On Thu, 17 Dec 2020 18:01:59 +0000, Andrew
wrote:

On 17/12/2020 16:46, T i m wrote:
On Thu, 17 Dec 2020 06:12:37 -0800 (PST), John J
wrote:

snip

Selby has a system where you go shopping and leave your bike for a few minutes. Go inside, come out and discover someone has stolen your bike.

There are bikes and bikes. I'm not sure I'd leave anything worth £500
or more in public without proper security or properly attended.

Most end up in the river or canal.

A woman posted on local Facebook group that her folding bike had been
stolen from the railway station bike park. A week later she found it
chained up where she left it ... at the other end of the bike shed
than where she 'normally' parks it. ;-)


The whole point of folding bikes (like ?Brompton) is that
you take it with you on the train, surely ?.

Yes, bike that fold as compactly as the Brompton would probably be
easy for someone big / strong enough to carry onto the train with them
(or wheel it to the train then fold it and carry it on) but not all
folders are created equal.

My old, steel, Raleigh Shopper (20" wheel) for example *completely*
fills the luggage area of the Meriva and whilst it's portable enough
for all 6'2" of me to lift in / out the car, I wouldn't want to carry
it very far ... especially over a railway footbridge (regularly).

Plus I'm not sure it would fit under the seats so would typically mean
you standing over it in the unused doorway (on a local commuter train
anyway).

The problem with the Brompton is when you use it on the road, compared
with something as substantial as the 'Raleigh 20' (/Shopper, even), as
they have smaller (16" I think) wheels and quite a short wheelbase.

Still, better than a bike you don't have with you. ;-)

Cheers, T i m