It is amazing to me what people will steal. I was keeping my bikes unsecured in a shared garage 2 years ago. 1) a mid-90s Rockhopper with “no” brakes, broken seat rail and 3 working gear combinations (out of 18) and 2) a boy’s and a girl’s Target 20″ beginner bikes. The Rockhopper and the boy’s bike were both stolen but the girl’s bike plus 2 1/2 other junk bikes were not touched. About a year later, I was bike-less and strapped for cash and bought a $130 Wal-goose. I rode it to work a couple times and hit four different trails with it. After the fourth trail, the seat rails were bent and one of the cranks fell off. I frustratedly and hastily locked the bike to a post in the garage. Eventually, we noticed that the bike <span style=”text-decoration: underline;”>and</span> the lock were gone.
All of these bikes were at the end of their useful life. Kids grow and some bikes aren’t worth fixing. Though I still miss the Rockhopper (I would have done something with that one). It is still such a violation to have your property stolen.
We have bought decent bikes since then and they are walked up to our second floor apartment every time they are used now. Very rarely, I have a bike disassembled and locked in the trunk of my car.
Follow up question: ever ride a bike with a broken seat? I have ridden three different bikes with seats in various levels of disrepair and it is horrible.