[bagels]

I ride bikes a lot. The only way to not have your bike stolen is to bring it in the shops with you, and store it in areas the public cannot see or access it (basically, in your house). It will get stolen if locked up outside, even if there are many people around. It will get stolen from your private parking garage with security guards, and it will get stolen from your second floor balcony.

[paulcole]

I also ride a bike a lot in Portland, OR and have never had a bike stolen. Bike theft is not inevitable and there’s a lot you can do to minimize your risk.

Park it near other bikes. Lock it up properly with a good U-Lock (yes, these can be defeated but thieves are more likely to be opportunistic drug addicts than dorky guys with YouTube channels). Add a chain lock around the other tire if you’re super nervous. Don’t leave your bike outside overnight (locked up or not). Bring your bike into your home/apartment - even if your building has a bike room or bike parking area. Add your bike to your renter/homeowners insurance - this is not expensive and adds some peace of mind.

Yes, your bike might get stolen, but a lot of things might happen.

[Zuider]

If you live on the North American continent, you can register your bike at Project 529, which can help in retrieving a stolen bike or ensure you don't buy a stolen one.

https://project529.com/garage

Video on the same topic: There's a proven way to stop bike theft. So why are so few cities doing it?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=48V9Xtpgq9I

[paulcole]

I don’t even have to watch the video to tell you the answer when it comes to American cities: American cities don’t care about bikes. Many American cities (and American governments, at the local, state, and federal level) don’t care about much of anything, to be honest.

There’s a proven way to avoid putting innocent people to death by lethal injection (death penalty). There’s a proven way to eliminate the terror of medical bankruptcy. Why aren’t these things being done in America?

[8bitsrule]

In this 10-minute video a bike messenger demos several really useful points abou theft-prevention. (And what he's still nervous about.)

Edit: URL (sheesh) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RZkJP9D6fms