Bit of Research

e-Mo0?

Hi
I'm currently doing a project on bike theft and locks and I'm just doing a little bit of market research.
So if you could just answer these four questions I would be great full.

Have you ever had a bicycle robbed?

How many locks do you use to secure your bicycle? and what types?

Do you think the average bicycle rack/stand is effective?

And finally do you think the average bicycle rack/stand is space effective? i.e could more be done.

Thanks in advance Phil

Húrin

Have you ever had a bicycle robbed?
yes, but only when it was not locked

How many locks do you use to secure your bicycle? and what types?
normally I lock my frame and front wheel with one D-lock. If it's a risky area or it's going to be there all night I also use a thin cable lock through the backwheel and frame. All attached to an immovable object like a rack.

Do you think the average bicycle rack/stand is effective?
The n-shaped ones are good for the D-lock user as they allow locking of frame without encouraging locking near the ground (which can be used to balance a boltcutter against).

And finally do you think the average bicycle rack/stand is space effective? i.e could more be done.
Yes I think the standard n-shapes are good. Providing locking facilities that do not take up much space is important especially in Irish urban areas. We need more bike stands like this. Bike stands which are designed to hold the bike by the wheel are very bad.

TinyExplosions

1: Had front wheels, but not a whole bike
2: Like this with a Kryptonite Mini
3: Yep,pretty good all
4: Yes, as good as can be expected

72hundred

Have you ever had a bicycle robbed?
No (touch wood!).

How many locks do you use to secure your bicycle? and what types?
One lock across top tube, Kyrptonite New York Lock U-Lock, and inside a locked bike shed, with security watching over it from 10 yards.

Do you think the average bicycle rack/stand is effective?
Yes, when there's a space actually available.

And finally do you think the average bicycle rack/stand is space effective? i.e could more be done.
Yes, but more are needed.

CheGuedara

Have you ever had a bicycle robbed?
No, and long may it last.
How many locks do you use to secure your bicycle? and what types?
One lock, a Kryptonine New York U-Lock and a kryptonite cable to secure the wheels. Locked indoors when not in use.
Do you think the average bicycle rack/stand is effective?
They're ok I guess. Those n shaped ones are good alright, the ones that hold the wheel allow it to get pringled (buckled).
And finally do you think the average bicycle rack/stand is space effective? i.e could more be done.
Depends on what type you're talking about but just increasing the availability would be a good start

kenmc

Have you ever had a bicycle robbed?
- Yes in Holland, from the basement of my apartment. Thankfully not here though.

How many locks do you use to secure your bicycle? and what types?
- One Krytonite D3000 lock through the rear wheel and down tube, connected to a kryptonite cable locking the front wheel and bike to a large metal pipe in the toilets of the building where I work.

Do you think the average bicycle rack/stand is effective?
- The 'n' ones seem fine. It's the way bikes are (mis-)locked to them that is the weakest link.

And finally do you think the average bicycle rack/stand is space effective?
- Depends on the type. The ones in Netherlands are better I think, but the 'n' ones over here are fine.

DirkVoodoo

Have you ever had a bicycle robbed?
- No, not yet. Bikes are kept indoors or in a locked garage when at home.

How many locks do you use to secure your bicycle? and what types?
- A kryptonite New York 3000 lock and/or a standard cable lock

Do you think the average bicycle rack/stand is effective?
- No, not at all. Especially those ones that only allow the wheel to be locked. Very often they are located in security "blind spots" where theives will have time and privacy to cut a lock.

And finally do you think the average bicycle rack/stand is space effective? i.e could more be done.
- Yes. Integrating multistory car parks and bike parking in town would be quite easy and potentially more secure than free standing bike racks.

SomeFool

Have you ever had a bicycle robbed?
Yep.. MTB from my garden shed

How many locks do you use to secure your bicycle? and what types?
Bikes now kept in the house!!, I have a steel cable one if I have to run to the shop but it's rarely used.

Do you think the average bicycle rack/stand is effective?
Yep.

And finally do you think the average bicycle rack/stand is space effective? i.e could more be done.
Agree with DirkVoodoo on this - integrating with carparks is a pretty clever idea.

