Lock your Bike!

It's something that we hear all too often at the shop; someone is looking for a bike because their last one was stolen.

The bay area is a great place to be a cyclist-

As commuters we enjoy the most active bicycle community anywhere.
The hills will always keep us from getting soft.
We are in the middle of so much beauty that it would take a committed lifetime to see it all.

Unfortunately, the bay area is among the worst areas worldwide for bike theft-

Over 4 billion bikes are stolen every month in Berkeley alone.
The average time of ownership of a bike before it is stolen is only 17 minutes.
Compared to other industries, bike theft has grown to such an extent that it rivals the software industry.

Luckily there is good news. It seems that over 60% of all bicycles stolen in Berkeley are unlocked at the time. Of the remaining 40%, only 2% were stolen while using a u-lock. (OK now - this statistic is true)

It appears that if folks were a little more cautious that they might hold on to their bikes for a bit longer. It's to this end that we share a bit o' bike-keeping advice.

Keep that Hooptie!

Get a cheap-but-decent old bike at a yard sale for about $ 50 and spend a little money to make it safe to ride. Then lock this up around town and only use your nice bike on real rides. It's even better if you don't really like it because then, in the unlikely event that some insane jerk steals it, your heart won't be broken and they will be instantly punished by having to ride it. Make it look ugly with paint, stickers and dirt (don't get too artistic).

Here's the stuff that you have to fix right away or else you get hit by a bus:

THE BRAKES! Put on new cables, housing and pads. This stuff is cheap. Make sure that the wheels are true enough that you can get your brakes tight without them rubbing. Of course it's much cheaper to do the labor yourself. Come to our free repair classes.
THE TIRES! If they're splitting or worn down to the threads, get new ones. Patch or replace the tubes.
MAKE SURE that all bolts, pedals and Q.R.s are tight, lube the chain and adjust the derailleurs. Put on new der. cables if necessary.
NEVER raise the seatpost or stem above the "maximum height" line. Taller seatposts and stems are cheap.

So let's say that you don't want to ride to work each day on a mangy piece o' shit that you don't really like. Let's say that you want to ride your fave bike and keep it from getting stolen in the first place...

Lock Yer Bike!

If you want to commute on a "nice" bike, Lock Yer Bike Up Right!!!

Get a lock that actually works. That means getting a "U" lock. Not just any "U" lock mind you but one that is worth your time and money. If you are spending less than thirty bucks then you are buying a lock that is primarily decorative.

There are about three locks that we carry that we can recommend for real, around town locking:

The Kryptonite Evo lite: High quality steel with design aspects taken from the more expensive Evolution series. The lightest secure lock around. About 35 Bucks.
The Kryptonite Evolution 2000 Series: The highest quality steel and a tumbler that has been moved so that there is no "long" end over which to fit a leverage bar. The mini-LS is the lock of choice among linkers. About 45 Bucks.
The Kryptonite New York Series: This is the only lock that Kryptonite guarantees within the confines of manhattan. an extremely strong version of the ev. 2000 lock. about 65 bucks.

Once you get a real lock you just need to learn how to use it properly.

If you have very fat tires you can put the lock around the rear wheel, the front wheel & the post. This will only work if you lock the rear wheel inside the rear triangle of the frame!! This way a thief can't get the rear wheel out of the frame... so the frame is secure. Get it? If you screw up and lock the rear wheel outside the rear triangle you'll come back and find two wheels but no frame. If you don't geddit then come on in and we'll show you how.

Actually lock your bike with your lock! That mean both wheels and the frame to a solid post (Don't think that having a bolt-on wheel is an excuse not to lock it up. It only takes a thief 10 additional seconds to steal that bolt-on!). If you think that locks are expensive consider this:

The cheapest front wheel, steel (w/tube and tire) will cost $40. For an aluminum wheel & decent tire you're looking at $60.
A cheap rear wheel will run about $65 (steel again) while you are more likely to shelling out more than a hundred bucks!
To replace that stolen seatpost and saddle you're spending at least $35!

Make sure that the post to which you're locking is securely stuck into the sidewalk. Replace your seatpost quick-release with a bolt or get a seat-leash cable. Never leave your bike outside overnight. Eat your vegetables, lube your chain, call your parents and tell them that you love them...

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