Originally Posted by
base2
You're getting the right idea. If you give all the signals that a bike is already stolen. It has lower than zero value. It is open season on whatever the thief wants. The thief knows the risk of actually stealing the bike was already taken & it is now safely unreportable, black market, off-grid & no one is going to waste time or resources on worse than junk. Busy cops, honest people, concerned citizens will actively avoid seeing it. Else, confront their own feelings on societies ills. Besides, it's homeless owner will understand that nothing in life is permanent & will get over it.
This is too far in the devaluing direction.
A splotch or 2 of paint, tastefully done to identify it, however that's a different story. That would be an easily identifiable defining feature.
I think the goal should be something respectable, utilitarian, working-class, but nothing compelling & enough locks to deter opportunistic thoughts.
Finally, someone sharing ideas and explaining why, rather than just complaining that they're offended by the idea of "defiling" the aesthetics of a new commuter bike.
OK... So maybe just a little spray-paint to compliment the factory colour palette, maybe even with tape so it's not too "splotchy", and maybe some stickers might accomplish what I want better than my original ideas...
Thieves that don't break good locks will be deterred by good locks, and thieves that do break good locks should be deterred by enough paint/stickers to make the bike easy to identify. That leaves thieves who will cut good locks to get the components, which shouldn't be too much of a concern with a mostly Deore level bike.
This is making sense to me. Now cue the people will still cry about "defiling" a new bike.