Too easy to vandalise a bike?

Hey all,

I've always been a little bit paranoid about parking my bike in quiet spots -- you never know who's gonna do what to it. I used to worry about kids scratching it, but now I worry about...

1. Someone spraying anything oily on my discs (I know, always test the brakes as soon as you pull away... but still)
2. Someone opening up the oil cap and pouring cr@p inside and closing it up again (I mean, how would you know until something went *pop*??)
3. Someone just plain nicking the oil cap -- where do you buy another at 6pm 20 miles from home? (Or the radiator cap... seriously, do you check yours is still there every time???)
4. Not to mention the damage someone could do with a pair of wire-cutters!
5. Someone placing a disk lock on (I dont use one, so would never think to look for one... would you?)

What else should I be looking for???

PS. I don't really suffer from OCD - but a non-biker pointed this stuff out to me recently and it did get me thinking...

I think you fret too much. To my mind they'll nick it, or knock it over - I think that vandalism you've suggested is too subtle for the proles.

i used to worry about people dropping crap in my petrol tank because i have one of them screw race caps.

fortunatly noone hated me enough to do it apart from that i'm never to far away to keep an eye on my eye or never leave it to long to worry about it.

[andrewsmith]

Originally Posted by simesb

I think you fret too much. To my mind they'll nick it, or knock it over - I think that vandalism you've suggested is too subtle for the proles.

+1

The disc lock one would in the eyes of the law (if you could prove it) criminal damage and too subtle and dumb for a t leaf.

Originally Posted by andrewsmith

+1

The disc lock one would in the eyes of the law (if you could prove it) criminal damage and too subtle and dumb for a t leaf.

Unless he wanted you to notice it, and leave the bike unattended for a prolonged period so he can come back with his transit van.

Similar to the old nicking your crash helmet down the pub/caf/burger van ploy.

[andrewsmith]

Originally Posted by Philbo

Unless he wanted you to notice it, and leave the bike unattended for a prolonged period so he can come back with his transit van.

Similar to the old nicking your crash helmet down the pub/caf/burger van ploy.

Touche

The best deterrent is parking in a public place or controlled car park.
some car park firms insure against bike theft as long as the bike is secured with a thatcham approved deterent

To be fair, if you have already locked up the bike ect then there isnt alot you can do to stop the petty little vandalisms other then maybe fitting a really sensitive alarm so if its touched it will go off.....but then again it will get set off by a slight breeze so still kinda pointless

Aww, I wouldn't worry too much about it mate. Its too ez to just turn your compression way out, then watch you pogo it into the next hedge on your way home.
I teach m/c and in one of the sessions that comes up. We have everyone set their base limit(what works for them - as in 7 turns out from hard, etc) then they keep track of their bikes.
oh, now, you've got somethin' else to worry about dontcha?

Best place is to park somewhere very visible, with CCTV. In front of a supermarket, or a cop-shop! At the least street-lights. Apparently a deterrent, but that is net-wisdom!

Originally Posted by ceeshaw

1. Someone spraying anything oily on my discs (I know, always test the brakes as soon as you pull away... but still)
2. Someone opening up the oil cap and pouring cr@p inside and closing it up again (I mean, how would you know until something went *pop*??)
3. Someone just plain nicking the oil cap -- where do you buy another at 6pm 20 miles from home? (Or the radiator cap... seriously, do you check yours is still there every time???)
4. Not to mention the damage someone could do with a pair of wire-cutters!
5. Someone placing a disk lock on (I dont use one, so would never think to look for one... would you?)

what vandal would even bother doing those things?

My only worrry is the result of some drunken idiots sitting on my SV last year.

My bike was parked outside and I heard the alarm just beeping, then it went metal. I looked out and there were some drunken fools sitting on my bike for a 'laugh' no doubt. Anyway, the alarm going mental scared him so he jumped off (towards the right side, potentially catching the bike with his leg on the way over and stacking it!).

Anyway, there was no harm done, but I do get quite pranged about this nowadays.