mechanicmatt

Oh man, he's an engineer. I'm so sorry. I'll pray for you.

signed,
An engineer

KonAaron Snake 

As someone who had to try and take down an evolution that I broke a key in, believe me when I say there is no attack that is effective other than an angle grinder. No leverage attack works...the freezing approach doesn't work...it's two sided, like the NYr, so a hammer isn't doing it. The only way through it is an angle grinder...which means, functionally, it's the same as the NYr. If there is an angle grinder, there's nothing you can do.

I worked on one for several hours using a generator powered saw (cut through 5 blades), a sledge hammer, liquid nitrogen, a car jack... As I was working on it, a guy who ID'd himself as a former bike thief said forget it...nothing works. I eventually got through it with the power saw, but it took HOURS, and a lot of money in saw blades.

I don't know about other cities, but angle grinders are theoretical in my city...it doesn't happen, and thieves don't have them. The ones with an angle grinder would be targeting motorcycles. I've spoken to quite a few shop owners, and police, and none of them can name a specific angle grinder attack wave in Philly. The thefts that happen are thefts of opportunity...the majority hit cable locks, communal areas of apartments, patios, and garages. There isn't an organized team of crack bike thieves with expensive power tools.

In years of being in a FB stolen bike group, I only once saw someone who had his bike stolen locked with a ubolt...he'd parked it near a construction site, and a guy asked the construction people to cut the lock, claiming he'd lost the key. They did.

I've mentioned this before...my Motorola Merckx, with Campy Record/Delta brakes...was once locked outside on a campus for 3 months, with a lower level ubolt that's no where near as good as the Evolution...and it survived.

riva

#4 is why I say add gears... youth deterrent. Maybe plastidip uglification if its a particularly theft prone area. And I 2nd the #5 too!

KonAaron Snake 

The bike I tend to use as a lock it up has Huffy decals...and looks plain jane grey. An experienced eye knows, but an experienced eye also doesn't put that much value on old titanium most of the time.

CliffordK

How expensive is this bike, really? $200 to $300?

If the kid is careful with it, then it should be fine. Always use a good lock, in house at night, etc, never left out just because, etc.

tyrion

You want the heaviest U-lock you can find, combined with a chain that captures both wheels. If you can make the system heavy enough, your kid won't want to ride the bike - problem solved.

satbuilder 

I purchased a Rekord Bianchi in 1973. Frame details are similar to the one in the OP's pic.

It's Celeste, which is a magnet for thieves. Second, locks are only going to keep honest people away. Since you only have about $100 into it, I'd just opt for one of the Kryptonite plastic coated cable type locks.

KonAaron Snake 

Respectfully disagree...those can be cut with a large clippers, and you are making the bike the target. I think there's a magnitude of difference between even a medium U-lock and a cable. Cable bikes are the target.

Reynolds 531 

My oldest kid is a Sound Engineer / Musician. I am not sure there is enough prayer in this lifetime for that stressful worrying. (I worry, he doesn't, which make me worry)

mechanicmatt

I love it, just wish I didn't, life would have been so much easier otherwise. I turned hubs and a-arms for formula SAE for 3 years in college in the machine shop, it can be fun but motorheads aren't always great to deal with.

Worst part, I'm raising 2 boys myself. They have "the knack".

Salamandrine 

All good advice. BITD I took my Masi to college, but I never locked it up, not once. A few years later I bought an old beat up PX10 for riding around town. It got uglified with stickers and cotton tape around the TT, etc. At the time no one could tell a PX10 from a then ubiquitous UO8. It was locked up during day time trips only, with a U lock, never overnight.

Honestly I think that bike is a bit too nice for the purpose, at least if it's going to live outside. It's just about right if it will come into the dorm room or apt at night. Otherwise, something more disposable is in order. Consider a lower middle end 80s road bike with flat bars and ugly stickers, an old MTB or hybrid, a 3 speed, or a cruiser.

satbuilder 

Well, you are probably correct. I haven't locked a bike up in years.

I had one of those U-locks once. is there a way they can lock frame and wheels now?

Homebrew01

DON'T !! Buy a $75 hybrid off CraigsList.

VegasTriker

#1 reason for buying a beater bike instead is that it rains and snows in Reno. The fastest way to turn a nice looking bike into a piece of trash is to use it every day in all kinds of weather, especially when there is salt on the roads. When I lived in the Midwest and owned a nice Motobecane Le Champion I also had a very old Fiorelli 10 speed to ride to the U when the weather was bad. If it got stolen I would have been angry but not quite as angry at losing the Motobecane.

#2 reason is that bike theft on most campuses is way too common. Here's a story about bike theft at UW Madison from a few years ago: https://uwpd.wisc.edu/news/uwpd-seiz...likely-stolen/ I remember the summer student who came from Iowa to the UNLV campus a few years ago. He locked the bike outside and within 3 days it was gone.

Captain Insano

All three of my sons went to UCSB, which is the stolen bike capitol of the known universe. All three boys had bikes stolen, and in almost every case it was a crime of convenience - they were stolen from campus bike racks, backyards, front yards, pretty much anywhere they were outside and unattended. My middle son had the best solution - he found an old steel frame, and put together a Frankenstein bike using parts he found on Craigslist. The whole thing cost him maybe $40. It was not pretty, but it moved, and even the most prolific thrives weren’t tempted to steal it. My recommendation for your son is to get the ugliest (but functional) bike he can find, and leave the Bianchi at home.

Chainsnapper.

Tell him to buy his own bike. He is an adult, afterall. No reason to ride a bike worth more than $50. Spray painting it multiple colors with a blind fold on is a good idea too.

KonAaron Snake 

Depending on the bike, and what you're locking to, the long shackle Evolution can usually get both wheels.

Reynolds 531 

He is.

I'm just giving him free drugs until he gets hooked.

KonAaron Snake 

It’s apparently worked for pharma.

chainwhip

https://www.citygrounds.com/products...SABEgL5MPD_BwE

Screenshot...

Johno59

My daughter was in her last year of college (I got her the bike when she started) and one day she unlocked the 2 locks on her bike (secured in a locked bicycle parking bay) zoomed down the first hill, pulled the brake levers and nothing happened. Went straight thru a peak hour city intersection and crashed into some pedestrians who actually helped her avoid serious injury when they heard her screaming I'VE NO BRAKES!!!!!.
Some jerk had stolen her brake pads.
God, who ever checks your brakes before setting off..... I sure do now.

KonAaron Snake 

That sounds like a more targeted attack than theft.

TriBiker19 

I used to keep my bike in my shared dorm room. It pissed my roommate off to no end. I was in Minneapolis and a buddy of mine had 3 bikes stolen in a year. There was no way I was leaving it anywhere besides my room. So I lofted the bed, stuck my bike and my car snow tires under there, and told her to quit complaining because she wasn't exactly the best roommate, either. 20 years later, we're now good friends after not talking to each other for 15 years.

noglider 

I do an ABC Quick Check every time I mount a bike. I made it an engrained habit.

chainwhip

Seriously scary.
Glad she's ok.

Me. Every ride.
Especially the front brake.