🚀 go-pugleaf

Claire Petersky wrote:
> 
> A friend of mine is going to ride up to Vancouver from Seattle. He believes
> that bike thievery is a more organized and professional operation in
> Vancouver. He's concerned that just his U-lock will be insufficient to
> protect his bike. He's got an Independent Fabrications frame -- the frame,
> and then all other high-end parts he's slowly found on eBay for cheap and
> built the whole thing up, so he's got time and money invested in his beloved
> bike.
> 
> If he's going to ride around town, what would be his best strategy for
> locking up the bike while he's out at the Museum of Anthropology, Granville
> Island, and all the other tourist spots?
> 
> --
> Warm Regards,
> 
> Claire Petersky
> http://www.bicyclemeditations.org/
> See the books I've set free at: http://bookcrossing.com/referral/Cpetersky

Each location/area of Vancouver is unique. 

1. theft
2. dismantling
3. damage

Dismantling is mostly done downtown in alleys after the bike has been
stolen. 

Valuable mikes are stolen or dismantled as much as possible and
sometimes in frustration damages.

Perhaps one of the hightest crime areas in Vancouver is near the No. 5
Orange Bar (a strip bar).  There I used 1 U-lock for the frame/tire, and
5 regular strong cable locks and went outside the bar every 20 minutes
to check the bicycle.  It was a modest valued bike with no accessories.
All was fine.  

Conversely, a fellow had a 3,000 dollar bike stolen while in MEC similar
to REI monitored by cameras.  Sadly, he used a cable lock which was
snaped in seconds on camera watched minutes after the reported theft. 

Specifically, to answer your question, lock the bike well with several
locks, check on it often and remove all accessories.   

Familiar people roam the airport, universities and just about everywhere
looking for stuff to steal for drugs.  They are so desperate that the
even steal telephone cable and power line cable etc. and sell it to
scrap metal places.  Also plastic drain pipe on houses have been known
to have been stolen.