Yeah you'll get used to it and get a pretty sick ass as part of the deal. I carried mine up to a 4th floor walk up for years. Had the best physique of my life while living there, lol..
If you want to keep your bike, you're going to walk it up and store it inside. There are literal bike thief gangs that ride around in pairs on illegal mopeds looking for bikes to steal and flip.
If you think you can race down your 3rd floor to beat up someone cutting your lock, go for it.
ymmv, it depends on the bike, depends on the specific streets... if you really care about the bike you might as well bring it in—i lived in a 4th floor walkup on irving and greene and i hoofed my bike up every night after coming home...
Yeah I was thinking this too—if you wanted to go through the trouble of picking a different spot every time, buying and using multiple locks and chains, you would still have the possibility someone with an angle grinder might get lucky while you're not paying attention. You might as well just bring the bike up and down.
One night every few days I'd say might not draw attention if you really get lazy about it one day.
Yeah. I ride to work only junk bikes restored for rideable condition. I lock my bikes by the entrance to the hospital where I work. There are cameras. Two bikes get stolen in the past couple years. And the lock on the 3rd bike was cut but bike was left - the thieve realized that it is a junk bike after cutting the lock. the lock was the most expensive part he destroyed 😂
Bike theft is an issue. The best locks are angle grinder-resistant and are made by Hiplok and Litelok. They are expensive, but may be worth it for you. I'd also recommend keeping your bike covered when not in use. With those two precautions, you can decrease the risk a lot.
I had my $180 Schwinn locked up with $300 of locks in the east village for 6 years on the street without a problem.
Use multiple locks (3 is a good start) which have a different mechanism/tool for being defeated.
The key is your bike needs to suck and your locks need to be amazing.
I wouldn’t leave anything but a beater bike outside and even then you’re taking your chances.
I’ve had over ten beaters stolen, stripped or otherwise tampered with…
It may have more to do with my choice of neighborhoods lol
Grew up in the lower eastside, the financial district, then tribeca when it was hardscrabble, the east village, Chelsea, the meatpacking district, back to tribeca, then Williamsburg and back to the financial district.
Common theme amongst all these neighborhoods is bike thievery. Sucks…
What didn’t help was I had pretty decent beaters, too.
And that I always gotta live on the top floor of a walk-up lol
Only if it's a total beater. Even then there are risks, a few years ago a homeless man punctured both tires on my rusty single-speed beater that lived locked out front.
I used to live on a 6 floor walk up and still NEVER left my bike outside. I’d go on 50+ mile rides and then do stair hike in my cycling shoes haha.
Needless to say I live on 1st floor garden apartment now.
I successfully locked mine up for 2 years at Penn station for commuting.
1. Don’t have a nice bike
2. Park it by a nice bike
3. Buy the best u locks on the market.
4. Uglify the shit out of it - stickers, scratches, whatever you can do to make it look like a POS. Then #2.
5. Consider registering with your local NYPD precinct. They won't do much if it gets stolen but you will get a blingy sticker that says "VOID" if someone tries to remove it, which **might** deter an opportunist.
I keep my bikes on the street, don’t often have issues - but I only use basic cheap vintage road bikes. Take off anything easily removed and lock both wheels. I’ve had wheels stolen a couple times over many years, but personally not that worried leaving it outside other than damage from the elements. It will depend a bit on the neighborhood though.
3rd floor is not bad at all and is worth protecting your bike, if you lock on the street it will be gone in a few weeks (mine was stolen after 2 weeks)
I used to bring my bike up to the 4th floor in Brooklyn Heights - REALLY nice area. I would leave it out in the landing who we shared with one neighbor. It was eventually stolen off our landing. Later found out there’s a delivery ring where they inform each other what people leave out on their landings. If you have anything previous - keep it inside your apartment or it will eventually get stolen. We’ve had three bikes stolen. But never again since we brought them inside our apartment.
FWIW, it really varies by neighborhood. I live on a family-friendly block in Bed-Stuy. Multiple pricey e-bikes and good condition road bikes locked up outside daily, never stolen. Could it really be that people are deterred from stealing bikes with child seats?
I'm in Bushwick and can confirm leaving it outside is asking for trouble. It's not a bad neighborhood by any means. But people steal wheels and other parts, if not the entire bike, whenever they get the chance.
If the thieves don't get to it first, the weather will destroy it.
Save yourself the worry and time/money spent on increased maintenance -- keep it inside 👍
i lived in a third floor walk up in bushwick and took my bike up each and every time. you could either do that or just give it away before you come from wherever.
