours comparatively difficult to steal for comparatively little gain. Make the thief want to steal the next bike rather than yours.

You can do this by:
Having a cheap (or cheap-looking) bike
Using good locks
Locking it properly and securing the components
Leaving your bike in a very busy, visible area
Not leaving your bike outside overnight