How to keep your bicycle safe?

[meamoantonio]

(07-14-2024, 03:20 PM)enkei Wrote:  Tosa Inu for the win!

Okay, a little impractical (and illegal in the UK, alas)

Food for this will probably cost you another bike in 6 months but i think its worth it haha

[GirishH]

And, lawsuits by animal activists who will accuse you of having the dogs tied out in the sun or you having made then run behind you as you commited to work or in the mountains..:-)

Personally, I did not carry a bike lock during my 3 years of bikepacking but I did carry a small, cable lock last week when I borrowed my nephew's bike. This was just for a night but I truly didn't want to replace my nephew's clunker with a new bike if it ever got stolen..

[Sidewinder]

Best bike I ever built---my tricked-out Powerlite Cruiser---was stolen after I made the mistake of locking it at the beach. Friend's Schwinn cruiser was with it, so we actually had two burly locks, but locks are for honest people. I often wish I'd never locked the bike, but we met two gals from San Rafael who were down on vacation, and I let myself be talked into locking the bikes. Fool mistake, and all my hard work out the window... what I should've done is wheeled the bike down onto the sand, then flipped it so it rested on bars and seat (no sand on chain that way). But a pretty girl (or two) can cloud a man's judgment, and some thief got the deal of his life when he stole my Powerlite. I hope the wanker got hit by a truck while riding my bike, lol. Such a cool bike for vertical wall-riding! I still miss that awesome cruiser! Here's a breakdown of the mods:

---Powerlite Cruiser frame & forks

---Araya rims with stainless spokes and Bullseye hubs

---Specialized knobbies, back when they were the bomb

---alloy cranks and good pedals

---gold chain, or the equivalent for pedal bikes

---alloy MX bars with Specialized grips and Haro 2-finger levers

---burly alloy neck with a 4-bolt pattern

---alloy seat post with nice BMX seat

---freewheel on rear hub for pool & park riding

[Jesper]

(07-28-2023, 04:28 PM)Jesper Wrote:  I will say that there is an easy and portable way to defeat all exposed locks/locking mechanisms, but I will not post it due to concerns for security. It has been around for decades, and no, I repeat NO exposed lock has yet to be made to defeat this method. It is probably because no lock company ever thinks that someone would use it.

So as an update to my earlier comment I am devising another theft deterrent. Again, I cannot divulge what it is due to potential lawsuits arising from its use (due to potential injury to the thief), but like similar devices used in live applications it will stop a would be thief. It would not necessarily stop the thief from defeating a locking mechanism unless specifically designed to do so. If I used my unmentionable method of defeating your locks and was ready to then remove the bike, this device would prevent that part of the theft and anyone else who decided to remove your now unlocked bike. The design is particularly suited to a specific bike types since some components needed for its operation are already on the bike.

There another method using chemical "warfare" that may or may not be legal (it is non-lethal), but I would love to see the reaction of the would be thief should they attempt to steal the bike. Unfortunately, innocent individuals might also suffer (police, first responders, good samaritans, etc.)

(02-21-2024, 01:19 PM)GirishH Wrote:  Sadly, I have seen bikes strapped to a rear or roof rack hit the garage door/ceiling when the owner forgot where the bike was..:-(

Unfortunately, I have heard of that happening also; not sure how to prevent it other than mounting a proximity alarm on the bike that sounds off when nearing an overhead obstacle (audio alarm best to be mounted inside the vehicle).
But another problem exists with using a roof rack, rack in the bed of truck, front or rear rack, or any open location. That would be finish and potential component damage. The amount grit flying through the air can really up decals and paint; especially on older bikes. Long trips are not good. Use a good cover on the bike to prevent this. That same grit gets on the drivetrain so unless you clean it you are riding with wear causing debris even before you travel 10 feet. Again, a cover will help prevent/reduce this issue. Front mounted racks (usually on RVs or buses) are not only exposed to the fine grit, but also larger debris due to being in front and mounted lower to the ground (and in many areas your bike will be covered with bug carcasses; e.g. Florida "love bugs" which happen to ne acidic and damage car finishes too). Truck beds and rear mounted racks on vehicles are the bad for grit exposure due to turbulence caused in those locations. Ensure the bed is at least clean before putting your bike in it whether lying down or upright. I have experienced this firsthand when a friend came to meet me in his halfway while riding and he thoughtfully mounted a tailgate rack because he knew I did not want my bike sliding around his bed. About 20 miles of travel and it was obvious when on my next ride that my previously clean drivetrain had been exposed to fine grit when pedalling and via inspection.

(02-20-2024, 10:15 PM)LeonelFarley Wrote:  Ensuring bike safety is crucial, especially considering the investment we make in our bikes and the joy they bring us. When transporting my bike, I take extra precautions by using a quality bike rack that securely holds it in place and minimizes any risk of damage during transit. I also double-check the straps and connections to ensure everything is tight and secure.

Aside from my comment on exterior racks; do not forget to also have a locking mechanism on the bike/rack. Many bikes have simply been removed off of vehicle racks while parked; even if only for a short period of time.

(09-29-2024, 07:33 PM)meamoantonio Wrote:  I have an update on this, the best security for me right now is befriending security guards in the establishments that you're going to so you can have an extra pair of eyes watching out for your ride, its absolutely safer that any 5 star lock out there, an attempt was made on my bike the other day but roving security guards knew me and my bike so they actually stopped the attempt and reprimanded the would be thief.

That is a good idea, but one time as I spoke with a "roving" guard (we also had a fill dedicated police force on campus) he told me about bikes and parts being stolen. Except on very small premises, a bike can easily be stolen in between making rounds. If necessary to store my bike in an exterior rack, I find out where the guards generally hang out when not making a round, preferrably within their line of site if possible and/or in voew of a camera. I try not to put my bike in with a bunch of others since somebody can more easily hide between the other bikes when trying to defeat your security. Also, I'll lock up next to a bike withoutva lock figured a thief is going to take the unlocked bike more often than mine even if mine is the more lucrative theft.

I do have one bike (late '70s Olmo) that when I received it the prior owner started to removed paint and chrome in a feeble effort at restoring it. Even though it is a frame of some value I never bothered to do any refinishing and I wrapped some yellow and red construction site caution/danger ribbon on it, some horribly tattered and loosely hanging electrical tape on the bar; and a saddle, although comfortable and high end, that has the looks of being partially gnawed on by rats. It looks gloriously hideous and though it has quality parts (vintage Galli stuff worth a couple hundred $ alone) they are not known (e.g. Shimano, Campagnolo, etc.) to would be thieves and it is readily overlooked and perceived as a "POS" (better theft derrent than most locks!). It is actually a great bike functionally, and if not for the previous owner's restoration abortion and its very tall size (61cm, largest I can ride with the post buried to the clamp; I ride 52cm) I would have done at least a decent "rattle can resto" on it.