4 ms·

Wheels "feature unique nuts that can only be undone with a special adaptor which comes with the bike" C'mon, really? Just another specialty socket/drill bit?

jrockway 5y ago
They are usually a little bit more unique, but still not particularly secure. Just something to fuck you over when you're out in the middle of nowhere and need to repair something.
- rrix2 5y ago
  you can also leave it in your little saddle tool bag that'll make your tire thief's day easier maybe figure out how to make one an irritably shaped keychain?
Gigachad 5y ago
I’m not sure what the alternative is though. Theft of wheels and seats is unfortunately common.
- Chirael 5y ago
  I recommend The Completist’s Guide to Bike Security https://www.aaronhamlin.com/articles/completists-guide-bike-security https://www.aaronhamlin.com/articles/completists-guide-bike-...
  - Gigachad 5y ago
    Unfortunately this just reaffirms why I don't use a bike for transport. For me, the mental stress of worrying about bike theft and going through all these procedures + the depressing feeling of eventually having it stolen is greater than the actual value of the bike.. I enjoy riding my bike for fitness but when I'm done riding, it always goes back inside my apartment where it's pretty close to impossible to steal. This does unfortunately make it useless for anything but fitness. I'd love to see some systematic changes put in place to crack down on bike theft but its out of my control.
    - jwagenet 5y ago
      I don’t know where you live, but as the article mentions, all you really need is a good u lock or two and thoughtful placement of the bike. Avoid secluded areas and minimize the lockup time if it seems like a risky area.
    - bartvk 5y ago
      Why not get a cheap bike, or good insurance?
      - emsixteen 5y ago
        Insurance is great but it's not going to help how stuck you are when you're out and your bike's just been nicked.
      - Zak 5y ago
        I priced theft insurance for my bike and it would cost about as much as buying a bike once a year.
  - Fricken 5y ago
    My commuter bikes usually cost in the neighbourhood of $1k. I've had 7 bikes stolen in 30 years of commuting, going back to when I was a kid, across 3 cities and numerable living situations. A year's worth of monthly transit passes (currently, where I am) costs $1200. 30 years of transit would cost $36k. Compare that to the $7k I've spent on bikes to do the same job. I could have bikes stolen at 5 times the rate, and I would still be getting the best transportation deal around. Sometimes I leave my bike alone for hours in kind of a sketchy place, and when I do it's in the hands of the fates. I don't let it ruin my fun. I'm way to cheap to be getting uptight about stolen bicycles.
    - sdoering 5y ago
      I am too far out of the city for biking to work practically. But my current bike costs less than a yearly commuter pass. So I really appreciated your perspective shift. Because if I were to use the bike to go into the office I wouldn't worry too much and only look at the numbers. Thanks for that.
- alanbernstein 5y ago
  One solution is these special magnetic locks that insert into the heads of standard hex bolts: https://hexlox.com/ https://hexlox.com/
- dmurray 5y ago
  I lock one wheel with a cheap cable lock and the other with a cable that came with my U-lock. It's often recommended you should use two locks of different types anyway, as it means any thief needs two pieces equipment to steal the bike.
imgabe 5y ago
Locking wheel nuts are pretty common as an aftermarket addition. I always got them on my bikes. It's a necessity if you're using a bike in a city.

jrockway 5y ago

They are usually a little bit more unique, but still not particularly secure. Just something to fuck you over when you're out in the middle of nowhere and need to repair something.

rrix2 5y ago
you can also leave it in your little saddle tool bag that'll make your tire thief's day easier maybe figure out how to make one an irritably shaped keychain?

Gigachad 5y ago

I’m not sure what the alternative is though. Theft of wheels and seats is unfortunately common.

Chirael 5y ago
I recommend The Completist’s Guide to Bike Security https://www.aaronhamlin.com/articles/completists-guide-bike-security https://www.aaronhamlin.com/articles/completists-guide-bike-...
- Gigachad 5y ago
  Unfortunately this just reaffirms why I don't use a bike for transport. For me, the mental stress of worrying about bike theft and going through all these procedures + the depressing feeling of eventually having it stolen is greater than the actual value of the bike.. I enjoy riding my bike for fitness but when I'm done riding, it always goes back inside my apartment where it's pretty close to impossible to steal. This does unfortunately make it useless for anything but fitness. I'd love to see some systematic changes put in place to crack down on bike theft but its out of my control.
  - jwagenet 5y ago
    I don’t know where you live, but as the article mentions, all you really need is a good u lock or two and thoughtful placement of the bike. Avoid secluded areas and minimize the lockup time if it seems like a risky area.
  - bartvk 5y ago
    Why not get a cheap bike, or good insurance?
    - emsixteen 5y ago
      Insurance is great but it's not going to help how stuck you are when you're out and your bike's just been nicked.
    - Zak 5y ago
      I priced theft insurance for my bike and it would cost about as much as buying a bike once a year.
- Fricken 5y ago
  My commuter bikes usually cost in the neighbourhood of $1k. I've had 7 bikes stolen in 30 years of commuting, going back to when I was a kid, across 3 cities and numerable living situations. A year's worth of monthly transit passes (currently, where I am) costs $1200. 30 years of transit would cost $36k. Compare that to the $7k I've spent on bikes to do the same job. I could have bikes stolen at 5 times the rate, and I would still be getting the best transportation deal around. Sometimes I leave my bike alone for hours in kind of a sketchy place, and when I do it's in the hands of the fates. I don't let it ruin my fun. I'm way to cheap to be getting uptight about stolen bicycles.
  - sdoering 5y ago
    I am too far out of the city for biking to work practically. But my current bike costs less than a yearly commuter pass. So I really appreciated your perspective shift. Because if I were to use the bike to go into the office I wouldn't worry too much and only look at the numbers. Thanks for that.
alanbernstein 5y ago
One solution is these special magnetic locks that insert into the heads of standard hex bolts: https://hexlox.com/ https://hexlox.com/
dmurray 5y ago
I lock one wheel with a cheap cable lock and the other with a cable that came with my U-lock. It's often recommended you should use two locks of different types anyway, as it means any thief needs two pieces equipment to steal the bike.

imgabe 5y ago

Locking wheel nuts are pretty common as an aftermarket addition. I always got them on my bikes. It's a necessity if you're using a bike in a city.