# Leaving a bike locked in London



## gasinayr (22 Jun 2020)

What other precautions do some of you do when leaving your bike locked up in london.
My son who works in London is going to start commuting when he starts work after lockdown
He has a good D lock with extension cable to loop round wheels and frame and we have changed the seat clamp from QR to allen key I have also looped a strip of metal through the seat rails and attached it onto the pannier rack so tools required to remove seat
Any other ideas ?


----------



## vickster (22 Jun 2020)

Where in London?

I’d use 2 D locks if leaving on street, take seatpost and saddle. Insurance.

Park in high traffic area and make sure it’s moved after 7pm

Shabby bike 

Better still, secure workplace parking!
Or a folder under desk


----------



## Wookee (22 Jun 2020)

If I have to lock it outside (rare) I take my shabbiest bike and look for something expensive to park next to. I use 2 D locks and the saddle is separately locked to the frame.


----------



## ianrauk (22 Jun 2020)

2 of the best D locks you can find and carry, minimum.
Make sure the front wheel is removed and locked to the frame.


----------



## Ming the Merciless (22 Jun 2020)

D lock it to a flash Ferrari Door handle


----------



## slowmotion (22 Jun 2020)

YukonBoy said:


> D lock it to a flash Ferrari Door handle


Or an occupied police car.


----------



## SkipdiverJohn (23 Jun 2020)

Ride a £20 hack bike and don't stress about bike theft. No need to throw money down the drain on insurance then either. Use a shabby old saddle patched up with duct tape. No QR parts. No nice shiny expensive parts. Works for me in some very dodgy locations. I don't bother with D locks. A good one would cost more than the bike I want to lock with it. £20 bike, £10 chain & lock. Job done.


----------



## ColinJ (23 Jun 2020)

YukonBoy said:


> D lock it to a flash Ferrari Door handle





slowmotion said:


> Or an occupied police car.



Or to one of these...


----------



## Blue Hills (23 Jun 2020)

I'd use two D locks, though the one locking the front wheel can be a lighter one (I use one I got in a decathlon sale for less than £4).
Extension cables are pretty useless I reckon - my low security lock for the front is way easier to carry and more secure.
Use a very good one on the back.
Use a smooth running bike that doesn't look like too much.
High traffic area.
Lock to a row of racks where there are lots of other pickings for thieves.
Very definitely do not leave overnight.
Even if the bike's still there in the morning some of its bits might not be.
I've never had a bike nicked in 25 years of london riding.
There are plenty of flashier alternative pickings for thieves in London - though they very probably ride no better than my self-builds.
I never locked my blue dale in London at all - nor would I leave my Hewitt.
In short, no need at all to use a flash bike.


----------



## DSK (23 Jun 2020)

Another vote for riding a shag knacker, other cyclists will practically throw their bike onto yours, perhaps even some of their sweat kit too, not giving 2 fvcks about scratching your pride and joy


----------



## gasinayr (23 Jun 2020)

vickster said:


> Where in London?


He works at Bankside so he will be leaving somewhere near there


----------



## vickster (23 Jun 2020)

All the above applies then


----------



## jay clock (23 Jun 2020)

I have a Trek hybrid with the frame wrapped in electrical tape (it comes in 50mm width), a rusty basket on the back, purple pedals, a hi viz saddle and it also helps that i left it outdoors for a year so all the shiny bits are rusty or dull. But actually a good bike.


----------



## icowden (23 Jun 2020)

Depending on who his employer is, they may have a secure area for parking bikes. That there London isn't as bad as most people think but definitely lock the bike where other bikes are locked. The best option if they don't have a secure area is to get a folder.

Another option is to try and get on the list for this:

https://betterbankside.co.uk/services/bankside-secure-cycle-park


----------



## Dwn (23 Jun 2020)

I used a very heavy d lock when I took my road bike to work. Always a bit tense when returning to it, but it was (luckily) always there. Solved the problem by buying a Brompton and keeping it in the office during the day!


----------



## bitsandbobs (23 Jun 2020)

I once had my saddle stolen from around the back of Gray's Inn: it was more challenging than I'd imagined to ride very far without a saddle.


----------



## gasinayr (24 Jun 2020)

Thanks for that info icowden, he contacted Bankside yesterday and registered with them, advised they are moving to a bigger better park so hopefully he will get a space it


----------



## SkipdiverJohn (24 Jun 2020)

icowden said:


> That there London isn't as bad as most people think



Yes it is. A trip into London is the bike thief's equivalent of a kid visiting Hamley's toy shop before Christmas. All the choice they could possibly want and QR front wheels and saddles always on special offer, a free gift from the naïve riders who are careless in their locking up regime.