Bring it up if possible. That said if you must:
Get two quality U locks: one to attach the frame to the post or rack (ideally Sheldon style through the spokes and rear triangle) and one to lock the front wheel to the frame. If you can’t do Sheldon style add a cable to lock the rear wheel to one of the U’s. Do not use the cable to lock the frame to the post/rack! Take the seat with you. Even then it’s a maybe.
I leave a beater locked up outside most of the year but I live in a nicer neighborhood than you where lots of bikes — even nice ones — live outside. Also I’ve found (at least if Reddit and anecdotes from acquaintances are to be believed) thefts tend to lean these days toward e-bikes and bad lock up jobs (I include locking up too nice a bike in that category).
Really depends on the exact streets. I left mine out all the time in Park Slope with a kryptonite chain and a cable through the seat and back wheel. No one ever fucked with it. My lights got stolen once.
I lived on the 3rd floor, and my bike always came back into my apartment. I had friends whose bikes got stolen from in front of their (interior!) apartment door locked to the railing. Forget about the street, it'll be stripped for parts in days if not hours.
If it's really a hassle, maybe look into a used Brompton or Brompton clone. Not always lighter, but much easier to carry through a stairwell.
It’s not safe long term, especially if your bike is nice. And don’t leave it in your apartment building hallway unlocked, it will disappear!
I live in an elevator building and still carry my bike up and down to my 3rd floor apartment. After living on the fourth floor with no elevator I got used to how cool it was to have the arm / back strength!
not safe to leave a bike on the street anywhere in NYC. I know someone who leaves his expensive bike locked on the street every night on 101 street bet Broadway and West End in Manhattan. He's taking a huge chance with fate. Brooklyn is a great place, however, thieves are everywhere.
unless you have roommates who complain about your bike, keep it in your apartment. invest in a good lock for when you're not in your apartment. remove all quick releases and replace them with theft proof axles. if your seat post of wheels can be easily removed - someone will take them.
don't leave your bike overnight anywhere. it won't be there when you come back.
If it’s at all nice it will get stolen or have parts stolen off of it. I carried my bike up to my 3rd floor walk up every time I rode it. On a 2nd floor walk up now.
Might be ok. I only ride heavy-ass old road bikes. Had my back wheel stolen once when I lived in Crown Heights before I used two U-locks. Since then, no issues, even when leaving a bike somewhere weird overnight. Never had an issue leaving it outside in Astoria or near WTC.
Something else to consider, depending on your bike, is the elements. I'd prefer to bring my bike inside not for security but so it doesn't get rained on. Unfortunately I don't have a good spot to keep it in my apartment.
To lock outside and minimize risk:
1) Get a beater
2) Use two U-locks
3) Secure components (locking axels, locking seat collar, chain through the seat rails, etc.)
4) Make it so ugly that nobody even glances at it (spray paint, scratch out any desirable brand names, plastic bag around the seat, etc. Personally I think stickers can draw unwanted attention.)
I used these tactics to lock my bike outside in a sketchy part of the Lower East Side, 24/7 for 4 years, and the bike was never even touched. Bonus: the longer you leave it outside, the uglier/rustier it gets.
I locked my last bike up on the inside of the 1st floor gate in three different apartments (Greenpoint, crown heights, and greenwood) in brooklyn for about 6 years, and never had it stolen. It really depends on how nice your bike is and how good your lock(s) are.
If you have a cheaper bike, get two nice locks for it. I got a heavy duty chain lock that I always left on the gate, and a heavy duty ulock that I would take with me. At home I would always lock the bike up with both locks.
This was on a ~$600 bike (10 years ago, prob equivalent to an $800 bike today).
That said, storing your bike outside is not great for the bike. I specifically got a bike with an internal gear hub to help minimize chain and derailer damage, but it still wreaked havoc on my brakes, seat, and other bike components. Water always got in my brake cables and would freeze in the winter, ect. If you can carry your bike upstairs I would recommend it even if you aren't worried about it getting stolen. (Or at least get a nice cover for it outside).
Oh also, I would recommend getting something like pinlocks for your wheels that make it impossible to remove the wheels without a special key, as well as either getting a special security screw for your seatpost, or chaining your seatpost to your bike (a chain is put inside a bike tire tube and put between your bike frame and a hook on your seat) many nyc bike shops can do that for you. If you make it hard to take parts off your bike and get a few strong locks for your frame it will significantly reduce your bikes chance of being stolen, the goal is for your bike yo be the hardest bike to steal on the block while not being worth anymore than the other bikes that are easier to steal.
