tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2514589635991570772.post2076415304940357630..comments2024-03-16T04:19:22.484-04:00Comments on Urban Simplicity: The Importance of a Good Lock (and how I learned a valuable lesson)Joe Georgehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04896010205120222575noreply@blogger.comBlogger8125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2514589635991570772.post-36157109933201356732011-07-01T20:53:51.394-04:002011-07-01T20:53:51.394-04:00Hey Everyone, Thanks so much for all your comments...Hey Everyone, Thanks so much for all your comments, stories, and suggestions. I posted a continuation of this post here:<br /><br />http://citysimplicity.blogspot.com/2011/07/importance-of-good-lock-continued.htmlJoehttp://citysimplicity.blogspot.com/noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2514589635991570772.post-25343413195112751632011-07-01T15:22:20.651-04:002011-07-01T15:22:20.651-04:00The more I think about the fact that he went for t...The more I think about the fact that he went for the Mundo, it makes me wonder. I mean while they are without a doubt wonderful bikes, they are quite unique, and standout. Was it just a random opportunism? Or was it specific interest?<br /><br />I would assume, unless the guy was stupid enough to ride it around town, that it would go to NYC for resale. Maybe you should use your old V1 as a bait bike and catch this a**hole.<br /><br />Anyone watch The Bicycle Thief lately?Maxnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2514589635991570772.post-39517574113193239402011-07-01T14:40:47.146-04:002011-07-01T14:40:47.146-04:00I live in the UK and have never had a bike stolen....I live in the UK and have never had a bike stolen. However, more than one of the nearby towns has a high bike theft rate.<br /><br />Normally, I use a high-quality U-lock, but recently, I have added a special hardened chain and high security padlock, in addition to the U-lock. I only use the padlock and chain when I believe the risk is higher.<br /><br />Cables are too vulnerable. I've stopped using them. A quick, quiet snip and your bike is now theirs.<br /><br />Since someone tried stealing your bike outside the church, If I were you, I would take that to mean the locality is high-risk.<br /><br />My advice is to use a short U-lock and endeavour to fill it with bike and post. That way you can help prevent pry-bars and jacks being used. <br />Select the best chains and padlocks.<br /><br />And avoid cables, even those that are made to look huge, they aren't cheap and to the best of my knowledge they're fairly useless.<br /><br />Good luck.amoebahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15783694650121687459noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2514589635991570772.post-48409512135382246922011-07-01T11:04:55.728-04:002011-07-01T11:04:55.728-04:00Joe, Unfortunately the chain didn't show in my...Joe, Unfortunately the chain didn't show in my last post. <br />I use an 8 ft version of this combination http://s.wiggle.co.uk/images/onguard-5022-med.jpg and a u-lock on my bikes.<br /><br />DanTDanThttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03139907729168057657noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2514589635991570772.post-8223292263594223482011-07-01T07:47:26.948-04:002011-07-01T07:47:26.948-04:00Hi Joe,
I have had 2 bikes stolen from my garage ...Hi Joe,<br /><br />I have had 2 bikes stolen from my garage when I lived in Rosedale, Toronto. Around 1995 I had a Miyata 1000 Touring and a Miyata mountain bike that had been modified for street only stolen. Both were unlocked.<br />I went out and bought 2 identical ones to replace them.<br />Now for locks, I used to own a lock business so I know a little about this.<br />No matter what you do, a bike can be stolen. It is all about make the theft difficult and an unattractive risk to the thief. They will have to steal someone else's bike.<br />I use a good ulock as a secondary lock and I use a Heavy chain such as this one http://www.mec.ca/Products/product_detail.jsp?PRODUCT%3C%3Eprd_id=845524442625687&FOLDER%3C%3Efolder_id=2534374302889382 and a good round lock on it like this http://www.movingboxesmontana.com/product/three-eighths-inch-disc-lock .<br />I know that is a heavy solution but that is what it takes. Cables are almost useless and a u-lock on its own can be defeated relatively easily.<br />I gues that it is is a good thing that I have my Mundo and a tourer to handle the weight.<br />DanTDanThttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03139907729168057657noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2514589635991570772.post-86601595299181490812011-07-01T04:25:25.711-04:002011-07-01T04:25:25.711-04:00I had a bike back in the 70-ties, that was stolen ...I had a bike back in the 70-ties, that was stolen two time by american soldiers here in Germany.