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Making a College bike Inconspicuous?



 
 
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  #21  
Old September 8th 05, 06:21 AM
Werehatrack
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Default Making a College bike Inconspicuous?

On 7 Sep 2005 19:33:59 -0700, "Someone"
wrote:


T. Nakashima wrote:
My son enters college this fall, so I put together a bike for him by
salvaging spare components and a frame that I wasn't using. Suggestions on
making the bike inconspicuous?
Maybe disguising the bike isn't worth the effort for today's thieves?
Suggestions from college students.


You should have built him a bike like this:
http://www.outsideconnection.com/gallant/hpv/joe/MVC-003S.JPG.


Pfui. No wings, no spoilers, no ground effect skirts; what's the
point?
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  #22  
Old September 8th 05, 08:24 AM
Brian Kerr
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Default Making a College bike Inconspicuous?

Someone wrote:
G. Daniels wrote:


try rusto auto paint in primer brown or grey then wear bright colors or
use dayglo poster paper
take the seat with you-bikes without seats are useless



I used to see a bike commuter on a regular basis (over a period of
several years) that rode an ATB without a seat.


Female?
  #23  
Old September 8th 05, 12:55 PM
Jasper Janssen
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Default Making a College bike Inconspicuous?

On Wed, 7 Sep 2005 17:31:21 -0500, "BobT"
wrote:

My bike came with an Axa SL7 but I took it off and opted for a cable type
lock. Did I make a mistake? It does seem easy to use although I don't like
that the key won't come out unless it's locked.


Well, that's also kind of the point, it forces you to leave your bike
locked if you want your keyring. Unless you're very, very
self-disciplined, leaving yourself the option not to lock up is a recipe
to in fact not end up doing so at all times.

It also means, and this is I suspect the real reason it was done that way,
that if you show the insurance company (the ones in this country) both
keys, they'll take that as evidence you did actually lock it when it was
stolen, which is what insurance companies want to see.

I was worried that putting the Axa SL7 lock only through my spokes was
inviting someone to trash my spokes even if they couldn't ride off with my
bike. '


Well, it's possible. I'd say it's chunky enough that people wouldn't
ignore it, but around here almost every bike has an axa lock so that the
criminals don't forget to check for it, and my experience there doesnt
translate well.

I was also concerned that someone would simply pick up my bike and
throw it in the back of a vehicle and drive off with it. I saw that I could


That's a definite possibility, yep. Best IMHO is to have the ring lock for
always and every time you leave the bike even if it's just for 10 seconds,
and a cable or chain to tie it down to the world for longer periods.

buy a cable that fits into the Axa but saw no advantage to the Axa SL7 +
cable over a cable alone.


The SL7 cable isn't all that great, but then most cables aren't. You have
more freedom of placement when you don't have to get the end back to your
ring lock somehow. On the gripping hand, the SL7 cable is cheaper and
lighter than a full cable lock, so if you're toting around the SL7 anyway,
you can consider the cable. I probably wouldn't use it though.

Are you using the the Axa SL7 regularly to lock your bike without these
problems?


I actually have the regular Axa on my beater bike, but that's a bike so
beat that when it was parked against another bike that was against a wall
(both with two locks on and tied into the world with one), thieves have
been known to move it aside, steal the bike under it, and then put it
back. Or that may have been one or two beaters ago, I don't keep track
very well, but the regular Axa is good enough that I have to replace the
beaters for failures, not for theft, unless I forget to lock it (or lock
it and then leave the key in, which sometimes happens if I'm being the
absent minded type at the time). Incidentally, I live in Utrecht, which is
a student city but not *quite* as bad in bike thefts as Amsterdam.

The new, expensive bike will have an SL7 and won't be left in dark alleys.

Bottom line is that the SL7 has a 14 mm diameter hardened steel ring
around your wheel, which is thicker and harder than pretty much any other
lock can offer, so it's nigh impossible to cut with boltcutters and hard
even with an anglegrinder. Supplement with something that ties your bike
to the world and you shouldn't really have any problems most places.


