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Old 02-18-2009, 08:51 PM
 
7,330 posts, read 15,314,691 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by mycrows View Post
Also, get a decent u-lock if you're going to leave your bike anywhere. I'm thinking a low-end kryptonite (used like this: Lock Strategy) should keep thieves away from an old Raleigh.
Yes. True. I locked a bike up near Wrigley on a game day with a cable lock and it got pinched. Now I use a nice Kryptonite u-lock. (Not the highest-end one, but a good one.) The new ones can't be opened with a ball-point pen, and anything a thief would have to really saw through is good.

No one has ever gone after the parts on my '83 Trek. (Knock on wood). That's one GREAT reason to NOT buy a brand new, expensive bike. If it's attractive enough, thieves might at LEAST try to strip it. An older bike isn't worth the time and trouble.
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Old 02-18-2009, 09:02 PM
 
504 posts, read 1,485,183 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Jesse69 View Post
No, you don't have to remove your derailleurs or brakes. Just don't leave your bike locked out overnight in any area where it can be stripped of parts.
I think you missed my little joke. You may have noticed, the cool thing to do these days in Chicago (and everywhere else) is to convert older road bikes into "fixies" by removing parts that may or may not be functional.
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Old 02-18-2009, 11:07 PM
 
Location: Wicker Park, Chicago
4,789 posts, read 14,696,791 times
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Yeah, I'm familiar with fixies. So popular with bike messengers because they are so minimal and can't be stripped of parts of any value if locked right. I worked 1 month as a bike messenger and my bike became a "fixie" when the Shimano STI broke. - I hated the experence of not having gears. Fixies are not for me - I gotta freewheel and coast to take a break while riding too. More efficient that way.
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Old 02-19-2009, 10:24 AM
 
504 posts, read 1,485,183 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Jesse69 View Post
Yeah, I'm familiar with fixies. So popular with bike messengers because they are so minimal and can't be stripped of parts of any value if locked right. I worked 1 month as a bike messenger and my bike became a "fixie" when the Shimano STI broke. - I hated the experence of not having gears. Fixies are not for me - I gotta freewheel and coast to take a break while riding too. More efficient that way.
no, fixed gear fetishism has very little to do with theft-prevention. while there are valid reasons to convert your bike to fixed gear (increased stopping power, if the components are shot anyway, less maintenance, fun) preventing component stripping is not one of them. no, fixed gear conversion is more of a fashion statement than anything, and it's a little like a fashion mandate in places like wicker park, logan square and lakeview. in fact, rather than talking about utility, the justification most people will give for their fixed gear is that it provides a "closer experience" of the bike and that they prefer the "clean" look of a bike with no gears, brakes, etc. but when you start eliminating components that provide necessary safety (e.g. brakes) in search of that "clean" look it starts to get a little silly.
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Old 02-19-2009, 12:46 PM
 
527 posts, read 1,239,147 times
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Default Several things

1) Tires need filled with air and pressure monitored WEEKLY minimum. A SLIGHTLY flat tire will send you to the hospital on our wonderful potholes...

2) If NO ONE is on the sidewalk, and the sidewalk is 4 feet in width. YOU are on the sidewalk. I had a police officer pull over to thank me for taking advantage of the unoccupied sidewalk versus messing with traffic in rush hour. I thought I was going to get a ticket... Police understand how much safer this is for everyone involved.

3) If you ride your bike when there is unsalted snow on the street itself Chicago drivers will run you over on principle. Then steal your bike. And punch you in the face.

4) Yes... you CAN run redlights on a bike going straight or right ONLY, IF you look both ways AND ALSO check oncoming traffic that may have a green left signal to your pure redlight. I have seen that almost kill clever light runners in Chicago. If you aren't capable of checking this out 100% then you cannot do this...

5) If someone laughs about your comfort levels it is good to cary a picture of a ghost bike on your and start telling the story about one of our many victims...


Quote:
Originally Posted by RedLineBlueLine View Post
I recently acquired a bike. It is an old 1981 Raleigh. Great shape and everything. Then again, I know nothing about bikes.

I have yet to ride a bike within the city. I went out today and felt really intimidated.

Do you have any tips for me? What should I be weary of as far as bike parts/maintenance?

