Tea Shop - Bike Security

[Leadlegs]

So, I’m out on a ride on my own and decide to have a tea shop stop. What do I do about my bike – do I?

• Enter the tea shop assuming an air of authority while requesting a table for two (my bike and I).
• Ask where the high security, video monitored cycle parking area is.
• Find a vacant window facing seat so that I can sit and stare unblinkingly out of the window, even if this means that young children nearby will cower ever closer to mummy saying “That man has scary eyes”.
• Sit at the back feigning indifference knowing that it’s insured, while actually listening with headache inducing intensity for any bike-being-lifted type of sounds.
• Carry a small padlock and length of lightweight chain that will at least act as a deterrent to any yoof that may run by and decide to scoot of with my pride and joy. Particularly during the two minutes it takes to skip to the loo and back.

 

[TheDoctor]

Lightweight lock and / or sit outside?

 

[Keith Oates]

Good advice, but sitting at a window where you can see it is another reasonable option!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[andy_wrx]

Carry one of those featherweight little locks and go to popular-with-cyclists cafes, parking your bike near to a row of unlocked De Rosas/Colnagos/Pinarellos.

 

[gavintc]

Carry one of those featherweight little locks and go to popular-with-cyclists cafes, parking your bike near to a row of unlocked De Rosas/Colnagos/Pinarellos.

Unless you have one of those bikes!

Getting to the cafe first can help as your bike is then 'defended' by your mate's bikes.

 

[ColinJ]

Carry one of those featherweight little locks and go to popular-with-cyclists cafes, parking your bike near to a row of unlocked De Rosas/Colnagos/Pinarellos.

Ideally, you ride a crap bike and turn up with a bunch of other riders who are on the De Rosas/Colnagos/Pinarellos. Lock your bike to something and then get your mates to prop their expensive bikes against yours. In order to steal your bike, the thief has to shift the nice bikes first and then cut your lock off. I don't think he'd bother .

Seriously - I do worry about leaving my bike outside cafes or audax/sportive HQs. The cyclists' cafe at Waddington displays notices saying that bikes do get nicked from outside, and that is a warning worth heeding. They have a box of cable locks available for customers' use, which is handy. That will deter the casual thieves. Hopefully better-bikes-available, unlocked-bikes-available will save you from the professionals!

I've heard of pro thieves operating at Waddington, Chipping and Gargrave which are three of the popular cafes in this area. One trick employed is for the thief to turn up in full lycra so that he doesn't look out of place when he is tinkering with a bike. He jumps on the bike and rides round the corner where an accomplice is waiting with a van. Bike is put in the back of the van and off they go...

 

[HLaB]

Lightweight lock and / or sit outside?

+1

Scissors would probably be enought to cut my lightweight cable lock but I only use it for club runs at their cafe stops even then I'm still nervous and I prefer to sit in a place wher I can keep my eye on it. When I'm on my own I just don't stop and carry some cereal bars/ a banana. Touch wood I've not had a bike nicked since I was circa 5 yr old but that memory still haunts me and I'm a bit paranoid about taking my eyes of the bike.

 

[ColinJ]

+1
Touch wood I've not had a bike nicked since I was circa 5 yr old but that memory still haunts me and I'm a bit paranoid about taking my eyes of the bike.

I had my first racing bike nicked from the school bike sheds*** when I was 13 years old and it left a big impression on me. It also finished me with cycling for 19 years .

A mate had his bike nicked in daylight from the front of my parents' house. The thief would have had to open the garden gate, walk up the path, and cross in front of the bay window which housed the TV which my parents were watching at the time. The curtains were open, but they didn't see the bike go.

It's not so much the loss of a bike which bothers me (I have new-for-old insurance cover so I'd get a new bike for whatever the excess is - what, £50?)... it's the hassle of having to deal with the police and then the claim. More than that, it would be the loss of the ride and a few others while I was replacing the bike, and worst of all - how to get home from maybe 40 or 50 miles away. It would either mean an expensive taxi trip or possibly multiple bus and/or rail journeys. I'd feel a bit of a berk travelling a long way dressed in lycra without a bike to explain it, especially if I was having to walk on Look cleats .


