Bike Lock Removed from Bike Rack

It was fun, not really, to discover this morning that my bike lock was removed from the bike rack in front of the building where I work (Clark & Jackson).

I have been storing my lock on the rack for the past three years without a problem. There have been other locks stored on the rack. All of the locks were removed when I went to lock my bike today.

I asked someone in the building and they said that the city would have removed the locks. Is this a practice by the city? Is their a rule against keeping locks on the bike racks?

This is the firts that I cave come across this.

Thanks.

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Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by Mike Schwab on March 17, 2017 at 9:57pm

Suggeestion: Put notice on the rack. Put a zip tie loosely on all locks so it might fall off if opened. Anything with a zip tie after the posted removal date is cut and scrapped.

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Permalink Reply by Greg Valent on March 18, 2017 at 10:25am

Around a year ago I opened a ticket on the City of Chicago website for removal of a heavily damaged, abandoned bike at the Kimball Brown Line station rack. I also mentioned the numerous locks and cables that had taken up residence on the same loop as the bike. Within a week, the rack was clear, of everything.

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Permalink Reply by Irvin Steinert on March 20, 2017 at 3:04am

To you it's a valuable asset; to everyone else, someone elses' crap. Don't leave your stuff lying around or locked in a public space indefinitely. You have no right to that public space as yours for indefinite storage of your material.

Just carry your lock.

All citizens must use public spaces in a temporary manner only. This is true in all cases big and small.

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Permalink Reply by BikeScnhook on March 23, 2017 at 4:30am

Gonna be honest -- this is the first I've heard of "bike dibs." I guess that answers my question as to why sometimes I see a bikeless lock on a rack from time to time.

Geez...I've never, ever had problem finding somewhere secure and safe (and legal) to tie my bike down; where would one need dibs anyway???

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Permalink Reply by Rick on March 23, 2017 at 6:14am

Bike dibs seems to be a carry over from the long standing Chicago practice of marking your shoveled out parking place for your car in the winter time. Good luck with either. Both are dubious practices by the lazy.

So I forgot to take a lock to lunch the other day. To break up the monotony I go to a different restaurant each day. I don't plan on leaving a lock at each location. I took a chance and left the bike unlocked and "won". Or should that be "lost", I had to ride that Roadmaster back to work.

I remember long ago, my brother bought a shiny new red glitter over chrome chain lock from Schwinn that are now so sought after by Schwinn Krate collectors. The very first day he rode to school, some one stole the lock and left the bike.

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Permalink Reply by Fai Mok on March 23, 2017 at 5:26am

I agree with the majority...carry your lock and build some stamina on your commute. It will make you a stronger rider.

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Permalink Reply by Rick on March 23, 2017 at 6:01am

4 legged critters will get that donut if you leave it over night.

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Permalink Reply by ad on March 23, 2017 at 8:03am

I think it's funny that people are treating leaving a bike lock on a rack as some sort of cardinal sin that blights the world. Sheldon Brown, one of the most respected cycling experts that ever lived, always specifically recommended it. https://www.sheldonbrown.com/lock-strategy.html

As he notes, the weight of a decent ulock is the difference in weight between an ok bike and a high-end bike (and this is a crowd that likely appreciates that difference). I leave a lock where I work (off street, but still), and if it disappeared I'll live with it, but I also don't think I'm a jerk for doing it.

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Permalink Reply by Karel Vollrath on March 23, 2017 at 8:50am

Second. If Sheldon says it's okay, it's okay. He is the Allfather of cycling how-to after all.

If the lock gets taken, it gets taken. If it doesn't, it doesn't. If that rack is full of "dibs" then lock it to something else. Minutiae minutiae minutiae minutiae minutiae.

kv.

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Permalink Reply by Tricolor on March 27, 2017 at 3:18am

Sheldon Brown, one of the most respected cycling experts that ever lived, always specifically recommended it.

As he notes, the weight of a decent ulock is the difference in weight between an ok bike and a high-end bike (and this is a crowd that likely appreciates that difference).

Yeah, but what would Grant say? Damn weight weenie commuters... ;)