After one of the threads on here, i’m curious… I’d like to do a survey of how many bikes you’ve had stolen and how they were secured.

I’d like to limit this to on the street parking away from the house (ie not in a garage, office, etc).

Was it
1) unlocked
2) locked by a cable
3) locked by a cheap <£40 U-lock
4) locked by a >£40 lock
5) locked by a multiple >£40 U-locks

Was
a) the whole bike stolen
b) wheels/components stolen

Was it left for

c) <10 min
d) >10 min <2 hours
e) >2 hours

I’ve had one nicked

2) locked by a cable
a) the whole bike stolen
d) >10 min <2 hours

I think it might be interesting what everyone else’s experience is

I was thinking of something similar. I also think it’d be useful to understand how bike thefts from home have happened. It’d be handy for us to understand what we’re up against when trying to secure our bikes at home or outside.

If you post that you’re bike has been stolen. It’d be useful if you could post what security you had in place and how it was defeated.

I’m sat here wondering it I’ve done enough or if I’m just been paranoid.

Only bike I’ve had stolen was from inside a car. The door was bent back so the door could be opened. Gone in 30 secs I reckon, just didn’t realise it was possible at the time.

Maybe slightly offtopic…

I had a bit of an ongoing argument with some of the guys from Cycling Plus a while back re their lock tests, because they were using methods that weren’t appropriate for quality locks- prybars, small hammers, hacksaws, pliars and the like. As a result, some pretty substandard locks got a good mark.

The response was that they’d set the test based on their conversations with the Met on what tools are actually used, and that almost all bikes were stolen with this sort of tool.

So the conclusion was, most bikes stolen have absolutely appalling locks, and that either few bikes are locked up properly, or those few that are tend to be bypassed because there’s so many easier targets. Like swimming with sharks, basically.

Anyway- I’m half-assed about security, never had a bike stolen.

also could you list your postcode?

the hours that you work?

and any neighbours that might be a bit nosey when i pop round with me mates?

FFS.

Not had one done for years, touch wood. Going back a bit:

Locked by a >£40 lock (smashed to fk), outside on work premises but in sight of Joe P., whole bike gone. Left all day.

Wife’s was stolen recently from a stair in an Edinburgh tenement.

Locked by a cheap cable lock (stair rod knocked out), whole bike gone, left for months.

Check out my earlier post today. Robbed yesterday 🙁

Was it
2) locked by a cable

Was
a) the whole bike stolen

Was it left for

e) >2 hours

It was an utter peice of crap as well i assumed they stole it for a laugh tbh I think i paid £15 for it [90’s] and it was mainly rust and at least half the components did not work and it was a racer
What were they thinking of?

twice, bike complete with huge steel wall mount and kryptonite new york lock. hacksawed off the garage wall and lifted out through roof panal.
shyte happens eh?

the only time i’ve ever had a bike nicked was when i was mugged at kentish town when i was 14. 🙁

Attempted theft from work.
Locked by a £40 Abus cable lock and a Kryptonite New York U lock
Left for > 2 hours

Cable lock was cropped through, U lock was barely marked and railings were almost cropped through in several places.

I . . . know . . . who . . . you . . . are 👿

Twice. Both locked with euro-style frame locks. The were nasty old things that lived outside 24/7.

fulbourne tesco’s in 1999
crappy cable lock
it was left there for about 5 mins
cctv wasnt turned on!?!?!?

once
Durham Locals pub railings
£300 Kona smoke (Black with Ano blue odi lockon collars if you see it!)
>2 hours in the dark
Cheepo combination cable lock that probably broke when the pulled on it!

How was it locked
5) locked by a multiple >£40 U-locks
D-Lock and a chain. The metal post that they were both locked to was cut through and I assume the bike taken with the locks still dangling off of it. No broken locks were left behind.

a) the whole bike stolen

Left for: e) >2 hours
Stolen from a garden building, could’ve been anytime over a couple of days. Garden has no direct rear access so thieves gained access via a neighbours garden.

Security has been tightened up considerably since this happened, once bitten…

also could you list your postcode?

the hours that you work?

and any neighbours that might be a bit nosey when i pop round with me mates?

FFS.

Tetchy!

4 (2 of them)
a
e
half-inched from a uni bike shed
all the police cared about was just giving me the piece of paper to give to the insurance co. 2 locks were probably worth more than the 2nd hand price of the bike.

most bikes stolen have absolutely appalling locks, and that either few bikes are locked up properly

here’s a fine example from the bikeshed at my old workplace.
https://twitter.com/naegears/status/269778079923183616/photo/1

Other favourite one was a bike with a U-Lock through the chain and the stand only (can’t remember if it had a quick link)…

My pub bike got pinched a few years ago, left it unlocked outside whilst I popped into a village shop for some milk. Found locked to a lampost outside a pub in town on my works. But somehow I knew I’d see it again, so I had the frame no and crime ref laminated inside my wallet.
Also, had a front wheel pinched when I had it locked in the trainstation for a 3 hours in the day. Now if I need to lock one of my good bikes, I have 2 D locks, rear wheel locked as per Sheldon Browns suggestion, front wheel locked to something solid, a cable lock running through both wheels and frame, a smaller lock running taught through the frame and looping through the saddle. Not gonna say anything more in case I curse myself.