The creators clearly got sick of their bikes being stolen. Good to see people doing something about it.
The largest and most effective bicycle registry ever
41–50 of 60 posts
Re: The largest and most effective bicycle registry ever
#42I see why I might register my bike - in case its lost or stolen. But why would anyone look up a bike in there? Either its not in there - time wasted. Or it is - there goes your sale. Net value: zero or negative.
If Craigslist/eBay force you to include a serial number when listed, then it might dry up the market for stolen bikes.
Only exceptionally stupid thieves would use the actual serial number from the bike.
Re: The largest and most effective bicycle registry ever
#43My bike was just stolen yesterday. I never wrote down the serial number, and now I'm part of the problem. Next time I'll be doing that, and registering with this service. Thanks for fighting the good fight.
If you bought it from a store they should have it on file connected to your personal info. My bike was just stolen on Friday as well and that is what I did to register it on this site.
That's a great tip––thanks, I'll do that.
Re: The largest and most effective bicycle registry ever
#44I see why I might register my bike - in case its lost or stolen. But why would anyone look up a bike in there? Either its not in there - time wasted. Or it is - there goes your sale. Net value: zero or negative.
Well, for a potential buyer of a bike the value is much larger than zero. After all, who would like to buy a stolen bike? Registering your bike and possibly mentioning that fact on your bike using a sticker might even help as a deterrent.
You are a responsible adult capable of thinking about things like actions having consequences. You probably are also able to earn disposable income. You probably don't smoke, drink excessively, take whatever drugs your friends take or even have friends that take drugs. You might even turn up to work on time. Not everyone is like you and how you think is quite inconceivable to them.
People in their younger years with a need for independence from their parents are extremely willing to buy stolen bicycles. They would not have the guts to shoplift (or maybe they do), yet, for some reason they think that a stolen bike is okay to buy. They suspect it is stolen but do not ask the questions to ascertain that. Even if it was stolen then they can moralise it okay, e.g. if they didn't buy it then someone else would so therefore it is going to be bought by someone anyway, therefore it might as well be them.
If walking sticks were needed by twenty-somethings then there would be a hot trade in walking sticks. The unfortunate thing for bicycles is that they appeal most highly to those that need them to get about and that exact same demographic is not yet old 'n' wise enough to think properly about it. (Meanwhile walking sticks do not appeal to that demographic.) It is also easy to say that you bought a bike second hand when you know it is stolen. Nobody asks tough questions, e.g. the parents, the friends, the love interests. So it is get-away-able.
I spent some time working in the bike trade as a kid and my bread was buttered with new bike sales. To me I would not buy a stolen bike in a million years, not least because a new bike is actually better value (none of the parts are worn). Coming from that background I always did ask the questions in part because people would get me to fix their bikes, question #1 always would be 'where did you get it?'.
I was always surprised at how friends I trusted and considered to be good friends had no scruples whatsoever when it came to buying a stolen bike. These were people studying proper things at university, with posh accents and well to do parents. Clearly there were those less educated that I tended not to consort with, I am sure they were even more likely to buy a stolen bike without hesitation.
So on one side the bike is 'currency of the street', however, as much as every market needs sellers and buyers, there was also a lot of acceptance by young 'trustworthy' people that buying stolen was okay.
Re: The largest and most effective bicycle registry ever
#45What prevents someone from registering someone else's bike and then claiming it was stolen from them? I suppose one way would be to require a photo of the bike and only consider photos of a bike without a lock to be valid.
This registry isn't authoritative, just centralized.
You register your bike there, and if it gets stolen tell the registry it was stolen, then police and potential purchasers find it listed when consulting the centralized registry. You still need to prove the bike is yours. Traditional proof of purchase from a bike shop, pictures of you with the bike, etc...
Re: The largest and most effective bicycle registry ever
#46Earlier quoted context omitted.
Well, for a potential buyer of a bike the value is much larger than zero. After all, who would like to buy a stolen bike? Registering your bike and possibly mentioning that fact on your bike using a sticker might even help as a deterrent.
You are a responsible adult capable of thinking about things like actions having consequences. You probably are also able to earn disposable income. You probably don't smoke, drink excessively, take whatever drugs your friends take or even have friends that take drugs. You might even turn up to work on time. Not everyone is like you and how you think is quite inconceivable to them. People in their younger years with…
> You are a responsible adult capable of thinking about things like actions having consequences. You probably are also able to earn disposable income. You probably don't smoke, drink excessively, take whatever drugs your friends take or even have friends that take drugs. You might even turn up to work on time.
I'm suspecting you of having bugged my offices and house. You got most of that right other than that I don't drink at all and don't use drugs at all.
Incredible how you could infer any of that from such a short statement.
Re: The largest and most effective bicycle registry ever
#47I've had bikes stolen from me. I know lots of people who have had bikes stolen from them. I have never heard of anyone who had a bike stolen and the gotten it back. Do such things happen in the real world?
Re: The largest and most effective bicycle registry ever
#48In my country, registering your bike gives you a huge discount on the insurance. Is it common other places, and will a bike registered through this site be eligible for a similar type of discount? I'd wish more listing sites would have mandatory fields for a bikes serial number, and that people would actually bother to check the registry when buying a bike. Unfortunately, a cheap bike makes many people blind to it pr…
It's not very common for bicycle riders in the US to explicitly carry insurance. Your homeowner's or automobile insurance would typically cover the value of the bike and any damage you might cause in an accident.
If you are banking on your homeowner's policy you should check the small print. Many (most?) have a relatively low cap (say, $1500) with a deductible of $500+ you don't have much coverage. My insurer requires a specific extended policy that at $3 per 100 makes it very expensive for higher-end bikes.
Re: The largest and most effective bicycle registry ever
#49I've had bikes stolen from me. I know lots of people who have had bikes stolen from them. I have never heard of anyone who had a bike stolen and the gotten it back. Do such things happen in the real world?
Sometimes, but mainly when the bike is recognizable and the owner is well known in a cycling community. More than a few times I've seen stolen bikes show up to the park or the race track.
More often than not, they're gone. This is why I ride beaters on my commute or to the store. The good bikes in my fleet never leave my sight when they're off my property.
Re: The largest and most effective bicycle registry ever
#50Earlier quoted context omitted.
Well, for a potential buyer of a bike the value is much larger than zero. After all, who would like to buy a stolen bike? Registering your bike and possibly mentioning that fact on your bike using a sticker might even help as a deterrent.
>who would like to buy a stolen bike? Someone looking for a good deal on a used bike? You can likely assume that most of the bikes sold in certain venues are stolen, but that doesn't deter the customers.
Price is irrelevant in the case of theft. I consider purchasing stolen goods to be immoral.