Does Fear of Theft of Your Bike Put You Off Cycling for Utility Purposes (Shopping, etc)?

[gbnz]

Hopefully not paranoia, but not helped by the appalling statistics on bike thefts, recovery and prosecution.

Hmm....arrived in a Northern town 16yr's back. Bought not just one, but two, "grade" A U locks, as was highly concerned my 6yr old bike, might be pinched, when down the gym. The wheels are quick release, obvious that one could be pinched, with one lock.

16yr's hence? Left a newer bike today, only had the £0.99 Yorkshire Trading cable lock, even left the 50litre Ortlieb pannier on the bike. Bloke cycled down the road, Saturday before last, to see if he could find someone with an allen key, as headset bearing was loose. Arrived back, 20 minutes later, a motorist had driven home, found him an allen key, so obviously he came back to help me tighten up the headset

[Carlton green]

No problem with my shopper down in Somerset. And for added security I put the frame hinge clamp in my pocket. Good luck to any tea leafs that try to ride it away.

With no disrespect intended I think you’ve won the prize for least thief attractive bike . There’s a certain degree of envy here though; I’m keeping my eyes open for a local not worth nicking folder: something of little resale value and high utility.

[toontra]

The wheels are quick release, obvious that one could be pinched, with one lock.

Another precaution I take is to replace QR skewers with the allen key type. In the past I'd had wheels nicked which is a right PITA. Also SPD pedals probably deter the random idiot.

[gbnz]

The wheels are quick release, obvious that one could be pinched, with one lock.

Another precaution I take is to replace QR skewers with the allen key type. In the past I'd had wheels nicked which is a right PITA. Also SPD pedals probably deter the random idiot.

Hmm......loosened a QR fitting outside Aldi, last week . Bike if pinched ? Would be amusing to see result . Am immediate precaution (Nb. Never ever, felt need to do such normally. Headset bearings replaced, no lock, on return from works done, unusually via a bike shop)

[cycle tramp]

I try to keep one bike in my slowly-churning small fleet that is unattractive enough by local standards that it ought to be less vulnerable

+1
I try and get as many colours as I can onto my bikes. The last set of handle bar grips were neon green silicon foam, which looks lovely against the blue stem cap and 1980's purple brake levers... The frame was red, but it's now a mix of different paints and stickers.. the next time I paint the top tube I'm going to mix clean cat litter into the paint for a 'wood chip' finish.... clearly having a front basket also helps put off thieves and I'm changing over the rear mudguard to one I've put together using two different colour front ones. Pull back handlebars set 4 inches above the saddle is the final blow against any street cred.
...I use drum brakes rather than rim brakes, but I could always fit front and back cantilevers and simply wire them open so to the casual user, the brakes are busted...

...you can get 'paint on rust' from shops which sell model railway sets

[Grandad]

Back in the 1960's I commuted on a trike, leaving it all day in a nearby public car park with a very flimsy lock and chain. Did this for several years with only one attempted theft - it was abandoned 100 yards away.

Riding a fixed wheel trike was not as easy as the would-be thief thought.

[cycle tramp]

I am becoming aware that I am less willing to use my bike for shopping, etc when it will be parked up in places like supermarket car parks. The 3 times a week with a pannier is more likely now to be once a week with my van. I wouldn't consider taking my bike into my nearby town and leaving it locked up for any length of time.

As my 'old' bike is also my touring bike, this is more so if I am going off on a trip, where the theft of it would be a major problem.

What happens if you just build or buy a bike for shopping? You could have one with enormous racks or baskets, or even convert an old butcher's bike...
...depending on how far and how hilly it is between your home and the shops you could use s fixed wheeler even coaster brake..
Here's a bike which was built just for the rider to go shopping on https://bikepacking.com/news/readers-ri ... ain-track/

[Nearholmer]

I’ve mentioned before that c1990 when I bought a new bike, having lost two in quick succession to theft, I sprayed the newbie with warm, black waxoyl, both to keep rust off while it was outside at the railway station all day, and to make it look truly ratty. It was a pretty desirable bike at the time, and it remained mine until I gave it away 25 years later, so I think anti-bling does help.

[axel_knutt]

Well this is interesting, presumably it's because more people have a body to assault than a bike to steal.
https://www.police.uk/pu/your-area/?search=1
.
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[Audax67]

My immediate thought on seeing that ^^^ was that it possibly reflects the police's engagement with such crimes, but that is of course a nasty cynical attitude.

Anyway, beyond a short trot on the beater to the Carrefour mini-market in the next village I don't take my bikes to shop with, both of my decent bikes being motorized and eminently nickable. Even the beater I wouldn't leave outside a large supermarket.

[roubaixtuesday]

Rather surprised by this thread.

As long as my bike is locked in some way, I don't worry about it at all. If a decent bike was nicked, I'd probably just get a really rubbish 2nd hand one for utility journey's so as not to worry about it. I worry more about accessories (frame pump, small saddlebag with tools & tubes, lights), which are a PITA to get off justto nip into a shop but easily nickable.

I certainly wouldn't do a journey by car just for fear of bike theft. Probably far more likely to suffer small prang with subsequent insurance/repair costs than get a bike nicked.

[irc]

[quote]Hmm......loosened a QR fitting outside Aldi, last week . Bike if pinched ? Would be amusing to see result . Am immediate precaution (Nb. Never ever, felt need to do such normally. Headset bearings replaced, no lock, on return from works done, unusually via a bike shop)
[/quote]

I would worry that there was more chance of me forgetting to tighten the QR than a thief being caught out. If I forget a lock I take the front wheel away with me wherever I am going.

I like a tourer for local utility use. Rather than risk my favorite one I bought a Spa Steel Tourer instead

The only thing that has ever happened parking my bike in and around Glasgow was my front light being stolen. I saw it happening from the pub and went out and recovered it

[axel_knutt]

I worry more about accessories (frame pump, small saddlebag with tools & tubes, lights), which are a PITA to get off justto nip into a shop but easily nickable.

When I started touring (2001) I was riding a bike that I'd just paid £465 for, but when I totted up the value of the panniers and their contents it was about £700. That's one of the reasons I've never bothered paying a lot for a special high security lock, I just use a brass padlock and a length of welded chain sleeved in an old inner tube.

[Vantage]

Having had at least 4 bikes stolen in my younger years it's left a very sour taste in my mouth.
More so now because the bike is electric and those are I hear...highly sought after.
I use it for the odd excursion into town and visiting an elderly friend and each and every time I use 2 gold rated locks and remove everything not bolted on. Including the stupidly heavy battery.
I've been lucky for the past 12 or so years and not had anything go missing but the general morals of today's civilization makes me wonder if I really want grandchildren. Who the hell would introduce kids to this world as it is?

[roubaixtuesday]

elderly friend and each and every time I use 2 gold rated locks and remove everything not bolted on. Including the stupidly heavy battery.
I've been lucky for the past 12 or so years and not had anything go missing but the general morals of today's civilization makes me wonder if I really want grandchildren. Who the hell would introduce kids to this world as it is?

Crime in the UK has been falling for decades.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Crime_Sur ... _and_Wales

Given this together with, just for instance, immoral activities on the individual level (eg Jimmy Saville affair), and State level (eg the persecution of homosexuals like Alan Turing), it seems that the UK is in a far better moral position than it has ever been, nostalgia notwithstanding.