Jasper
  #24  
Old September 8th 05, 12:58 PM
Jasper Janssen
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Default Making a College bike Inconspicuous?

On Thu, 8 Sep 2005 01:11:13 -0400, "Gary Smiley"
wrote:

Actually, you don't have to go overboard- all you have to do is make it just
a bit less attractive to a thief than some other bike on the rack. Park it
next to a shiny new bike.


Meanspirited, but oh so true.


Jasper
  #25  
Old September 8th 05, 01:01 PM
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Default Making a College bike Inconspicuous?

In the old days I recall we used to split old inner tubes the long way
and wrapped them around the frame like you wrap bar tape. Sealed up the
ends with electrical tape. This covered all the decals, and protected
the bike from chips at the same time. And we used to use a small
padlock threaded through the rear drop-out and around the QR lever
which kept the rear quick-release from being opened without first
removing the padlock. This way you don't give up the convinience of QR.

Someone who knows what they are doing will be able to see the Colnago
underneath, but it worked for me in NYC and Chicago in the 80's.

Joseph

  #26  
Old September 8th 05, 02:06 PM
Tom Nakashima
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Default Making a College bike Inconspicuous?


"Phil, Squid-in-Training" wrote in
message news:80JTe.11408$Cc5.545@lakeread06...
Tom Nakashima wrote:
My son enters college this fall, so I put together a bike for him by
salvaging spare components and a frame that I wasn't using.
Suggestions on making the bike inconspicuous?
Maybe disguising the bike isn't worth the effort for today's thieves?
Suggestions from college students.
-tom


Yay! I'm an expert on this. Okay so here are my ten steps to a
theft-proof bike:

1. Spraypaint... the cheaper the better. Spray the whole bike frame and
make sure to spraypaint the tires and grips, too. It makes it look like
the owner is really dumb. Put some scratches in the paint so it doesn't
look so cherry. This should be easy to do since the spraypaint will
probably just flake off just by you looking at it funny.

2. Stickers! Get so many stickers that you're almost inhaling them. Get
them from your local radio station. The flashier the better. Apply
stickers to everything on the bike, especially the frame. Make sure to do
the saddle, too.

3. Duct tape! Put random duct tape bits so that they look like they're
actually trying to hold something together. Tape the saddle, too... this
makes the bike really cry out "I am a ****bomb!"

4. Cover up any and all brand names and models.

5. Put a crappy, broken, bent rack on the back for ultra-nerd factor. Add
rusty fenders and baskets to taste. Nobody wants a dorky bike.

6. Attach as many broken reflectors and light mounts as you can on the
handlebars, seatpost and seatstays. These will make it seem like the
owner keeps breaking lights, buying new ones, and never getting rid of the
old mounts.

7. Place tennis balls and cards in the spokes, and of course bar plugs
with streamers coming out. That might scare off even the seasoned
thieves.

8. Apply the biggest, most gaudy bell... no wait, horn... on the bike...
something like this Barbie Deluxe Bicycle Horn:
http://img.epinions.com/images/opti/...resized200.jpg
Tell your son to honk it within 100 feet of any human or animal.

9. If you want to go overboard, find a cosmetically rusty chain and
cassette and put those on.

10. Lock up the bike with both a non-pickable u-lock and a cable lock!

If his bike gets stolen, I'll be impressed.

--
Phil, Squid-in-Training


Well I'll have to say I'm very impressed with your suggestions, you can make
Letterman with your top 10 list.
-tom


  #27  
Old September 8th 05, 02:10 PM
Tom Nakashima
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Default Making a College bike Inconspicuous?


"Brian Kerr" wrote in message
. ..
Someone wrote:
G. Daniels wrote:


try rusto auto paint in primer brown or grey then wear bright colors or
use dayglo poster paper
take the seat with you-bikes without seats are useless



I used to see a bike commuter on a regular basis (over a period of
several years) that rode an ATB without a seat.


Female?


