(Photo by J. Maus/BikePortland)
Portland bike thieves’ latest victim works in City Hall.
Portland City Commissioner Nick Fish got his bike stolen last night. According to an update to his personal Facebook page, Fish parked his bike in the racks in front of 24 Hour Fitness in Hollywood and went in for a workout. When he returned 30 minutes later his bike was gone.
“I have been reading about friends who had their bikes stolen recently,” Fish wrote, “Well, tonight I joined the club.”
The bike, which was locked with a cable lock, was a grey and black Trek hybrid that Fish says he bought with his Obama stimulus check.
Fish isn’t the first high-profile city official to get his bike stolen. Back in September 2013, Bureau of Transportation Director Leah Treat got her beloved bike stolen after leaving it overnight outside the Portland Building on SW Madison. Fortunately for her, it was recovered a few days later.
Hopefully Commissioner Fish with have the same luck.
— For more on the state of bike theft in Portland, read our take on the latest stats from the PPB.
EDITOR’s NOTE: The original version of this story included an embed of Fish’s Facebook post, a link to it, and more references to what he wrote on it. After consideration, I decided to delete these references and contact Fish directly for a quote and/or ask his permission to use his Facebook post. I regret any confusion this has caused.
Thanks for reading.
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Obama stimulated Nick Fish?
Hm. I don’t recall being stimulated by Obama.
I can’t tell if you are just being funny, but:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/American_Recovery_and_Reinvestment_Act_of_2009#Tax_incentives
I just wince when someone making $98,000/yr plays this little I-bought-myself-a-present-with-my-tax-refund game, like they had to, you know, wait until the tooth fairy came to buy a bike.
Almost $100k a year and he could only buy a lock with his Obama stimulus money? Very sad that city commissioners can only scrape by with federal dollars. I just don’t know how the little people get by!
Extra points for Nick Fish for not *driving* to the fitness club.
The Hollywood 24 Hour Fitness is ridiculous. They have an attached 4-story garage, and the traffic is always crazy.
Cable lock and he is mad at the gym?
Perhaps he should blame the thief and himself for being naive.
Cable locks should be illegal and the city should provide a U-lock subsidy to make them more affordable to people who can’t afford expensive locks. The cost to society of having bike stolen is greater than the cost of U-lock discounts.
Illegal? Cable locks have all sorts of legitimate applications, they even work for some bikes in some locations. Some high-end, armored ones resist wire cutters very well. Bike shops should (and most do) rigorously inform their customers about the matter, or not sell cable locks at all. CCC and B4H do what they can to get good locks for their clients. But illegal? Nah!
I don’t think someone earning a city commissioner’s salary needs a subsidy for a good U-lock.
I use a cable lock. I wrap it around the frame, bike, and Brooks and connected via my cafe (frame) lock, on top of that my ride has a locking front fork (ahhh vintage steel) as well. Works great, and not a U lock to be seen.
One lock isn’t inherently better than any other, they all have their place. It’s like all tools, you need to figure out the one that is best for you. I do use U locks too. But my choice depends on any number of factors.
I can think of nearly half a dozen ways (not including the old u lock round key/pen cap trick) to remove a (any) U lock in nearly the same amount of time it would take to cut a cable lock.
Cable locks have been demonstrated to be much easier to cut than other types of locks. A very thick U-lock is hard to cut through without using a powered angle-grinder, although you can bend it with a bottle jack – this method of theft isn’t that common in Portland.
Say, where do you keep this *cough* securely cabled locked bike? Just wondering…
Sure you can cut the cable, but then you gotta get through the cafe lock and locked front fork, cafe lock keeps the rear wheel from spinning until you break it, built in front fork lock keeps you from being able to steer the bike. The cable in my case is just used to tether the bike.
My point is that cable locks have their place.
some bikes are stolen using vans. So while I agree that immobilizing the bike is preferable to not doing it, you still have a decent risk of getting the bike stolen by only locking it to something permanent with a cable lock.
Heck, think big, the city should by us all bikes…
Man!! it only takes me 3.5 minutes to hacksaw a cable lock. When is the Fish gonna approve Mt bike trails in Forest Park? I wanna steal some mt bikes.
Come on a real thief would just use bold cutters. You’re an impostor!
No Man, diamond hacksaw that cuts through a U-lock
Nice juxtaposition of this article with the guest post from Go By Bike.
