On Thursday, March 9, 2017 at 10:35:16 PM UTC-5, Frank Krygowski wrote:
Snipped

I have thought about that. There are four bikes I use for at least
occasional utility work. None of them look the least bit fashionable.

Although I remember one time my car needed new tires. As usual in such
cases, I threw my bike in the back, dropped the car off, and rode away
on the bike. I hate sitting in those waiting rooms.

When I returned, one young guy came out to look over the bike and remark
how cool it was. This is the one with the huge blue handlebar bag, hub
dyno & headlight, rear rack, fenders, and old steel frame. No
accounting for some people's taste!

And as long as I'm on the subject, the three speed I built out of a good
Reynolds frame plus my junk box parts once got the same attention. I
was in the post office after hours when someone came in and asked if
that was my bike outside. When I said yes, he plied me with questions
and gushed over the bike for at least five minutes. Turns out that, for
whatever reason, he just loves three speeds!

I don't think either of those guys would steal my bike, though.

--
- Frank Krygowski

Around here what garners a lot of attention and request to sell it to them is a decent cro-moly frame old school MTB convertted to drop bars. Seems that there are a LOT of peoople who want a decent quality non-suspension steel frame mtb for conversion to single speed. I've been asked many times if I'd be willing to sell the bike I'm riding and I've had a number of people give me a card with their phone # on it so that if i changed my mind I could tell them.

As far as theft of parts. I've only had one thing stolen since moving to this town 26 years ago and that was the entire bike (sans lock and helmet) that was stolen in broad daylight outside of a church where many people watched the person cut the lock and abscond with the bicycle. I've never had a part stolen off a bicycle.

In Toronto Canada when I was working as a security guard I was told about a bicycle theft group that stole bicycles by cutting off the locks with a disc cutter. One guy acted as if he was a lock smith and told the "customer" that he should be more careful with the keys. the "customer" would then give the "lock smith" the fee for cutting the lock. People went buy thinking it was a legitimate thing.

Locking a bicycle out of sight of others does give would be bicycle thief opportunity and time to work on removing parts or the lock unhindered by passerbys. If they know your bike is there that is. Don't kit yourselvers though. Some thieves will spot a bike they want and then wait weeks for it to return to that spot wheret hey are reay to steal it within minutes of it being left.

Cheers