Samurai Pizza Cat Posted March 20, 2015 Posted March 20, 2015 How can people not lock their bikes on to a carrier? That's the question I always ask myself. It takes one twist with a flat head screwdriver to open a Thule lock. (No force required.)I know this because I lost my Thule keys last December. Locking your bike will help with the odd opportunist, but it means nothing if a "Pro" is involved. Leaving your bikes on the back of your car, is always a massive risk. No wonder the insurance companies are charging us a fortune.
Captain Fastbastard Mayhem Posted March 20, 2015 Posted March 20, 2015 It takes one twist with a flat head screwdriver to open a Thule lock. (No force required.)I know this because I lost my Thule keys last December. Locking your bike will help with the odd opportunist, but it means nothing if a "Pro" is involved. Leaving your bikes on the back of your car, is always a massive risk. No wonder the insurance companies are charging us a fortune. yeah, but I don't mean those piddly little locks - I mean a proper lock and chain, like those behemoths you get specifically for locking bikes up. Kryptonite, that's them. Yes, they're expensive. For a reason.
HowardSteele Posted March 20, 2015 Posted March 20, 2015 I believe Stellenbosch is about the hottest bike theft location...A friend of mines daughter at varsity has had 3 bikes stolen all locked.if you go into any of those Retail chain stores Cash for secondhand items,...you'll notice they sell heavy duty bolt cutters .so locking a bike to a rack will only prevent theft from the unprepared and it looks like bike theft has become a specialized field.
Captain Fastbastard Mayhem Posted March 20, 2015 Posted March 20, 2015 I believe Stellenbosch is about the hottest bike theft location...A friend of mines daughter at varsity has had 3 bikes stolen all locked.if you go into any of those Retail chain stores Cash for secondhand items,...you'll notice they sell heavy duty bolt cutters .so locking a bike to a rack will only prevent theft from the unprepared and it looks like bike theft has become a specialized field.we have nothing on New York, London or Ansterdam. I swear... Mate of mine works in the 'dam. He's had 6 bikes stolen in the last year. Some locked, some not. London bike theft is rife. Off the charts. As are many, many other places., But locally - yes, probably Stellies.
Samurai Pizza Cat Posted March 20, 2015 Posted March 20, 2015 we have nothing on New York, London or Ansterdam. I swear... Mate of mine works in the 'dam. He's had 6 bikes stolen in the last year. Some locked, some not. London bike theft is rife. Off the charts. As are many, many other places., But locally - yes, probably Stellies.Read an article on bike theft in Amsterdam some time ago. They now fit some bikes with GPS devices, run police stings, and have a special task force set up just for bicycle theft...Crazy! That's why most people there ride the worst piece of junk they can find.
igg Posted March 21, 2015 Posted March 21, 2015 Whenever I stop outside a bike store, hardly any bikes are locked to the racks. I popped into mellow velo this morning and there were maybe 50 bikes just sitting on racks in the parking lot; I didn't see a single one locked to the rack and there are some seriously pricey bikes just ready for an opportunist to take advantage. How hard would it be to pitch up in cycling gear, spend a minute to pull a bike off a rack and cycle off? I seriously doubt anyone would stop you given that you look like you're supposed to be there.
flymango Posted March 21, 2015 Posted March 21, 2015 Not only cape town. But it does seem a bit worse down in the cape. I'll be honest I used to leave my bike on my thule when at a race venue before or after the race while not at my car but of late I keep it with me at all times. Id rather keep my current bikes than go through the schlep of getting paid out and buying a new bike. I'd rather have to deal with the insurance company if my bike was on a rack and locked as required, than if the bike is within sight but unlocked and I turn my back for a second to buy a beer or greet a mate or whatever ... and it's gone!
Skylark Posted March 21, 2015 Posted March 21, 2015 Some people also make a conscious decision not to worry about crime, they insure, do what insurance says is acceptable asset protection and then live their lives. Being constantly vigilante about crime can take the joy out of experiences and no matter your best efforts, if a skom wants what's yours he'll take it with brute force or violence. But granted some people take things a bit to far and are lackadaisical about security to the point of stupidity.
CleatsnCleavage Posted March 21, 2015 Posted March 21, 2015 The pansy no-fun mods on The Hub keep removing my posts when I mock people for having bikes stolen. "I was at Canal Walk and the car was backed up to the wall." Oh cry me a river. Maybe the Hub can write an article about how rife it is instead and give tips on how to prevent it. I see even Joburg2C packing list says to bring a "Bike lock (big enough to lock your bikes together".
