We spent a couple of days in New York this winter, more specifically Brooklyn, mostly in Park Slope. I checked out every bike that we walked by (as one does) and thought about how different riding a cycle is in New York compared to in California. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GXLorSvKziQ Winters in the Bay Area are much milder, as it rarely gets below freezing during the winter months. We get winter rain, but rarely any snow or ice. In contrast, it’s much colder in New York, there’s more snow, slush, road salt, and other stuff that’s tougher to ride a bike in, and tougher to store a bike in. Some had a lot of rust As you can see on this “Goffa bike”, the rims, brakes, kickstand, stem, spokes, chain, nuts are all rusted. This bike has been left out for a long […]
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BikeIndex: the best place to report your bike stolen online
Bike theft sucks. A couple friends reported having their bikes stolen in the last 2 months, and it got me to thinking about how worthwhile it is to list your bikes on BikeIndex. If you’re worrying about your bike being stolen, or if your bike has been stolen and you need help getting it back, BikeIndex can be a really helpful resource. BikeIndex is the best place to report your stolen bike online BikeIndex is a free, online, non-profit, database where people can list their bikes and report their stolen bikes. It’s the biggest database that I know of, so if your bike is stolen, you have a better chance of searchers finding you. BikeIndex sends out alerts when bikes are marked stolen to broaden potential group people who can find your bike. As of this writing, nearly 12,000 bikes […]
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How are bikes usually stolen? 12+ Helpful tips about bike theft.
How are bikes usually stolen? Bikes are great. They are a convenient, eco-friendly way to get around, and help you get healthy physical activity. They also allow kids to independently transport themselves. Bike theft is a huge issue especially in the Bay Area. When I first moved here, I bought a “beater bike” for errands and commuting, because I didn’t want to risk having my nice bike be stolen. Reading Craigslist “stolen bike” posts over the years I’ve read and gathered some data from Craigslist post over the years. I’ve been casually studying and observing bike theft for more than a decade. Bikes are stolen in several ways, but some are much more common. Bikes are often stolen during a home break-in Perhaps surprisingly many are stolen during a home break-in. People often store their bikes in their garage, and […]
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Innovative bike tracking: Deter theft with an AirTag bike mount?
Bike theft sucks. Your bike is probably really special to you, and your financial investment is worth protecting. A bike AirTag mount can help. When I first moved to the area, I was so worried about theft, that I bought a second “beater” bike to get around town. I bought a good U-lock to lock my frame and a cable to deter a theft from stealing the wheels. I even bought a smaller cable to keep the seatpost in place. To prevent theft when locking: Use a good lock Ideally the lock will be strong and thick enough to resist bending or cutting with a saw or angle grinder. The key and shackle mechanism should also be resistant to tampering. The lock should go through a part of your frame (not just the wheel!) so that, assuming the lock is […]
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