Bicycle Light Thief

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Permalink Reply by Paul Nelson on December 7, 2015 at 10:21am

                                                                                                                    December 7, 2015                                                    

                                                     Bicycle Light Thief


For the average person, bike thief is a huge deal. This is because, people typically ride bicycles because they are unable to afford another means of transportation. Particularly, the thief of Bicycle headlights and Bicycle taillights will be examined.


Mike Zumwalt from the 'chainlink.org' attest that:

“I've had rims stolen on a 10 minute trip to the grocery store, while in sight while eating.”^1

He even has the picture to show it. Though, bike wheels take more time to get off and are harder to conceal than bicycle lights. Bicycle lights are typically mounted on the handlebars near the stem clamp and the seat post, just below the seat, front and rear respectively. They are most usually held on by a plastic clip mechanism that screws down with a screwdriver. Though, the actual lights can be released from the clamp by a specifically fitted plastic clip. The clip is pulled simply by releasing the lock-stay, and pulling the light off. This makes bike lights easy to steal by a thief, as they can then be easily put in a pocket.


I personally have recently had my rear 'PB Super-Turbo' light stolen right off my bike when I was leaving a package for someone at their doorstep. I saw the thief leaving, but wasn't able to apprehend him because he had already went back into his property gate. I have had my lights stolen on numerous occasions, there is too many to count! I can remember lights that were epoxied and duck-taped to my frame, that were still ripped off. Instances, were I walk into a restaurant, come back out and some gook had stolen my taillight. There was even one instance I remember, were I walked out of a public library and found my fender and lights stolen! I was smart enough to follow the trail of the thief and found him walking with a backpack with my fender sticking out. I quickly removed the fender from his bag and asked him about the lights. He feigned and tried to deny it and told me he had just bought the fender from someone down the street 5 minutes ago. I knew it was mine, because my initials were scratched into it.


 “If something has value and is easy to remove from your bike, don't be surprised if someone removes it.”^2 says Lauren Sailor from 'thechainlink.org'. This is true in the greater number of cases. People find it harder to steal parts from parked cars because everything is inside a case and its hard to get under and unbolt things. Bikes are the other hand, have most parts freely exposed and can be easily removed with a simple screwdriver or allenset. The best efforts of locking to a post, still can only prevent maybe just the frame or wheels from being stolen. 

You might say that a Bicycle light is no major deal. I know there are lights out there ( Seca 700 LED) which can cost upwards of 500 hundred dollars! And more expensive commuter lights the 'lumina 0led 800' which can cost over 100$. The 'PB super turbo' cost forty dollars. Thats an investment for someone who doesn't make allot of money. A rear taillight is required by law in the state of Illinois. If not alone risking getting pulled over and ticketed, one risk increased harassment from motorist as they complain that they are unable to properly see you. Also, lacking the use of a rear tail light can , ultimately , cause the lost of a court battle. I know at least, the major reason why you would see me riding without a rear taillight, is, because someone stole it.

The point is, this apparent thief could go to a bicycle shop and buy a rear taillight of the same model if he so much desired it. The fact that he has to steal from another man, is saying he thinks he's better than him. After that man worked hard to raise the forty dollars or whatever to buy that light, and he touches that mans property and removes it for himself, is purely selfish. I would put out a warning for the next bike light thief I find red-handed. Because you will get your jawbone U-locked and retaliation will lead to several knife strikes. I remember seeing the same public library bike thief mentioned previously a few days later. He was riding his mountain bike at night down the street and he literally had about 25-30 lights mounted on there to look like a Christmas tree. If this is what these people hobbies are, the people that walk around the street collecting bicycle seats just for the heck of it, they need to find another way to attain them. They are simple becoming bolder without consequences. In their mind, they see a young hipster with an expensive bike that they don't have. They then believe they deserve some asset from it, or simply want to hurt it. They believe that he/she is more richer than thou, and it is only something small that won't be noticed. I don't typically leave my lights on my bike parked for long periods of time. But there are some instances were I have to go in and out of a place rather quickly and will leave my lights attached.







