Indeed. But I doubt someone's going to go to to much trouble to try and have it off. A decent lock will do the trick.
My 'proper' bikes would justify nipping home for an angle grinder, which is why they don't get ridden to the pub. The P7 doesn't really. Given that most thieves are just opportunists I'm sure their are richer pickings to be had for little effort
Talking of Roadrat's
This was the other end of my london commute. 5 miles from home to sleepy Haddenham station in Bucks. It was a lovely thing, spent way too much on it, but was always happy when it was still in the bike shed when I got home!
I'd ride to the pub now (on my Vibe eBike) but I can't believe I used to commute into London every day!
I had an old kona singlespeed at work for running lunchtime errands on, leaky old fox forks, orange plastic pedals and carrier bag covered seat, but when they had a clear out of abandoned bikes on the sheds they took mine as well cos it looked so shit! Will never forgive site and facilities, barbarians.
Mrs BigJohn and I rode our pub bikes into town one Saturday evening in the summer. I was locking them up when a disreputable type walked past, looked at what I was doing and said "why are you bothering locking them up?"
I guess they serve their purpose spot on.
Yes they look crap (mines a 1960s rusty road bike with bullhorns and fixed wheel and mudguards, hers is an odd 1980s German ladies bike) but they both ride beautifully.
Talking of Roadrat’s
@Alex, that's the same year model as Mrs a11y's although hers has discs rather than V-brakes. I'm covering over or removing all decals/branding to make it as anonymous as possible. ST decal is under the lacquer so I've got a roll of black vinyl to cover it up (keeping it all reversible rather than simply painting over it). Can't bring myself to prise off the headbadge though as I love the original Cotic one!
I'd love another like that as a hack/town bike.
@ally - good plan. I really liked mine, it was so flexy at the back in a good way! I think you could have run 130/135/142 by just bending the stays 🙂 I ran mine V as those wheels were a bargain, but it was the last bike I've owned not to have discs.
It's still trundling round Bucks somewhere as a mate had it off me, and he's still using it to commute to work occasionally 15 years later!
Oh and agree the old head badge/decals were way better than the new ones.
it was so flexy at the back in a good way!
@Alex not as 'flexy' as mine ended up (after a car drove over it...):
Mrs a11y's Roadrat's actually my first one after I bought a larger size (the dead one above). That was then replaced with a newer turquoise one for a while before my 'commuter' evolved somewhat.
If anyone has a large Roadrat frame to sell let me know.
I call mine the shoestring bike, because I can tie it up with a shoestring and it'll still be there when I'm back.
I've since swapped the seat out for something less old-ladyish, done a horrendous singlespeed bodge that works a charm, and added some garish homemade mudguards. I can take it to my gym or the pub and leave it unlocked and absolutely nobody will pinch it, because... well, look at it!
@ally 😳 - I hope you weren't on it at the time!
My pub bike is a Spa Steel Tourer. In better nick than my Surly tourer. Bought because I couldn't stand my Surly being stolen in Glasgow after everwhere it has been.
But not being a mtb it is probably less desirable. I did once see a thief eying it up while I was in the pub at the window. He pulled the lock - 6mm chain and padlock, realised it wasn't getting broken without tools then stole my front light. I was out the pub like Usain Bolt and got my light back
a local scumbag once stole my singlespeed onone pompetamine from the front garden, was gutted, later that day I’m walking to the shops and spot it leaning unlocked against a lampost - proper toe-rag/junky idiocy - even after they’ve nicked it they don’t want it - that’s my definition of a pub bike right there
This is mine. Frame found by the bins. Build from the spares pile
Theft =
zero to low financial loss
zero to low emotional loss
Basically if you get so hammered you forget it's there one night and it's gone the next day / week .. the story should have more value than the bike.
I have a P7 but it's definitely not a pub bike.
Actually have a mininging old FC Parkes that may actually be a rebadged Raleigh that is an ideal rat bike candidate. Just needs a spare SA 3 speed built onto a rim and some deep drop brakes and it'll be sorted. Maybe. It might also fall to pieces like the original steel rims did.
Anything that costs more than a few rental rides is not a rat bike.
For me, a proper rat bike should be an organic thing that just ends up that way over time.
Having said that, the only rat bike I own I built specially to be like that. Took ages to make something look crappy. More a parallel to the custom car rat look thing than an actual rat bike.
the story should have more value than the bike.
I like that.
I sold my pub bike when I moved somewhere close enough to walk to a pub 😂
It was the only bike I'd feel okay locking up anywhere, even then I'd still always use 2 locks. Was a Genesis fixed.
Can a rat bike start life as a BSO? Or does it have to be something that started off as decent quality and just looks like shite now?
zero to low emotional loss
hmm I’m torn on this - when my oo up there was taken I was annoyed - I liked the bike even though it was battered and worth £30 say - but if I replaced it with something out of a skip I’ve changed my ‘pub bike’ for a ‘piece of junk’ that I literally don’t care about so in a way it ceases to be a ‘pub bike’
Any bike can be a pub bike 😉
This is as far as it goes today, still got a stinking cold 😭
