Tag: theft

December 24th – An unusual if not unique thing for 365daysofbiking – a photo taken when I wasn’t on my bike; but it’s about cycling, so I figure it’s OK just this once.

I was in Derby for the day, and for once, it was better I was without the bike. I didn’t know what cycle security would be like, and needed to visit lots of places where it would have been parked in the open for long periods. On Christmas Eve, that’s not a good idea as someone unscrupulous may be looking for that last minute cycling gift..

As it happened, I needn’t have worried; in Derby they’re taking cycling seriously; outside the rail station astounding, secure double-deck weatherproof bike park. Dotted about the city, good quality Sheffield stands and even free to use bike pumps.

We need some of this love in Birmingham – I’ll be back, and next time, with the bike!

October 23rd – Here’s a security tip for cyclists with disc brakes. The other day I noted that you can’t make your bike theft proof, but you can make it fiddly and a pain to steal, hopefully putting off all but the most determined thieves. 

Some of the best deterrents lie in novelty; professionals will come with tools usually to smash D locks or cut cables, not both. You can make your D lock more effective by ‘filling’ it with as much bike as possible (thieves often use bottle jacks to break them open – they can’t if there isn’t room for one).

This yellow item probably isn’t that secure, but it’s effectiveness lies in the way it works: they’re sold online as disc brake locks for motorbikes and they have a plunger that latches through your brake disc, rendering the wheel unable to turn. In addition, there’s a piercing, vibration-activated alarm inside – so if the bike is handled roughly, it screams the place down.

It’s small, compact, thieves probably wont want to bother with it coupled with other locks, and it costs less than a tenner. What’s not to love?

October 19th – At Telford, the cycle rack at the place I was visiting had this bike locked in a corner. When inside, I found the owner and warned them about their locking technique; the cable lock only secures the rear wheel to the stand. A sharp thief would just pop the quick release, leave the wheel in situ, and nick an unlocked rear wheel from a nearby bike. Hey presto, complete steed ready to go in seconds, no tools required.

Always use two different locks. Always secure through the frame. Nothing will make your bike thief-proof, but you can make it time consuming, or bothersome to steal. 

February 18th – Next door to Kings Hill Park, the former methodist church is steadily being converted into flats. It will be interesting to see the result, and how well executed it is. In the meantime, the vegetation has been cut from around it revealing a rather interesting foundation stone. 

I hadn’t noticed before, but the lead has been stolen from the building and the roofs and gables are in a parlous state. That won’t be a cheap fix.

September 10th – This just in from the ‘You’re having a bloody laugh’ department. A I noted last week, security at the bike parking facilities in the ‘new’ New Street Station is notoriously bad. Daily, the tally of thefts and vandalism increases. Notwork Fail, in their wisdom, stonewall any criticism or constructive comment.

Today, I noted they’ve been pro-active. They have pasted up a life-size photo of a copper on the hoarding behind the racks. 

This has to be a joke. Fellow cyclists, Network Rail are taking the piss.

(Sorry about the poor quality close-up, taking photos at New Street is frowned upon)

August 29th – The bike parking at New Street Station is still rubbish. Theoretically covered by CCTV, thefts are rife and stripped bike carcasses appear every day. If you need to park bikes in Brum, don’t park here. If you do, learn to lock your bike properly. What’s happening here is that thieves are stealing bikes who have one wheel locked by undoing it, then nicking a compatible wheel from another bike, and riding the composite off into the sunset.

New Street’s bike facilities are a disgrace.

Learn to lock your bike properly.

December 3rd – A grainy, long-distance shot across Moor Street Station in a rain shower. I noticed this cautionary warning in the bike shed between platforms 2 and 3. Some careless cyclist – perhaps in a hurry – has locked their bike up by the front wheel. A thief has come along, and just opened the quick release, left the wheel locked to the stand, and made of with the rest of the bike. They may even have nicked a front wheel from an adjacent bike to replace it. Bastards.

If you’re locking your bike up, use 2 or more locks with the ‘Solid Secure’ rating. Use different technologies – one chain and one D lock, for example. Thieves rarely come tooled up to deal with both. Always lock through the frame, and a solid object if possible. 

Bike thieves a the lowest of the low. Don’t make it easy for them.