How does one prevent bike theft?

[Paolo]

My bike has been stolen. I am really bummed out. This is the third bike in the past eighteen months. I bought a Kryptonite cable, and thought that that coupled with another cable should do the trick. I was wrong. The problem I have is that I should always expect the worst because there will always be bike thieves. I have had two Diamondbacks and one Hybrid trekking bike lost to thieves in Rome, and it has got to stop. Cable locks are out. It is now back to thick chains with fat padlocks, such as the one Kryptonite has on its top end. The price is not a factor, nor the weight of the chain when one considers the value of his or her bike. Can anyone help me by offering me advice that might help me keep what is mine. I will be getting another bike in a couple of days, and the landlady will not allow me to park it inside the apartment, since it is not big enough for it, and since it is on the fourth floor. I am in Rome, Italy. I need some life support. Help me please. Anyone. Wanted in Rome. Paolo

[riderx]

One method is to use 2 different locks, say a heavy duty chain or cable and a U-Lock. The thinking is that most bike thieves are only carry tools to get at one type of lock. Plus, the more time it takes to get at your bike, the less of an opportunity it is. Thieves want things the easy way. Also, make your bike look like a piece of sh!t. Remove all decals that indicate it's name etc. Put duct tape and stickers all over it or give it a sloppy paint job. Park it next to better bikes that look more attractive. Try not to leave out of your site (hard to do most times) and park it in an area where a lot of people are around. Or, better yet, get a beater bike yard sale special for those times when it will be at highest risk.

The Kryptonite New York chain and the Master Link handcuffs look pretty immune to bike stealing scum.

[riderx]

Oh, and put the thing in your apartment. Screw the landlady, there is most likely no law for her to dictate you can not have a bike inside. Big discussion on this on another BB recently, I'll try to dig it up if I can remember which one. Would you leave several hundred dollars in bills locked in a clear box outside? No, because someone would find a way to break into the box and get the money. That's essentially what you are doing with your rig.

[hairygrump]

I believe Krypto when they say that the Noose is the bomb. The thing looks tough, and I've found my Krypto u-lock a faithful bastard. I wouldn't use a chain other than the krypto. Too easy to snip. Go U-lock at least.

I ride cobbled-together singlespeeds, so I think security through obscurity has kept my shit out of the frier. If I were riding nicer bikes I'd strip the decals and cover it with Huffy stickers or electrical tape. Mass production halfway decent bikes like Trek and D'back are the brands those thieving pukes recognize/want/take.

For actual physical security though, two things:

1. If you lock your bike in a ****ed up position (like suspended from a wrought iron fence, a foot off the ground), it's more awkward for the ****stains to defeat the lock. The harder a time you have locking it, the harder a time your enemy will have unlocking it.

2. Unhook your brakes when you leave. This will put your life at risk once or twice when you forget to hook them back up, but you'll remember after that. My opinion is that anybody who steals my bike deserves to get a Chevrolet enema when he can't stop at the next traffic light. I need that bike to live. Anybody that takes it deserves to die.

[Goride]

Thankfully I've never had my bike stolen. I plan on keeping it that way. I use an Abus chain lock, similar to the Kryptonite NY Chain, but has a bit nicer locking mechanism. I've locked my bike in amillion places with no problems, be it school, a restaurant, the girlfriends apartment, or a sporting event. People have played with my lock, but I'm pretty sure it'll take power tools to break it.

Other tips? Bolt on everything. This means wheels and seatcollar. If you don't have bolt on wheels, make sure to run the lock through them. Bolt on wheels however twart most theives, who seem to be too stupid to carry a 15mm wrench with them. Go figure. I ride a singlespeed everywhere, it doesn't look as cool, and its not a majr brand as in Trek//Schwinn/GT and the like. Covering your bike in stickers and tape messenger style makes it look like crap, and while it still rides just fine, theives don't want it because it won't be the easiest sell.

Good luck, its doens't surprise me that bike theift is big business in Rome, for when I visited there this past summer the shear number of bikes everywhere was quite amazing to this American.

-brad

[Rotifer]

Yep, I abandoned quick releases long ago. I've had bikes stolen and stripped. You must find a safe place to put your bike at night. Argue with your landlady, well, this might not be the best tactic with an Italian landlady. Beg, plead, give her money, give her love, convince her of the bikes worth. It's worked for me in the same situation. One question, how many bikes are locked up outside your building? I saw a rack in Amsterdam once that, no exaggeration, must have had 2,000 bikes on it.

[Paolo]

Well, if it had been a Giant Rainier or a Jamis Dakar, then I would have really been crying. Thanks for the lot of advice I have received in response to my bad experience. I really feel the need for revenge though. I really enjoy the idea of disengaging the brakes and the duct tape/electrical tape ideas. We all are striving to learn a thing or two,...thanks...snif..snif. When I go to Amsterdam, I will pay tribute to the bike stand while venturing from bar to bar, brothel to brothel. In the meantime, I will enjoy the "chocolate" treat that I cooked last night. :eek:

http://disney.go.com/globalmedia/homepage/insider_page2_monsters.jpg

[Rotifer]

Revenge! :mad: I have a weird revenge story. I set my friend up with a beautiful Bontrager Race (when Bontrager was blowing out all of their frames). Well, about a month later the dork has it stolen from in front of our local bar. A couple of weeks later I'm headed to the trail when this dude rides by me (going the opposite direction) on my friends Bontrager! I was puzzled, everybody knows these bikes are stripped immediately or shipped out of town. Apparently, he had decided to keep it for himself, very stupid. I turned and followed him, decided that the bike had to be my friends, rode up beside him, grabbed him by the upper arm and lifted - so that he only had one hand on the bar. He was shocked to say the least. We exchanged some words and, after trying to figure out what I was going to do with the guy, I told him if he got off the bike and skedaddled I'd forget I ever saw him. He did and I returned my friends bike without a scratch. Needless to say, my friend is a ridiculously lucky bastard in every facet of his life.

