Most commuters don’t trust bike storage at stations, putting them off cycling, new survey finds https://road.cc/news/bike-storage-obstacles

[catzilla@toot.cat]

@afewbugs I don’t trust bike storage at stations and for that reason I never bike to a station and leave my bike there. I am 100% sure it would be stolen. I am in Toronto, Canada. It’s not a UK only problem.

[afewbugs@social.coop]

@ravenbait they have allegedly rowed back on the "we won't investigate if it cost less than £200 and was there for more than two hours thing". Although in practice what that probably means is they still won't investigate, but they just won't declare this as a formal policy

[unchartedworlds@scicomm.xyz]

@afewbugs

This is my main limiting factor too! I basically only go for bike rides when I would stay near the bike (e.g. to a park), or to a friend's house where it could be inside or in the back garden.

The risk isn't so much about money, it's how long it took me to get the bike set up how I like it. Losing it now and having to start again would be demoralising!

[mshearthwitch@wandering.shop]

@afewbugs this was definitely one of the hurdles for me. And saw me dropping $$$ on locks to hopefully give me some peace of mind when I do leave it parked somewhere

[david_chisnall@infosec.exchange]

@afewbugs

This is a big part of why I don't yet own an eBike. I have a dutch bike that I got second hand. The frame looks a bit scruffy, there's some rust. The saddle has a hole in it and so I prevent it sticking to me by putting a carrier bag over it. It looks really cheap. I'm quite happy parking it at the station because anyone who is going to steal a bike will have a much better return on investment with dozens of other bikes nearby. And, since it cost about £200 and has had almost ten years of use, if it's stolen then it's a minor nuisance but I've had good value from it even if I don't ever get more.

But if I got a decent eBike, it's a much more tempting target and a bigger expense if lost. The station is probably one of the safer places here (the bike park is a decent size and usually has a few people in it, so you'd be noticed if you were breaking a lock, though it's not patrolled at all), but leaving it in random places in town would not make me very comfortable.

[catzilla@toot.cat]

@unchartedworlds @afewbugs Yes. My beater isn’t even expensive - it’s old and everything - but I would be upset if it’s stolen

[afewbugs@social.coop]

@catzilla @unchartedworlds mine cost less than the lights on it, and the lights cost £60. But yes I'm definitely very emotionally attached to that bike and would be devastated if someone stole it even though financially it's worth almost nothing. I've tried to make it look more distinctive (when the pedals broke I replaced them with bright yellow ones) more battered (the saddle is patched) and more girlie to deter lads just nicking bikes for a jolly (sunflowers all over the basket) but I still don't really feel comfortable leaving it at the station

[jepyang@wandering.shop]

@MsHearthWitch @afewbugs and the other thing about locks is that the quality and security of a lock often scales with weight. you can get a really good, fairly light lock, but it’s a tiny u-lock that leaves one wheel vulnerable and can make locking a tricky endeavor. or you can get a fuckoff big chain that secures both wheels but it adds ten pounds to your bike (which is funny because the more you spend on your bike, the lighter it gets and the heavier a lock you need to secure it).

[srlevine@neuromatch.social]

@jepyang @MsHearthWitch @afewbugs Someone quipped once that "the average weight of bike + lock is the same in NYC for all riders", it was just a question of whether is was an ancient steel bike with a cheap cable lock or a fancy super light carbon one with a heavy chain + U lock combo.

[craigmorgan@mastodon.social]

@afewbugs thats what Brompton's are for, why leave it behind when you can fold it and tuck it next to you for the trip and then have the advantage at the other end too ...