davis_square | rampant bike thieves

Entry tags:

bicycle,
crime

rampant bike thieves

There are some serious bike thieves on or around Willow Avenue.

After parking my bike in front of the house for a year, nothing happened until last week, when someone stole my wheel. It was an old Trek, and time for an upgrade anyway, but still really annoying.

So then I got a newer bike from Craigslist. I bought a cable, which I've wrapped through my wheels in addition to the U Lock I was already using. At night I brought the bike inside EVERY night but Saturday. Saturday the downpour was so bad, and I was busy, so I flaked on bringing the bike inside.

Sunday I was ready to ride my bike to the Union Square flea market, only to discover that the seat was missing.

I understand now that I will ALWAYS have to park my bike inside at night. But I find it ironic that after living on Columbia St. in Cambridge for 4 years (an area where people shook their heads in dismay upon me telling them I lived "across from the projects"), the worst theft has happened right here on friendly Willow.

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Just out of curiosity (and to gauge the value of my own level of paranoia with regards to my bike) was this a quick-release bike seat?

I had a quick release seat stolen at Alewife. I bought this - http://www.saveyourseatlock.com/

Ooh. That's handy! I wonder if I could get one for my wheel...

they offered me a seat lock but it has a combination and it would mean i'd use 3 locks for my bike! seems ridiculous. i'm definitely going to bring it inside at night from now on. but the problem is, as you said, it's not really fair to my roommates (and we don't have a good storage space for bikes).

there is a secret methodology of looping the lock around a rear-triangle/toptube, and hooking it through the rails that hold the seat.

Then you don't have to mess with it to have it be secured.

Also make your bike look as crappy as possible. Lots of stickers, wierd paint job, and include a piece of paper with your name/phone number in each of the wheels (so that if you get a flat and they take it to a shop, they will call you -- because they will have your number when they pull the tube out.)

these are great ideas, especially re: putting my name and number inside the wheels

I never thought of that! Cool idea. But do people really take flats to bike shops instead of patching or replacing the tubes themselves?

Go to your local bike place and ask them how many flats they fix in a day.

Hell, I know how to do it, but sometimes I'd just rather not be bothered, or sometimes don't carry a patch kit, and tools at all times, or sometimes am just plumb lazy, and sometimes I want to support my local economy... (inevitably I will also buy tons of other bike crap when I'm there)

What is the purpose of a quick-release seat?

Now, now, I call foul, using logic!

so that you can take off the seat when you park the bike, and bring it inside with you. (it sounds ironic, but I'm serious.)

But why would I ever want to do that?

so that someone doesn't steal it!

to adjust it slightly sans tools.

like when I wear heels, or thick boots.

To adjust seat-height for different riders. For example, the other guy who rides the Redbones delivery bike likes having the seat A LOT lower than I do. So when I come in after he's done a shift, I always need to adjust it back up to maximum height.

yes, it was quick release. my bike is at wheelworks now having a non quick release seat installed. the bike guy said even if i bring my seat inside with me, that can pose a threat to the bike if it rains b/c it will get tons of water inside it.

wheelworks also told me to NEVER EVER park at the bike racks behind Davis Square. they said it's much better to park in front of a store b/c thieves won't know if you'll be coming out at any second. whereas with a rack by the T, they assume you're gone for the day.

Just based on the number of people I've seen post here about bicycles (and bicycle accessories) being stolen from that rack, I'd say that's probably sound advice.

Still, it's tempting to use those racks because a) space is always plentiful on them, b) they're easy to lock to, and c) they're right next to the train. Rather than just having Somervillians avoid the racks, I'd LOVE to see the city and the MBTA do something to make the racks a safe place for people to put their bicycles. Perhaps by adding a single conspicuously placed closed-circuit video camera or something?

yeah... a video camera may work, but in terms of the psychology of theft, people are less likely to steal locked bikes in front of stores b/c they don't know when you're returning. i feel like by the time video footage is caught, the bike is already gone. i use my bike constantly so obviously i'd rather it just not get stolen than try to track down the thief afterwards. but yes, a video camera would be better than nothing.

I'd think it would act as a deterrent more than anything. Especially if it actually resulted in a few arrests. I figure if a thief has to choose between a place where his act might be caught on tape and one where it probably won't, they'll choose the latter if it's otherwise a tossup.

good point. awhile ago on this site someone posted about recruiting young reps for the Somerville City Council to showcase the issues which concern us. maybe we could find out who is going to those meetings and broach the video camera subject.

That is presupposing that the thief has brains to begin with...

(no subject)

suzybuzz.livejournal.com - 2008-09-08 23:32 (UTC) - Expand

I saw a bike on Willow Ave. a couple of days ago that had the seat lying on the sidewalk right next to the bike. Maybe someone just pulled the seat off for a prank, and then someone else took the seat?

ha interesting! the post was gone too. i live down by Powderhouse, is that where you saw it?

No, I saw it on Willow Avenue (maybe across from the Brown School, or in that general area). If I recall correctly, the seat was on the post on the ground, separate from the bicycle. The bike was locked up.

mnnn, i live right by the Brown School but on the other side.