Poguemahone

Well, if you're at VCU, you're in bike theft central.

My advice is to spend the money you saved on not one, but two, heavy duty locks, on U lock and one cable lock.

Make the thief have an eaisier time stealing that brand new Magna parked next to you.

And if you're in RVA, don't put any of that fixed gear stuff on it, like velocity deep Vs.

scattered73

Actually we know exactly who took it, we saw the beggar outside who comes every Wednesday to harass the restaurant patrons in the parking lot on their busiest night of the week that is next to our shop. He comes every Wednesday and I see him parking lot of other restaurants on their busy nights. Anyway I told my boss I think he is going to take it because he started pacing around it, sure enough it was gone 15 minutes later. Boss saw him this weekend riding it apparently he got it rolling somehow, scary the brakes were completely froze up. This was a mongoose bmx.

roseskunk

i bought a GT mountain bike years ago. it was bright pink. oh yeah. had it 10-15 years, ohio and chicago. never stolen. people gave me sh*t about my pink bike, but it was pretty safe to leave anywhere...

LazyGirl

I've had two bikes stolen. The first one was unlocked behind a movie theater ("No one will see it there!" ) and the second was locked in front of the house with a cable lock.

As much as I like having a pretty bike, I'm with you on the whole uglifying it to keep it safe idea. I've been thinking about that, too. Maybe making it smell bad would help, too? Like a dog poop perfume. Maybe a hidden odor releaser, and when you come to pick up your bike you put the stinky thing in it's odor-sealing container so you don't have to smell it on the ride home.

I keep the bike in the house when it's not in use (ok, it's not my bike it's the guy's bike). No need to expose it to shifty eyes unnecessarily.

Photograph your bike. Does it help? I don't know, but it won't hurt.

If your bike does get stolen, write down the date of the theft ASAP! The police won't take a report if you don't give them the exact day it happened.

Also, I have a new locking strategy. Instead of buying something designed for bikes, I got a chain (like the kind you'd lock up a motorcycle with) and a "contractor grade" padlock, looks pretty solid and hard to cut. The "hook" or whatever you call it doesn't stick out from the lock, it's sorta part of it which would make it hard to get a cutter in there to snap it. It's got a key lock. Don't know much about key locks or how hard it would be to pick, so might want to combine it with a combination lock for extra safety. Normally the lock would connect the two ends of the chain together. I got it the lock at the grocery store, don't know where the guy got the chain. Here it is:

Artkansas 

Another good thing is that after photographing it, take it into a digital photo program, Photoshop, Microsoft Paint etc, and include your name, address, phone etc and the make, model and serial number into the photograph. That way you have it all in one. Then save a digital copy and print out a copy.

cutman

A chain is only as strong as its weakest link. The reason some suggest two different types of locks is because they require two different types of tools to destroy 'em. With a chain you could just cut a link and suddenly that big fancy contractor's lock doesn't seem so solid.

HopliteGrad

Okie doke. The uglification abides. The most fun part was making the aluminum rims look rusty with textured spraypaint, then rust-colored spraypaint. AL now rusts! Haha!

What is the recommendation for a good D-shaped lock? My plan is for a kryptonite evolution to compliment the cable lock I already have, but it is so darn expensive...

TexasHermit

take a look at the rustoleum site. They have lots of neat spray paints. They even have on I've been looking into that reflective.

LazyGirl

Did Kryptonite ever fix the thing where you could pick the lock with a bic pen? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_2vLtpVPqhI

MrCjolsen

Cover it with Disney Princess stickers.

wahoonc

Yes...but there are still some locks out there that still use the round style key. Krypto no longer does.

Aaron

Roody

For those who are new here, Bikeforums was where the whole scandal of the bic pens was first exposed.

(I know this is off topic, but it's one more thing to be proud of about this great forum we belong to. )

Nycycle

In some places here, it's so bad,, Huffy Stickers won't help, a girls Murray MTB is stolen as fast as anything, I paid for protection years ago, cost me a Budweiser everytime I left home, but nothing moved.

HopliteGrad

Bike theft mafiosos! "Eh Vinnie! Nycycle here is delinquent on his 'payment'?" *hefts a bat* "I hope you don't need your knees, Mr. Nycycle..."

Yip812

So this must be what happened to the bike I just picked up at goodwill. Man is it ugly! It is black with gold spots/splotches, and the handlebars are taped up with electrical tape. It even says Huffy (though I suspect it may actually BE a huffy...).

But, it has good tires, and rack on the back with baskets, and works fine. Perhaps I will re-think painting it.

Dawn

ken cummings

I'd go for rapid rusting of non-critical parts. Use some carbide grit sand paper to cut through any decorative chrome plating.

JosephPaul86

+1 vote...been there, lost that

I just never clean my bike. 99.9% of people here don't think bikes have any monetary value.

kickflipjr

The ultimate uglification: Get three colors of spray paint and lay it on thick. Spray every thing on the bike in a random fashion except the seat and grips (unless you want to get paint on your hands and pants). Spray paint will scratch easily over time which will just add to the ugly.

superslomo

Why are you this worried about a $5 bike?? It seems like you've probably spent as much on making it ugly as you did buying it.

Sixty Fiver

My utility bike / commuter has a special security system that I got from SixtyCo. (see below)

I also carry a big assed shackle and am careful where I park my rides while some are simply never left unattended due to their nearly irreplaceable nature.

I have had more than a few people tell me they'd love to have my beater" bikes and the thieves really will steal anything that isn't locked down. If they aren't pros then they are either opportunistic riders or meth heads.



Barring that...just spend some of the money you saved on a good lock as the SixtyCo Mags 3000 doesn;t come cheap as she needs her own wardrobe and winter gear.

Dr.PooLittle

Just spend the 80 bucks or so to get a NY Lock, lock it and forget it. You're basically using the world's best lock, so might as well cut out the worrying. My bike's pretty, and I still don't worry. Use your old u-lock to lock up the other wheel and you're set. I've actually found that 2 u-locks are less of a ***** than one u-lock plus one cable.

HopliteGrad

That is a legitimate question, and one I have been tracking closely.

The utility value of the bike:

• saving $3.50 a gallon around here
• not having to give up competitive parking spots here on campus
• an opportunity to teach myself bike maintenance
• an easy means of getting myself out-of-doors more
• cross training against marathon runs, so I'm less sore overall
• chiseled legs
• a new hobby and way to meet interesting people
• a means of exploring interesting out-of-the-way spots around town

is greater than the bike's market value, $5. That's why I want to do what I can to lessen the chance of it getting stolen. If it DOES get stolen, then I lose the maintenance and innertubes and saddle I put into it to make it ridable and safe in the first place.

folder fanatic

If your bike has a handbars, saddle, wheels, frame, and is in a rideable condition, it will be attractive to some thief somewhere. Don't concentrate on the "looks" of the bike. Concentrate on making the bike not being in the wrong place at the wrong time. I avoid this problem by using folding bikes exclusively and taking them with me at all times.

Sixty Fiver

Just because a bike cost $5.00 does not mean that it's value is $5.00.

This one initially cost me $10.00 and I put a fair bit of work and parts into her and she never leaves my sight.


1973 Carlton built Raleigh Gran Sports

Novakane 

If it's unlocked and has wheels, someone will grab it where I am - regardless of what it looks like. I've found that just a half decent covered steel cable with integrated lock does the trick, although I intend to get a second lock to be more safe. Really, if someone wants to steal your bike they will - I find it best to add enough deterrent (ie, hard to cut cabling) so that they go steal someone else's bike or just move on.