Loose Bicycle Racks! Beware!
08-15-18, 10:49 AM
#1
Junior Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Aug 2017
Posts: 84
Mentioned: 3 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 21 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 12 Times
in
10 Posts
Loose Bicycle Racks! Beware!
Folks:
Before you lock your bike to that rack, please check to see that the rack itself is secure to the ground. I found two racks that were not fastened down at all and decided to make a brief video!
Enjoy!
Mark Allyn
Bellingham, Washington
Before you lock your bike to that rack, please check to see that the rack itself is secure to the ground. I found two racks that were not fastened down at all and decided to make a brief video!
Enjoy!
Mark Allyn
Bellingham, Washington
08-15-18, 11:26 AM
#2
Senior Member
Join Date: Jul 2008
Location: 25 miles northwest of Boston
Posts: 29,549
Bikes: Bottecchia Sprint, GT Timberline 29r, Marin Muirwoods 29er, Trek FX Alpha 7.0
Mentioned: 112 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 5224 Post(s)
Liked 3,581 Times
in
2,342 Posts
hysterical
08-15-18, 11:30 AM
#3
Senior Member
Join Date: Apr 2015
Location: Metro Detroit/AA
Posts: 8,207
Bikes: 2016 Novara Mazama
Mentioned: 63 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 3640 Post(s)
Liked 81 Times
in
51 Posts
Eh, that is still big and bulky enough I wouldn't be too worried.
That said, also inspect the integrity of the rack youre using. If there are stickers or tape that go all the way around, make sure someone hasnt pre-cut the rack, just to show up and slip your lock thrpugh the cut and take off.
That said, also inspect the integrity of the rack youre using. If there are stickers or tape that go all the way around, make sure someone hasnt pre-cut the rack, just to show up and slip your lock thrpugh the cut and take off.
08-15-18, 12:36 PM
#5
Senior Member
Join Date: Jan 2010
Posts: 39,232
Mentioned: 211 Post(s)
Tagged: 1 Thread(s)
Quoted: 18410 Post(s)
Liked 15,530 Times
in
7,326 Posts
And always check to make sure a signpost is firmly secured. Just because it looks like it is cemented into the ground doesn't mean t cannot be easily pulled up. Ask me how I know.
08-15-18, 01:18 PM
#6
Often on Fritz
Join Date: Jan 2009
Location: Austin
Posts: 536
Bikes: Franken-Fritz, Horse-Feathers, Junker
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 117 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 1 Time
in
1 Post
As far as the OP's video, I'd still lock up my bike to a rack that moves. Because, as jefnvk said, "If it's big and bulky enough" you aint going far with my bike attached to it.
08-15-18, 02:06 PM
#8
Lopsided biped
Join Date: Nov 2017
Location: NE Ohio
Posts: 737
Bikes: 2017 Day 6 Cyclone (the Buick); 2015 Simcoe Deluxe (the Xebec); Street Strider 3i (the not-a-bike); GreenSpeed Anura (the Black Swan)
Mentioned: 3 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 316 Post(s)
Liked 160 Times
in
97 Posts
Those little ones are especially bad; somebody could snatch both bike and rack and throw them in the back of a truck in seconds.
08-15-18, 08:24 PM
#9
Senior Member
Join Date: Dec 2001
Location: New Jersey
Posts: 7,143
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 261 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 11 Times
in
10 Posts
A supermarket where I live, there's a small bike rack right in front of the store not bolted to the ground. No one uses it! LOL
I lock my bike in back of the store away from foot traffic and hidden.
I lock my bike in back of the store away from foot traffic and hidden.
08-15-18, 08:35 PM
#10
Senior Member
Join Date: Apr 2008
Location: Salt Lake City, UT (Formerly Los Angeles, CA)
Posts: 1,145
Bikes: 2008 Cannondale Synapse -- 2014 Cannondale Quick CX
Mentioned: 5 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 212 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 83 Times
in
54 Posts
Saw a bike today on a car rack. The rack was one of those "hang off the hatchback with some webbing" style -- it could be removed simply by slicing the webbing, or possibly even by sliding the hooks out of the hatchback door frame.
