Clybourn Metra station bike thefts

Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by h' Zerocats on August 22, 2012 at 10:49am

Huge frustration when effort is made to create bike parking and it is placed where no eyes are on it for extended periods.  #1 on my idiocy list is the new Trader Joe's at Wabash/Roosevelt.  Most of the Targets are almost as bad.

I =hate= when I pass the Metra viaduct at Western and 18th and there's a bike freshly locked to the rusting racks underneath, because I know the next time I pass that same bike will most likely be there, at least partially stripped.

 

clp said:

I've avoided that new covered bike parking area.  Too tucked away, where someone could work with a saw or cutters, and be completely alone and unobserved during long periods of the day when no trains are arriving or departing.  That $50 000 rack and shelter is just another complete waste of money by Metra IMO.  Why don't they consult ATA or any of the many guides for building bike infrastructure, that specifically state that bike parking should be positioned in well-lighted areas and in full view of many people as possible.

Accordingly, I prefer to continue locking my bike on the racks out on the curb, right next to the busy traffic.

Christine H said:

...I thought that since they installed a nicer bike parking area it might be safer...

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Permalink Reply by Zoetrope on August 22, 2012 at 12:15pm

This is just bad advice.          

If a thief see's a bike with locking skewers, coupled with say a New York Lock (locked correctly), it's highly likely he will move on, depending on the circumstances of course.  Now I'm sure you're smart enough to know there are dozens of factors that play into a thief's decision to steal a bike at any given moment.  Cameras, daylight, high traffic area, and on and on.  So I have no idea why you feel so comfortable giving out advice like this to people who might benefit from using locking skewers.        

Apart from the obvious above, I've not once seen a post on the Chainlink, in my time here, where someone has reported a wheel theft when they had locking skewers on their bike.  How many thefts have I seen reported here while using a (crappy) U-lock?  Seems like every other day, lately at least.

Let's try not to be so black-and-white, yeah?   

Kevin C said:

Truthfully, locking skewers don't seem to be much of a deterrent to bike theft. The volume thieves don't ever intend to change a flat tire on the bike, they intend to flip it to some schmuck who won't be able to fix their flat tire. The only ones inconvenienced or daunted by locking skewers seem to be the owners. Make sure you have a lock on each wheel and leave it at that.

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Permalink Reply by h' Zerocats on August 22, 2012 at 12:30pm

I think when Kevin wrote

locking skewers don't seem to be much of a deterrent to bike theft.

 it was perfectly clear that he was referring to bike theft, not parts theft.

 

Zoetrope said:

This is just bad advice.          

If a thief see's a bike with locking skewers, coupled with say a New York Lock (locked correctly), it's highly likely he will move on, depending on the circumstances of course.  Now I'm sure you're smart enough to know there are dozens of factors that play into a thief's decision to steal a bike at any given moment.  Cameras, daylight, high traffic area, and on and on.  So I have no idea why you feel so comfortable giving out advice like this to people who might benefit from using locking skewers.        

Apart from the obvious above, I've not once seen a post on the Chainlink, in my time here, where someone has reported a wheel theft when they had locking skewers on their bike.  How many thefts have I seen reported here while using a (crappy) U-lock?  Seems like every other day, lately at least.

Let's try not to be so black-and-white, yeah?   

Kevin C said:

Truthfully, locking skewers don't seem to be much of a deterrent to bike theft. The volume thieves don't ever intend to change a flat tire on the bike, they intend to flip it to some schmuck who won't be able to fix their flat tire. The only ones inconvenienced or daunted by locking skewers seem to be the owners. Make sure you have a lock on each wheel and leave it at that.

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Permalink Reply by Zoetrope on August 22, 2012 at 12:46pm

It doesn't really matter.  If they don't have a key to the skewers, they're either gonna have to go through the trouble of trying to "pick" them or they're going to have to saw through the wheel itself to get the bike.  Like I said before, depending on the area, this isn't going to be something a thief will want to do, nor is it something I've heard of being done much at all.  

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Permalink Reply by Kevin C Dormant on August 22, 2012 at 12:48pm

Thanks Howard. Yes I thought it was clear that I was referring to bike theft. That's why I specifically used the words "bike theft" and not parts theft. I incorrectly assumed that would be easy enough for even Brendan to understand.

h' said:

I think when Kevin wrote

locking skewers don't seem to be much of a deterrent to bike theft.

 it was perfectly clear that he was referring to bike theft, not parts theft.

 

Zoetrope said:

This is just bad advice.          