Dwn said:


> I used a very heavy d lock when I took my road bike to work.



Effective for the most part, but lugging really heavy locks around sort of defeats the object of riding a lightweight bike. The all-up weight of bike plus D locks is not likely to be any less than just running a cheap heavy bike. And no-one has yet invented an angle grinder proof bike lock, no matter how thick and heavy it might be.



bitsandbobs said:


> I once had my saddle stolen from around the back of Gray's Inn: it was more challenging than I'd imagined to ride very far without a saddle.



Parts theft from bikes in London is very common. I once noticed an expensive full-sus MTB that had been D- locked to some railings in a dodgy area outside a station, whilst going for a beer. It was intact at 9.30 PM. By the time I returned to the location 2 1/2 hours later, the bike had ben transformed into a bare frame plus rear wheel, with absolutely everything else gone, including the front fork, stem and bars. The D lock stopped the whole bike getting taken, but the cost of replacing all the nicked bits would probably be no cheaper than buying a whole bike


----------



## bitsandbobs (24 Jun 2020)

SkipdiverJohn said:


> Effective for the most part, but lugging really heavy locks around sort of defeats the object of riding a lightweight bike. The all-up weight of bike plus D locks is not likely to be any less than just running a cheap heavy bike. And no-one has yet invented an angle grinder proof bike lock, no matter how thick and heavy it might be.



I left one or two D locks permanently attached to a stand where I locked up my bike. Didn't bother carting them to and from work every day.


----------



## Milkfloat (24 Jun 2020)

bitsandbobs said:


> I left one or two D locks permanently attached to a stand where I locked up my bike. Didn't bother carting them to and from work every day.



You need to be a little bit careful about that, as rumour has it, it leaves them in position for people to practice lock picking on it.


----------



## Blue Hills (24 Jun 2020)

Milkfloat said:


> You need to be a little bit careful about that, as rumour has it, it leaves them in position for people to practice lock picking on it.


Yes, or nobble the lock in some way for future easier access. I wouldn't leave a lock in place.


----------



## SkipdiverJohn (24 Jun 2020)

bitsandbobs said:


> I left one or two D locks permanently attached to a stand where I locked up my bike. Didn't bother carting them to and from work every day.



I would do the same if I was always leaving it in the same place, but that depends on individual bike use. Some riders will need to visit multiple locations, where lugging heavy locks around all the time would be a pain.


----------



## MichaelW2 (24 Jun 2020)

When I started London bike commuting I built up a hack bike based on a nice but scrappy looking old frame. I used bolt-on wheels and seat post but security levers are OK. Quick release or quick steal is not good.
QR accessories get stolen but bolt on dynamo lighting does not. Use a good lock on a scruffy bike. Park next to a nice bike with a scruffy lock. Always lock up transmission side against the fence or rack. Avoid well known weak lockups such a sign posts you can lift a bike over or a bike rack that has been tampered with. Beware someone else locking your bike or disabling your lock. They will be back later...
Don't bother with bike insurance except for 3rd party. Keep a pot of money for a cheap replacement bike.

I store the D lock under a bungie on top of my rear rack. This is quick, convenient and rattle free and also doubles up as a blunt implement when required.


----------



## gasinayr (26 Jun 2020)

Had a look at security skewers for wheels and seat not very impressed with them.
Looked at skewers on bike, there is a hole in them, you can loop a plastic cable tie through the hole and round the front fork and rear chain stay, need snips to remove the wheels.
Son talked to his boss yesterday was told boss has been talking the owners of the building about use of underground car park for employees with bikes, keep fingers crossed.


----------



## Blue Hills (26 Jun 2020)

gasinayr said:


> Had a look at security skewers for wheels and seat not very impressed with them.



Out of interest, why not?
There are various types.


----------



## jay clock (26 Jun 2020)

gasinayr said:


> Had a look at security skewers for wheels and seat not very impressed with them.
> Looked at skewers on bike, there is a hole in them, you can loop a plastic cable tie through the hole and round the front fork and rear chain stay, need snips to remove the wheels.
> Son talked to his boss yesterday was told boss has been talking the owners of the building about use of underground car park for employees with bikes, keep fingers crossed.


