Bicycle theft

I met a friend for coffee in an expat area of Beijing. Rode my bicycle, locked her up in one of those curly bike stands that permeate the sidewalks of Beijing, using my imported $100 U-lock. Naturally, I ran the lock through the frame & the curly bike rack.

Came out 90 minutes later, and the bike was gone, along with my lock.

My friend (a Beijing resident) bent over, and gave a push on the part of the curly bike rack that my bike was attached to, and the metal moved aside enough to create an opening that the thief would have used to slip the lock through. Releasing it, the metal sprung back to its original position so you couldn't tell. He told me this is an old trick - the thieves "modify" the bike racks and then wait for the opportunity - and an expat area is a prime location because many foreigners ride expensive bikes (although mine was a cheapish Giant hybrid - maybe worth $150). He said this rack has probably been a fruitful trap for months. No doubt.

Lesson learned. Shared FYI.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Lao Jia Hou

I met a friend for coffee in an expat area of Beijing. Rode my bicycle, locked her up in one of those curly bike stands that permeate the sidewalks of Beijing, using my imported $100 U-lock. Naturally, I ran the lock through the frame & the curly bike rack.

Came out 90 minutes later, and the bike was gone, along with my lock.

My friend (a Beijing resident) bent over, and gave a push on the part of the curly bike rack that my bike was attached to, and the metal moved aside enough to create an opening that the thief would have used to slip the lock through. Releasing it, the metal sprung back to its original position so you couldn't tell. He told me this is an old trick - the thieves "modify" the bike racks and then wait for the opportunity - and an expat area is a prime location because many foreigners ride expensive bikes (although mine was a cheapish Giant hybrid - maybe worth $150). He said this rack has probably been a fruitful trap for months. No doubt.

Lesson learned. Shared FYI.

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I feel for you Rich... I suffered a similar fate about 10 years ago in SH. Rode my Dahon foldie all of 500m from my skyscraper apartment to the local JiaLei supermarket to get my GF (now my wife) and I some munchies. Parked my bike in amongst the gazillions of others right by the supermarket wall and beside the front door, though my bikes' alloy stood out against the drab of dark tones, locked 'er up, walked into the market and bought my wares. As I was being processed at the checkout, dunno why, but I walked out to the front door and standing on the steps and immediately had the sinking feeling when I saw the slim spot where I had only minutes before parked my bike, vacant. After a moment or two of deep regret, went back paid the checkout clerk for my items, picked up my plastic shopping bag full, and left. Sure I must have had a look of sadness mixed with the all-to-familiar look of TIC disgust on my face. Walked the 500m back to the apartment, shared my thoughts and feelings to a mildly sympathetic GF. Later that evening, I went out and walked the neighbourhood for an unkown amount of time. Walking up the 'side road' beside the same supermarket saw my bike take a left further on 'up' the road. Started a walk at a fair clip before I started to jog, then sprint as the bike, my bike, was ridden out of sight round that corner. By the time I got to that corner, I saw my bike being ridden slowly up the road, so gave chase. As I got close the rider took another left still at a leisurely pace. As I neared the corner, someone yelled out something, and the rider looking round then hit the pedals with gusto. I in turn upped the pace, rounding the corner and sprinting towards the rider got within an arms length before his pace outmatched mine and slowly but surely he rode away. I thought for a nano-second to take my NZ made (the Great Outdoors brand) backpack off and throwing it at the bike or rider, but thought better of it. I searched those streets for what seemed like an eternity. Never saw that bike again.

The back pack is still with me, prolly 20 years old, and not a sign of wear. Still as blue as the day I bought the big tramping back pack that the smaller day pack I was carrying that night, zips too. I've bought several Dahons since, and still have one that'd be 9 years old now, a Courser 8 speed foldie, with full suspension. Ever since then, for the remaining 2 years in SH, any place I rode too, I folded the dahon of the time, and took it in with me no matter where it was, Laowaitan, restaurants, wherever. Never really had any complaints, and even if I did, if that establishment wanted my business, the Dahon (folded) and secreted away wherever possible came too.

Yep, fond memories of my time in SH in particular and Ch!na in general. TIC.
:rolleyes1:

Shame about having bikes nicked and thanks for the tip LJH.