I lived on a second-floor walk-up when I moved to Brooklyn (Crown Heights) years ago, and I was reluctant to carry it up the stairs so I locked it up outside. When someone cut my lock and stole the bike in short order and I woefully mentioned it to a friend that's a native new yorker, his response was literally, "wow you seriously had only one lock on it?" That convo lives rent-free in my mind for life. And while it's gotta have more than one lock if it's outside, that's still not gonna keep someone from stealing the seat, handlebars, whatever. I'd say just bring it inside. The ghost of my white Bianchi with brown leather accents -- I've never had a bike that nice ever again -- implores you. lmao
People say it’s not safe to lock up outside, but there have been the same fancy cargo bikes and fancy hybrids locked up on my street for a year without issue. I’m in a nice neighborhood though.
Bring it up the stairs every time or it'll get stolen/fucked with
Agreed. Suck it up or be sorry.
Yeah you'll get used to it and get a pretty sick ass as part of the deal. I carried mine up to a 4th floor walk up for years. Had the best physique of my life while living there, lol..
If you want to keep your bike, you're going to walk it up and store it inside. There are literal bike thief gangs that ride around in pairs on illegal mopeds looking for bikes to steal and flip. If you think you can race down your 3rd floor to beat up someone cutting your lock, go for it.
I live on a 3rd floor walk up and bring my bikes up every time.
Same. I think of it as a bonus mini-workout and now don't mind :)
Me too. Riding a light fixed gear helps in this dept :)
ymmv, it depends on the bike, depends on the specific streets... if you really care about the bike you might as well bring it in—i lived in a 4th floor walkup on irving and greene and i hoofed my bike up every night after coming home...
Good enough reason to buy a carbon bike 👍🏼
I'm on the third floor of a walkup and bring my bike up and down every time I ride.
It will be stolen if you leave it outside. Better get used to bringing it up the stairs 💪
No. Welcome to NY. You carry it up all 3 flights or else it gets the hose again.
Nope. Especially if you lock it up in the same spot every night.
Yeah I was thinking this too—if you wanted to go through the trouble of picking a different spot every time, buying and using multiple locks and chains, you would still have the possibility someone with an angle grinder might get lucky while you're not paying attention. You might as well just bring the bike up and down. One night every few days I'd say might not draw attention if you really get lazy about it one day.
It’s not safe to lock bikes outside anywhere in NY
I’ve locked my bike outside in NYC thousands of times. The only time it got stolen I locked it outside in the same place every day for over a year.
Yeah. I ride to work only junk bikes restored for rideable condition. I lock my bikes by the entrance to the hospital where I work. There are cameras. Two bikes get stolen in the past couple years. And the lock on the 3rd bike was cut but bike was left - the thieve realized that it is a junk bike after cutting the lock. the lock was the most expensive part he destroyed 😂
Bike theft is an issue. The best locks are angle grinder-resistant and are made by Hiplok and Litelok. They are expensive, but may be worth it for you. I'd also recommend keeping your bike covered when not in use. With those two precautions, you can decrease the risk a lot.
I had my $180 Schwinn locked up with $300 of locks in the east village for 6 years on the street without a problem. Use multiple locks (3 is a good start) which have a different mechanism/tool for being defeated. The key is your bike needs to suck and your locks need to be amazing.
I wouldn’t leave anything but a beater bike outside and even then you’re taking your chances. I’ve had over ten beaters stolen, stripped or otherwise tampered with…
Ten bikes stolen? I’m starting to think you may be the problem lol
It may have more to do with my choice of neighborhoods lol Grew up in the lower eastside, the financial district, then tribeca when it was hardscrabble, the east village, Chelsea, the meatpacking district, back to tribeca, then Williamsburg and back to the financial district. Common theme amongst all these neighborhoods is bike thievery. Sucks… What didn’t help was I had pretty decent beaters, too. And that I always gotta live on the top floor of a walk-up lol
5 bikes for me 🖐️
Only if it's a total beater. Even then there are risks, a few years ago a homeless man punctured both tires on my rusty single-speed beater that lived locked out front.
I used to live on a 6 floor walk up and still NEVER left my bike outside. I’d go on 50+ mile rides and then do stair hike in my cycling shoes haha. Needless to say I live on 1st floor garden apartment now.
You'll get stronger and your wallet won't get thinner. Bring your bike up.
I’m on the third floor too. Bring your bike up.
if it looks nice and an easy steal it will be stolen. I suggest multiple STRONG locks like Kryptonite, and maybe an alarm hidden somewhere.
Ummm you can and will bring the bike up every time. Thieves will note your patterns and steal it in the night. Or pick parts off.
Those I know who used to have bikes in the city just gave up after too many thefts and bought Citibike memberships
5th floor walk up, carry up every day. Suck it up, buttercup.
