BIKEPGH MESSAGE BOARD ARCHIVE

thanks for the warning

What kind of lock setup were/are you using?

there's nowhere very near to park there. i've parked at the bookstore across the street, and centre isn't very fun to walk across

was this a broad daylight theivery attempt??

Yeah, it was broad daylight. I've heard that there's been some attempted thievery in broad daylight at the whole foods racks as well. I was using a cable lock. I know, I know, bad plan. But I keep one around for locking around phone poles. I guess i'll be stopping that now.

Exploding bike locks, maybe?

http://www.mikelambourn.com/smartlock.html

Or, turn your entire bike into a thief-punishing stungun?

http://blog.wired.com/gadgets/2008/07/how-to-end-bike.html

I think that part of the solution is cameras. If each bike rack was equipped with a "Smile! You're being videotaped!" sign, with at least one, preferably two cameras prominently visible, this sort of thing would be a lot less likely to happen at that location.

Really? I think using a proper lock is cheaper and more effective than security cameras.

True to some extent, just like putting a Club on your steering wheel redirects thieves to someone else's car. But as the first post in this thread said, someone was employing bolt cutters to carry out a theft in broad daylight. Would this have been attempted on anyone's bike had cameras been installed?

Use a good lock AND CABLE.

Cameras aren't much of a deterrent. I had a wheel stolen from rack downtown that has a camera. The camera got a good picture of the guy who did it, but these kinds of thefts are just not a priority with the police.

I have a cable lock about as thick as my thumb, but I had only ran it through the front wheel. Now, I run it through both wheels and the seat.

No problems since, while others have had wheels, seats, and whole bikes taken from the same place.

That honey bike project is pretty cool. However, we used to do a shock setup in cars and there is a handful of precedent law suits out there showing that you hurt the wrong person, they sue, and you lose. Unfortunately, that just how things seem to work these days.

I think the biggest thing is to minimize yourself as a target. Good lock and a good place to lock it to. In a case like this, maybe push the city/business to give you a good place to lock to.

And to the bolt cutters in daylight thing. There isn't much you can do about it, but get a lock bolt cutters can't get through. You would need some HUGE bolt cutters to cut a U-lock.

Good locks are key, as is locking next to bikes that are nicer than yours with lesser locks on them. People rob banks and stores all time time even if they are covered in cameras. The bank still locks up the bulk of the cash.

You don't need that big of a set of bolt cutters to snap a u-lock. A normal handled set with a pair of seatposts or lengths of pipe over the handles can go through most locks. And really, cutting through a u-lock isn't the only way to do it. A long pipe, or even the bike itself, can be used to twist them open (why the mini-u versions are more secure) and a cordless disc grinder can cut through even the best in no-time. Cheaper lock mechanisms can be compromised with a hammer and punch.

And before I get flamed for supposedly spilling the "secret" of breaking a u-lock – the thieves already know, alright?

gee brad, you seem to know alot about stealing bikes...

how many bikes did you say you had the last time i saw you?

Brad, dont forget about car jacks.

I build/race cars and have some decently heavy equipment, but I dont think my bolt cutters could cut my U-lock- at least not easily, but Ive never tried [can I try on your lock].

And I am sure bicycle have been stolen using cut off wheels, but I have a feeling it is a rare. I could be wrong, but even a with a diamond disc it still takes a few seconds of very loud noise to cut a U-lock.

This could go on forever, but we could be more constructive about it and talk about solutions...

I take it back, I just thought of a You-tube video where a guy cut off a chain with an angle grinder in the middle of the day.

Maybe I'll try this in Oakland-maybe college kids will say something? Maybe.

there's also the old bic trick.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3bosEh5PUNs

Of course, you can't be too careful.

(from the Amsterdam bicycles page on ski-epic.com)

Doesn't seem to matter where you lock up your bike either, http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5TNTq3nhuh0&feature=related