Unattractive but good quality commuter

[Ningishzidda]

Midge D's bike

[mattc]

In Oxford, people who are dependant on substances will steal anything.  I'm sure it's the same everywhere.  My advice is not to leave it outside for a few days.

What is frustrating is: who BUYS these cheap-but-obviously-nicked bikes?

In my case, when my Crosscheck was pinched from outside work, a fence bought it for £30.  He (probably) then split it and sold it via eBay or swapped parts between bikes and then sold the bikes.  The police caught the thief but he wouldn't say who the fence was, just that there was a fence.  The police had an idea who the fence was but not enough evidence to do a raid.  The thief was keeping schtum.

Bummer

That's what I'd call a proper bike - obviously nickable. If its worth #30 to a fence, its worth far more when he sells it on (in bits or whole).
I was thinking about the really cheap crap - the "anything" you referred to.

Whatever;  its bloody depressing sometimes! (whichever side of the need/desperation divide you look at it from)

[bikenrrd]

That's what I'd call a proper bike - obviously nickable. If its worth #30 to a fence, its worth far more when he sells it on (in bits or whole).

It was properly worn out, though.  The chainrings were like shark's teeth and some of the cassette teeth were actually missing!  It needed an entire new drive train, which I was going to do after it had commuted through another winter.
Still a pain.  The worst aspect was having to catch the bus while it was replaced as my other bikes are far too nice to leave outside attached to a bike rack.  Replacement bike (on insurance) is a lot nicer than the crosscheck but still gets locked up to a rack from 8am to 5pm every day.

[mzjo]

I have always thought that having oddball automatic pedals worked quite well as an additional deterrant to occasional or opportunist thieves although nothing stops the real professional. This however is more use to bikes in communal bike sheds than to a commuter (because it involves specialist footwear, platform or adaptable pedals don't stop someone using the bike)

[zigzag]

got a boardman hybrid comp yesterday, it rides great and while new and clean looks too nice to leave outside.. i'll take the current groupset off and put some cheap parts on instead. need to get an fsa mega evo wrench to remove the cranks (unless anyone in london can lend one?). gears and bb5 disc brakes adjusted to perfection at halfords, hmmm..
did a hilly(ish) 115km today, all very good apart from the saddle which is totally not my shape and will be swapped out at the earliest.

[Kim]

Well, I've been surprised that a lovely Mixte has been locked to a lamp post on the corner of Bristol Rd and Priory Rd for well over a week now. 
I worry for it. 

Is that still there?  Gosh.

Not there this afternoon.  The absence of lock wreckage is promising, but the chain was looking a bit solid when I last saw it.

[Basil]

Well, I've been surprised that a lovely Mixte has been locked to a lamp post on the corner of Bristol Rd and Priory Rd for well over a week now. 
I worry for it. 

Is that still there?  Gosh.

Not there this afternoon.  The absence of lock wreckage is promising, but the chain was looking a bit solid when I last saw it.

Ah, I was going to mention that, but couldn't remember which thread it was.
It was there at 8 am Tuesday.  It wasn't there at 5 pm Tuesday.

[Basil]

Well, I've been surprised that a lovely Mixte has been locked to a lamp post on the corner of Bristol Rd and Priory Rd for well over a week now. 
I worry for it. 

Is that still there?  Gosh.

Not there this afternoon.  The absence of lock wreckage is promising, but the chain was looking a bit solid when I last saw it.

Ah, I was going to mention that, but couldn't remember which thread it was.
It was there at 8 am Tuesday.  It wasn't there at 5 pm Tuesday.

It's back.  That's good, as it means that it's not lost or stolen and somebody loves it.

Still, bloody odd place to store a bike.

[Kim]

Well, I've been surprised that a lovely Mixte has been locked to a lamp post on the corner of Bristol Rd and Priory Rd for well over a week now. 
I worry for it. 

Is that still there?  Gosh.

Not there this afternoon.  The absence of lock wreckage is promising, but the chain was looking a bit solid when I last saw it.

Ah, I was going to mention that, but couldn't remember which thread it was.
It was there at 8 am Tuesday.  It wasn't there at 5 pm Tuesday.

It's back.  That's good, as it means that it's not lost or stolen and somebody loves it.

Still, bloody odd place to store a bike.

Pointless threadcromancy, but I just spotted it on Streetview:

https://www.google.co.uk/maps/@52.4556948,-1.9101497,3a,75y,180.49h,79.09t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1s5mF-ftzjo7Msp4aBqiGOng!2e0!7i13312!8i6656


(I was looking in order to remind barakta which junction it was, with regard to this petition for some proper pedestrian provision.)