My son had his bike stolen from outside the LA Fitness on NE Weidler earlier this year. There are 2 staple racks available out front, usually full. He made the mistake of locking up to a traffic sign. The sign was cut off, and his bike was lifted off the post, u-lock and all, in broad daylight.
The manager, while sympathetic, referred me the property management company Elliot and Associates, who had zero interest in upgrading the available bike parking, putting up signage, or lifting a finger to help in anyway possible.
Aren’t there also racks in the garage, if memory serves correctly?
There are two types of bicyclists: Those who’ve had bikes stolen and those who will have a bike stolen.
Rather than warning signs, I’d rather the club installed video cameras.
I will never have my bike stolen. Even though I plan on riding it quite a bit. In Portland.
Do you plan on riding it constantly & never walking away from it? Ever? How can you be so sure it will never be stolen?
How secure is your bike locked up in your house or garage?
My neighbors assumed their LOCKED garage was sufficient. They were wrong; the door was smashed in to gain access. Just sayin’.
OK, but on the off chance it is stolen, would you be kind enough to post about it in this thread? It would be an awesome object lesson to others.
Cable lock. When will people learn.
Why these things are sold in shops with even the suggestion that they provide security is beyond me.
Cable locks should be illegal and the city should provide a U-lock subsidy to make them more affordable to people who can’t afford expensive locks. The cost to society is greater than the cost of U-lock discounts.
Long cables are great for passing through your wheels and/or saddle rails and/or your Jones loop handlebar, and then putting your U-lock shackle through the cable’s end loops *while also putting the shackle around some part of your frame and the parking rack*. That way, maybe you don’t have to take parts off your bike and drag them along with you.
But yeah, cables with integrated locks aren’t so useful.
Indeed. Welcome to Portland, Mr. Commissioner.
The cable was not a good idea, but he still didn’t deserve to get his bike stolen.
Apparently not everyone got the memo that we’ve become ‘America’s Bike Theft Capital’. : (
You’re right. No one deserve’s to have a bike stolen, but accepting a portion of the blame for using inadequate protective measures is appropriate.
On Facebook, Fish laments that the CITY management of PORTLAND doesn’t do more to warn CITIZENS of the high rate of theft in the CITY.
Fixed that for you Nick.
cable lock ? big surprise.
Mobilize PPD like they did for LT. … APB.
maybe invite him to next theft symposium ?
Typical. “It’s the fitness center’s fault, not mine.” The Commissh’ used an easily snipped-through cable lock. That tells thieves “ooh, look I’m easily taken with minimal effort, pick me!” Please take at least a little personal responsibility…
Thieves are lazy, learn from this mistake and use additional deterrents. Learn from motorcycle owners – the more deterrents you use, the less likely it is that a thief will attempt to put in the effort to take your vehicle. (e.g. disc locks, bike covers with locks, alarms, etc.)
Perhaps with his next set of wheels a hefty u-lock combined with a cable would be a good place to start for deterrents. Make it too much of a bother for them.
It’s the thief’s fault.
Proper locking is a good thing but I don’t think that requiring all riders to spend $80 and carry four pounds of hardware (not to mention two keys) is a real good selling point on the way to increasing mode share.
Had he registered his bike anywhere? Channeling J, register your bike!
You can get U-Locks for well under $80.
I was figuring $40 each.
Why would you need two U-locks?
Arem mentioned cable + U-lock. Two U’s are currently “best practice” in high risk areas, secure both wheels etc. But sure, I only use one (and don’t park in high risk areas).
For mode share, or just generally friendly user interface, I think integrated locks go a long ways. They’re standard on Dutch bikes, and on Oregon Manifest’s specs. They’re easy to use, fairly light, always there, no hassle of loose objects to remember or carry. Certainly not the security of a U or two but I think they’d stop at least a worthwhile fraction of ride-aways.
Who knows? Maybe even Fish’ bike would have stayed put if it wire cutters couldn’t make it roll.
Best practice seems like it would be to get a pair of pitlocks for your wheels so you don’t have to drag two ulocks around with you everywhere..
