Expensive lock, or cheap ass-bike?

LeperousDust

LeperousDust

LeperousDust

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Do i buy an expensive lock and enjoy riding my bike to uni and other places, or do i just get a cheap bike for the same price as the expensive lock (or there abouts) and suffer a painfully awful bike, but happy in the knowledge i don't really have to worry?

What do you guys do? I'd really like to use my bike occasionally to a few places but just don't like leaving it about for obvious reason...
 
blitz2163 said:
Nice bike, insurance and the cheapest lock to validate the insurance
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LOL
Where are you including the hassle involved when said bike goes missing :p


To the above, i have a fairly expensive bike, as expensive bikes go, its probably quite cheap but worth around ~£1k, less once stolen obviously. Its probably only on the verge of desirable, i'm hoping because its clearly an older frame it would also be less desirable i'm unsure how "clued up" these theives are but i assume a fair bit since two of my mates have now had bikes taken to peices to be stolen, away from our area though i'm thankful to say.

By cheap bike i mean like a silly <£70 halford/supermarket crap job, compared to £70 on a decent lock, or pair?

Also while i'm here, why don't companies make accessories, lights especially that can be locked to bikes, just to prevent a opportunist?
 
LeperousDust said:
Do i buy an expensive lock and enjoy riding my bike to uni and other places, or do i just get a cheap bike for the same price as the expensive lock (or there abouts) and suffer a painfully awful bike, but happy in the knowledge i don't really have to worry?
Click to expand...

Have a nice bike and a crap bike.

I keep the nice bike in the garage, and only use it off road....

Crap bike goes into town, often overnight, left out in the rain, rusty but it hasn't failed me yet. Plus it was free so I won't be that bothered (more surprised) if someone nicks it.
 
LeporousDust you appear to be assuming that many thieves can tell the difference between an expensive bike and a cheap one. I wouldn't be at all surprised if most couldn't, they'll just pick one they think they can steal or failing that wreck. My cousin had a bike nicked in Edinburgh, one that probably wasn't even worth £50 at the time, it used to be a good bike (Trek but was upwards of 12 years old) but looked pretty beat up.
 
blitz2163 said:
Nice bike, insurance and the cheapest lock to validate the insurance
Click to expand...

The problem with that is with an expensive bike you need an expensive lock to validate the insurance. I know, i got such insurance with such expensive bike.

Alex, the bottom line is this, if someone wants to nick your bike, they will. So get insurance of half expect it to be stolen between now and Christmas.
 
yeah just get insurance and lock and worry not, or as has been said just buy cheapie bikes and replace as necessary. depends how bad the area you live in is, round here bikes only get nicked if they have no lock and are on walking route between pubs
 
I think its less hassle buying a cheap bike that i can lock up with a cheap deterrent, rather than have my bike go missing and then to deal with insurance and buying another bike etc...

With regard to insurance is there anyone i should avoid or pay special attention to? How does it work payment wise? I can just see insurance as being quite a hassle :(
 
I have it with cycleguard, for £800 value it cost about £3.50 a month to insured, you can pay lump sum or spread it out monthly by Direct Debit.
 
Raymond Lin said:
The problem with that is with an expensive bike you need an expensive lock to validate the insurance. I know, i got such insurance with such expensive bike.

Alex, the bottom line is this, if someone wants to nick your bike, they will. So get insurance of half expect it to be stolen between now and Christmas.
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Ive got my bike insured for just over £500 and the lock was only £30 which id say is quite cheap
 
Hmmm, i wasn't even thinking about insurance properly, but with that and a decent lock it's gonna cost more than a cheap second hand bike i can lose surely? I would like to jump on my bike occasionally to uni, and a few other places, but i still think its probably better i just buy a cheap pap bike and a useless cable lock (anything to stop anyone just walking up and nabbing it).

I think i'm gonna take a hit ride a poo bike knowing that old faithful with always be around when i want to do some real off-road...
 
I think there is or was a place that sold secondhand bikes in Argyle Place (David's Bicycle Store or something like that), not to far from the Edinburgh Bicycle Co-op, might be worth a quick look. Come to that it is probably worth a look at the secondhand ads in the EBC but most of them will be overkill for what you want.
 
It depends how much you value your bike, insure you bike for £800 + lock will prob cost you £80-100 for the year. Or get a £50 secondhand bike and don't give a crap about that, up to you. If you have the room I'd go with the cheap bike, i mean at least you don't have to worry about it at all.
 
I'd never leave a decent bike locked up, theives will just steal parts off it. Despite the fact I own several bikes I don't actually own one that I'd leave unattended.

X - Number of bikes you need
N - Number of bikes you have

X = N + 1
 
Raymond Lin said:
It depends how much you value your bike, insure you bike for £800 + lock will prob cost you £80-100 for the year. Or get a £50 secondhand bike and don't give a crap about that, up to you. If you have the room I'd go with the cheap bike, i mean at least you don't have to worry about it at all.
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I leave my cheap bike outside, it uses up no room. :)
 
We've already got 7 bikes between us in our flat, but theres loads of room for more :) I made a little rack (which i may post later actually) that holds at least 4 bikes vertically, 6 at a push. So buying a cheap bike seems to be my best idea, guess i'll go for some shoddy racer since it'll only be used on road.

Cheers semi-pro, you mean the bicycle works, the guys there are legends, they have the odd add up, i was thinking of popping in there and EBC and the one on off lothian road (can't remember the name, starts with D?) see if they have adds, and maybe ask the Uni bike club too...
 
I have a santa cruz bullit that I use for my off road stuff, and an 06 specialized hardrock pro that I use for commuting. Bought it for £500 but probably worth no more than £200 at most now (the specialized I mean).

I have to admit, even though I know it's better to use the specialized for commuting and leaving in town, I hate riding it compared to the bullit. So I've had the bullit insured for £250 and spent £60 on a kryptonite lock and I now cycle it to work and lock it inside the building. Which is great as the route to work on that is now 10x more fun. I'd never leave it outside though on it's own. Ever.
 
Haha, ironically, i'm riding an 03 Hardrock XC :p But theres just nout left thats stock on it really anymore... :p Thats what i'm worried about, feeling like i've got a crap biek underneath me might just make me think about walking, driving, getting the bus etc...
 
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