Cutting off cable ties is a second with a knife/nail clippers. Or just insert a screwdriver into the gap and twist a few times. Security skewers at least need a tool or two


----------



## icowden (26 Jun 2020)

SkipdiverJohn said:


> Parts theft from bikes in London is very common. I once noticed an expensive full-sus MTB that had been D- locked to some railings in a dodgy area outside a station, whilst going for a beer. I



I think you just summed up the problem. Don't leave your bike in a dodgy area. Try and find somewhere busy, in full view. Take off the nickable bits and lock up the rest.

Using the building's parking garage is obviously the best solution. The office I work in in London Bridge has an underground car park accessibly by pass or remote by reception. Inside the car park is a locked (combination lock) cage with bike racks in. That said, despite the fact that they have CCTV and security, there have been a couple of bike thefts of unsecured bikes. Usually when someone has left the exit door to the car park open.


----------



## roley poley (26 Jun 2020)

don't forget to check the "thing" you attach to for anchor point ...does it wobble in the ground? can in be lifted out with a firm tug? if using a signpost could the bike be lifted up and over the top after squishing the thin plate notice to the pole or it's removal? can you see the bolts to undo the anchor point then so can a thief


----------



## gasinayr (8 Jul 2020)

Well son has started commuting and leaving his bike locked up with D lock & cable round frame and wheels, also cable lock fitted through seat rails, rack and frame seat stays. Yesterday he went back to bike after work to find an "extra seat and stem" sitting beside his bike, no idea where it came from so just left it there and went home.


----------



## SkipdiverJohn (8 Jul 2020)

gasinayr said:


> Yesterday he went back to bike after work to find an "extra seat and stem" sitting beside his bike, no idea where it came from so just left it there and went home.



He obviously hasn't grasped the concept of getting free spare parts when they are on offer then! I'd have definitely had the saddle, and the stem too if it was a quill type. If it was threadless, I'd have turned my nose up at it!


----------



## vickster (8 Jul 2020)

SkipdiverJohn said:


> He obviously hasn't grasped the concept of getting free spare parts when they are on offer then! I'd have definitely had the saddle, and the stem too if it was a quill type. If it was threadless, I'd have turned my nose up at it!


Presumably seatpost to go with saddle, rather than a handlebar stem?


----------



## itboffin (8 Jul 2020)

gasinayr said:


> He works at Bankside so he will be leaving somewhere near there



I left my single speed bike in the racks outside Waterloo station for 10 years, try and get a spot right in front of the entrance on the top row, use two d-locks and a cable because a thief will want a quick getaway and the combo of highly visible double locks, cable and being up high i think helps.


----------



## Specialeyes (8 Jul 2020)

itboffin said:


> I left my single speed bike in the racks outside Waterloo station for 10 years


Blimey, was it still there when you came back?


----------



## gasinayr (9 Jul 2020)

Well the bad boys didnt waste any time, tried stealing his bike yesterday, thankfully the good d lock beat them, damaged the key hole in the lock and had to call out a locksmith to cut it open, No more cummuting i think.


----------



## vickster (9 Jul 2020)

did he get anywhere with secure parking?

Can he get an old clunker that is less appealing?
or Can he get a Brompton (eg on c2w) and keep it under desk?


----------



## Tripster (9 Jul 2020)

Can he move jobs and work up North instead 🥴
Sounds a shower of S***e that Londidium place ☺️


----------



## gasinayr (9 Jul 2020)

It.s a bit worse than I was told last night, wrecked the top tube trying to get lock off. Rode it home last night and seems ok but taking it in to Evans for a safety check just in case. Boss is now letting him park in shop and E mailing building owners for use of underground parking space. A bit late now !


----------



## vickster (9 Jul 2020)

Tripster said:


> Can he move jobs and work up North instead 🥴
> Sounds a shower of S***e that Londidium place ☺


Because bikes never get stolen in Manchester, Leeds or Glasgow


----------



## Blue Hills (9 Jul 2020)

Tripster said:


> Can he move jobs and work up North instead 🥴
> Sounds a shower of S***e that Londidium place ☺


No crime up north of course.
So little crime they are closing police stations.


----------



## Blue Hills (9 Jul 2020)

gasinayr said:


> View attachment 534909
> 
> 
> It.s a bit worse than I was told last night, wrecked the top tube trying to get lock off. Rode it home last night and seems ok but taking it in to Evans for a safety check just in case. Boss is now letting him park in shop and E mailing building owners for use of underground parking space. A bit late now !


Really sorry to hear this.
I don't think you ever told us what the bike was.
Can we ask what it was?
Frame material?
How new, approx value?
Also, how far is the chap's journey?