DJR Posted March 21, 2015 Posted March 21, 2015 The pansy no-fun mods on The Hub keep removing my posts when I mock people for having bikes stolen. "I was at Canal Walk and the car was backed up to the wall." Oh cry me a river. Maybe the Hub can write an article about how rife it is instead and give tips on how to prevent it. I see even Joburg2C packing list says to bring a "Bike lock (big enough to lock your bikes together". I agree with you. I see way too many stories like that - where bikes are stolen because the owner made it attractive and easy for the thief. Things like: Left it standing against wall in backyard to dry after I washed it Left it on bike rack locked (or unlocked) in shopping mall parking areaStolen from back of open bakkieKept in wooden garden shed that can be broken open with a tyre leverBike it in an unsecured un-alarmed garage, easily broken into Left it outside coffee shop, nobody saw anything......It was a bike race with so many people around, I didn't think it would happen there.......There were security cameras all over......It was across from the police station......The car guard said he would watch it while I went for a beer.... If you secure it properly and it gets stolen, I'll have sympathy, otherwise I don't, because you are just pushing up my insurance premiums also.
Barker Posted March 21, 2015 Posted March 21, 2015 I speak under correction but at the 99er race in Durbanville 7 bike racks and the attached bikes where stolen of their vehicles. Not sure how, i imagine the towbar must have been unbolted. Something tells me not enough is being done security wise at these events. CWC even helped some of the victems replace the racks at cost. Something simular happened at the CTCT.
Butterbean Posted March 21, 2015 Posted March 21, 2015 I don't get it. Just like when you secure a house, you know it's not foolproof. But you just make sure yours is the least easy option to break into out of all the houses in your street. I would do the same with a bike. If anyone is interested, along with a lock and decent chain, try some cable ties. 20 cable ties on a bike on a rack make it fairly time consuming to remove, no matter the tooling the tool is equipped with. And it's cheap, and it's easy. Just tie them apart from each other. Also secure the quick release mechanisms of the bike rack with some cable ties. You're just making yours the least quickest to steal. Like the scene in full metal jacket, where private Pyle leaves his footlocker unlocked - in the words of that wonderful drill sargeant, "if it wasn't for ********* like you, there wouldn't be any thievery in this world!!!" Don't make it easy for them, or there's no deterrent to continuing the behaviour.
DJR Posted March 21, 2015 Posted March 21, 2015 I speak under correction but at the 99er race in Durbanville 7 bike racks and the attached bikes where stolen of their vehicles. Not sure how, i imagine the towbar must have been unbolted. Something tells me not enough is being done security wise at these events. CWC even helped some of the victems replace the racks at cost. Something simular happened at the CTCT.At both the races run from the Durbanville Racecourse, I saw literally hundreds of people park their cars outside the venue in streets and on sidewalks, causing a nuisance for the surrounding residents. Some parked almost a kilometre away from the start, just to avoid the secure parking area laid on for them by the organizers. Whether they were afraid of congestion I don't know, but I sure never had an issue. My car was parked where there were official marshals directing traffic and watching over the cars. As far as I know, nothing was stolen from there, all the thefts occurred outside the venue. Again, the organizers cannot be blamed for that. Just because your 4x4 can park on the pavement two blocks away around the corner, does not make it a good idea.
Barker Posted March 21, 2015 Posted March 21, 2015 I parked inside the venue aswell. Still very ballzy of the thiefs to steal entire bike racks.
DJR Posted March 23, 2015 Posted March 23, 2015 I notice that some very expensive bikes were stolen off bike racks from cars parked at the finish of the Epic. No mention is made whether bikes were locked with a proper lock or were in a secured area. While I feel bad for anyone who lost a bike, I still think we make it too easy for the scum, that is why they are attracted to these race venues. It is time to harden our attitudes. Look after your bike yourself, all the time, lock 2 or 3 bikes together even in the secure bike park, never leave them alone on a bike rack in the car park. Someone trying to drag a bundle of locked bikes away will attract attention. Someone removing a single bike off the car and walking away with it will not. Bike racks that can be removed from the tow-ball with a minimum of fuss are not to be trusted. Most bike rack locks cannot be trusted. Keep in mind that the baddies are probably dressed to fit in and are most likely cyclists themselves.
Shebeen Posted March 23, 2015 Posted March 23, 2015 I notice that some very expensive bikes were stolen off bike racks from cars parked at the finish of the Epic. No mention is made whether bikes were locked with a proper lock or were in a secured area. While I feel bad for anyone who lost a bike, I still think we make it too easy for the scum, that is why they are attracted to these race venues. It is time to harden our attitudes. Look after your bike yourself, all the time, lock 2 or 3 bikes together even in the secure bike park, never leave them alone on a bike rack in the car park. Someone trying to drag a bundle of locked bikes away will attract attention. Someone removing a single bike off the car and walking away with it will not. Bike racks that can be removed from the tow-ball with a minimum of fuss are not to be trusted. Most bike rack locks cannot be trusted. Keep in mind that the baddies are probably dressed to fit in and are most likely cyclists themselves.didn't this happen at lourensford as well last year?
Recommended Posts
Archived
This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.