If a thief see's a bike with locking skewers, coupled with say a New York Lock (locked correctly), it's highly likely he will move on, depending on the circumstances of course.  Now I'm sure you're smart enough to know there are dozens of factors that play into a thief's decision to steal a bike at any given moment.  Cameras, daylight, high traffic area, and on and on.  So I have no idea why you feel so comfortable giving out advice like this to people who might benefit from using locking skewers.        

Apart from the obvious above, I've not once seen a post on the Chainlink, in my time here, where someone has reported a wheel theft when they had locking skewers on their bike.  How many thefts have I seen reported here while using a (crappy) U-lock?  Seems like every other day, lately at least.

Let's try not to be so black-and-white, yeah?   

Kevin C said:

Truthfully, locking skewers don't seem to be much of a deterrent to bike theft. The volume thieves don't ever intend to change a flat tire on the bike, they intend to flip it to some schmuck who won't be able to fix their flat tire. The only ones inconvenienced or daunted by locking skewers seem to be the owners. Make sure you have a lock on each wheel and leave it at that.

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Permalink Reply by h' Zerocats on August 22, 2012 at 1:01pm

Are you suggesting one would use locking skewers and then lock the bike only by the wheel?

Who would do that? Why wouldn't the thief just saw through the lock like they usually do?

One of us has completely lost the thread here, and I'm not sure it's me...

 

Zoetrope said:

It doesn't really matter.  If they don't have a key to the skewers, they're either gonna have to go through the trouble of trying to "pick" them or they're going to have to saw through the wheel itself to get the bike.  Like I said before, depending on the area, this isn't going to be something a thief will want to do, nor is it something I've heard of being done much at all.  

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Permalink Reply by Far'arned Retrogrumpalunkus #63 on August 22, 2012 at 2:10pm

Skewers are pretty easy to defeat.  It's not anything as  hard as "picking" them.  Locks are picked -"locking" skewers really don't "lock" at all.  They are not "locks.'  They do not have tumblers or pins or anything like an actual lock -they are just a funny-shaped bolt/nut that isn't easy to get a purchase on without the funny-shaped socket.

I got yelled at the last time I mentioned on here the dollar-store item that can be used to defeat them but most real bike thieves know what that is anyhow.  It's not a secret..   Just know that it doesn't take anything but a common "tool" you can buy at a dollar  store or any goodwill/resale store.  The only "security" that locking skewers have is obscurity.   They aren't any harder to get off with the right "tool" than a nutted axle or a bolted skewer is with the right wrench than anyone can buy.  I fact the cost of the "tool" that is needed to take off a "locking" skewer is actually less than an allen set -usually $.50 to $1.    

Another issue with "locking" skewers or bolted skewers is that they are dangerous to use with horizontal dropouts.   They can not be tightened nearly as tight as the cam can tighten the skewer of a QR and it is easy to pull the axle with the chain and cause the whole rear wheel to skew and jam up against the chainstay.  If you do this in the middle of an intersection and crash when cars are coming soon you can get your ass run over.   I've seen a lot of folks using locking skewers and bolted skewers on older bikes with horizontal or semi-horizontal dropouts and cringe every time.   It's a disaster waiting to happen. 

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Permalink Reply by Zoetrope on August 22, 2012 at 7:47pm

This was taken from the "La Grange Police Arrest 2 for Metra Station Bike Thefts Thread":  "Although lock cutters were used in some of the thefts, we did note that most of the bicycles stolen had low-end locks, which were easily defeated," Holub said.

In the Clybourn station thread, you could have urged people to use a higher end lock but you instead chose to poo-poo skewers and walk away.  "The only ones inconvenienced or daunted by locking skewers seem to be the owners. Make sure you have a lock on each wheel and leave it at that."  So I guess you were being clear.  You're being even more clear now that you're a dickhead who likes to stir up arguments and will never admit fault.   

Kevin C said:

Thanks Howard. Yes I thought it was clear that I was referring to bike theft. That's why I specifically used the words "bike theft" and not parts theft. I incorrectly assumed that would be easy enough for even Brendan to understand.

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Permalink Reply by h' Zerocats on August 22, 2012 at 8:01pm

I'm guessing Kevin decided the best course would be to just not respond when you posted this heap of non-sequitur earlier.

Is fighting on the internet really this important to you? Do you plan to continue to delete and repost this until he responds?

Could there be nothing else in our lives

so critical

as this little hole?

Zoetrope said:

This was taken from the "La Grange Police Arrest 2 for Metra Station Bike Thefts Thread":  "Although lock cutters were used in some of the thefts, we did note that most of the bicycles stolen had low-end locks, which were easily defeated," Holub said.