----------



## Tripster (9 Jul 2020)

vickster said:


> Because bikes never get stolen in Manchester, Leeds or Glasgow



Dont know about Manchester or Glasgow but hazard a guess much less in Leeds than London but it was just a joke 🙄


Blue Hills said:


> No crime up north of course.


Again, just a joke but probably not as much bike theft due to less bikes in cities than London and less people commuting with them


----------



## Blue Hills (9 Jul 2020)

You need to step up.
Northern humour is better than that.


----------



## Tripster (9 Jul 2020)

Will do better next time if I can be arsed


----------



## ozboz (9 Jul 2020)

Not the best deterrent, this is in a gym car park so obviously a vehicle involved , 
as for D locks , I had a distress call a young lad had lost his keys so I went along and it took 2 mins or less to cut off with my grinder and a s/s cut off blade, no passers by took any notice . 
As for busy area , my gf had her lock cut off it 
was chained to the entrance railings outside Chiswick Town Hall , the Tw—st will get them if they want , 
There is a big push in London for alternative commuting , they are going to spend millions apparently on cycle lanes etc , security is seemingly not high on the list for those in a similar situation to your Lad ,


----------



## gasinayr (9 Jul 2020)

icowden said:


> https://betterbankside.co.uk/services/bankside-secure-cycle-park





Blue Hills said:


> Really sorry to hear this.
> I don't think you ever told us what the bike was.
> Can we ask what it was?
> Frame material?
> ...


Bike is a Trek Marlin 5, Alloy frame, 6 weeks old, £400.00, Islington to Bankside approx 5 mls.


----------



## vickster (9 Jul 2020)

is it insured?


----------



## cambsno (9 Jul 2020)

Sadly thats the problem with nice bikes - For a 5 min bike ride I would simply use an old banger and a cheap lock. 

The other issue is not the lock but what you attach to. On our guided busway you are stupid to leave a bike worth more than £100 there as they just saw through the things you attach the bike too - then in the privacy of a unit they can take off locks attached.


----------



## Dec66 (9 Jul 2020)

gasinayr said:


> What other precautions do some of you do when leaving your bike locked up in london.
> My son who works in London is going to start commuting when he starts work after lockdown
> He has a good D lock with extension cable to loop round wheels and frame and we have changed the seat clamp from QR to allen key I have also looped a strip of metal through the seat rails and attached it onto the pannier rack so tools required to remove seat
> Any other ideas ?


I don't really have a problem as I have secure work parking, but if I need to leave it anywhere else, tips which other have touched on:

* Take your pub bike
* Use 2 good quality D locks
* Secure your saddle through the rails if possible
* Take any panniers or saddle bags with you.


----------



## Blue Hills (9 Jul 2020)

gasinayr said:


> Bike is a Trek Marlin 5, Alloy frame, 6 weeks old, £400.00, Islington to Bankside approx 5 mls.


ah.
Not mega expensive but it's new-ness may well have attracted thieves.
Also from a quick search it seems to have suspension.
Not needed for London and I think any clever looking bit might attract folk, especially if new.

Unless insurance causes complications with the choice of replacement I'd go I think for a second hand steel hybrid.
7 to 9 speed will be fine, no more.
Cable rim brakes.
In time more can be spent on good wheels - not as noticable as clever bits, as long as they have no branding.

And maintain the bike yourself (himself) - then no reason why it shouldn't run nicer than the Marlin.


----------



## Blue Hills (9 Jul 2020)

cambsno said:


> Sadly thats the problem with nice bikes - For a 5 min bike ride I would simply use an old banger and a cheap lock.
> 
> The other issue is not the lock but what you attach to. On our guided busway you are stupid to leave a bike worth more than £100 there as they just saw through the things you attach the bike too - then in the privacy of a unit they can take off locks attached.


5 miles, not 5 minutes but i accept your general drift.


----------



## gasinayr (9 Jul 2020)

Son has no cycle mantainece know how. That is why he went for that type of bike, an old klunker would be no good for him


----------



## vickster (9 Jul 2020)

Blue Hills said:


> ah.
> Not mega expensive but it's new-ness may well have attracted thieves.
> Also from a quick search it seems to have suspension.
> Not needed for London and I think any clever looking bit might attract folk, especially if new.
> ...


Islington to Bankside...cheap single speed perfect!


----------



## Blue Hills (9 Jul 2020)

gasinayr said:


> Son has no cycle mantainece know how. That is why he went for that type of bike, an old klunker would be no good for him


I'm not suggesting a "clunker" which suggests something terrible to ride. I consider most cheaper suspension systems a fast track to the big clunk. Bike maintenance and fixing isn't complicated. Know anyone who could help him with basic sorting out? With a mere 5 mile ride everything wouldn't need to be made perfect immediately. If your son doesn't want to do any maintenance he would probably have trashed that bike soonish anyway, turning it into a "clunker" in no time.