1 http://www.thechainlink.org/forum/topics/random-parts-stolen-off-yo... ; Reply by Mike Zumwalt on April 19, 2015 at 7:58pm.

2 http://www.thechainlink.org/forum/topics/ugh-have-a-seat?commentId=... ; Reply by lauren sailor on September 27, 2010 at 1:19am

Permalink Reply by Thomas Bruzan on December 7, 2015 at 4:00pm

  Thanks for sharing Paul. Bike thieves are garbage. A U-locked jawbone seems appropriate in my book of bike thief fantasies, but I would hate to see a good man get in trouble for taking out the trash. 

Permalink Reply by Paul Nelson on December 9, 2015 at 5:22pm

Thanks!!!

Thats one thing I forgot to mention in the short article. And rear taillight mounted to the back of a bag can work in a pinch, but doesn't work long-term. This is because the rear light tends to always fall of the little cloth latch on the bottom of bikebags. When you set the bag down allot and on, it gets pushed off. Also, will probably get crushed easier. I've even had lights pop off my bag while riding! 

If you have the originally packaging (with the helmet clip), and you have a modern helmet thats made to fit a light inside the little hole in the back. This is allot more complicated then attaching the light to your bike and most of the time not feasible. More likely to get crushed too. Front headlamps strapped to your head break too easily and eventually end up as a handheld light anyway.  

If you even have to go so far as to ducktape a front headlight to a bike. Then go for it. But, as mentioned previously, I've even had these stolen before. 

Permalink Reply by Tom A.K. on December 8, 2015 at 5:22am
Paul, if you wear a helmet, you could put it up there. That would fulfil the law requirement.
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Permalink Reply by Berg Jensen on December 9, 2015 at 10:17am

Can a lawyer please verify this?

I was once pulled over on the lake front path once before because I was riding with a rear-light on the helmet and was told that this needed to be on the bike. Or I was required a red reflector light on the bike if my rear light was on the helmet.

Granted that I didn't ask about the front light, but I'm sure the same requirement applies when you're pulled over by a dick cop.

Permalink Reply by NYC (7.0 mi) on December 9, 2015 at 10:31am

That cop sounds like a dildo.  I am pretty sure you were upholding the spirit of the law.

Permalink Reply by Paul Lazzaro on December 9, 2015 at 2:10pm

I'm seeing lots of helmet-mounted headlights this winter.  They are probably good for seeing the road ahead, but can blind oncoming traffic as the rider moves his head around.  OTOH a headlight mounted on the bike, once aimed properly, stays that way.  Still, I'd much rather that all riders have helmet-mounted lights than be ninjas, if that's the alternative

Permalink Reply by Filka Bean on December 10, 2015 at 3:43pm

When I bought my headlight the guy in the shop pointed out that if I fell or crashed, would I prefer everyone to see where my bike goes or where I do...  So mine's mounted on my helmet.  But I also rarely ride with it full blast, and the medium setting isn't any brighter than the SUV headlights all around me.

Permalink Reply by Thomas Bruzan on December 11, 2015 at 5:14am

Exactly, and you can sit up and be seen by left turners, people driving out of alleys or garages etc. I've never been blinded by another bikers light, seems like something just to complain about. 

Permalink Reply by Bruce on December 11, 2015 at 7:47am

Recently I've been using both. I agree that the helmet mounted light is great for getting people's attention because you can turn and look at them and the light shines into the car.

Permalink Reply by Fran Kondorf on December 11, 2015 at 8:19am

+1

 I mounted a cheap blinkie to mine and it seems to be helping with the drivers coming from cross streets.

 To the OP- I agree it sucks, but this is Chicago. Expect anything that can be removed from your bike to grow legs at any time. Don't go to jail/worse over a $20 hunk of plastic.

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