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Islington - how saf...
 

[Closed] Islington - how safe is my bike?

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[#3630018]

Locked up behind the Holiday Inn. Feeling a little nervous.. it's my battered base model Kona Dew and the lock is a chunky silver rated Abus one. But still..


 
Posted : 31/01/2012 10:46 pm
 TimP
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It should be fine as long as you are on it and cycling...


 
Posted : 31/01/2012 10:47 pm
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Well it's good as gone innit now that you have told everybody ๐Ÿ™‚

http://maps.google.com/maps?hl=en-US&ll=51.537582,-0.104447&spn=0.055095,0.169086&t=h&z=13


 
Posted : 31/01/2012 10:48 pm
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It's north of the Parks.

Best prepare for the worst.

๐Ÿ˜‰


 
Posted : 31/01/2012 10:49 pm
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I live in Islington. Can you see me? :waves:
In my experience it will be ok if:
1) it's not got a crappy cable lock on - kids, the typical bike theives round here are armed with bolt croppers
2) it's not daylight - past the theives bed time/ their stoned by now/ playing XBOX
3) it's raining or cold outside - kids don't like the cold/ rain
If you're unlucky they might pinch a wheel or two, or your lights, just because they can.
If you can't tell, most of the bike theives round here are kids - they nick bikes for money from the older kids who sell them on to drug dealers, who sell them somewhere else.


 
Posted : 31/01/2012 10:55 pm
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Right.. that's good info thanks ๐Ÿ™‚ It's got full mudguards and a rack, so hopefully that will put the kids off somewhat.... Lights are off, I will go down and put the front wheel in the lock shortly.

I just went to an Indian restaurant called the Mint Leaf on City Road - it was lovely.


 
Posted : 31/01/2012 10:58 pm
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I'm a police officer in Islington (for another 2 weeks). It's doooooooomed!


 
Posted : 31/01/2012 11:01 pm
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@brakes

Waves back ๐Ÿ™‚


 
Posted : 31/01/2012 11:01 pm
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only a silver rated lock? I'd bring it inside.


 
Posted : 31/01/2012 11:04 pm
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Anyone got a pair of bolt croppers I could borrow? And an oyster card...


 
Posted : 31/01/2012 11:16 pm
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I might need that oyster card later in the week.

I'm considering bringing it in the hotel room but I'm terrified of being told off by the desk guy.


 
Posted : 31/01/2012 11:17 pm
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put it in the hotel room.


 
Posted : 31/01/2012 11:19 pm
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take it inside


 
Posted : 31/01/2012 11:20 pm
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I'm considering bringing it in the hotel room but I'm terrified of being told off by the desk guy.

Bin bags, odd shaped parcel (I tend to take a bike bag for that reason when staying in hotels).


 
Posted : 31/01/2012 11:29 pm
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I am using it as transport.. can't carry a bike bag on a bike sadly ๐Ÿ™‚


 
Posted : 31/01/2012 11:31 pm
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FFS MTFU, and inform the counter bloke you are bringing it in. Do it in a Michael Douglas/Falling Down style. I doubt he'll ever bother you again

Be sure to freak him out by attempting to order room service for you both


 
Posted : 31/01/2012 11:33 pm
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what is more terrifying, talking reasonably to a desk bloke, or going out to find a bike missing in the morning?

personally I'd just insist that the bike is going in your room and let him have a strop.


 
Posted : 31/01/2012 11:34 pm
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can't carry a bike bag on a bike sadly

I have - though it depends what your bag is like - mine's unpadded - and how much other stuff you have.


 
Posted : 31/01/2012 11:34 pm
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I have a week's worth of clothes, smart and casual.. panniers are full.

Although.. I am imagining some kind of bike bag with slots underneath for wheels so you could ride it whilst it's still in the bag


 
Posted : 31/01/2012 11:35 pm
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Going downstairs shortly, I will let you know how I get on...


 
Posted : 31/01/2012 11:36 pm
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take a wheel or two off and put wheels into room?

looks likes its already been had....


 
Posted : 31/01/2012 11:40 pm
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Didn't realise you were leaving it outside overnight.
I wouldn't. Seriously.
Not sure where the Holiday Inn Islington is, but if it's where I think you mean, then it's not worth the risk. It might not get pinched with a decent lock, but people might kick the wheels in and/ or strip parts off it.

take a wheel or two off and put into room?

bad idea, people will think it's been abandoned and will strip the frame bare.


 
Posted : 31/01/2012 11:40 pm
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Just take it in the hotel if worried - I would. I have put the tandem in loads of hotels - just ask them for somewhere when you check in.


