>>977643>Yes, that means you probably cannot use your bike as a means of actual transportation and/or commuting, but that's just what it is. I ride my bike only for recreational purposes and don't even own a lock because I never leave it.It makes me sad that people think like this.
If you actually understand how thieves think, it's not hard to figure out where you can leave it to substantially reduce your risk.
Always leave it near a flashier bike. In a well lit, well trafficed area. In the middle of one of those racks that's always filled with bikes no one touches ever. (They're all shit bikes, and your bike, in the middle of them, is also a shit bike, and the rack won't even be looked over.) Locked amongst the delivery bikes outside a 24 hour deli. Don't lock in the same place all the time - make it obvious it's being used daily.
(You are using your bike daily, right?
If you have to leave it locked for a few days, do a combination of those. The deli thing works the best.
Also, ride something that isn't flashy or carbon. You can disguise something like a Surly pretty damn well. You think the average bike thief recognizes frame geometry?
If you have fancy parts, lock those. Depending on where and how long, locking the wheel may or may not be necessary, but there's also wheel locks.
Use a small heavy U-Lock.
I've had two instances of bike theft in New York locking up outside 90+% of the time. One was a bike with a busted rear wheel I left outside for months procrastinating on fixing it. The other was a front unlocked QR wheel, taken at Lafayette and Bleecker at night. A dark, low-medium traffic block right by a subway station and higher traffic blocks. Frame, rear wheel, and all accessories were left untouched.
Also, FFS, HAVE INSURANCE and DGAF.