----------



## Blue Hills (9 Jul 2020)

vickster said:


> Islington to Bankside...cheap single speed perfect!


True. Didn't realise it was a trip from islington.
Not too much of a climb.
Single speed might seem trendy though.


----------



## vickster (9 Jul 2020)

Blue Hills said:


> True. Didn't realise it was a trip from islington.
> Not too much of a climb.
> Single speed might seem trendy though.


Not a beat up no name one, and won’t have maintenance issues


----------



## CXRAndy (9 Jul 2020)

All cities have a huge number of scumbags who will steal anything, using whatever means to secure it. If you take parts off then they will just take other parts off. Only way is to have a out of sight secure locked location within work building


----------



## gasinayr (10 Jul 2020)

vickster said:


> Islington to Bankside...cheap single speed perfect!


On days off, he has started cycling further afield with friends so single speed no use.


----------



## Blue Hills (10 Jul 2020)

gasinayr said:


> On days off, he has started cycling further afield with friends so single speed no use.


Good sign.
Buy him the park big blue book of bicycle maintenance and a couple of pots of grease etc.
Plenty of good advice will be available on here for sorting any niggles.


----------



## vickster (10 Jul 2020)

gasinayr said:


> On days off, he has started cycling further afield with friends so single speed no use.


Can he get a SS clunker for commuting and high risk workday parking and the nice bike for the longer rides?


----------



## gasinayr (10 Jul 2020)

vickster said:


> Can he get a SS clunker for commuting and high risk workday parking and the nice bike for the longer rides?


Storage is a factor, no room for storing two bikes, hard enough storing one !


----------



## vickster (10 Jul 2020)

Hopefully he can get the secure storage at work


----------



## SkipdiverJohn (10 Jul 2020)

gasinayr said:


> Son has no cycle mantainece know how. That is why he went for that type of bike, an old klunker would be no good for him



It's time he learned those skills then. An old rat bike is the ideal thing to learn on, as it will probably need tweaking to make it work properly and it won't have fragile high cost lightweight parts that are easily damaged by the ham-fisted mechanic.
Drag something out of a skip, get spannering DIY, and forget about bike theft problems. The cost of opening and replacing the damaged D-lock will have been more that the cost of acquiring a functional rat bike. It's just not worth the hassle of commuting on anything that is worth enough secondhand to pay for a drug purchase, because that's what a lot of street crime is funding.


----------



## avecReynolds531 (10 Jul 2020)

Sorry to hear of the damage & hassle.

Here is the bike I used in London for commuting, shopping & seeing friends, events etc... I thankfully had no problems at all, _even _with the one (& only!) time I forgot to lock it up. Abus Granite D locks have been good for us.

It's a Trekking bike: a peculiar niche of European bike - half MTB, half upright roadster & dynamo lighting. What helps is it's hideously ugly in any case, and extra hi viz highlights & tape that inevitably become scruffy don't hurt either.

They are deeply unfashionable yet versatile - I use it for pretty much any cycling, including touring, off road, and faster training rides to push fitness. I should say that it's been brilliantly reliable and tough.

Maybe I was lucky, but I reckon this kind of bike is a option for someone in London: that ugly confused mix of what it is & unpopularity in the UK, meant the public & thieves left mine alone.

Don't get discouraged & hope you get a good result!


----------



## SkipdiverJohn (10 Jul 2020)

Shiny paint and bling is mainly what makes bikes easy to resell quickly. If a thief can nick a £400 or £500 bike in five minutes and flog it for £100 in cash an hour later they'll keep doing that all the time the supply of shiny bikes is there to take. Crappy brushed on paint jobs and reflective tape plastered all over the frame tubes make them unattractive and too distinctive.


----------



## Blue Hills (10 Jul 2020)

With regard to shiny paint, the paint jobs on those older bikes is often far far superior to the modern jobs. May be shiny shiny but often very easily scratched pretty much to the steel. My £1,500 hewitt scratches from an unkind look. My old 90s hybrids may have lots of micro scratches but more like a patina - steel still well covered.


