Avoiding uniTheft Tips & Locks

General
1

I don’t want my unicycle to get stolen while locked up, so I have a few questions:

  1. What kind of lock system(s) do you use?

  2. How do you lock your unicycle to a bike stand? (Pictures, please)

  3. Do you replace Allen bolts with torx bolts?

  4. did your locked unicycle ever get stolen?

2

There isn’t any good way that I know of to securely lock something to a bike rack. Any lock could be cut in a matter of seconds if you have the right tools. IMO what a lock really does is make it so people would notice if someone was stealing a bike or uni because they’d have to be using something to cut it. I think that the biggest way to protect a uni with a lock would probably be to run your lock through the spokes, that way someone couldn’t steal it by simply disassembling the frame (or whatever the lock is attached to).

3

i go through the rim onto railings. it helps if you lock it up somewhere with a cctv camera pointed at it that is quite busy.

however if someone wants to steal it that badly it would be easy enough to do so

4

You could use a quick release clamp and remove the saddle but I think it’s unlikely that someone will rob it and cycle off on it. It’s more likely to get damaged by some jerk.

5

Thanks for all the good suggestions:)

6

This is a great thread! I have a related question: what about vandalism? A unicycle usually stand out like a sore thumb pretty much anywhere. Obviously, it is impossible to prevent vandalism unless you are standing right there to stop it. What I wonder about is if any one here has experienced damages to their uni while leaving it unattended?

7

I don’t leave expensive uni’s unattended. If I know I’m going to leave my uni, I use a cheap one, and just lock the wheel with a simple lock (without quick release seatclamp). So you should get a cheap ugly uni. Then you will also have a back up and a uni you can let others borrow in case you get a visit from unicyclists from the other side of the world (has happened to me twice :))

8

Not a bad idea, UniMyra!
But I am curious though, as to how interested a thief might be, or how likely it would be for a unicycle to get stolen in the first place.

  1. Most thieves don’t know how to ride a unicycle (is my guess)
  2. Therefore, most thieves will have added difficulty vanishing the scene of theft
  3. Most thieves will have a harder time selling the stolen unicycle (is my guess)

I drove SAABs for 12 years and they never got stolen. Not that this is a fair comparison, but, like Tom Waits belches out in one of his songs: “There’s a world going on underground”. And underground they don’t drive SAABs, they drive Escalades. I can’t for the life of me see them riding unicycles :):):slight_smile:

9

You’re probably right, but you’ll never know. It could also get vandalized and if it was a cheap uni, your loss would not be to big.

10

Stealing a uni makes about as much sense as stealing an accordion. :roll_eyes:

11

Stealing a uni makes as much sense as a fish on a bicycle.

12

Just because they can’t ride it doesn’t mean they can’t steal it, it can be carried or put in a car.

13

Learning to play the accordion is next on my list. :sunglasses:

+1 to timoteusmunk for finding the connection between Saabs and Tom Waits. And the Torx fastener idea sounds good. I despise the things, but I guess most people do.

14

Fish, generally don’t drive cars. lol.

15

But only generally…

16

Yes. There may be exceptions. There are some sharks out there lol. I reckon that ‘Unishark’ can drive a car.

17

In my experience, most thefts of unicycles have been of a “casual” nature. A crime of opportunity. People steal it because it’s not nailed down. It sucks just the same. I’ve had four unicycles stolen over the years:

[LIST=1]

  • A 24" Miyata, in 1983. It was in my car (the Unibug). The car was stolen.
  • My 24" custom track uni, in 2000. Stolen from the grandstand at the Unicon X track. Hardly anyone in China would have been tall enough to ride it. :roll_eyes:
  • My Roger Davies Carbon MUni and my DM ATU, from my car parked in front of my house, in early 2000. The thief wanted the splined cranks from the DM, but needed a bike shop to get them off. I had called all the local bike shops, and ended up getting those two back. [/LIST] On other occasions I've had my car broken into, and unicycles left alone. Thieves took boom boxes or other "valuables". My non-useful solution to locking up unicycles is to not leave them locked up. This works, but probably doesn't fit what you're trying to do. :)
    • 18

    Best bet is to pick somewhere uni friendly to park your machine…
    http://www.unicyclist.com/forums/showthread.php?t=112192

    19

    How about a police station…

    20

    Yes, but what are they actually going to do with it? I’ll normally lock up my uni when left totally unattended, but don’t worry too much about how good the lock is - all you need to do is make it difficult enough to take that they’d stop to think about what they’re going to do with it before moving onto the BSO worth 1/10 of what your uni is. The thing is, even an expensive uni is worth less (to a thief) than a hack bike.