Commuting to work by bike

Jeffrey Garcia6, it’s not paranoia, but honestly, that cable isn't going to do much for you. You should really take a look at the thread about stolen bikes 😉

We’re just a small crew of six people renting space in a building with its own garage, so our bikes stay tucked away safely inside. The only time I ever get a little paranoid is worrying that someone forgot to lock the garage door, though luckily, that hasn't actually happened yet.

I’m thinking about investing... I took a quick look at the other bikes parked out front of the office, and honestly? Most of them are basically just begging to be stolen. It's a total free-for-all out there.

On-site garage within the company facility

Right now I'm stuck working in my company's warehouse... or maybe just in the office right next to it this Saturday 🙂
btw... yesterday was absolute hell around 4:00 PM on the drive home, but man, I can't even imagine what today at 1:00 PM is gonna be like

Ugh, I just stepped out to the corner store and the heat was already absolutely punishing—I can only imagine how much worse it’s going to get later today.
It’s going to be hell... honestly, I have no idea which way this heatwave is even heading...🙂

Jeffrey Garcia6 said:I’m thinking about investing... I looked at some other bikes parked outside the office, and most of them are basically "secured" with just a cheap cable lock.

Just get this U-lock and you're set. No thief is going to waste their time messing with you when there are plenty of bikes nearby secured by nothing but flimsy cables. 😁
(Unless you happen to own a $3.25Ford
)
By the way, check out this thread. There are some interesting videos regarding bike security. It mostly boils down to the fact that it takes a thief about five seconds to snip a cable lock.

I honestly assumed Nakamura bikes were theft-proof 😢

People steal pretty much anything worth more than $167, so there’s no sense in stressing over it.
Just grab any decent U-lock and you'll sleep a lot better at night. I actually use the exact one Alexander Kern42 suggested in his previous post, and honestly, I haven't had a single issue with it. If I were planning on leaving my bike out in the open for long stretches, I'd probably invest in something even beefier, but for what I need, it does the job just fine.

Right now, I’ve got my 2.5 miles commute down to a science—I'm keeping it under 9.3 miles/h just so I don't show up to the office looking like I just finished a marathon. Coming back home is a totally different story though, 😬

And honestly, there’s no locking it up—it just rolls right along with me into the office 🙂. Though, I did end up getting into a bit of a spat with the security guard at the entrance today. I've been working here for months, yet today he actually had the nerve to give me grief about it. I told him straight up—unless he wants to sign a notarized statement promising to reimburse me for the full value of my bike if it gets swiped from in front of the building, he can forget about me leaving it outside. 🙄

Look, I work in one of those glass skyscrapers with a fancy-pants reception desk... there is zero chance they’d let me inside with a bike. And honestly, my own people wouldn't even let me step foot in my office. Wouldn't want me messing up the "sterility" of the workspace or anything. 😬
Actually, there is absolutely no way I'm getting into the building or the elevator with a bike.

But get this—they’ve gone and installed these incredibly pretentious bike racks right out front by the entrance, and people are actually using them. I'll have to check if the security cameras actually cover them.
And regardless of all that, buy a U-lock.

Jeffrey Garcia6 said:but they put those fancy bike racks right by the entrance, and people actually use them—I'll check if there's surveillance coverage.
And buy a U-lock regardless.

A thief isn't going to waste time on a U-lock or a heavy chain if there are bikes just sitting there with cheap cables. It's not like a Nakamura is worth the effort.
Saw a Cannondale Bad Boy tied up with a cable near Downtown the other day. $33 🙄

Alexander Kern42 said:Saw a Cannondale Bad Boy locked up near Downtown the other day with nothing but a cheap $33 cable lock. 🙄

I honestly don't get people like that. You drop a fortune on a high-end bike just to protect it with some budget-bin junk that barely works. Then comes the inevitable "Wait, where did my bike go?" moment when someone walks by.

William Alvarez35 said:I don't get owners like that. They buy an expensive bike but settle for cheap, useless security. Then they act surprised when it's gone.

People might not even realize how ineffective that kind of gear actually is. 🤷

Regardless, I'm glad my workplace has a secure garage. No one outside the company can get in, and it's under video surveillance.