<br />Back in the 70-ties we had much problems with missbehaving US-soldiers here in Germany...<br /><br />The first the bike even had a flat tire in the back! I found the bike two days later near the barracks. The thief had tried to ride the bike with the flat tire! I am sure, he was drunk!<br /><br />The second time I got the bike back from the police. The bike was painted very special and I had informed the police. They picked the bike up, when the guy rode it through town.<br /><br />But both time the bike was not locked.<br />I never lost a bike, that was locked.<br /><br />Today I lock up both bikes with a lock from Abus http://www.sicher24.de/product/1219/abus-faltschloss-bordo-6000---in-2-varianten.html wich is said to be the best lock you can get at the moment.<br /><br />But you are right, it is very sad to loose a bike, even it is only a thing.the_big_smilehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09134978592562433358noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2514589635991570772.post-42865613727893986542011-07-01T01:18:08.986-04:002011-07-01T01:18:08.986-04:00Wow, Joe, how fortunate that the usher saw it and ...Wow, Joe, how fortunate that the usher saw it and told you in time! Is there a patron saint of bicycles?<br /><br />I've had two bikes stolen, and one close call, all in quiet little Savannah, GA. The first was a Schwinn Varsity hand-me-down. The second, a Bianchi road bike that I foolishly left unlocked and unattended for less than thirty seconds. Shame on me. And the close call was a robbery at gunpoint by some foolish teens. I somehow talked them out it.<br /><br />For many years after all that I operated with two U locks, one for each wheel. It was a commuting/touring bike, and the added weight really didn't matter to me. Then those Kryptonite U locks (with a round key) were found to be easily openable with a Bic pen tube. I now use either a new style U lock, or a super duper crazy heavy New York style chain with it's tiny NYC U lock. It really depends on where I am going. As far as the ridiculous weight of such a lock, I figure the Mundo and Christiania are already heavy, so why not. They are cargo bikes, after all.<br /><br />For what it's worth, I had to cut through a U lock once, and found it surprisingly (depressingly) easy. My wife snapped the key in her OnGuard U lock, so I used my Dremmel tool and it cut it like butter. I think that experience influenced the purchase of the ridiculously heavy chain and lock. <br /><br />Lastly, I strongly recommend customizing or personalizing bikes, so they're not indistinguishable from others. I helped a neighbor fix up a junk bike, and a few months later it was stolen from his yard. I found it almost a year later. I knew it was his because it was a mix of parts, some of which I had given him, plus a new rack that he bought. Long story short I reclaimed the bike from it's new owner. If the bike had been a new stock bike, I couldn't have ID'd it confidently.<br /><br /><br />Cheers.Maxnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2514589635991570772.post-88447597036610312432011-06-30T21:41:45.850-04:002011-06-30T21:41:45.850-04:00I have not had a bike stolen in the time I've ...I have not had a bike stolen in the time I've really been riding for transportation (the past four or five years), for which I am grateful. I don't have a particularly stout lock (just a half-inch diameter cable lock), but I use it diligently and try to use common sense about where I park. It would probably be wise of me to get a u-lock too.<br /><br />I did have a bicycle stolen from my dormitory bike rack when I was college. It was an old and humble Huffy, but I was sad to lose it - I'd had it since I could barely reach the pedals. I was perplexed why it was stolen, since it was admittedly a beater locked among much nicer bikes. Looking back, that may explain it - after all, perhaps because it already wasmore or less "out to pasture", I did not put much effort into recovering it.<br /><br />On a separate occasion, my roommate and I were accused of a stealing a bike! It turned out that the person we encountered had the exact same model bicycle as my roommate, both recently purchased. In retrospect, I am impressed how calmly everyone handled themselves in that situation - although I recall a tense moment with everyone holding on to the same bike as we walked back to confirm that the other was still there. Ha!Jimhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11922408663664325411noreply@blogger.com