Or you can do the old, remove the front one, and lock both and the frame up with the U lock.
or pitbulls and they can drag the bike and rider around 🙂
Yes, there are plenty of ways to increase security, too. I think that’s what Arem was getting at with his paragraph about “the more deterrents you use…” I’m not against them; I use some of them. I used two U’s as an example of that. Anyone who locks up near any of the hotspots in the map Bryan Hance posted is well advised to use a U-lock at a *minimum* and probably more, including securing seats, head sets and other things as Gerald F pointed out below with that Hal Ruzal youtube. Getting word out to bike users about it is important, too. Controlling bike theft is a multivalent effort, and locking and registering are big components of it (but not all of it, of course).
I’d like a future where it is less imperative to go to such high security measures. When it takes that much effort to secure a bike or else face theft, then riding a bike becomes considerably less attractive to more people, and less people ride, and that whole vicious cycle.
Register your bike!
Of course it’s ultimately the thief responsible for the theft. That was not up for debate.
I typically use the U-lock + cable all the time, using only one key. Think it was that bulldog brand that came bundled like that. I just put the loops of the cable onto the ends of the U-lock before snapping it shut and locking it. Have it mounted to the frame so it pushes flush against one of the stays on the back end. I don’t mind the additional weight, it’s not that much heavier and I’m not a racer concerned with the mass of the bike.
Only suggesting it as it wouldn’t be a terrible idea, but if somebody would rather not haul it around, that’s up to them.
Like this is news to anyone here, but few years ago I did an (unintentional) experiment.
Cable locked the bike in a dead-at-night area. Lost the key. Came back with very small bolt cutters. Elapsed time from pulling up in the truck to driving away with the bike – just under 16 seconds. And me a complete rookie.
C’mon Portland!
Yeah. Lightbulb came on for me when I saw a Leatherman go through a 5/16″ cable in under a minute.
Check the homeless camps under I-5 just north of the Burnside Bridge – last weekend I saw this pile assembled bikes, stripped frames, and various components.
http://i.imgur.com/kwzSuxd.jpg
The cops probably have cause for trespass but if none of the numbers come up stolen…
…If everyone knew their serial number and reported it. Bike shops keep that on file, right? This is the problem, not cable locks. Cars are easier to break into than a cable lock, but that darned VIN number.
bike shops absolutely do not keep the serial numbers on file. i will not name names but there are some high end shops in portland that do not. i have nothing but my word on this.
Bingo! Register your bike(s)! at bikeindex.org and/or project529.com. Some shops keep records, hopefully more and more will, or will use a good, shared registry (like bikeindex), but as Joel just said, don’t count on it. So, take it on yourself: register your bike!
About five years ago, when I first started bike commuting to the Portland Building, a co-worker who locked her bike on the loggia/porch thingy there had it stolen at lunch time. She was counting on her cable lock, the security cameras, and some adorable notion of attentive security guards in the lobby giving a darn. Yes, the loggia is plastered with warnings to thieves about the cameras, and warnings to bike rack users about the thieves, BUT…
BUT, not a word on those signs about the insecurity of cable locks. Not a word to City employees (who are encouraged to use active transportation) about bike theft prevention. And, I assume, not a word from the shop that sold my co-worker her bike about the near uselessness of the cable lock they also sold her.
I honestly can’t blame Nick Fish, who doesn’t commute by bike and probably isn’t a super engaged member of the bike riding community, for thinking that a cable lock was good enough. Will he bother to replace his bike? Will he ever ride to his gym again? In his shoes, I’m pretty sure my answer would be no to both questions, and all for the want of a little better information.
When will people learn?
How many times do we need to read an article where “bike,” “stolen” and “cable lock” are used in the same sentence?
CABLE LOCKS DO NOT WORK FOLKS!!!!!
This message brought to you by the “Friends Don’t Let Friends Use Cable Locks!!!!!!!!” campaign.
Cable locks DO work in many places. They even work in central Portland… but bike thieves in central Portland are very good at defeating them. The thieves are the real problem. A U-lock will lower the risk that YOUR bike will get stolen, as long as many other people are using cable locks, but let’s not blame the victims.
He’s not blaming anyone. He’s telling people to not use cable locks for their bikes. This is wonderfully great advice!
Pointing out that a cable lock is a poor choice for downtown isn’t blaming the victim. It’s the thief’s fault. But the cable lock, chosen by Fish, made it easier.
I see nothing wrong with the victim accepting some of the blame. I would, if I left my bike protected with only a cable lock and it was subsequently stolen. A costly lesson learned. I hope the Commissioner gets his bike back.
