New bike paranoia - how do / don't you cope?

The Chingford Skinhead

Right, this isn’t a What Bike question. It is, however, aimed at those of you with “nice” or (and sometimes “and”) expensive bikes.

My accident several months ago resulted in my writing off my second bike. I’m about to go to an employer with a C2W scheme so will want to get another bike – but I’m hit by a debilitating paranoia.

As many of you will know, I currently ride a hybrid, with mudguards and rack. I love it but it isn’t particularly “sexy” to bike thieves. Now, I use the bike for everything: trips to the shop, gym, supermarket, up town etc. I always double lock it – big heavy D for the back wheel and frame, cable for front wheel and frame. Yet, I still worry about leaving it unattended for long. Particularly when you consider bike theft is up 45% in the last year (and wasn't exactly rare to start with)

So, I would be terrified of doing the same with a decent £1k type bike – but if I can’t use my bike for everything it isn’t worth having. How do you lot cope – I don’t just mean what locks etc, but how do you cope with the mental anguish? Do you just accept that sh1t happens and take a chance? Do you only use your best bike for specific things? ???

roger_merriman

for the nice bike, which in my case is a old hack any way it's a case of not leaving it any where dumb, or if I do not for long.

for the commute bike, i would be anoyed but i'd pick up a old cheap hack in no time i'm sure.

asquithea

Put it on your home contents insurance and quit worrying.

Monkeypump

Unfortunately I've learnt (learned?) the hard way - I never, ever leave either of my bikes anywhere that I don't know to be secure.

It's a pain, because it means my bikes are only for fun and have no utility purpose, but I've learnt to live with it.

ASISLIFE

Hi
Guess I am lucky, have three bikes...love them all to bits in different ways!
but they do have very different attractiveness factors to thieves and hence get treated differently

"best bike' never ever gets left anywhere
commuter only gets left is work which is middle of nowhere and covered by CCTV
family/hack bike, gets left anywhere but with massive D lock

...must be a D lock, learn't the hard way that anything else is gone in seconds, IMO get insured, your locks sound fine. Get out an enjoy the bike!

rally200

keep the hybrid, insure it, and use that when you have to park somewhere dodgy - I'm half hoping my old hybrid will get nicked so I can use the insurance to get some kit or a road bike for the missus

andy83

obviously insure it

however on my road bike which i use for everything i lock it up with abus granite gold secure lock around the back wheel and frame, and a magnum coil lock at the front, and im in and out of places like a shot. luckily at work i can bring bike in building

I even panicked that much once cos i only had the granite lock with me that when getting an anniversery card for the gf i just saw the front and thought great, wasnt til i started writing it when i got home i realised i had got a "to the both of you" card

however when i told her my bike was outside she fully understood

amnezia

My nice bike stays locked in my flat when i'm not using it, would never leave it unattended outsite. I still think its worth having.

bomberesque

secure parking

I've honestly not locked a bike up outside and out of view for more than a few minutes in maybe 20 years. It's a pain but you get used to it.

just because you're paranoid doesn't mean they're not out to get you

snooks

Time to get a second bike then

I have my nice road bike, for commuting in good weather and riding at the weekend, I have a rusty commuter for rainy days, and trips to the shops etc I also have a mtb.

My nice bike was over 1K and gets left in secure storage at work or a home. My Trusty Rusty cost about £100, I got a free frame and wheels from a mate who was going to rebuild but lost interest, it's paid for it's self many time over.

I bought my mtb off Ebay

King Donut

Do thieves think about what is a "good" bike before nicking it? My guess is they just go for what's easiest to nick and looks good.

I had to commute for a couple of weeks on my mtb and was downstairs checking it every couple of hours. A couple of decent locks and insurance is all you can do really.

The Chingford Skinhead

Thanks guys. Insurance will be a requirement of any c2w bike anyway but i just find the whole bike theft & lack of police interest rather depressing. Govt, community leaders etc all want to know how to increase cycling. They then waste a fortune on pointless dead end cycle lanes when what is needed is some secure parking and proper action taken against theives.

I'm happy to go out on long(ish) spins at the weekend but I like / need the flexibility to be able to pop into the gym or supermarket on the way home to pick up a few bits and pieces. It's also slightly ironic that generally the dearer the bike the less it weighs - but if you're actually going to have to leave it anywhere for more than a minute you'll have to double the weight with extra heavy-duty locks - youo'd probably be carrying less wieght with a halfrauds special :evil:

Ah well :?

the_hundredth_idiot

I second the "hack bike" philosophy. I'm actually going out this lunchtime to the local second-hand bike shop as I'm on the hunt for a "new" hack bike as my current one is too big for me. And, if I'm being honest, it's a way of buying a new bike to tinker with without really spending any money - wife has imposed a two-bike limit on me so I'll have to sell my current hack bike - net cost of the new bike is probably close to nil.

Nice bike gets used when I'm absolutely certain of the place it is going to be left (like the underground car park at work with 24/7 security guards). Hack bike gets used when I'm at all concerned about security - e.g. going via the pub on the way home to meet friends for a couple of drinks. It also doubles as a "taking the kids to the park" bike - I keep meaning to fit a child seat which I wouldn't want to do to my nice bike in case it scuffs the paintwork. And triples as a "Yuk - have you seen the weather? I'm not having that filth messing up my beautiful Condor" bike during the winter months. Flat pedals rather than clipless means I can cycle in normal shoes (see going to pub and taking kids to park for benefits of that).

Insurance is fine if you can get a decent price. Mine was going to be £120 per year (to add to my home insurance policy - it's covered for free if it is locked up in the house or the shed) and then had exclusions and an excess. I decided it was better to be careful and spend less than £120 on an all-purpose hack bike which can reasonably easily and cheaply be replaced if it does get nicked.

CiB

It's long been the case that a really good bike is no use for anything except riding. Once you're at your destination you either have to keep it in your sight or possession, or go back home on it. The more valuable it is, the less use it is.

King Donut

The Chingford Skinhead wrote:

I'm happy to go out on long(ish) spins at the weekend but I like / need the flexibility to be able to pop into the gym or supermarket on the way home to pick up a few bits and pieces. It's also slightly ironic that generally the dearer the bike the less it weighs - but if you're actually going to have to leave it anywhere for more than a minute you'll have to double the weight with extra heavy-duty locks - youo'd probably be carrying less wieght with a halfrauds special :evil:

Ah well :?

Just leave a lock at every single place you're ever likely to go to on the way home. ever.

I share your frustration. I tracked down a guy selling my just nicked bike. Police didnt want to know. So I arranged to meet him but predictably he didnt show. I hate bagging the police as generally I think they do a great job, but why are their hands tied?