I have this device that prevents theft - my ass. Having lost several bikes to thieves, I'm not likely to let a bike out of my view, and don't use a QR seatpost clamp if I can help it.
I do not use quick disconnects on the saddle. I have heard of whole bikes disappearing in seconds, just turn your back. Around here the bums and homeless ride around on $1000 plus bikes as pawn shops are not allowed to pawn the high end bikes without proof of ownership. So the bums steal them and ride them. Drives me nuts to see a bum on a $2000 Specialized. Although... The truth of the matter is... 2 allen wrenches and 1 spanner will take apart almost an entire bike... So even a good lock will not totally protect your bike.
I don't do anything. I've never seen a homeless person with just a seat. Your making me paranoid though I'm looking into Quick Disconnects.
I generally don't leave the bike where it's out of my sight. I've thought of quick releases but that's a bit of a bother, and they don't quite look right on some of my older bikes. marty
You all are lucky. I commute to work almost daily so going to get lunch, running errands, its' all bike and I often have to leave it unseen. I thought about welding a ring onto the seatpost to run the lock thru. Thought maybe there was an easier solution.
I wouldn't mind commuting to work, but I live near the freeway (not close enough to hear it though) and my work is ten miles away, right near the freeway as well. Commuting by bicycle would require a very indirect route without bike lanes, on a road frequented by trucks. So I just ride my motorcycle. No one has tried to steal that seat either.
I've got a 26 mile commute on very bicycle unfriendly roads so its the car for me. If I worked closer to home I'd be on the bike. Dean, have you thought of a short cable type lock between the saddle rails and seatstay (or elsewhere on the bike)? Yes I know more stuff to carry, but one can never be too secure, eh? Marty
I replaced all the QRs on my bike with locking skewers I picked up off eBay. I'll never roll a QR on any bike of mine again -- or my family's bikes either, if I can swing it.
That is what I would do. Replace the quick release with a bolt and nut that you need a tool to get off. Or if you keep the QR when you lock your bike up run the cable up through the saddle rails. In order to protect everything from getting stolen you may have to run the cable through a bunch of different spots but it may slow someone down when they try to steal your bike.
I only have one bike that I'd leave unattended for more than a few minutes and I have under 100 bucks in it.
My first MTB got stolen while I was watching it from within store, maybe 40 feet away. I'm pretty certain all I did was blink, and it was gone. Two Redline BMX bikes got stolen from my house, and a Mongoose from school. As I said before, if it's not under me, it's locked up or inside.
I hate it that there are so many thiefs in this world. I never even considered the seat post issue. I always lock the bikes up if I duck into a store. We always have one of wait with the bikes if Im not alone. I would be so pissed to come out and find no seat!
I had a friend leave his in front of picture windows at his work. After it got stolen he asked the receptionist if she had seen anything. She said ya one of your friends in a hooded sweater came up and grabbed it.
Yeah, what's really sad is that someone will just steal the saddle and post without even thinking about the bike itself. That happened to my wife's MTB a few years ago where we used to live.
What are they gonna do with a saddle and post? It's not like the back seat of a jeep where you can turn it into bachelor furniture. I miss those days. sometimes.