Civilian_Target

e-Mo0? wrote: »

Hi
I'm currently doing a project on bike theft and locks and I'm just doing a little bit of market research.
So if you could just answer these four questions I would be great full.

Have you ever had a bicycle robbed?
Yes
How many locks do you use to secure your bicycle? and what types?
I use a KryptoLock Mini D to secure it by the inner back wheel to something cemented into the ground. I also have PitLock for making my wheels and seat unstealable.
Do you think the average bicycle rack/stand is effective?
In Ireland, no. In London, frequently not. In France, yes.
And finally do you think the average bicycle rack/stand is space effective? i.e could more be done.

Thanks in advance Phil

You're welcome

oobydooby

e-Mo0? wrote: »

Hi
I'm currently doing a project on bike theft and locks and I'm just doing a little bit of market research.
So if you could just answer these four questions I would be great full.

Have you ever had a bicycle robbed?
YES:mad: 4 of them over the years
How many locks do you use to secure your bicycle? and what types?

I now have 3 bikes, two of which I never lock anywhere (I keep them indoors when not being ridden). The one I do use to get around I lock with 1-3 locks, always with ABUS Granit
Do you think the average bicycle rack/stand is effective?
depends on what average means... but the good ones are, yes. The ones that bend my wheels are not.
And finally do you think the average bicycle rack/stand is space effective? i.e could more be done.
Never thought about it... I'd say yes, but again what so you mean by 'average'?
Thanks in advance Phil

Good luck with the survey. What's the point of your survey if you don't mind me asking?:)

flickerx

Have you ever had a bicycle robbed?

Yep from the locked bike shed of an apartment complex I lived in.


How many locks do you use to secure your bicycle? and what types?
Two - one large steel Abus lock for the rear wheel & frame, and a small kryptonite mini for the front wheel.


Do you think the average bicycle rack/stand is effective?

The standard ones in Dublin city centre are good (there just needs to be more of them!)


And finally do you think the average bicycle rack/stand is space effective? i.e could more be done.

Yep I think the ones in Dublin city centre do the job just right.

Victor

Have you ever had a bicycle robbed? Stolen yes. Robbery is theft with menaces. First - primative lock and chain. Second - shackle lock and lock and chain.

How many locks do you use to secure your bicycle? and what types? Shackle lock (usually rear wheel + frame) and heavy cable (usually front wheel + frame).

Do you think the average bicycle rack/stand is effective? If you mean Sheffield Stands. Generally they are effective, some can be too short of too long, making the securing of both wheels and frames difficult. "Achitectualised" versions are generally bad.

And finally do you think the average bicycle rack/stand is space effective? i.e could more be done. It is very space effective.

Typical car parking space: 5 x 2.5 (parking space) + 6.25m2 (minimum circulation) = 18.75m2

Typical Sheffield stands: 2 x 0.3m (parking space, assuming double sided parking) + 2 x 0.3m (circulation) = 1.2m2

You can have 100 cars or 1,532 bikes.

i.e could more be done.Put stands in lockable cages controlled by CCTV and swipe cards for registered users.


How about: http://www.techeblog.com/index.php/tech-gadget/bike-tree-a-new-way-to-park-your-bike ? Too expensive?

e-Mo0?

Thanks mucho for the feed back guys.

The research is just for a design project im working on, at this stage either some sort of bike lock or stand still dont know yet.

Cheers

Victor

If you mean a construction project - have a look here: http://www.scotland.gov.uk/library2/cbd/cbd-26.asp

Wall loops could be used, but would not be liked by people who would like to retain ownership of their bikes.

gaf1983

Have you ever had a bicycle robbed?

The bike no, the front wheel and saddle yes, two weeks ago.

How many locks do you use to secure your bicycle? and what types?

One U-lock between the main frame and stand. If possible I secure the back wheel, frame and railing too. Will start to use cables to secure wheels from now on.

Do you think the average bicycle rack/stand is effective?
Yes, if you mean the Sheffield Stand. If only there were more of them.

