rampant bike thieves

[suzybuzz.livejournal.com]

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.

Comments

[haptotrope.livejournal.com]

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.)

[suzybuzz.livejournal.com]

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

[ron_newman]

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

[haptotrope.livejournal.com]

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)