The paradox of having a good bike

[De Sisti]

Am I the only one who thinks that 2 out of 3 of the OPs worries are excessive. Having your bike interfered with or stolen via a mugging, compared with the same risk walking, much be a negligible risk. Is your commute really that bad?

I agree. I have a Rolex watch. I wear it a lot, as I don't think someone is going to approach me and steal it.

[Sweep]

Am I the only one who thinks that 2 out of 3 of the OPs worries are excessive. Having your bike interfered with or stolen via a mugging, compared with the same risk walking, much be a negligible risk. Is your commute really that bad?

I agree. I have a Rolex watch. I wear it a lot, as I don't think someone is going to approach me and steal it.

Where do you live/walk around with it?

[Pastychomper]

FWIW I know someone whose late-teen-age son was recently mugged for a bike, while he was riding it. Thankfully it's a rare occurrence, but worth considering in at least one part of the country.

Hmm, I wonder if he'd have been allowed to buy a can of rust paint with his bike-to-work voucher...

[Sweep]

I well remember being in an actually trendy area of Hackney on my dale a few years ago - i was kinda loitering at a junction wondering which way to go when a police car pulled up and its window came down. I thought I was going to be ticked off for some unkown traffic infringement but the policeman advised me to keep moving because of a spate of bike theft muggings.

[Roadster]

As I recall, there was a spate of bike-theft muggings on the towpath of the Leeds Liverpool canal near Burnley a few years ago. The rural location meant few if any witnesses and hence relatively risk-free opportunities for the perpetrators, who merely had to wait for the next lone cyclist to come along.

[Sweep]

https://www.southwarknews.co.uk/news/cy ... -daylight/

There but for the grace ...

I've cycled there a fair bit. It's not too far from decathlon.

I tend to avoid canals and traffic free cycling routes at night (lewisham's waterlink way has had a few bike muggings) but note that this was in broad daylight.

I can see this sort of thing getting worse, particularly in the likes of london.

[Gattonero]

https://www.southwarknews.co.uk/news/cyclist-left-broken-collarbone-pair-steal-bike-broad-daylight/

There but for the grace ...

I've cycled there a fair bit. It's not too far from decathlon.

I tend to avoid canals and traffic free cycling routes at night (lewisham's waterlink way has had a few bike muggings) but note that this was in broad daylight.

I can see this sort of thing getting worse, particularly in the likes of london.

FWIW, yesterday night cycled towards Lee Valley velodrome, on the canal path there were two groups of yobs that could have been annoying. Say "sorry guys, cheers" crank it up and move on quick

[mattsccm]

And how many million commutes go ahead without a bike mugging? Awareness is fine but consider the odds.

[esuhl]

Maybe this is a dumb question, but what makes a bike look "expensive" or a target for thieves?

Is it worth getting a really cheap frame and transferring the expensive components from your new bike onto it?

Would covering the frame in 3M reflective tape disguise the bike's cost? Or sandblasting the paint off?!

[1982john]

Nice to see this thread still has some legs!

And how many million commutes go ahead without a bike mugging? Awareness is fine but consider the odds.

It never crossed my mind in 6 years at my last place of work, but since working at a college, where I know cars have been stolen from the car park and students have been mugged I have been changing my habits.

Maybe this is a dumb question, but what makes a bike look "expensive" or a target for thieves?

Is it worth getting a really cheap frame and transferring the expensive components from your new bike onto it?

Would covering the frame in 3M reflective tape disguise the bike's cost? Or sandblasting the paint off?!

There's always things we can do, I'm sure many have been mentioned in this thread but my broader point is that we are changing what we do. To me this is a shame, cycling is hard enough
without having to think about all these extra things. It's still the case most places of work don't consider cyclists commuters other than sticking some bike storage sheds in the least useful place they can find.

[Cyril Haearn]

Really big bikes are good cos hardly anyone can ride them, so they are rarely nicked I guess

I would like to try being 2m tall, but maybe it has disadvantages too?

[Pastychomper]

Really big bikes are good cos hardly anyone can ride them, so they are rarely nicked I guess

I would like to try being 2m tall, but maybe it has disadvantages too?

I dunno about 2m, I have had a go at 1.95 and found it's a bit like what I'm told being left-handed is like: not inherently dangerous, but often uncomfortable because most equipment is designed for the Average User and doesn't accommodate the rest. Plus it attracts some odd comments.

[mjr]

https://www.southwarknews.co.uk/news/cyclist-left-broken-collarbone-pair-steal-bike-broad-daylight/

There but for the grace ...

I've cycled there a fair bit. It's not too far from decathlon.

I tend to avoid canals and traffic free cycling routes at night (lewisham's waterlink way has had a few bike muggings) but note that this was in broad daylight.

Not only that, but near a college and several schools? Even if the proposed gap in CS4 is filled in, there's still going to be people cycling in that area to and from the schools, possibly with children half the time. I hope they catch the attackers soon.