The Chainlink

The CSBR interrupts your regularly scheduled threads about helmets, head injuries, reckless cyclists, reckless drivers, and the physics thereof, to bring you the following announcement.

As of noon on May 9th, the CSBR has received 29 stolen bike reports for the month of May. More than half of them (16) were "locked" with some form of cable (cable w/padlock, combination cable, or keyed cable). The most recent report was for a $5000 bike locked to a bike rack in the Loop with a combination cable lock.

Nobody on the chainlink still thinks it's OK to lock their bike with a cable lock, do they?

Carry on...

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May 2013 totals:

109 reported thefts for the month.

48 of them were some form of cable lock (cable w/padlock; combination cable; keyed cable) 44%

29 of them were not locked. 27%

71% of May 2013 reported thefts were either not locked or locked with a cable.

Nobody on the chainlink still thinks it's OK to lock their bike with a cable lock, do they?

Just in case people still need convincing, I refer you to this Flickr album from Adam in Toronto:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/corneliuscrab/sets/72157622133049148/

Like:

Kevin, I would put part of the blame on the bike store employes who sold the guy a $5,000 carbon fiber road bike & did not advise him about bike security.

More large stores should have similar signs.
I asked for a recommendation between 2 u-locks at REI Schaumburg and was informed I probably only needed a cable lock.
It was a Wednesday in February at lunchtime, so they may not have been used to bike questions yet.




h' 1.0 said:

Like:

Couldn't readily find a more appropriate thread...

This white Univega in perfect condition has been on my office building's rack maybe all week or more.  I just noticed it isn't actually locked.  Should I *do* something?  Adopt it?  Report it to the building (that may be a good idea, they could hold it a while and leave a notice). Lock it myself and leave a note?  Assume it belongs to someone too broke to afford a lock who's been hoping for the best?  Leave it to destiny?

I would vote for locking and leaving a note as an immediate response, and calling the building after that.

I like this option as well.

Record the serial number, as detailed a description as you can make including any accessories and distinguishing characteristics. You should also check it against the Chicago Stolen Bike Registry listings. If you can get a serial number, you may be able to get CPD to check for it as having been registered or registered as stolen.

Michelle said:

I would vote for locking and leaving a note as an immediate response, and calling the building after that.
I vote for lock + note.

Is it possible that, in Schaumburg, a cable lock is more likely to be sufficient?

 

I don't know anything about Schaumburg, but I would believe that there is less bike theft due to the lower density.


OLB 0.1 said:

I asked for a recommendation between 2 u-locks at REI Schaumburg and was informed I probably only needed a cable lock.
It was a Wednesday in February at lunchtime, so they may not have been used to bike questions yet.

The CSBR has no data on Schaumburg bike theft. While it may be true that a cable lock is an adequate theft prevention device in parts of the suburbs/exurbs, it's always better to be too cautious than not cautious enough.

While not Schaumburg, I had an experience in Aurora where I was locking my wheel with 2 u-locks at a Metra station and a girl started telling me how we don't have bike theft there and that what I was doing was basically pointless.  Her bike was stolen shortly after while mine is still locked in the same fashion every day...

Kevin C said:

The CSBR has no data on Schaumburg bike theft. While it may be true that a cable lock is an adequate theft prevention device in parts of the suburbs/exurbs, it's always better to be too cautious than not cautious enough.

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