----------



## SkipdiverJohn (10 Jul 2020)

I've always been impressed with Raleigh's paint from the late 80's and 90's. Very tough and the colours have held up well to light exposure considering the age.
On a commuting or pub hack though, a decent paint finish is NOT a desirable attribute. Really you want it to look very dull and unappealing, so the bike blends into the background of where it is parked and in no way stands out and catches the eye. Dings and chips and rust spots are a bonus. If it catches the eye of other cyclists, it will also catch the eye of the rogues out there looking for stuff to nick..


----------



## vickster (10 Jul 2020)

The issue is the OP only has room for one bike for commuting and leisure and wants a nice modern bike to go out with friends. Tough one.
Is a Less space hungry n+1 folder out of the question for the commute? Although going to be another few hundred minimum


----------



## SkipdiverJohn (10 Jul 2020)

Might as well just regard this one as a hack bike from now on. The frame damage from the attempted theft has destroyed any secondhand value it had prior to that. Even though it's only a few weeks old it's worth bugger all. Take the decals off it or give it a quick rattle can paint job to hide exactly what it is.


----------



## vickster (10 Jul 2020)

True dat


----------



## icowden (10 Jul 2020)

gasinayr said:


> It.s a bit worse than I was told last night, wrecked the top tube trying to get lock off. Rode it home last night and seems ok but taking it in to Evans for a safety check just in case. Boss is now letting him park in shop and E mailing building owners for use of underground parking space. A bit late now !



At least its a start. Given the amount of cycling now, the underground car park seems like the best place to create a secure bike storage.


----------



## SkipdiverJohn (11 Jul 2020)

ozboz said:


> View attachment 534910
> 
> 
> Not the best deterrent, this is in a gym car park



I reckon that's in Kew Bridge Road, up near the Chiswick Roundabout. if so, that front wheel has been there for ages, at least a couple of months if not longer. I've been past it loads of times. You pay the price in London for locking only your wheel and not the frame - no bike when you come back!


----------



## Blue Hills (11 Jul 2020)

SkipdiverJohn said:


> I reckon that's in Kew Bridge Road, up near the Chiswick Roundabout. if so, that front wheel has been there for ages, at least a couple of months if not longer. I've been past it loads of times. You pay the price in London for locking only your wheel and not the frame - no bike when you come back!


Cripes. If true, nothing escapes the cchat collective


----------



## ColinJ (11 Jul 2020)

Blue Hills said:


> Cripes. If true, nothing escapes the cchat collective


He has been eyeing it up for his next bike recycling project...


----------



## newfhouse (11 Jul 2020)

Don't lock your bike like this...




The horizontal bar is on the other side of the glass, inside the shop.


----------



## gasinayr (13 Jul 2020)

Son just phoned, building manager told his boss that he has it on CCTV and has been advised to hand it to police, Not that will do anything.
Stars on film are 4 ( as we call them in Scotland ) "Jakies" that look like they are sharing one brain between the 4 of them.


----------



## icowden (16 Jul 2020)

If you are lucky, those "jakies" will be already known to the Police, and if they want to get those stats up...


----------



## gasinayr (16 Jul 2020)

icowden said:


> If you are lucky, those "jakies" will be already known to the Police, and if they want to get those stats up...


Yes, the CC footage has been passed to the beat cops for that area, so we will wait and see what happens


----------



## gasinayr (3 Aug 2020)

Son was asked to go to police station today to give a statement, seems the Jakies are known to police and he might get some compensation if they are taken to court. While he was at police station he got a call from work advising that a clients bike had just been stolen from same bike rack he had used.


----------



## Oldhippy (29 Aug 2020)

In cities like London if I can't see my bike when locked I don't need to go there.


----------



## SkipdiverJohn (29 Aug 2020)

Oldhippy said:


> In cities like London if I can't see my bike when locked I don't need to go there.



The majority of the time when I leave a bike unattended I am less than a hundred yards away from it, but I rarely have a constant clear line of sight to it. TBH, I also have better things to do with my time when out and about than being on constant high alert bike watch. If nothing else, it's very tedious and distracting from the activity I actually went out to do in the first place. Peace of mind is worthless hack flavoured when it comes to urban utility cycling.


----------



## Blue Hills (29 Aug 2020)

Oldhippy said:


> In cities like London if I can't see my bike when locked I don't need to go there.


what's your bike?


----------



## kennycl (29 Aug 2020)

Having read all this I know why bike insurance is so expensive now....


----------



## SkipdiverJohn (29 Aug 2020)

kennycl said:


> Having read all this I know why bike insurance is so expensive now....



Bike insurance is expensive because generally the only people who bother to have it are the ones who own expensive bikes and insist on using them in high risk locations. That means the whole insurance risk pool is dodgy and is not diluted by having a large number of insured low-value, low theft risk bikes. i suspect there's also a disproportionate amount of bike insurance fraud being perpetrated compared with motor or household domestic claims.