Alexander Kern42 said:People might not even realize just how ineffective that kind of security actually is. 🤷

I think that’s exactly where we go wrong—people assume that because it's locked up, it's safe. 🤷
I feel like I’ve brought this up in another thread before, but a guy I work with occasionally lives in NY; he bikes everywhere there, and he mentioned to me how much more secure things seem compared to here, noting that bikes around our area are barely protected at all—and honestly, hardly anyone even carries a light when riding at night. 😁

Jeffrey Garcia6 said:I honestly thought Nakamura bikes were above being stolen😢

It’s funny how we all assume nobody cares about anything until it happens to us, isn't it?😠

We’ve been badgering management at the office to finally get a bike ramp installed. Since there are only a handful of us who actually ride, we just end up propping our bikes up on their kickstands inside the building.

Besides, there’s zero room for parking outside anyway, so keeping them indoors is way better. We have a security guard on site, so everything stays totally safe. 🙂
Anyway, I’m commuting 6.8 miles every single day now. It’s cut my commute time by almost 50%! Honestly, I feel a little bit guilty watching people getting squeezed into those overpriced city buses 😁 every morning.

Does anyone commute with their backpack this way?

http://nymetroworkout.com/news/2011/...-bicycle-rack/

I need to carry a laptop bag. I’m looking for a budget-friendly fix because high-end panniers are out of my price range. I looked at baskets, but they all seem rated for only 10 pounds. I worry they won't hold up if I'm hitting curbs or riding a bit more aggressively with a heavy bag.

Also, where can I pick up some straps like these? Actually, fixed straps might be better than the bungee type. I've seen thin ones in local bike shops with plastic clips, but those clips always seem like the first thing to snap.

Kenneth Ross2 said:Does anyone else carry their backpack to work this way?

The recent discussions regarding the installation of bicycle racks have highlighted several practical concerns. Much like how a city might reconsider its parking infrastructure to better serve commuters, we need to evaluate whether these specific rack placements actually improve accessibility or simply create new obstacles. It is a matter of balancing convenience with efficient urban flow.

I need to carry a laptop in my backpack. I'm looking for an affordable solution since panniers are just too expensive right now. I looked into some baskets, but they’re all rated for only up to 11 pounds. I'm worried they won't hold up if I'm carrying a heavy bag and hitting curbs or dealing with rougher terrain.

Where would I be able to pick up some of those straps? Actually, maybe the fixed ones would be a better choice than the elastic versions. I noticed some thin ones with plastic buckles at a local bike shop, but it seems to me that the buckle might be the weakest link in the chain.

Think of a large retail chain like Home Depot. You can usually find them in the automotive section. They sell those heavy-duty ratchet straps used to secure cargo onto car roof racks.

I’ve been using that red Target backpack—it was packed to the gills yesterday and incredibly heavy. I just sit it right on the rear rack (not lying flat, mind you, actually sitting upright), loop the straps around the seat post, tie off the excess so it doesn't flap around, and let the bungee cord from the rack hold it steady.

The thing is, once it gets too heavy or overstuffed, it starts acting up—it doesn't sit quite right and tends to tip whenever you hit a bump. The straps start wiggling and catching on the tire (it never snagged when it was lightly packed), so riding it was a bit tricky—maybe adding an extra bungee would make it more stable, I suppose.

But when it's filled normally, it behaves perfectly and hasn't fallen off once; I've ridden through Central Park with it, and even did a quick stretch up Dotki Hill—though it gave me some trouble there because the shifted center of gravity tried to pull me downhill, forcing me to shift it onto my back. I wasn't exactly racing, but we were definitely bouncing over tree roots.

Personally, though, I wouldn't dream of putting a laptop in a setup like that. I just don't see it working—besides, the laptop would likely bounce around way more than my own back or the front of the bike. 🤷
And let's be honest, a laptop is a much more expensive little gadget...

Anyway, what do you think about a carrier like this? You might even be able to squeeze a real laptop bag inside.

Check out the "BUSY BASKET Basket and Carrier."
From what I can tell, it's an American-made product, but I couldn't find any info on its weight capacity.
http://jupiteriana.com/hr/busy_basket
Well, you could always give them a call and ask. 😉

So, anyone else out there riding much lately? It’s strange... on this stretch, I usually run into at least ten cyclists, but this morning I only saw two. I didn't check the thermometer, but honestly, that felt like the coldest mile I've ever pedaled. Though, maybe that's just because I skipped breakfast...



// From SGS2 & TapaTalk2
Jeffrey Garcia11