City centre escape

[Mosstrooper]

This was done as bit of an experiment and thought I’d share for those who work in a city centre.
Whilst checking out a local car boot sale I saw quite a few old rusty old bikes which got me thinking.
At the time I worked in a city centre and used public transport to commute, so my idea was to purchase an old bike (which I did £10) lock it up and leave it bang in the middle of the city centre.
The bike was very rusty and dirty and was stripped of anything that looked worthy of nicking thus making it less appealing to thiefs.
This will provide an alternate transport home if I needed it and all I needed to do was remember the key for the bike lock. It also would mean if the roads are grid locked I wouldn’t need to worry a bike can go on most surfaces (paths).
Oh and by the way the bike has been in place for 18mths and all I do is now and again give it a squirt of wd40 and check the tyres have air in.

[Metroyeti]

The amount of bikes you see that are locked up for a long time often gets me wondering drunk student or prepper. Having a bike would make it easier it takes 2 1/2 hours at leisurly pace for me to walk home, would be longer in an event. With a bike it would be a lot faster

[Binnie]

All depends on the City I suppose.

My neck of the woods it'd be trashed on the first Saturday night.

Great idea though! Wish it was feasible for me though!

[bigpaul]

when we lived in Glastonbury we picked up old bikes abandoned on the streets and industrial estates, if we had stayed there i could have had a warehouse full by now! Devon people dont throw stuff away like they do in Somerset..they think it might be worth something, you should see some of the crap that is sold at our weekly auctions in the cattle market.

[Highlander]

Thats a very good idea,.. I hope it doesn't get trashed the night before you need it

[bigpaul]

i think it was me i would keep it at home and actually USE it, or maybe keep it at work?

[Tibbs735]

Check out your local auction yard for bikes. I have found quality road bikes with really light frames going for around £11.

[bigpaul]

also check the small ads in your local paper.

[Scythe13]

WOO, free bike!!! Steel framed bikes, left over night, are easy pickings.

I'd be careful with that. Only problem I see with it, you'd have to carry all the spares around with you, stuff like handlebars, saddles, puncture repair kit, new inner tubes, and a pump. Possibly a bike tool and grease too. Could cache it near by though. Unless you take it out for regular servicing and use.

[David075]

an other option could be to have a pair of bolt cutters stashed