Also...how do I keep people who ride bikes from laughing at my amateur bike skills, haha. Kidding.
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Old 02-19-2009, 01:00 PM
 
7,330 posts, read 15,314,691 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Basekamp View Post
1
2) If NO ONE is on the sidewalk, and the sidewalk is 4 feet in width. YOU are on the sidewalk. I had a police officer pull over to thank me for taking advantage of the unoccupied sidewalk versus messing with traffic in rush hour. I thought I was going to get a ticket... Police understand how much safer this is for everyone involved.
Quote:
9-52-020- Riding bicycles on sidewalks and certain roadways - Permalink -

(a) No person shall ride a bicycle upon a sidewalk within a business district. (b) No person 12 or more years of age shall ride a bicycle upon any sidewalk in any district, unless such sidewalk has been officially designated and marked as a bicycle route. (c) Bicycles shall not be operated on Lake Shore Drive or on any roadway where the operation of bicycles has been prohibited and signs have been erected indicating such prohibition. (d) Whenever a usable path for bicycles has been provided adjacent to a roadway, bicycle riders shall use such path and shall not use the roadway.

Added Coun. J. 7-12-90, p. 18634
Chicago Bike Laws - Search Results
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Old 02-19-2009, 02:32 PM
 
504 posts, read 1,485,183 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Basekamp View Post
2) If NO ONE is on the sidewalk, and the sidewalk is 4 feet in width. YOU are on the sidewalk. I had a police officer pull over to thank me for taking advantage of the unoccupied sidewalk versus messing with traffic in rush hour. I thought I was going to get a ticket... Police understand how much safer this is for everyone involved.
No. A ticket for not riding on the sidewalk would be laughable.

Quote:
Originally Posted by Basekamp View Post
3) If you ride your bike when there is unsalted snow on the street itself Chicago drivers will run you over on principle. Then steal your bike. And punch you in the face.
Also no. What could be the reasoning behind this?
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Old 02-20-2009, 11:47 AM
 
527 posts, read 1,239,147 times
Reputation: 79
Default you have NO idea

Do you live in Chicago? Maybe after one of your friends dies trying to bike in these conditions or else kills a biker in bad conditions you will understand.

of course.

Then it is already too late.

Also, I DO need to ammend the sidewalk comment, it does not apply in heavy pedestrian traffic areas even if the sidewalk is empty. But if you are out on Western, driving under the 90/94 overpass by Logan, start paying attention to the ghost bike there when you decide not to utilize that empty sidewalk...

Granted, if there are pedestrians there, you don't go that route... You use sidewalks when you see roughly a quarter mile of unoccupied, wide and safe sidewalk over entering tight traffic, and then reenter very carefully...
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Old 02-20-2009, 11:51 AM
 
7,330 posts, read 15,314,691 times
Reputation: 3800
Quote:
Originally Posted by Basekamp View Post
Do you live in Chicago? Maybe after one of your friends dies trying to bike in these conditions or else kills a biker in bad conditions you will understand.

of course.

Then it is already too late.

Also, I DO need to ammend the sidewalk comment, it does not apply in heavy pedestrian traffic areas even if the sidewalk is empty. But if you are out on Western, driving under the 90/94 overpass by Logan, start paying attention to the ghost bike there when you decide not to utilize that empty sidewalk...

Granted, if there are pedestrians there, you don't go that route... You use sidewalks when you see roughly a quarter mile of unoccupied, wide and safe sidewalk over entering tight traffic, and then reenter very carefully...
There are spots where the sidewalk is the only thing that makes sense. Those spots are few and far between.
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Old 02-21-2009, 04:19 PM
 
504 posts, read 1,485,183 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Basekamp View Post
Do you live in Chicago? Maybe after one of your friends dies trying to bike in these conditions or else kills a biker in bad conditions you will understand.

of course.

Then it is already too late.
Yes of course I live in Chicago. Riding a bike through freshly fallen snow is not that hard, and I do it regularly.

Let me paraphrase your retarded comment. If I see you putting yourself in danger by driving your car in wintery conditions, I'm going to throw rocks at you. This is "on principle."

Doesn't make so much sense when you turn it around, right? If seeing someone riding their bike in the snow enrages you to the point that you want to injure them, you're a sociopath. Sorry.

It's totally different when people drive their cars through snow, right? They just need to get where they're going. Bikers should just stay home when it snows, because their trips are not important. Biking should only be done in the summer and only for recreation. This is your reasoning, no?

Of course, prudence should be exercised by both bikers and drivers during the winter. But the notion that bikes should stay indoors from November to April is asinine.
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