Lucillle

For those who live in an apartment, do you lock up your bike inside the apartment?

Skipjacks

Do you mean did I keep it inside in my apartment behind the locked door?

Yes. Always.

Did I locked it up in the hallway? Never even left it in the hallway.

Outside?

Never.

locolobo13 

Same here. Bike parked inside apt or house. Doors locked. Usually.

mstateglfr 

If you lock your TV down inside your apartment, then sure lock up your bike inside your apartment. If you think your TV is safe inside your apartment, then you are probably good on your bike too.

I never locked my bike when it was inside my apartment when I lived in one- and that was back in college too, with all those sticky fingers around.

indyfabz

I never understand threads like these. What difference does it make what I or anyone else does? If everyone answers"No" will you not do it? What if everyone answers "Yes?"


In any event...If you think locking up your bike inside your apartment will provide an extra level of security you are looking for, than do it. If you live in a 5th floor walk up I could see a thief passing on bike with its wheel locked that he would have to carry a long way, and if you live on the ground floor it would make it more difficult for a thief to make a quick getaway with your bike. (That actually happened to me, although in my house, not an apartment.)


And I am not sure why the question was limited to apartments. As noted immediately above, I had a bike stolen from inside my house, while I was home and awake.

sdmc530

No, just put it in there. I learned the hard way when my bike was stolen out of a shared garage, and it was locked up in there. So I just stored indoors not locked.


Now that I have a house, I still keep my bikes indoors.

tagaproject6

No, I leave it outside by my front door so I can access it very quickly without having to worry about fussing around with locks.

jefnvk

I presume you are asking about public areas? Mine were always stored in private areas (e.g., my living room or a spare bedroom), not in community areas.

Most apartment complexes I have ever lived frowned on bike storage in public areas, make sure you know the rules.

Lucillle

With your post count, it seems as if you are experienced and likely have an idea already about when, and when not to lock one's bike. It is unfortunate that you had to kvetch about the thread first instead of simply offering your experience.
It has been 40 years since I've lived in an apartment, times have changed, wanted to hear what others do.

tagaproject6

Times may have changed, but thieves are still around and they still look like everybody else. They still want to take what is not theirs. Act accordingly.

PdalPowr

I bring it in for the winter.
It is just not feasable to do it every night.
It is locked up outside a window and
has the biggest thieves in the neighborhood watching out for it.
In other words if they can't have it neither will anyone else.
And yes I am trying to move.

indyfabz

Not the point, which was What you are planning to do with the answers? Obviously, locking up a bike in an apartment (or house, or anywhere else) can add another layer of security, at least in some cases of attempted theft. (Had my wheels been locked to the frame I am certain the person who came in through my front door and left with a bike and cell phone would have left the bike behind.) With that as a given, I don't understand the purpose of the question. You should do what you feel will give you your desired peace of mind, regardless of what others do.


In the Touring forum there are usually several threads a year that basically read: "I am very worried about my bike being stolen when I am asleep. Do you lock up your bike at night when you tour?" The answers range from never to always, and everything in between. Personally, I make the decision based on situational awareness. For example, if I am in a nearly empty BLM campground 2 miles down a gravel road from the nearest highway I probably won't lock up my bike. But that's no comfort to someone who is still going to be worried about theft if they don't lock up their bike.

indyfabz

But not in a house? Fortunately, the guy who took my LHT from my house left behind the two custom Independent Fabrications sitting near by. That's likely because: (a) he didn't know what he was looking at and (b) the LHT was close to, and oriented to roll out, the front door. Nothing like coming downstairs and finding the entire first floor of your house smelling like a homeless junkie. Never happened when I lived in apartments.

IK_biker

//snip

You judge about bikers' experience level by their post count on an online forum?

My, my...

PdalPowr

I would argue otherwise.

Yeah you are right.
It is a harmless question.

indyfabz

While I agree that one's number of posts is no measure of one's experience, in my case there is a fortuitous correlation between my number of posts and my cycling experience.

Doctor Morbius

It wouldn't be a bad idea to lock one's bike up inside. Many apartment burglaries are done by the maintenance staff who have keys and know what people have inside their apartments.

Dirt Farmer

As Alex Trebek might say, this is the correct answer.

ccinnz

Unless any potential thief intends to ride a stolen bike down the stairs and outside into a waiting van... I see no point in locking your bike.
They'll steal far more cumbersome items that don't have wheels so a lock won't make your bike safe.

Rollfast

I've got three builds in the kitchen and living room...I lock the front door.

Rollfast

It only means you type more than others.

SHBR

If someone gains entry to your apartment without your consent, you have bigger problems to worry about than a stolen bike.

unterhausen

Moderator note: We only allow discussion of firearms in the P&R forums. Please keep this in mind when posting on this thread.

katsup

If you have lots of parties, or have roommates, then I could see a reason to lock up a bike inside.

PdalPowr

Yes they may screw caps on your valves and
you would never figure out why it is suddenly so hard to pedal.