In the Clybourn station thread, you could have urged people to use a higher end lock but you instead chose to poo-poo skewers and walk away.  "The only ones inconvenienced or daunted by locking skewers seem to be the owners. Make sure you have a lock on each wheel and leave it at that."  So I guess you were being clear.  You're being even more clear now that you're a dickhead who likes to stir up arguments and will never admit fault.   

Kevin C said:

Thanks Howard. Yes I thought it was clear that I was referring to bike theft. That's why I specifically used the words "bike theft" and not parts theft. I incorrectly assumed that would be easy enough for even Brendan to understand.

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Permalink Reply by Far'arned Retrogrumpalunkus #63 on August 22, 2012 at 8:06pm

Perhaps someone needs a Safety Slap?

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Permalink Reply by Zoetrope on August 22, 2012 at 8:14pm

That's rich coming from maybe the biggest shit stirrer here.  Should I reply to you from now on or do you normally speak for Kevin?  Or maybe I just wont respond to you at all, like Kevin chose to do -- you know, because he's so above that.    

h' said:

I'm guessing Kevin decided the best course would be to just not respond when you posted this heap of non-sequitur earlier.

Is fighting on the internet really this important to you? Do you plan to continue to delete and repost this until he responds?

Could there be nothing else in our lives

so critical

as this little hole?

• ▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by Kevin C Dormant on August 22, 2012 at 10:25pm

Zoetrope-

I don’t know you and as far as I know, I don’t know anyone who knows you (and I know or have at least met a lot of people on the chainlink). I don’t know if you go on group rides or volunteer for any of the bike advocacy groups. The persona I know is the one you exhibit through your posts.

 

You used to be Brendan and you posted a thread about hitting a pedestrian in the Loop. That thread devolved into a flame war when you were surprised to see that very few people rushed to defend your position.

 

Now you’re Zoetrope and your account settings are set to private. As Zoetrope, you posted a thread about chasing down a motor vehicle that had done you wrong (a block or two before), and slapping the window hard enough that you were surprised that you didn’t break it. Again, you were surprised to see that very few people rushed to defend your position.

 

Today, you posted on a thread that was begun over a year ago, quoted me out of context, and used that as proof that I’m giving bad advice. The correct context of my quote was as follows:

 

Kevin C:

 

“Truthfully, locking skewers don't seem to be much of a deterrent to bike theft. The volume thieves don't ever intend to change a flat tire on the bike, they intend to flip it to some schmuck who won't be able to fix their flat tire. The only ones inconvenienced or daunted by locking skewers seem to be the owners. Make sure you have a lock on each wheel and leave it at that.

 

Lauren said:

 

Eric,

My current rear skewer isn't quick release because the bike is a really old mountain bike, and that's what it came with. I did used to use locking skewers (I think it was the On Guard brand) but stopped after one got a little stripped so my wheel would rub on the brake pad, and it also became a little annoying having them, since, for example, if I took my bike to the shop, I had to remember to leave the key for the skewer. Also, I always lock both my wheels (front with a u-lock, rear with a cable lock) so the locking skewers were probably overkill anyway.”

 

 

My post was a direct response to a post regarding the inconvenience of locking skewers relative to the benefits. I stand by that response. James BlackHeron did a nice job today of articulating a cost/benefit analysis of locking skewers.

 

The reason for my post which so offends you is that I’ve been an administrator for the Chicago Stolen Bike Registry for two years. I’ve read close to two thousand theft reports. I’ve met with Chicago police officers from the 9^th, 14^th, and 19^th districts as well as the Illinois State Police and Wilmette Police Department regarding bike theft. I have been to the Swap O Rama at 42^nd and Ashland more than 30 times, and I have read an enormous amount of material about bike theft. I have assisted people with recoveries of stolen bikes which were located on Craigslist. So I’m not just throwing out suppositions here.

 

Are there people more knowledgeable about bike theft than me? Absolutely, and I continue to learn. It’s just that you’re not one of them.

 

My job for the past 20+ years has been to fight and no one else speaks for me. Your posts strike me as belligerent, immature, and not particularly informative. You have clearly not yet learned that you still have much to learn. Once someone calls me a “dickhead,” they have already conceded defeat.

Zoetrope said:

That's rich coming from maybe the biggest shit stirrer here.  Should I reply to you from now on or do you normally speak for Kevin?  Or maybe I just wont respond to you at all, like Kevin chose to do -- you know, because he's so above that.    

h' said:

I'm guessing Kevin decided the best course would be to just not respond when you posted this heap of non-sequitur earlier.

Is fighting on the internet really this important to you? Do you plan to continue to delete and repost this until he responds?

Could there be nothing else in our lives

so critical

as this little hole?

• ▶ Reply

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