50 pound bike?

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Permalink Reply by Ash L. on August 22, 2011 at 9:49pm

On this forum in the last few months we've seen two posts about Dutch bike theft and I'm sure there have been more stolen that just weren't posted by the owner so I don't know that this theory holds up. Bike theft is rampant in Amsterdam and Copenhagen and most city bikes there are 45lbs +.

Mikael from Copenhagenize/Cycle Chic even had his sore thumb of a red Bullitt stolen and that bike is notorious. Thieves will steal anything that isn't bolted down and will even steal bolts if they can be had in under a minute.

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Permalink Reply by h' Zerocats on August 23, 2011 at 12:38am

Agree with Ash L-- the premise that a heavier bike needs less (or no) lock does not apply in Chicago, although their owners unfortunately often seem to assume it might. None of the dutch bikes that have been reported stolen to CSBR were locked with U-locks.  Several were not locked, some self-locked, one or two locked to easily breakable objects like wooden porch rails, the rest with cable locks (although some would count that as "not locked.")

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Permalink Reply by Mike Zumwalt on August 23, 2011 at 6:43am

My old Huffy Cruiser was heavy enough. 

I wouldn't want to try to carry it up the stairs or put it on a bike rack on the bus.

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Permalink Reply by Liz on August 23, 2011 at 9:29am

When I ride to the train (about 1-2 miles) I take my heavy old Raleigh cruiser and lock it with a u-lock.  The lock is worth about 1/2 the cost of the bike.  Its not a very attractive target, but I'm pretty sure someone would still be desperate enough to steal it if I didn't lock it well.

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Permalink Reply by Far'arned Retrogrumpalunkus #63 on August 23, 2011 at 9:54am

I too agree with Ash.  

 

It's not the weight of the bike -but resale value.  For the longest time a heavy bike was a "cheap" bike while a light bike was an expensive one.  But the Dutch/City Bike concept is coming back with vengeance with some of these bikes costing nearly as much as high-end racing bikes and turning that equation on its head.  

 

The thieves cottoned pretty quick to the value of these bikes and how much they can sell them for used. 

 

It doesn't seem like they have figured out how valuable/expensive  cargo bikes are although they might be more immune since they are still pretty rare and the market for hot cargo bikes hasn't opened up as of yet.  Eventually that will change too, as more and more people start using them as primary transportation.

 

Crime/theft is a factor of value.  People steal things they can resell easily.  The fact that theives are interested in stealing bikes sucks but it does have one silver lining -it shows that bikes are mainstream, valuable, and worth stealing.

 

Maybe someday nobody will steal cars any more because nobody wants one.  Doubtful, as the scrap value of just the metal in a car is plenty enough to buy quite a few forties or fifths of T-bird.   That's one more disadvantage of the 50lb bike. Rolled into the metal recycle yard it's going to bring in a few more coins for every pound of steel.

 

The answer is to make your bike the least-inviting target for thieves.  The Dutch bikes with only an immobilizer wheel lock or a simple cable are just not a large  enough hurdle to foil a serious or even unskilled thief.  Cables are like not locking your bike up at all in this town.  I've heard people call a cable lock "bike floss,"  but I think a better term for a cable lock would be "Gift Wrap."  Might as well add a hallmark card to the gift-wrapping so when the thief steals your bike he can read it and smile at your generous gift to him/her. 

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Permalink Reply by Tiberculosis on August 23, 2011 at 9:58am

No one would want to steal a bike because it's heavy? Why would you lift it when you could just ride away on it. Oh, and here's a pic I snapped recently of a bike locked up using a white tshirt.

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Permalink Reply by Carl on August 23, 2011 at 10:29am

I agree that math is pretty wonky, and that might be because it's an old saying, from years and years ago when bikes just weren't that popular or valuable. Bike theft appears to have become a viable career option these days, because we've made it so; our increased demand for bikes has raised their theft value and value in general.

11 years ago, I bought a pristine electric green Schwinn Suburban at a thrift store for $25. Nowadays they are selling for $100-$300. 

 

I just posted this to hear what people thought about the logic of heavy, slow bikes, especially cargo bikes. I know some of the Dutch trikes come with massive chains that must weigh 10 lbs, plus a ring-lock on the rear. So there is substantial lock weight, but it's kinda irrelevant when your cargo might be 200-300lbs of books, or a pedicab with 400+ lbs of Wrigleyville drunkards aboard.

 

My point again, is do you need to worry so much about weight, if you're simply not in a rush?

 

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Permalink Reply by Mike Zumwalt on August 23, 2011 at 8:52pm

If it's about re-sale then what about the value of a re-bar bike?

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Permalink Reply by Carl on August 23, 2011 at 8:57pm

See, I'd steal that, no matter how heavy it was ;)

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