Naive about bike theft, help me with bike locks..

strayfoxx

strayfoxx

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I'll keep this short.

I am an avid mountain and road biker moving to Morgantown, WV to enter into WVU's doctoral program. Since the student population is so engorged in a university infrastructure that cannot handle it, parking is a massive issue. I located an apartment right near a rail (biking) trail that eventually runs up next to the university.

Being a grad student with research and teaching duties I would likely be riding my costly mountain or road bike to campus, and leaving it for a long time, sometimes late into the night. I am aware that particularly adept thieves prey on college campuses and am wondering the best way of securing my bike. I've heard horror stories that thiefs can get through mostly any bike locks, and expensive ones just create more of a time-intensive hindrance. Any advice on a lock or manner in which I should lock/secure my bike?Or should I just ride one of my old bike beaters to campus?
 
Buy a cheaper bike and buy 3 locks, one for the base and two for the tires. Otherwise you will be carrying your bike home minus a tire or more.
 
either post a pic of someone's hot cousin next to the bike to distract them or take the seat with you, I think that will deter most people at least in morgantown.
 
I use a U-lock when I lock the front tire to the rack. Then I use the bendy cable ones to lock the frame to the rack. I also have a lock for my seat. I've had a few friends that have had their seats stolen before.

Congrats on getting into WVU. My parents both went to college and met there.
 
[quote name='jesta2817']I use a U-lock when I lock the front tire to the rack. Then I use the bendy cable ones to lock the frame to the rack. I also have a lock for my seat. I've had a few friends that have had their seats stolen before.

Congrats on getting into WVU. My parents both went to college and met there.[/QUOTE]


Thats pretty extensive. Is the U-Lock intended to just secure the tire, or the frame as well?
 
I've always used a steel (braided/chain/etc) cable wrapped in plastic and woven it through the tires and the frame then secured it to whatever was convenient. Then used a tonka tough lock to secure the cable (usually a circular shipping container lock).

(btw, check your cables after you leave campus, people like to mess with them).
 
[quote name='strayfoxx']Thats pretty extensive. Is the U-Lock intended to just secure the tire, or the frame as well?[/quote]

If you are going to be leaving your bike out late or frequently on a college campus, you need to buy a cheaper bike.

Your expensive one WILL be stolen eventually and there isn't a bike lock in the world that will save you from someone who wants your bike.

Buy a junker and call it good or we'll be hearing how someone stole your bike stories this fall.

TBW
 
1- Make sure you don't have a wheel that can be removed without tools (the attach being similar to your bench's attach

2- Have a bench attach you can't remove. My friend got his bench stolen and I got my bench pin stolen when I left it alone without the bench. IT COSTS 3 DOLLARS!

3- HUGEASS BIKE LOCK. I got my locked bike stolen. It only had a small chain covered in plastic. Opt for massive metal wire covered in rubber.

4- Bike thefts are desperate. I always paints something on the bench, wheels and frame (like a white square) to distinguish it from other bikes if it gets stolen.
 
ulocks can be picked with a bic pen. but i still use one and havent had my cruiser stolen in 4 years or so. bottom line is if they want the bike bad enough they can get through the lock.
 
You could always use the PRT instead.

What program are you in? I'm currently starting my Master's in Chemical Engineering at WVU. Did my undergrad here too.
 
Hmm, I've always bought cheaper bikes, then locked mine up plus parked next to much better models. :shrug:

My advice would be to ride one of your crappier bikes in to campus.
 
[quote name='ChibiJosh']You could always use the PRT instead.

What program are you in? I'm currently starting my Master's in Chemical Engineering at WVU. Did my undergrad here too.[/QUOTE]


I'm entering into the history program. Congrats on entering into a practical, lucrative field. :) Any information you wish to share about Morgantown? Good parks, restaurants, bars, etc?

And thanks for the advice guys. I don't think bike theft in Morgantown is as comparable to say, DC or NYC, but I'm still not taking my chances with my bikes.

Looks like I'll have to debate riding my junker like some have suggested, or investing in numerous thick locks. I can't believe the story about the $3 bench. Geesh.

And I don't think my apt is near the PRT. Might be wrong though.

And people love to fuck with the cables? Really?
 
I have several friends that use their bikes around campus, and I've never had them say their bikes were ever stolen.

As for good restaurants and bars, High Street in downtown has a large percentage of the bars, and also good places to eat from pizza (Casa D'Amici is marvelous) and subs to more sit down places that are also excellent.

As for good parks, there's a real nice forest type path (that also has bike trails) next to the Coliseum called the Core Arboretum. There's also Mylan Park that has the Balloon Festival every fall which is always a fun time.

Where abouts is your apartment? I take like a 10 minute walk to the PRT every day. It's not bad.
 
[quote name='strayfoxx']I'm entering into the history program. Congrats on entering into a practical, lucrative field. :) Any information you wish to share about Morgantown? Good parks, restaurants, bars, etc?

And thanks for the advice guys. I don't think bike theft in Morgantown is as comparable to say, DC or NYC, but I'm still not taking my chances with my bikes.

Looks like I'll have to debate riding my junker like some have suggested, or investing in numerous thick locks. I can't believe the story about the $3 bench. Geesh.