 
Posted : 31/01/2012 11:41 pm
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ride it through the lobby and into the lift.


 
Posted : 31/01/2012 11:47 pm
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Take the wheels of and take them in then try and take the frame in if not just keep the wheels in your room safest way to avoid a loss


 
Posted : 31/01/2012 11:59 pm
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[url= http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7147/6798184343_03e6b373a5.jp g" target="_blank">http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7147/6798184343_03e6b373a5.jp g"/> [/img][/url]
[url= http://www.flickr.com/photos/11569254@N06/6798184343/ ]Double room with bike[/url] by [url= http://www.flickr.com/people/11569254@N06/ ]molgrips[/url], on Flickr


 
Posted : 01/02/2012 12:00 am
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*pleased*


 
Posted : 01/02/2012 12:01 am
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Now lock it - you are in Islington


 
Posted : 01/02/2012 12:03 am
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No-one said anything, and the lift is plenty big enough for a bike unlike the Canning Town one.


 
Posted : 01/02/2012 12:04 am
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Oh god!

[url= http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/1569272/Man-who-had-sex-with-bicycle-sentenced.html ]Man who had sex with bicycle in hotel room arrested[/url]


 
Posted : 01/02/2012 12:08 am
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good job. I would have offered it a place next to our bikes in the living room rather than leaving it out all night.

*waves at molgrips, brakes and redthunder*


 
Posted : 01/02/2012 12:11 am
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have they designed the decor so the only time you spend in the room is when you have your eyes closed?


 
Posted : 01/02/2012 12:11 am
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Well you know these business trips are lonely.

And my faithful bike is sitting over there.. looking at me... you know, I never really noticed before how the led ceiling lights pick out the welds in her seat tube cluster...


 
Posted : 01/02/2012 12:12 am
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I'll look up the Mint Leaf too. Ta!

Edit: eurg! I feel dirty, crossing posts with that.

"crossing posts"? eurgh again!


 
Posted : 01/02/2012 12:12 am
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Thanks ned.

What are people doing tomorrow night then? ๐Ÿ™‚ No-one on the bike forum was interesed in my monopoly board bike ride idea.

The room and in fact the whole hotel is quite decent actually. Well, the hallways are a bit violent chromatically speaking.


 
Posted : 01/02/2012 12:13 am
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Man who had sex with bicycle in hotel room arrested

Good god! news travels fast - Mol has only had the bike in his room for 8 minutes ๐Ÿ™‚


 
Posted : 01/02/2012 12:13 am
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Rad downstairs action tomorrow - with vid please !!


 
Posted : 01/02/2012 12:13 am
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Good work.

Hotels are perfect places for doing a bit of cleaning and maintenance work too - no need to explain why there's black grease marks in the bath...


 
Posted : 01/02/2012 12:15 am
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Tempting.. the wheelbase is awfully short though with these 700c wheels.

Simon - it's the commuter. It doesn't get cleaning and maintenance ๐Ÿ™‚


 
Posted : 01/02/2012 12:15 am
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have they designed the decor so the only time you spend in the room is when you have your eyes closed?

No - it's to hide the tyre marks.


 
Posted : 01/02/2012 12:58 am
 aP
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Bikes stay inside, the staff won't care either way.
So, you'll be wanting a pint tomorrow night then?
'specially as my SO is probably pulling an all nighter tomorrow...


 
Posted : 01/02/2012 1:06 am
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When we were touring on the bikes in France, we were a bit worried about them, so asked if we could leave them in the bar of the hotel. The french are good like that and agreed it would be ok, but did insist on newspaper to catch any oil. Which is fair enough really as the bikes were a 1950's Harley chop, a 1935 BMWR12 and a 1950's Matchless special. ๐Ÿ™‚
Got a good photo of that I'll dig out somewhere.


 
Posted : 01/02/2012 4:49 am
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Ex-Islingtonian here: good thing you brought it in. Gone in 60 Seconds otherwise. Some kids will steal unsecured bikes as a matter of principle even if they didn't really want it.


 
Posted : 01/02/2012 5:45 am
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Glad it's safe. We arrest dozens a week with stolen bikes in Islington. Shame owners rarely note down frame numbers or give a decent description of parts etc. I recommend registering on immobilise.com as it makes it much easier to find you when we find your bike. I had a very well known local scrote on a Santa Cruz Heckler the other week. I've been trying for weeks to find the owner but no luck. Very frustrating.


 
Posted : 01/02/2012 10:09 am
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aP and others - yes sharing food/drink would be welcome - naff all else to do travelling for work otherwise ๐Ÿ™‚

Email in profile.


 
Posted : 01/02/2012 11:15 am
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