That's cold, but funny!
-tom


  #28  
Old September 8th 05, 02:21 PM
Phil, Squid-in-Training
external usenet poster
 
Posts: n/a
Default Making a College bike Inconspicuous?

Someone wrote:
G. Daniels wrote:

try rusto auto paint in primer brown or grey then wear bright colors
or use dayglo poster paper
take the seat with you-bikes without seats are useless


I used to see a bike commuter on a regular basis (over a period of
several years) that rode an ATB without a seat.


Heh... it's illegal to ride without a saddle around here.

--
Phil, Squid-in-Training


  #29  
Old September 8th 05, 02:31 PM
Tom Nakashima
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Posts: n/a
Default Making a College bike Inconspicuous?

Great suggestions, as I will use many of the great ideas.
I do like the non quick release, nut-style axles. The gray duct tape also
sounds good, and of course a good lock and not leaving out overnight. I'm
not so worried about losing out on the components ($$), just worried that
he'll lose his transportation.
thanks to all,
-tom


  #30  
Old September 8th 05, 04:51 PM
41
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Posts: n/a
Default Making a College bike Inconspicuous?


Phil, Squid-in-Training wrote:
Tom Nakashima wrote:
My son enters college this fall, so I put together a bike for him by
salvaging spare components and a frame that I wasn't using.
Suggestions on making the bike inconspicuous?
Maybe di sguising the bike isn't worth the effort for today's thieves?
Suggestions from college students.
-tom


Yay! I'm an expert on this. Okay so here are my ten steps to a theft-proof
bike:

1. Spraypaint... the cheaper the better. Spray t he whole bike frame and
make sure to spraypaint the tires and grips, too. It makes it look like the
owner is really dumb. Put some scratches in the paint so it doesn't look so
cherry. This should be easy to do since the spraypaint will probabl y just
flake off just by you looking at it funny.

2. Stickers! Get so many stickers that you're almost inhaling them. Get
them from your local radio station. The flashier the better. Apply
stickers to everything on the bike, especially the frame. Make sure to do
the saddle, too.

3. Duct tape! Put random duct tape bits so that they look like they're
actually trying to hold something together. Tape the saddle, too... this
makes the bike really cry out "I am a ****bomb!"

4. Cover up any and all brand names and models.

5. Put a crappy, broken, bent rack on the back for ultra-nerd factor. Add
rusty fenders and baskets to taste. Nobody wants a dorky bike.

6. Attach as many broken reflectors and light mounts as you can on the
handlebars, seatpost and seatstays. These will make it seem like the owner
keeps breaking lights, buying new ones, and never getting rid of the old
mounts.

7. Place tennis balls and cards in the spokes, and of course bar plugs with
streamers coming out. That might scare off even the seasoned thieves.

8. Apply the biggest, most gaudy bell... no wait, horn... on the bike...
something like this Barbie Deluxe Bicycle Horn:
http://img.epinions.com/images/opti/...resized200.jpg
Tell your son to honk it within 100 feet of any human or animal.

9. If you want to go overboard, find a cosmetically rusty chain and cassette
and put those on.

10. Lock up the bike with both a non-pickable u-lock and a cable lock!



We should not have to go to such extremes and to ride garbage. What
would car owners say if that's what they had to do to their cars,
simply to make them workable transportation devices?


As I said in another thread: the real key is not the lock but the rack.
There are several manufacturers who make racks consisting of two large
steel horizontal arms with steel projections, the arms closing around
the bike, the projections going through the wheels and main triangle.
You then use only a padlock to lock the two arms together, inside a
shielded housing that can only be accessed from the bottom, near ground
level, or else a U-lock to keep the two arms together. You need only
carry a reasonable padlock for very high security.

[I just did a search to find a manufacturer of these things. No luck
yet. I have seen at least three different brands though. Will try to
find a manufacturer's label on one of them.]


Furthermore, what's necessary is to make bicycle theft the same crime
as auto theft, and to install video surveillance at key locations, to
mop up the organized crime gangs who are responsible for so much of it.


There IS a solution and like so much else it just involves a few people
in the right places getting off their asses.

 




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