When and how do you secure seats, lights, bags, etc.

I have secure places to keep my bike at home and work. Last night I locked my bike up in public for the first time in a long time and was worried about what to take off and what to leave. I ended up putting my lights, bike computer, pump, and spare tube in my packpack and left the pannier attached.

For quick trips into a store or restaurant, what do people take and leave? Obviously it's safest to take everything, but sometimes difficult, especially if you aren't carrying a bag or a jacket with deep pockets.

I see a lot of bikes downtown with missing seats. Are seats that much of a theft target that people carry them in? What else should I defend against getting stripped? I use a U-bolt with large cable through the rear tire. My bike is a Trek 7100 so lower end parts. How do my worries change with a more expensive bike?

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Permalink Reply by Far'arned Retrogrumpalunkus #63 on February 25, 2012 at 6:17am

Then there was the guy last night at the BikeWinter art show who left his key in the lock...

Drunk locking is often not as effective as when we are sober.  Freezing cold temps, a bitter moist wind,  and having to move one's bike in the middle of a soiree off of a "private property" public housing fence right on the sidewalk probably didn't help matters. 

Fran Kondorf said:

Jeff Schneider said:

"...where there are a lot of drunken young people who might know what bike gear is worth and might not have the good judgement..."

 So, you've been on a few of the group rides I take it. ;-)

Permalink Reply by Mike Zumwalt on February 25, 2012 at 8:13am
I take the seat off and lock front wheel to rear for overnight or a Union station lockup. Quick release I'll take the seat most times.
Permalink Reply by Kristin Komorowski on February 25, 2012 at 9:40am

My first advice, anyone who's bike says 'Trek' or any other known bike name should cover that steal me label up now. I have a lower end trek that was stolen because they must have thought it was a nice bike. So i will never have a label showing again.

I'll leave the tire and bike bag behind my seat but i do have the seat and bike bag looped through the cable that i then lock through the ULock. Depending on how busy the location is, i may take off the pump but it is not too noticable.

In the city, you can't count on the cable lock, not sure about the super thick ones but the back tire is more pricey than the front so the frame and back tire go through the ULock. since my bike was stolen, i only use 2 ulocks now.

 

Always take the computer, any anything not bolted. Most people don't really need a quick release on the seat so i'd say jsut bolt the seat on how often do you really adjust that during the season?

 

Also, just because a place like the art museum, MSI, other main attractions are very busy and public, dont think the bike is safe. These places dont care if your bike is stolen and dont report how high the thefts are at their locations.

Permalink Reply by Far'arned Retrogrumpalunkus #63 on February 25, 2012 at 9:55am

The thing that bothers me about removing a QR wheel up front and locking it elsewhere is just how vulnerable a fork is to damage when there is no wheel on it.  

Not only are the dropouts exposed to chipping of the paint at the bottom but if the bike falls over or someone where to step on the forks they are toast.  Forks bend really easy and getting them straight so the bike doesn't pull to one side or the other is a black art without an expensive frame-alignment rack tool. 

Permalink Reply by Zoetrope on February 25, 2012 at 10:22am

I bought a used bike recently for a little over 200 bucks.  I've put about 150-175 or so into since then I think.  No component or wheel upgrades just things like a light, new grips, bag, fenders.  I wouldn't be able to tell you about the quality of the parts other than they work well, are very clean and say Shimano.  

I bring my bike bag, lights, bell, helmet, etc in with me wherever I go.  I don't trust anyone in any part of the city to not come by and take something so easily removable as lights and things like that.  I still shake my head when I see lights on a locked up bike.  Plus I've been doing this for so long it's simply become a habit, to the point where I wouldn't feel right leaving any of that stuff behind.

I use skewer locks, a new york lock and a thick cable lock, so one wheel with the U-lock and the rest with the cable and that's good enough for me for the amount of time I leave it outside. 

Doesn't hurt to ask if you can bring your bike in wherever you're staying, too. 

Permalink Reply by Cheryl on February 25, 2012 at 5:55pm

I generally take off everything that does not appear to be permanently attached - front light, rear light, computer. I leave my seat and pannier on.

I've had lights, etc. removed from various locations, including the basement of my building. That being said - zip ties seem to deter theft (knock wood). I've become a believer in increasing the difficulty of theft just a smidge more - and they will leave it be. But the longer I intend to leave my bike parked, the more I remove.

I once had everything from my seat bag stolen - tube, tool, kleenex.... I was annoyed until the woman next to me started to wonder how she would ride her folding bike with no seat. ! This was at Ogilvie Station.

Permalink Reply by Far'arned Retrogrumpalunkus #63 on February 26, 2012 at 4:13am

Since the CTA takes absolutely zero (or less than zero) effort to make secure parking available at most L stations and where they do it is half-ass at best I wouldn't leave a bike there that I cared about loosing.

Nothing but a junky-looking no-name frame single-speed/coaster-brake frame with bolted wheels and maybe rounded-off nuts.  It'd look like hell although it would naturally run like the wind and be tuned to the nines as nothing ever rolls out of my shop that isn't up to the standard of a high-end LBS clean-room.   

But still, little resale value

Then there would be the locks.  Two high-end 10lb Onguard Brute LongShackles through both wheels, the frame twice, and hitting the rack twice too.

Nothing short of this.  I don't build bikes for thieves -and I'm certainly not going to giftwrap a nice one for them and place it in easy reach right under the christmas tree. 


Jeff Schneider said:

If I had to leave a bike at a station, I'd ride the cheapest piece of junk I could find and keep the better bikes at home.  I definitely wouldn't have Ortlieb panniers (cheap Basil panniers, secured with zip ties, are just as good for commuting), a Brooks saddle or a computer on my commuter wreck.


Permalink Reply by Erin Rensink on February 26, 2012 at 12:37pm

I don't have anything on my bike that can't be taken off without using a wrench and I haven't had a problem. I lock up my helmet by putting the strap through the U-Lock.  For carrying things I put a basket on my bike to just grab my bag and go.  I did invest in a Kryptonite NYC lock that I use to lock both my frame and rear wheel so I don't need to lug around a cable.  My bike isn't so very expensive but I love it so why risk it with a cheap lock?  My rear lights are cheapo/freebies so I just leave them on but make sure to turn them off so they aren't beacons screaming "steal me!" to drunkies walking down the street. 

Permalink Reply by Lizzy M. on March 1, 2012 at 5:02am

I always leave my lights and my first aid/spare kit attached to the bike, along with my emergency tire pump. Haven't ever had an issue in four years, until Tuesday, when someone stole my bike pump. Looks like they tried to take the first aid kit, too, but couldn't figure out how to get it off. Left all six lights, though, and didn't mess with the bike otherwise. Nuisance crime is so inexplicable.

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