*** School bike sheds: temporary structures for housing bicycles outside school buildings. These used to be commonplace, until parents realised that cycling was actually bad for their childrens' health and were able to afford cars to transport them about in. Once schools were able to dismantle the bike sheds, space was freed-up for one-way systems to be constructed into and out of school grounds. This further reduced the need for children to actually move their limbs. Mummy/daddy could then drop them off directly in front of the school door.

 

[andy_wrx]

You need a wifey recovery service and a mobile phone Colin

Would your insurance cover you for theft of an unattened, unlocked bike ?
Mine wouldn't, but I'm hoping my featherweight lock counts as 'locked'.

BBB's blurb says

For additional security of your cycle this bike lock is ideal

• Small, extra compact and lightweight bicycle lock.
• Re settable 3-combination numerical code mechanism.
• Tough and durable steel cable gives impressive security despite its small diameter.
• 3mm thick, 1200mm long cable.

Tough and durable my *rse !
It's about as secure as a piece of string and could easily be cut with pliers or a rusty penknife.

On the other hand, it's tiny, weighs next-to-nothing, and I bought it in France for about £2.50.
I thus carry it when I wouldn't carry a great big D-lock or padlock and chain.
And park next to the unlocked De Rosas/Colnagos/Pinarellos


Last year I used it at the Dalesman in Gargrave, parked-up outside with a few other bikes and made sure mine was in the garden rather than leaning on the wall, assuming again that a thief would go for the easiest to get ones around the outside.
When I came out there were about 30 bikes all packed in the garden, leaning on mine, and it took about 15 minutes to disentangle them enough to get mine out.
That's the way tou do it - park your bike underneath lots of others !

 

[mickle]

Toe strap round the front wheel and fork and leave it in top gear.

 

[itchyrider]

Easy,

You undo all the quick releases on the wheels go and have a cup of tea, with the bike in one corner of your eye you relax untill Mr one of life's problems (bloody thief) decides his going to have your bike away, he then jumps on your bike give 2 turns of the pedels hoping to make a quick gettaway the wheels give way and he falls off. By this time you approach with furious anger and give him what for! i will leave to your imagination but to me its another workout! so the fact of the matter is you mess with me, i'll mess you up! "oh yes justice is served" Ps does'nt damage the bike whatsoever.........................?

 

[simon_adams_uk]

Take the front wheel off, remove QR, and then lock bike (+ wheel) using cheapo lightweight cable lock.

That ways there's no chance of anyone riding off on it. There's also a bit of extra faffing including more 'out of the ordinary' activity that should attract your attention.

Works for me - removal of front wheel optional dependent on where / how long bike is left for.

S

 

[andy_wrx]

Take front wheel into caff if you're that bothered...

 

[Greenbank]

I try to keep it within sight. I only use one of these:-

http://www.evanscycles.com/products/abus/combination-lock-1150-ec006190

Cough at it and it'll probably fall open but it does its job as a visual deterrent.

But I do have a pitlock skewer on the front wheel, and it is a fixed with SPD pedals, so I'd probably find the bloke in a heap 10 yards up the road.

 

[Angelfishsolo]

LMAO. I like it

Easy,

You undo all the quick releases on the wheels go and have a cup of tea, with the bike in one corner of your eye you relax untill Mr one of life's problems (bloody thief) decides his going to have your bike away, he then jumps on your bike give 2 turns of the pedels hoping to make a quick gettaway the wheels give way and he falls off. By this time you approach with furious anger and give him what for! i will leave to your imagination but to me its another workout! so the fact of the matter is you mess with me, i'll mess you up! "oh yes justice is served" Ps does'nt damage the bike whatsoever.........................?