----------



## classic33 (29 Aug 2020)

SkipdiverJohn said:


> Bike insurance is expensive because generally the only people who bother to have it are the ones who own expensive bikes and insist on using them in high risk locations. That means the whole insurance risk pool is dodgy and is not diluted by having a large number of insured low-value, low theft risk bikes. i suspect there's also a disproportionate amount of bike insurance fraud being perpetrated compared with motor or household domestic claims.


And some folk only have one bike, so why not get the best they can afford?Storage space, at home, can be a limiting factor as well. 

Why this constant dragging down of people who buy expensive bikes, especially if it's their only bike.


----------



## Oldhippy (30 Aug 2020)

It's a Rayleigh Royal I got new and had for years upgrading as I went along. It does all I need it to and more.


----------



## Blue Hills (30 Aug 2020)

Oldhippy said:


> It's a Rayleigh Royal I got new and had for years upgrading as I went along. It does all I need it to and more.


I'd leave that suitably locked in a suitable place in london, or get a second bike for locking if possible. Plenty of things to be doing in town(at least outside this hell) and can't be cramping your style with having to bikesit.


----------



## SkipdiverJohn (30 Aug 2020)

classic33 said:


> And some folk only have one bike, so why not get the best they can afford?



No-one is forced to only have one bike no matter how tight your storage space is. A cheap hack can always live outside, even on the street chained to a railing or lamp post if you haven't got a garden. Two of mine are currently locked up in the garden, with carrier bags over the saddles. The chains get a quick squirt of lube before being ridden and that's all they need.
Even if you only have one bike, why the need for it to be an expensive one? Plenty of people only have one car, and they aren't all Rolls-Royces. There's absolutely nothing wrong with only having cheap bikes, cheap cars, cheap phones, cheap jeans or cheap anything else - so long as the item is functional and fit for purpose.


----------



## rivers (30 Aug 2020)

SkipdiverJohn said:


> No-one is forced to only have one bike no matter how tight your storage space is. A cheap hack can always live outside, even on the street chained to a railing or lamp post if you haven't got a garden. Two of mine are currently locked up in the garden, with carrier bags over the saddles. The chains get a quick squirt of lube before being ridden and that's all they need.
> Even if you only have one bike, why the need for it to be an expensive one? Plenty of people only have one car, and they aren't all Rolls-Royces. There's absolutely nothing wrong with only having cheap bikes, cheap cars, cheap phones, cheap jeans or cheap anything else - so long as the item is functional and fit for purpose.



I wouldn't lock up a bike I paid £10 for in my neighbourhood. It wouldn't be there in the morning. And that's the sad reality of many places in the UK.


----------



## Blue Hills (30 Aug 2020)

rivers said:


> I wouldn't lock up a bike I paid £10 for in my neighbourhood. It wouldn't be there in the morning. And that's the sad reality of many places in the UK.


During the day?
I wouldn't generally leave a bike overnight anywhere.


----------



## rivers (30 Aug 2020)

Blue Hills said:


> During the day?
> I wouldn't generally leave a bike overnight anywhere.


I was responding to skipdiver john's quote "A cheap hack can always live outside, even on the street chained to a railing or lamp post if you haven't got a garden. " I couldn't even leave a cheap bike outside for much over half a day where I live. Even during the day, it would be gone.


----------



## classic33 (30 Aug 2020)

rivers said:


> I was responding to skipdiver john's quote "A cheap hack can always live outside, even on the street chained to a railing or lamp post if you haven't got a garden. " I couldn't even leave a cheap bike outside for much over half a day where I live. Even during the day, it would be gone.


You'd have another one handy though!

Which is the wrong attitude, my opinion, as the other could be at home. Leaving you to find alternate means of getting home.


----------



## icowden (30 Aug 2020)

There is no holy grail of parking other than finding a secure car park. Came out of the science museum today and walked up to prince consort road. There was a black BMW with back and side windows smashed in cos someone saw bags in the car. And that's in a busy area. It looked like they had been chased off, but someone is returning to a shock. 

Same thing with bikes. If you leave a nice bike locked up for a period of time in that there london some scrote or other is going to have a go at liberating it. Or the parts that it is made of.


----------



## Paulus (31 Aug 2020)

Some years back, my neighbour gave me his Raleigh Pioneer, it was in reasonable nick, but I took the time to age it and distress it as it was going to be my hack to the station most days. It lasted two days. The D lock was cut off and left on the floor.
Having an old rat bike to leave around is no deterant to a scroat who wants a few quid.