Actually, they don’t work. If they can be defeated by a standard wire cutter in less than 15 seconds, they most definitely do not work. Might as well use a leather belt or some rope.
You hear “cable lock” alot less than “I forgot”. In my personal experience, there are 10 “forgot to” or “I was only going in for a minute” to every “cable lock” when people talk of how their bike was stolen.
Sorry to hear that. Hey, Commish Fish, maybe it’s time to use your political weight to push PPB to crack down on bike theft!
Fish is disappointed that the club doesn’t do more to prevent bike theft. That’s good and well, but I’m disappointed that the city doesn’t do more to prevent bike theft! Hey Fish, know anyone connected enough to make this change?
Perhaps now that we no longer need police protecting us from the marijuana, you can divert those resources to something that matters?
A cable lock is more versatile than a U-Lock when there aren’t sufficient parking racks available. My son’s school doesn’t have enough racks, so getting his bike close enough to the rack to use a u-lock is tough, so we use a cable lock.
You can blame Fish for this, but only in his role as Commissioner. We should have staple racks EVERYWHERE and secure bike parking where we currently have lots of staples.
In these situations I’d combo. Make the bike as unrideable as possible using the U-lock, and tether it to something using the cable.
PS – Lobby your son’s school to add more/better racks.
Don’t always need a rack. I prefer telephone pole tension wires and gas meters to all bike racks that simply bolted in. If the object is simply bolted down to the sidewalk I will seldom lock up to it.
I’m “sad” commissioner Fish let a minority’ of wealthy homeowners steal promised trail access from cyclists in Forest Park
I’m also sad he used a cable lock and is placing blame on a gym for the theft.
it is a little curious that a commissioner of our city seemed genuinely surprised that there would be a bike theft problem next to a very busy transit center and max stop. He’s a member of the gym, so he’s been there before, right?
There is actually covered parking in the parking structure to the east of 24 hour fitness. It’s not anymore secure, but offers racks out of the rain and way out of the sight lines of the people who would be walking down the sidewalk.
So NF is a lawyer and has to use stimulus money in order to buy a bike ?
Hasn’t read the notices that the gym put up ?
He is sad now ? how unique.
Appears that the whole city council is out of touch.
U-locks ? For a couple of weeks now there has been a front tire U-locked to the parking staples at the Midland Library. Bike long gone. Once you have the right lock, then you need to learn how to use it. 🙁
Councilman Fish, sorry about your loss. I hope the press coverage will generate a lead on the street that recovers your bike promptly.
Todd Boulanger
VP of Operations
Bikestation
http://www.bikestation.com
PS. As we recommend to our Bikestation members, cable and coil locks are best only a second defence to lock gear or a second wheel when already using a u-lock or hardened chain locked to a secure rack.
The bike goes inside the locker. I take the key with me. The bike, and everything ON the bike, is always there when I return. This is the solution.
Yes the [smart] bike locker is a great solution for personal bike security…until the site gets to 20 lockers…as they can take up a lot of public ground space.
Every parking garage should include bike lockers.
Cable lock or U-lock, I’d have a hard time locking my bike up that close to Hollywood TC and not have regular line of sight to it for that long.
My PT is in that building, and I’ve locked a bike there about a dozen times without any incident. Again, getting your bike out of plain site (in the parking garage) is usually a big plus.
I disagree about getting the bike out of plain sight. I’d much rather lock my bike to a rack that is in plain sight for everyone to see. Thieves love having cover.
Edit: Parking garages *could* be an exception if their is a strong security guard presence, cameras, etc, but my general rule of thumb is to look for a bike rack that is easily seen by the public.
Several years ago in a different city, I had my bike stolen from in front of the government office building where I worked. It was stolen between 8 am and noon from a rack within twenty feet of the main door to the building where there was a staffed information counter. The people there were simply information folks, not “security personnel.” The bike was locked with a moderately heavy chain.
Double edged sword there. Sure your bike is obvious to passersby (who may or may not intervene if someone is trying to steal it) but it is also obvious to anyone wanting to steal it. Often time hard to spot bike racks, won’t get the type much thief traffic (esp. if there are more obvious racks out in the open).
Bottom line, regardless of theft risk, I like having my bike covered from the rain, so I’ll almost always take mine into a garage.
