High profile brand = more security risk?

[PaulSecteur]

Hi,

Just been pondering this...

Even before I was into bikes I know that the names Specilaized and Giant were well known as being good brands, so I assume theives will too.

Untill I looked into cycling a bit more names like Planet X, Ribble and Eddy Merckx would have been as desirable as Appollo.

Now, Im not saying Appollo bikes never get stolen, but is there any evidence that the less well known brands of bikes are less of a theif magnet, assuming a suitable lock and precautions are taken?

 

[Moodyman]

Could work both ways.

Research shows that most thieves are opportunists and not especially knowledgeable in the product they're nicking. So they may overlook a Pinarello / Wilier and take a mid-range Giant.

But other thieves tend to nick to order. Their buyers may tell them what to look for.

Having said that, most people who ride Wiliers / Pinarellos will only do so on a weekend ride and the bike will be with them at all times. They're more likely to ride a less exotic bike if they need to leave it in a public space.

It's odd that my 11 year old Marin MTB with knobblies gets more praise from non-cyclists than my new chromoly flat bar road bike with a mudguards and rack. I use the Marin as my local hack whereas the other is a commuter and longer distance bike

 

[summerdays]

Whilst the scrotes don't care what bikes they nick ... they do stand out more if they ride one of them afterwards, when they are riding them on the pavement next to a non busy road - and you assume that it isn't the original owner of the bike. (They often don't know how to lower the saddles either it seems and either ride with it too high for them or just never sit on the saddle.)

 

[02GF74]

hmmmm interesting. for sure any bike that is shiney and clean is going to attract the attention of the theiveing scrotes.

a top bike from one of the top manufacturers is less common so is probalby harder to sell due to being more recognisable. ... but then those type of bikes aren't going to be left chained outside luton train station.

 

[BSRU]

From experience the bike thieves will still cheap bikes in order to be used as transport to steal expensive bikes.