The bike was secured to this wimpy little car rack with the thickest U-lock I've ever seen, plus a cable lock about 3/8ths thick.
I wasn't sure if perhaps it was just a joke. If not, I remain stunned.
The bike was secured to this wimpy little car rack with the thickest U-lock I've ever seen, plus a cable lock about 3/8ths thick.
I wasn't sure if perhaps it was just a joke. If not, I remain stunned.
08-15-18, 08:46 PM
#11
Senior Member
Join Date: Jan 2009
Location: Colorado Springs, CO
Posts: 5,972
Bikes: 2015 Charge Plug, 2007 Dahon Boardwalk, 1997 Nishiki Blazer, 1984 Nishiki International, 2006 Felt F65, 1989 Dahon Getaway V
Mentioned: 54 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 1364 Post(s)
Liked 1,677 Times
in
827 Posts
I prefer racks that have loops just for this reason. Even if the rack is not secured to the ground, the rack would have to be carried off with the bike.
08-15-18, 10:03 PM
#12
Senior Member
Join Date: Nov 2008
Location: Bay Area, Calif.
Posts: 7,239
Mentioned: 13 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 659 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 7 Times
in
6 Posts
I encountered a situation similar to the OPs recently. The park system recently opened a new trail and our hiking group promptly scheduled a hike there. The trailhead is only about 8 miles from my house so I rode my bike out and was pleased to see a small shiny new bike rack. I locked up my bike and didn't look at the rack more closely since I was quickly engaged in conversation with some others in the group. But when we got back from the hike I noticed that the rack was moving a lot just from my fiddling with the lock. Turns out it was a very lightweight (<15 lbs.) aluminum rack that was just sitting on the ground with no attachment to anything. Anyone could easily pick it and any attached bicycles up and cart them off. I've since complained to both the park district and the city but haven't heard yet if any improvements have been made. Plenty of fence posts and trees to use instead, but the presence of a rack led me to use it instead without checking it out sufficiently.
08-15-18, 11:15 PM
#13
Senior Member
Hey, I'll admit to doing this, sometimes there's no great option however, with a little time an inginutiy street signs will give your bikes away...
https://youtu.be/e--nV_bLDag
As far as the OP's video, I'd still lock up my bike to a rack that moves. Because, as jefnvk said, "If it's big and bulky enough" you aint going far with my bike attached to it.
https://youtu.be/e--nV_bLDag
As far as the OP's video, I'd still lock up my bike to a rack that moves. Because, as jefnvk said, "If it's big and bulky enough" you aint going far with my bike attached to it.
__________________
Some people are like a Slinky ... not really good for anything, but you still can't help but smile when you shove them down the stairs.
Some people are like a Slinky ... not really good for anything, but you still can't help but smile when you shove them down the stairs.
08-16-18, 05:41 AM
#14
Senior Member
Join Date: Jan 2010
Posts: 39,232
Mentioned: 211 Post(s)
Tagged: 1 Thread(s)
Quoted: 18410 Post(s)
Liked 15,530 Times
in
7,326 Posts
I usually have to use poles when I commute since by the time I arrive all the rack space is taken. Since it's in broad daylight with probably 100 people walking by my bike literally every minute or two and the distinct possibility of cops driving, riding or walking by, I am not concerned that something like that would happen.
08-16-18, 04:25 PM
#15
Happy banana slug
Join Date: Sep 2015
Location: Arcata, California, U.S., North America, Earth, Saggitarius Arm, Milky Way
Posts: 3,695
Bikes: 1984 Araya MB 261, 1992 Specialized Rockhopper Sport, 1993 Hard Rock Ultra, 1994 Trek Multitrack 750, 1995 Trek Singletrack 930
Mentioned: 31 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 1533 Post(s)
Liked 1,528 Times
in
916 Posts
08-16-18, 04:52 PM
#16
Been Around Awhile
Join Date: Oct 2004
Location: Burlington Iowa
Posts: 29,972
Bikes: Vaterland and Ragazzi
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 12 Post(s)
Liked 1,535 Times
in
1,045 Posts
08-17-18, 07:17 PM
#18
vespertine member
Join Date: Jul 2013
Location: Land of Angora, Turkey
Posts: 2,476
Bikes: Yes
Mentioned: 22 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 687 Post(s)
Liked 220 Times
in
163 Posts
Years ago in Boulder, CO, one of my friends was sitting at a coffee shop and looked out the window to see a group of guys come and pick up a bike rack full of (very nice) bikes, stick it in the back of a pickup truck, and drive away. Ever since then, I've been careful about making sure that racks are properly installed.