Ouch, sorry to hear that... I liked that bike, please don't call it cheapish, it lasted me a whole day riding around Beijing, or was it half a day? :lol8:
Any plans to make a bamboo bike instead ??

http://www.instructables.com/id/Buil...-it-up/‎

http://www.instructables.com/id/How-...amboo-Bicycle/

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Lao Jia Hou

I met a friend for coffee in an expat area of Beijing. Rode my bicycle, locked her up in one of those curly bike stands that permeate the sidewalks of Beijing, using my imported $100 U-lock. Naturally, I ran the lock through the frame & the curly bike rack.

Came out 90 minutes later, and the bike was gone, along with my lock.

My friend (a Beijing resident) bent over, and gave a push on the part of the curly bike rack that my bike was attached to, and the metal moved aside enough to create an opening that the thief would have used to slip the lock through. Releasing it, the metal sprung back to its original position so you couldn't tell. He told me this is an old trick - the thieves "modify" the bike racks and then wait for the opportunity - and an expat area is a prime location because many foreigners ride expensive bikes (although mine was a cheapish Giant hybrid - maybe worth $150). He said this rack has probably been a fruitful trap for months. No doubt.

Lesson learned. Shared FYI.

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Hey Slabo - great to hear from you! Hope Leb is treating you well? Was in Beirut for a very quick biz stopover (6 hours) a little while ago so no time to stop & chat - still miss that place.

BTW, I still have your extra seat - with your permission, maybe I will affix it to a bamboo bike?!

Cheers

Am trying to imagine exactly what to look out for on these bike racks that have been "enhanced" by Snatchers of Beijing (SOBs), and not doing a terribly good job at it. Will check out one of those bike racks soon enough, but what'd be awesome is if we had some photos comparing "enhanced" and "regular" bike racks so we'd know what to look out for.

I use those curly bike racks often thinking there'd be absolutely no way anyone'd be walking away with my locked up bike/scooter...

Quote:

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Originally Posted by branng

Am trying to imagine exactly what to look out for on these bike racks that have been "enhanced" by Snatchers of Beijing (SOBs), and not doing a terribly good job at it. Will check out one of those bike racks soon enough, but what'd be awesome is if we had some photos comparing "enhanced" and "regular" bike racks so we'd know what to look out for.

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Not sure if I'm off the mark with this, but thinking logically about what LJH said I imagine the cycle rack looks somewhat like this, or at least they do where I live:
Attachment 12133
Most likely at some point in the hoop it has been carefully sawed through the spring effect of the hoop will then make the cut line a hairline cut, very hard to detect, the hoop is then pulled apart by the thief taking your bike and lock together. I use lamp-poles and trees to lock my bike to.

Yup - ZMC888 is correct with the style. There was a cut placed directly beside the horizontal piece. A little pressure from one's leg/foot and it moves aside. I've also seen a few old ones with breaks (hit by a car trying to park???). The one where my bike was taken is out front of the VIVA mall (Shuangjing), about 30 meters from that little Traffic Police hut.

People are always bitchin' about my complete lack of pic-taking ability, so I just don't any more.

Trees / lamp posts are a good idea.

That really sucks. I'm sorry to hear about that. I hate hearing stories like that, but I hear it often. I guess honestly, it's part of the expat experience to have to be done over once. My first night out in Shanghai I got taken for a good ride by a 'taxi'. My own fault.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Lao Jia Hou

Hey Slabo - great to hear from you! Hope Leb is treating you well? Was in Beirut for a very quick biz stopover (6 hours) a little while ago so no time to stop & chat - still miss that place.

BTW, I still have your extra seat - with your permission, maybe I will affix it to a bamboo bike?!

Cheers

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Hi Richard, it's sure has been a long time. How're you doing in Beijing?

Me? I'm fine. Beirut is still Beirut, much the same way I imagine Beijing will still be Beijing when I do Kunming->Beijing again one day... My dad and me have opened a restaurant recently in the middle of Hamra if you remember where that is. I'm getting lazy and fat without a bike though, since my beloved crap of a Honda was stolen a few months ago. I am now convinced that bikes keep you young... keep it up, may you ride another 1000 bikes...

I forgot all about that seat... Man, how did that seat end up at your place ? Ahhh.. I was supposed to arrive with the old pig of a bike and rebuild it with a new engine, bleh, POS (that somehow never failed me) should is still (I think) collecting dust in Chengdu.

Of course you're welcome to use the seat anyhow you choose. I wanna see how you'd use it on a bamboo bicycle.

well......
i like your sharing so much. its really good piece of information for us. Good work
keep it up. Thanks