And finally do you think the average bicycle rack/stand is space effective? i.e could more be done

Yes.

bcmf

Have you ever had a bicycle robbed?
2 robbed.
A team issue 7-Eleven bike robbed from the factory where I served my time.(I cried!!)
A MTB robbed from the railings on St.Stephens Green

How many locks do you use to secure your bicycle? and what types?
1.A big chain out my back

Do you think the average bicycle rack/stand is effective?
Dont bring my bike into town anymore
And finally do you think the average bicycle rack/stand is space effective? i.e could more be done.
Dont Know

Bunnyhopper

Have you ever had a bicycle robbed?

Not a whole bike (touch wood etc.), but I've had three separate incidents:
firstly, the front mudguard was taken off a bike (that was over in England and I'd left it out overnight locked to a railing with a basic shackle lock);
then the seatpost, saddle and attached rear mudguard were taken (from outside Blanch shopping centre, it had been left there for 35-40 minutes, and it was partly my own fault for forgetting I had a quick-release seat clamp...);
and finally I had some skanger cut half-way through a cable lock (a Specialized Fat Rapper Slim) while the bike was locked in the front square in Trinity - again it had been left there for about 35-40 minutes.


How many locks do you use to secure your bicycle? and what types?

After all that I never leave the bike locked anywhere apart from indoors. Still, even when it's locked in the house I use two locks. One is a Kryptonite New York 3000 U-lock, the other is a Specialized Fat Rapper cable lock (not the slim model this time).


Do you think the average bicycle rack/stand is effective?

Given that I don't feel safe leaving a bike locked anywhere other than indoors I'd have to say no, they're not effective. If I could trust that my bike would still be (all) there when I came back to it then I'd use it more than I do, but I don't.
That said, I'm not sure the problem is with the racks. I lived in Cambridge for four years and left two different bikes locked in all sorts of places, including outdoors overnight most of the time, but the only hassle I ever had with bicycle theft was that front mudguard (and I suspect that was just a drunk). The bike stands there are pretty much the same as the ones in Dublin.


And finally do you think the average bicycle rack/stand is space effective? i.e could more be done

They can be quite cramped, which can make good positioning of the bike and locks more difficult. A design that forces good positioning of both locks and bikes would be helpful. Also, a lot of basic staple or Sheffield stand designs work best if the bikes either side are locked "head-to-toe", but the design doesn't do anything to encourage that.


This is a fairly complex solution, but I just post it out of interest:
http://www.biceberg.es/INGLES/index.htm

Good luck.

Gavin

Just curious, would people actually pay for secure parking ? Say 2 euro a pop or something ?

I don't think I would, I'd almost get the bus/luas instead. Bicycle are great because they are completely free (sort of). Having to pay for parking would really ruin that

DirkVoodoo

Maybe some kind of "Oyster" card that you could top up and use for bus, luas travel as well as for bike parking?

I think a major factor for me in a job/apartment would be the provision of cycling facilities such as secure parking and showers (that only applies to the job, I damn well hope the apartment would have a shower).

neilled

Have you ever had a bicycle robbed?
Yes, from just beside the drimnagh Luas stop. Numerous mudguards, light mounts etc. that would be useless on their own without the appropriate matching parts have been stolen from me over the years.

How many locks do you use to secure your bicycle? and what types?
I use an Abus Granit U-Lock, combined with a kryptoflex cable for securing the front wheel and any accessories.

Do you think the average bicycle rack/stand is effective?
The ones that are designed to hold a bicycle by its front wheel are useless and should be sent for recycling immediately. The "upside down U" shaped ones are effective in that they are hard to cut through for the average opertunist theif, but ideally they should be concreted into place as oppossed to bolted. I have seen some that had dangerously loose bolts.

And finally do you think the average bicycle rack/stand is space effective? i.e could more be done.
I think the type of stand i have previously described is space effiecient, however this still leaves the users bike open to vandalism, particularly as the vast majority are not CCTV monitored. Some kind of secured and monitored facility should exist where there are large enough numbers of cyclists to sustain them.

mvpr

1. Yes
2. Depends on my bike. Crap old one, one lock. Racer, two.
3. Average bike stand isnt acceptable for nicer bikes - they will get destroyed fairly quickly. The government should be encouraging people to cycle. One way of doing this would be to have a sufficient number of decent racks around the place.
4. Space effective? Some are. Ones on Camden Street diagonal to the road are decent enough.

Good luck