To those with quick release bike seats, wheels etc (outside Sainsbury?s)

[chrisz]

With the recent spate of bike thefts in the area, I urge those of you who fail to remove/secure quick release parts and lights when parking your bike to think twice. It makes your bike a target, and I only mention this as in spite of the fact I had two very good quality locks securing both wheels, frame, and forks to the bike rack, some tosser still took the trouble of bringing an Allen key removing the stem, handle bars, and brake lever of my bike (basically the whole front steering). So let this be a warning to those leaving their lights flashing, and quick release parts unsecured as they nip into Sainsbury?s!

[eater81]

What you can do is buy some glue , (epoxy I think is the best sort, or something like that )and use it to fill all the allen key and screw driver holes on your bike, thus making them impossible for some thieving scumbag to undoo. If you ever need to adjust them, you can use nail varnish remover to dissolve the glue. Ok, the scum could also do this, but the chance of them carrying nail varnish remover on them is fairly low I think. Plus it takes a few minutes to disolve it properly, which will piss them off as they obviously don't wanna hang about.

[bignumber5]

I once left my bike chained up outside guy's hospital in l.bridge with the seat taken off and with me, and the front wheel taken off and locked to the back one, the frame and a railing - safe at houses, I thought. Some toe-rag nicked the quick release bolt from where the seat post inserted into the frame...

[mlteenie]

I sympathise with those unfortunate enough to have bike bits nicked - it is a very unpleasant experience having anything swiped. I wasn't aware there was a spate of thefts going on. :-(

For any urban cyclist it is essential to buy some kind of security for wheels/seatpost and even headset. These vary in price from about ?10 for allen bolt items (they may not bother, going elsewhere for easier prey) to ?35ish stainless steel options which are impossible to remove without the correct tool. Try Balfe's Bikes or look online for makes like Pinhead and Pitlock. ?35 may seem a lot, but it isn't when you consider the cost of replacement, stress and hassle involved when you do have to push your bike home, wondering what would have happened if you'd caught the scumbag at it.

Perhaps we should set a trap... lure bike and telephoto lens?

[SteveT]

mlteenie wrote:-Perhaps we should set a trap... lure bike and telephoto lens?

........and superglue, and a sniper to shoot him in the leg to slow him down, and a cat'o'nine tails to give him a

floggin after we have ambled up to him slowly, and then finally give him a good kickin' on his good leg and ring the

filf.

please feel free to add anything I may have missed.......