And I don't think my apt is near the PRT. Might be wrong though.

And people love to fuck with the cables? Really?[/quote]

Yes, people are mean. I got my bike vandalized when I was something like 9 or 10. I got another one stolen at a soccer match (this one wasn't locked or under supervision, okay) and my last one got stolen at halloween last year. I loved that bike, and it removes 230$ from my bank account. to buy the same one again.

This is in a 50000 people city with very low crime rates. I don't wanna live in NYC.
 
If you're entering a phd program you'll probably make good friends with library staff, professors and maybe the janitors since you'll be there soooooooo much. I would just ask someone if you could bring the bike inside, if you're in the library get one of the side rooms and park it next to you.

Some library's allow you to sign up for a work room where you can keep a lot of the stuff you are working on, if available it could be a great solution.

Congrats on getting in and go history!!! I'll be sending out phD applications in the fall for ancient near east programs.

Edit: Also check out bikeforums.net for some other ideas.
 
[quote name='ChibiJosh']

Where abouts is your apartment? I take like a 10 minute walk to the PRT every day. It's not bad.[/QUOTE]

Thanks for the suggestions. The apartment I'm moving to in August is in Star City off University Avenue. It appears to be down near a harbor area bordering the river.

Admittedly, the reason I'm not thinking about the PRT is I don't even know how the damn thing works. I just saw it zipping around and it intimidated me, so my natural instinct is to pretend it doesn't exist, when in actuality the logistics of it are probably quite easy. Care to explain?

And to the last poster, where are you thinking of applying? Are you proficient in your required languages yet?
 
Yeah, that's a little far from where the PRT is, I believe. The way it works is you either swipe your card (as a grad student you have to pay an extra fee for this) or drop $0.50 in it, or the best option is to ask an undergrad on the platform to use their card. Hit the button for where you want to go (Walnut, Beechhurst, Engineering, Towers, or Medical), and it takes you.

When do you get into town? I may be able to show you around a bit, if you'd like.
 
Invest in the mini-u locks. Then get a cable lock. The "proper" way to lock up a bike is to lock the back wheel within the triangle to a pole with the u lock. Then Lock the front wheel and frame to the pole as well. Make sure the pole or whatever you use as the anchor is solid, steel, and cannot be pulled from the ground without gigantic tools.

http://www.sheldonbrown.com/lock-strategy.html

Like the above poster suggested, don't get those round keyhole locks. Personally, I invested in an OnGuard Bulldog mini and an Onguard cable (both have normal keyholes). You can get these fairly cheaper than Kryptonite, and they're just as good. Now if you're seriously paranoid about thieves, then get one of those Kryptonite Fahgettaboutit chains which are essentially huge chains locked by a padlock. But remember, the lock is only as strong as its weakest link (usually the padlock). I believe at REI those OnGuard locks can cost from 15-25 each.

edit: almost forgot. Other things you can do to prevent theft is to make your bike look like shit (wrap it in inner tubes and electrical tape). If you have an expensive saddle, bring that shit with you. Also, try to keep your bike safe indoors as much as you can. Park your bike in highly populated areas (though it is not unheard of seeing a thief steal a bike in mid-day or crowded areas). Also, never forget to take off all those bicycle accessories such as lights and bells.

Stay safe, follow traffic laws and I hope you enjoy cycling.
 
I think someday I am going to just do a piss poor job locking my bike up and put it somewhere that is high risk for it getting stolen and just hide in the bushes near and slay the first motherfucker that comes to try and steal it.
 
Haha, reminds me of a video where the bike owner spotted the thief trying to steal his bike. He did like a missle drop kick and started beating the thief with his bike. 'Twas crazy.
 
No bike is ever completely secure. Exhibit A:

pee_peewee-752873.jpg
 
[quote name='strayfoxx']
And to the last poster, where are you thinking of applying? Are you proficient in your required languages yet?[/QUOTE]

I'm planning to apply to University of Illinois Chicago, Penn State (I like Anne Killebrew's work), UCLA and just about everywhere else. I think my grades and GRE scores are good enough, but I need to work on my networking. Mostly, I'm looking to get into a program that will fund my work.

As far as languages, I've done a lot of ancient stuff: Hebrew (and its dialects), Greek (late), Egyptian, Sumerian and will be doing Akkadian in the fall/spring. Unfortunately I haven't done French or German yet so I need to get on board with that!

What area of history are you studying?
 
ChibiJosh-That sounds great. I'll PM you when I get into Morgantown in mid August.

Javeryh- Those are some good schools you mentioned. I am a US Labor Historian, thats why I am going to WVU to work with the Fones-Wolf's, a husband-wife historian duo who are some of the top labor historians in the country.

I know University of Chicago has a great program. Their labor program has Arneson, Fink and a bunch of others. Graduates from UIC find it incredibly easy to get jobs. I used to work with a Dr. Mikhail who has your focus. He left James Madison University to go to either UCLA or UC Davis, I know theres a big difference. If you go to www.historians.org, there is a great compendium of phd programs that gives basic information.

And thanks to the prior poster who gave me loads of information. Sorry I don't post here much, so I'm not good at quoting multiple people in the same post.
 
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