----------



## SkipdiverJohn (31 Aug 2020)

Paulus said:


> It lasted two days. The D lock was cut off and left on the floor. Having an old rat bike to leave around is no deterant to a scroat who wants a few quid.



I wouldn't be too happy at losing my hack Pioneer either, as they are good bikes. However, if you are going to lose a bike, it's better to have a £50 one nicked rather than a £2k one. One is just irritating and can be recouped by foregoing a night out on the beer, the other is a significant financial loss.


----------



## ColinJ (31 Aug 2020)

SkipdiverJohn said:


> I wouldn't be too happy at losing my hack Pioneer either, as they are good bikes. However, if you are going to lose a bike, it's better to have a £50 one nicked rather than a £2k one. One is just irritating and can be recouped by foregoing a night out on the beer, the other is a significant financial loss.


You spend £50 a night at the pub...? 

I gave up boozing once I didn't get change out of £10 for 3 pints! 

PS I feel the same way about my DIY singlespeed bike. It has cost me less than £100 for thousands of miles of use and I would be upset for something to happen to it, but rather that than my best bike which cost me the best part of £2,000 16 or 17 years ago. I could probably get an equally good bike now for a smidge over £1,000, but I can't afford even that now.


----------



## SkipdiverJohn (31 Aug 2020)

ColinJ said:


> You spend £50 a night at the pub...?
> I gave up boozing once I didn't get change out of £10 for 3 pints!



Generally, as I usually patronise a 'spoons and I drink real beer not fizzy lager, my beer bill tends to be pretty modest. £50 will last me all week. However, its not hard to get through £50 on a single night out if I'm socialising in central London and I include the cost of my tube fares. That tends to be special occasions like someone's birthday, not a quiet pint for relaxation.


----------



## gasinayr (13 Sep 2020)

Spot of good news, the scum that tried stealing my son's bike have been charged by the police and he got a call advising that he will most likely get compensation for damage to his bike.


----------



## gasinayr (15 Oct 2020)

More good news, cycling to work today son got stopped by the police who asked if he would like his bike " Bike registered " free of charge. No thanks I already have that, they checked his bike on national database, checked out ok.
Arrived at work to find workmen installing bike racks directly outside the shop where he works, it seems him jumping up and down and sending a letter to the mayor has worked


----------



## Etern4l (15 Feb 2022)

gasinayr said:


> More good news, cycling to work today son got stopped by the police who asked if he would like his bike " Bike registered " free of charge. No thanks I already have that, they checked his bike on national database, checked out ok.
> Arrived at work to find workmen installing bike racks directly outside the shop where he works, it seems him jumping up and down and sending a letter to the mayor has worked



Where do you live? Cayman Islands? 

What's the national database and how does one register?


----------



## Ming the Merciless (15 Feb 2022)

gasinayr said:


> More good news, cycling to work today son got stopped by the police who asked if he would like his bike " Bike registered " free of charge. No thanks I already have that, they checked his bike on national database, checked out ok.
> Arrived at work to find workmen installing bike racks directly outside the shop where he works, it seems him jumping up and down and sending a letter to the mayor has worked



Taking away car parking spaces for bike parking outside shops here. Easily park 6 bikes for one car. Win win.


----------



## gasinayr (18 Feb 2022)

Etern4l said:


> Where do you live? Cayman Islands?
> 
> What's the national database and how does one register?


Get a registration pack from Halfords £12.00 follow the instructions in the pack Job Done


----------



## Etern4l (18 Feb 2022)

gasinayr said:


> Get a registration pack from Halfords £12.00 follow the instructions in the pack Job Done



Thanks, found it. It's basically a QR code sticker... I guess that's better than nothing, but barely so.
The £30 kit is a bit better, would force them to respray the bike. I guess either option might deter the most basic opportunistic thief, if they even notice the sticker.


----------



## EgonHerts (24 Apr 2022)

I used to use a bike worth about £20 and a motorbike lock worth £50, before lockdown Sadly it's london so at some point the bike will get nicked or stripped.


----------



## vickster (24 Apr 2022)

Etern4l said:


> Thanks, found it. It's basically a QR code sticker... I guess that's better than nothing, but barely so.
> The £30 kit is a bit better, would force them to respray the bike. I guess either option might deter the most basic opportunistic thief, if they even notice the sticker.



Police will mark the bike for free. look here for sessions
https://www.bikeregister.com/events


----------

