How to Make Your Bike Really Hard to Steal

I always find it kind of incongruous that people will pay a small fortune to shave a few pounds of weight off their bike, and then go around carrying a heavy chain around their waist. Two obvious things you can do: (1) take the battery with you, there's $500 right there; (2) paint a part of the bike day glow orange or green. Greatly reduces resale value and thus the appeal to a thief and increases his chances of being caught. You really shouldn't care, it's still the same great bike as before and you really aren't planning on selling it anyway.
 
They seem to really highlight that Scout product, which has mixed reviews online. It's only bluetooth, so I'm a little skeptical. I made a thread about the Bosch Connect Module which is only $40 more and provides GPS. I haven't found much on that in terms of reviews though.

Hiplok D1000 appears to be the gold standard for U-locks.
 
There is an old quote: All bikes weigh 50 pounds. A 20 pound bike needs a 30 pound lock. A 40 pound bike needs a 10 pound lock. A 50 pound bike doesn't need a lock.
I saw something called rust wrap yesterday.
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PedalUma said:
There is an old quote: All bikes weigh 50 pounds. A 20 pound bike needs a 30 pound lock. A 40 pound bike needs a 10 pound lock. A 50 pound bike doesn't need a lock.
I saw something called rust wrap yesterday.
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Was actually thinking of vinyl wrapping my bike. I have a machine that cuts vinyl and can make some pretty cool stickers. Just need time to do it.
 
A friend wants to paint a bike so I looked up wraps. Wrapping a bike is very hard and it can't have small protrusions of frame hardware such as guides for external cable runs. I have thought about using spattered under coater texture followed with rust tone matte paints. It would look like Le Roy Brown's dog's barf. If you had some overspray, so what.
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Gordon71 said:
In my case my bike is either locked in my garage or sitting under my ass. Pretty safe in either place.
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Yep, most of the time my bikes are in the spare bedroom or locked in the 2 car garage with Krytonite U lock and Cable. Then there is the rare time I take them for rides. I rarely lock them up. Just take them inside wherever I go. Bike theft around here is rampant. Not gunna give the thieves a shot...

 
WSJ really liked U-locks, which connect to cheapo bars the city or store bought on low bid. IE the bars will be sawed if you use a U-lock. I could saw the bike tethers at my discount store in 30 minutes by hand with a $3 saw with a $6 blade.
I invite the clown in the WSJ article that disparaged cables in one swipe to try mine with 2 hands, and any tool he cares to bring short of a $300 cable cutter rated for 1/2" stainless steel. That includes a battery grinder (3 hands) or oxy-acetylene torch (SS doesnt burn, only melts). About 40 minutes is my estimate with an 7.5" chanl-lock diagonal cutter. I doubt if most pro bike thieves even can find where to buy a $300 cable cutter for 1/2" stainless steel. Plus thieves don't have the credit/debit card. https://www.mcmaster.com/8942T15
My 6' SS cable will wrap a power pole, gas meter, or live electrical conduit, which even most thieves are not fool enough to try to cut. Imagine a thief taking the AC power out to a whole neighborhood with a gas chainsaw!
I detest Apple Airtags, in part because my brother tried to buy one for his backhoe and they are not compatible with his version 6 I-phone. Pay Apple $2000 a year or you don't belong on the Apple team. The google android alternate sounds like a better deal when it becomes available.
My bike sits in store parking lots, meeting venues, outside my volunteer job, 3 or 4 times a week for 30-180 minutes. In 5 years the only thefts have been lights, that clip or wrap on. One tool box with tools. I did have a couple of tires knifed. If you can't steal it, make me push it home.
 
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indianajo said:
WSJ really liked U-locks, which connect to cheapo bars the city or store bought on low bid. IE the bars will be sawed if you use a U-lock. I could saw the bike tethers at my discount store in 30 minutes by hand with a $3 saw with a $6 blade.
I invite the clown in the WSJ article that disparaged cables in one swipe to try mine with 2 hands, and any tool he cares to bring short of a $300 cable cutter rated for 1/2" stainless steel. That includes a battery grinder (3 hands) or oxy-acetylene torch (SS doesnt burn, only melts). About 40 minutes is my estimate with an 7.5" chanl-lock diagonal cutter. I doubt if most pro bike thieves even can find where to buy a $300 cable cutter for 1/2" stainless steel. Plus thieves don't have the credit/debit card. https://www.mcmaster.com/8942T15
My 6 SS' cable will wrap a power pole or live electrical conduit, which even most thieves are not fool enough to try to cut. Imagine a thief taking the AC power out to a whole neighborhood with a gas chainsaw!
I detest Apple Airtags, in part because my brother tried to buy one for his backhoe and they are not compatible with his version 6 I-phone. Pay Apple $2000 a year or you don't belong on the Apple team. The google android alternate sounds like a better deal when it becomes available.
My bike sits in store parking lots, meeting venues, outside my volunteer job, 3 or 4 times a week for 30-180 minutes. In 5 years the only thefts have been lights, that clip or wrap on. I did have a couple of tires knifed. If you can't steal it, make me push it home.
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But the big question what does it weigh?
 
Art Deco said:
But the big question what does it weigh?
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With tools, spares, water, cable+lock, battery, motor, racks, 94 lb. I don't use signposts under 10' tall as tethers, because manly thieves could lift the bike from the roof of a van. The scooter thieves in my city have a van they use. Cut the chain link fence across the street one night, also the hasp on the porta-barn.
The 6' 1/2" SS cable is 8 lb, the Abus 92/80 lock is over a pound. Rolls up in the pannier. If I am headed out of the city with supplies I use a 6' 3/8" SS cable+master lock that is 7 lb.
 
PedalUma said:
A friend wants to paint a bike so I looked up wraps. Wrapping a bike is very hard and it can't have small protrusions of frame hardware such as guides for external cable runs. I have thought about using spattered under coater texture followed with rust tone matte paints. It would look like Le Roy Brown's dog's barf. If you had some overspray, so what.
View attachment 156909
Click to expand...
Now that’s some uglification right there. Lol
 
indianajo said:
With tools, spares, water, cable+lock, battery, motor, racks, 94 lb. I don't use signposts under 10' tall as tethers, because manly thieves could lift the bike from the roof of a van. The scooter thieves in my city have a van they use. Cut the chain link fence across the street one night, also the hasp on the porta-barn.
The 6' 1/2" SS cable is 8 lb, the Abus 92/80 lock is over a pound. Rolls up in the pannier. If I am headed out of the city with supplies I use a 6' 3/8" SS cable+master lock that is 7 lb.
Click to expand...
I would expect the bike brand locks to show their weights, even to brag about it. Nope.
 
A while ago the Cheese was having fun with bike math. One way to compare bike values is like getting a good price for a wheel of cheese.

You weigh the bikes to see which has the lowest price per pound!
 
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