The one at the local Amtrak station is among those that are not secured. I got into it with the guy there because they have a policy that any bikes secured to anything other than the bike rack will be removed and impounded (because it apparently hurts the "historic beauty" of the crappy Amtrak station in a way that the parking lot does not?) Fortunately I had taken my beater frankenbike, and it survived my four day trip on the unsecured rack without incident.
The one at the local Amtrak station is among those that are not secured. I got into it with the guy there because they have a policy that any bikes secured to anything other than the bike rack will be removed and impounded (because it apparently hurts the "historic beauty" of the crappy Amtrak station in a way that the parking lot does not?) Fortunately I had taken my beater frankenbike, and it survived my four day trip on the unsecured rack without incident.
08-17-18, 08:03 PM
#19
Clark W. Griswold
Join Date: Mar 2014
Location: ,location, location
Posts: 13,507
Bikes: Foundry Chilkoot Ti W/Ultegra Di2, Salsa Timberjack Ti, Cinelli Mash Work RandoCross Fun Time Machine, 1x9 XT Parts Hybrid, Co-Motion Cascadia, Specialized Langster, Phil Wood Apple VeloXS Frame (w/DA 7400), R+M Supercharger2 Rohloff, Habanero Ti 26
Mentioned: 54 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 4349 Post(s)
Liked 3,986 Times
in
2,661 Posts
Eh, that is still big and bulky enough I wouldn't be too worried.
That said, also inspect the integrity of the rack youre using. If there are stickers or tape that go all the way around, make sure someone hasnt pre-cut the rack, just to show up and slip your lock thrpugh the cut and take off.
That said, also inspect the integrity of the rack youre using. If there are stickers or tape that go all the way around, make sure someone hasnt pre-cut the rack, just to show up and slip your lock thrpugh the cut and take off.
08-17-18, 09:16 PM
#20
Every day a winding road
Eh, that is still big and bulky enough I wouldn't be too worried.
That said, also inspect the integrity of the rack youre using. If there are stickers or tape that go all the way around, make sure someone hasnt pre-cut the rack, just to show up and slip your lock thrpugh the cut and take off.
That said, also inspect the integrity of the rack youre using. If there are stickers or tape that go all the way around, make sure someone hasnt pre-cut the rack, just to show up and slip your lock thrpugh the cut and take off.
And make sure sign posts are bolted down if you decide to lock it to one of them
08-17-18, 09:32 PM
#21
Senior Member
Join Date: Apr 2015
Location: Metro Detroit/AA
Posts: 8,207
Bikes: 2016 Novara Mazama
Mentioned: 63 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 3640 Post(s)
Liked 81 Times
in
51 Posts
08-19-18, 01:31 PM
#22
Happy banana slug
Join Date: Sep 2015
Location: Arcata, California, U.S., North America, Earth, Saggitarius Arm, Milky Way
Posts: 3,695
Bikes: 1984 Araya MB 261, 1992 Specialized Rockhopper Sport, 1993 Hard Rock Ultra, 1994 Trek Multitrack 750, 1995 Trek Singletrack 930
Mentioned: 31 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 1533 Post(s)
Liked 1,528 Times
in
916 Posts
+1. I carry a 3 lb. Kryptonite chain for the tweakers, and lots of stickers on the bike for the real thieves, with the understanding that if someone really wants it, they will get it. And while I love my bike, I wouldn't mind upgrading. (Did that come out wrong?)