[Max]

Yeah, what can you do about bike thieves? I've had to learn from past thefts of how to put the old stead on lock down. I definately agree with the sticker/paint idea. My commuter bike is a decent one, until I covered it with stickers and a runny/ugly/putrid green paint job. I also use two U-locks and a cable. I leave the one U-lock where I park my bike, and take the other two with me. I also take the seat with me, whenever I park the bike. That has done the trick. It's worked for me. Good luck.

[mohaka]

Originally posted by riderx
Screw the landlady...

I agree. She'll be more likely to let you bring your bike inside after a good rooting out.:D

[mbrider1974]

I use both a shackle lock and a chain with pad lock, coated in plastic too prevent scratching.

But my best home theft prevention is the fact I keep my beloved bike under the stairs, and if my housemates complain then they can f*** off.

[Paolo]

Well gentlemen, I will talk with the landlady about keeping my bike inside. Today, I had the unfortunate experiene of the ridiculously stupid theif. He stole the quick-release from the front wheel. I have taken advice from all. I have a U-lock and a thick chain with me wherever I go. I have put tape on my bike and I have scratched off all the stickers. I take the seat and post in with me every night. I even released the brakes so that the idiot who would waste his time to cut two locks and ride away on a bike without a seat would get a fiat enema at the bottom of the hill. The only thing I avoided was securing the wheel without quick release. And this morning ... che cazzo di una puttana delle puttane! Che pezzo di merda! Spacheem! Cretino! Un figlio di una puttana! Sono cazzi per il culo questi stupidi ignorante cretini! Va Fare in Culo. That's all I got to say. I found a beautiful GT NSR full suspension rig at a bike shop, and, an added bonus is that I found a Harley Davidson shop that carries great stuff. I am almost glad, even though I was very arrabiata earlier, that I was forced to walk in search of the nearest bike repair shop today - so in a way, the theft was a pain in the ass, but, I found two very necessary places - the Harley shop, and, the GT runs for 950 Euros - the same as dollars. My Christmas/Birthday present is found! I was born Christmas Eve. Well, I also wanted to say that my anger was suppressed with the help of my new discoveries - and an "assagio" of hash - the good stuff!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[steel13]

what about those new locks that look like the handcuffs? i forget the names of them but they're in all the bike mags.

[mohaka]

Those are made by MasterLock.
I don't know how well they work, but if youv'e got a kinky girl/boyfriend then you'll more than just one use for 'em.;)
http://www.masterlockbike.com/newproducts/streetcuffs.asp?page=streetcuffs

[Andy in Wi]

Hoseclamps usually keeps the QR from running away. Ugly QRs work, too (your bikeshop should have these in a junk drawer somewhere). Duct tape, old innertubes, and flipped drops (for added effect, put some safety levers on, too) might make your bike look like the ultimate bum machine, but hey, it'll keep it from wandering off.

[leapfrog]

or you can use one of the new stickers i just got in the mail today. it says "bike thieves are buttholes - a public service announcement". i think they'd take one look at that...feel like..well, a butthole, and walk off sulking.

scott
leapfrog bike zine

[Rotifer]

Paolo needs it in Italian and I need it in Spanish.

[Paolo]

I think the way to say butthole in Italian is: Buco del Culo. And an assface is Faccia del culo, also another way of saying thief I think?

[Bike Whisperer]

I've had a few bikes stolen but not for many years. Now I don't even own a lock anymore. If my bike can't come with me I don't go. There is no lock made that can't be broken. The trick is to use two kinds of locks. The same tool that will cut your braided cable probably won't cut your U lock and visa-versa. A U lock can be pounded off due to it being held so steady while a mini U will flop around. Basically use two different locks and hope the thief only has the tool for one so they walk away. Keep in mind for about half the price of a good lock you can get a pair of 36" bolt cutters that will cut almost any lock. Bummer.

[The Gordo]

In 1991 I had this nice black Cannondale, it was my only wheels. I was in the habit of releasing the rear skewer and parking the bike in the hardest gear if I didn't have a lock on me. Well, I come out of the local 7-11 one day and some redneck is running across the lot with my ride!

I yelled a vulgarity in his general direction and he jumped on and tried to ride away. The wheel instantly stuck in the frame and slammed him down on the pavement. I ran up and kicked him a few times and got in a nice right hook to the back of head before he got to his feet and scurried away. I would have beat on him some more had I the chance. Nothing worse than a goddamned bike theif.

Power to the People: KILL: KILL:

[thanita]

In addition to the above suggestions, check out this product - www.pitlock.com
I tested it, worked like a charm, and seems to be a good added precaution for those sticky-fingered areas.