There are variables location, theft rates, type/kind of foot traffic, other options, bike value and attractiveness, but I tend to see the argument for being less visible as being more viable that conventional wisdom grants. Transit centers with a lot of people on foot leaving the area, I think the balance tips towards making my bike harder to find, especially if there are not a good assortment of other bikes to hide among.
I have been a member of that gym for 8 years and never had my bike stolen. I use a u lock and park it by the parking lot away from the sidewalk on Halsey. I would never park it on the side near the transit stop or sidewalk. Heck there is an abandoned bike on my rack no their has even bothered to strip!
please report it https://www.portlandoregon.gov/transportation/article/442404
Ugh! Autocorrect. When will I learn to quit using my phone for things like this. No one has bothered to strip it is what it should say.
And, it is locked up on private property (24 hour fitness) and not on a sidewalk or other public right away so do not think that the city could do anything.
So far every bike theft story I’ve seen on Bike Portland has involved either a cable lock, no lock at all, or a shed being broken into. Has anyone had a bike locked with a *quality* u-lock, fastened to a *secure* bike rack (i.e. bolted solidly into the ground), stolen in Portland?
It wasn’t my bike or my lock, but I found half of the U from a U-lock on the sidewalk in SE earlier this year. It had been cut with some type of bolt cutter type device rather than a grinder. That made me wonder about how secure U-locks are.
And of those people who have had it happen (which I’m sure has happened) how many of those people had it happen during daylight hours in a busy/visible area when they had it locked up for only and hour or two… versus leaving it overnight (or all day while at work) on a dark street/bike lockup that’s out of the view of traffic, etc?
I’d venture to guess very VERY few.
Has anyone mentioned how dumb cable locks are?!????
*sigh*
/sarcasm
If you lock your bike with a cable lock it will be stolen. If you lock your bike with a U-Lock under $50..00 it will be stolen. Lock your bike up securely with a real lock and it will not be stolen. Securely lock your bikes up when they are inside your house and they will not be stolen. Anyone that tells you a cable lock is secure doesn’t know what they are talking about. Always lock your bike or it will be stolen. Wlecome to urban living.
…one reason why some folks prefer the suburbs.
Which suburb? I grew up in “the suburbs” and experienced far more property crime, vandalism and petty theft than I have in the city. Which when compared to a lower, cheaper, more disposble quality of life that the suburbs bring, makes me wonder why anyone would actually make that choice.
To lighten the mood a little, here’s a comical yet informative video on bike locking technique by Hal Ruzal in NYC: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FCbU83_G6nA He has made at least four of these videos. All worth watching.
I’ve had a couple bikes stolen (cable locked, years ago), and it’s no fun.
I love that guy.
Interesting comparison of features on BikePortland in the last few days.
Earlier this week there were numerous complaints by those who refuse to wear high-visibility clothing think they shouldn’t have to because _____ (fill in reason) and that it’s the responsibility of motorists to drive responsibly, pay attention, etc.
In today’s posts, some people opine that cable locks are inadequate or that they should be outlawed because thieves can cut them at will.
I haven’t tried tabulating the responses (and don’t plan to), but it seems the commenters as a whole are more supportive of upgrading lock systems to deter thieves than they are to upgrade visibility items to maybe enhance the chances of being seen by inattentive motorists.
Just an observation.
The discussion that started last week about high-viz clothing wasn’t about whether it was a good idea, but about whether Tri-Met exhorting us to wear it to ‘be safe’ was a good idea, given that pedestrians with or without high viz garb aren’t hurting anyone.
Obviously it would be preferable to responsibilize thieves, but as a group, thieves are hard to admonish; lots harder, one would think, than those who pilot automobiles.
What do you mean? Couldn’t we just put up signs by all bike racks that say “BIKE THEFT IS A CRIME (thieves subject to such-and-such a penalty, ORS xxx.xxx)”.
Wouldn’t that work?
😉
I have two spare bikes, Nick, if you would like to borrow.
This is why bike shops need to man-up and stop selling cable locks. Sheesh!!!
Anne, you put it beautifully.
How do I get Obama to buy me a bike?
not to burst anyone bubble, but the issue of parking in a more public has nearly zero impact on deterring theft. It’s an old video but here is a prime example of how little anyone cares.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZbklkFuFk-4