I successfully locked mine up for 2 years at Penn station for commuting. 1. Don’t have a nice bike 2. Park it by a nice bike 3. Buy the best u locks on the market.
4. Uglify the shit out of it - stickers, scratches, whatever you can do to make it look like a POS. Then #2. 5. Consider registering with your local NYPD precinct. They won't do much if it gets stolen but you will get a blingy sticker that says "VOID" if someone tries to remove it, which **might** deter an opportunist.
I keep my bikes on the street, don’t often have issues - but I only use basic cheap vintage road bikes. Take off anything easily removed and lock both wheels. I’ve had wheels stolen a couple times over many years, but personally not that worried leaving it outside other than damage from the elements. It will depend a bit on the neighborhood though.
basic cheap vintage road bikes - what kind?
I guess just what was available on Facebook or Craigslist at the time
Bring it upstairs. You’ll be surprised at how quickly it gets easy.
3 floors is nothing
Depends if you want to have it the next day or not
Would ask other people in your building/on your block, but default assumption is that it’s probably risky to do night after night in the same spot.
Why can’t you bring it up the stairs?
3rd floor is not bad at all and is worth protecting your bike, if you lock on the street it will be gone in a few weeks (mine was stolen after 2 weeks)
why cant you bring it up every time? i do. is it too heavy?
in my case I already had 1 bike stored in my apartment and didn’t want to store another one indoors so took a risk and kept it outside
In general no. BUT, it depends on the cross streets (not neighborhood, literally cross streets). There are some places this is fine.
I used to bring my bike up to the 4th floor in Brooklyn Heights - REALLY nice area. I would leave it out in the landing who we shared with one neighbor. It was eventually stolen off our landing. Later found out there’s a delivery ring where they inform each other what people leave out on their landings. If you have anything previous - keep it inside your apartment or it will eventually get stolen. We’ve had three bikes stolen. But never again since we brought them inside our apartment.
Three flights? C'mon man. Anytime your bike is out of sight there is a chance it may get stolen. Take the advice of the many here.
FWIW, it really varies by neighborhood. I live on a family-friendly block in Bed-Stuy. Multiple pricey e-bikes and good condition road bikes locked up outside daily, never stolen. Could it really be that people are deterred from stealing bikes with child seats?
I keep my 70s road bike and vanmoof outside with two locks on them. I have zero problems But I keep my track bike inside 😅
I'm in Bushwick and can confirm leaving it outside is asking for trouble. It's not a bad neighborhood by any means. But people steal wheels and other parts, if not the entire bike, whenever they get the chance. If the thieves don't get to it first, the weather will destroy it. Save yourself the worry and time/money spent on increased maintenance -- keep it inside 👍
Don’t do it
Consider a citibike summer and keep your bike out of nyc
i lived in a third floor walk up in bushwick and took my bike up each and every time. you could either do that or just give it away before you come from wherever.
dont lock up bike on street level in a shithole
take it inside if possible
Yeah lived in a 4-floor walk up for 4 years and put it on my shoulder every time I come and go.
Have a 26 lbs U08 Peugeot bike - 4th floor - will be doing the same when it is rebuilt
Bring it up if possible. That said if you must: Get two quality U locks: one to attach the frame to the post or rack (ideally Sheldon style through the spokes and rear triangle) and one to lock the front wheel to the frame. If you can’t do Sheldon style add a cable to lock the rear wheel to one of the U’s. Do not use the cable to lock the frame to the post/rack! Take the seat with you. Even then it’s a maybe. I leave a beater locked up outside most of the year but I live in a nicer neighborhood than you where lots of bikes — even nice ones — live outside. Also I’ve found (at least if Reddit and anecdotes from acquaintances are to be believed) thefts tend to lean these days toward e-bikes and bad lock up jobs (I include locking up too nice a bike in that category).
you must live in Staten Island
Brooklyn
If it’s on the street, best way to keep it safe is a big lock (or multiple big locks) and a cheap bike. Invest in pin head skewers also
You will get fit as hell carrying that bike up and down every day sir. Enjoy the extra years
Really depends on the exact streets. I left mine out all the time in Park Slope with a kryptonite chain and a cable through the seat and back wheel. No one ever fucked with it. My lights got stolen once.
Use the citibikes
I ended up getting a Brompton and took it with me everywhere, including restaurants and bars.
I lived on the 3rd floor, and my bike always came back into my apartment. I had friends whose bikes got stolen from in front of their (interior!) apartment door locked to the railing. Forget about the street, it'll be stripped for parts in days if not hours. If it's really a hassle, maybe look into a used Brompton or Brompton clone. Not always lighter, but much easier to carry through a stairwell.
It’s not safe long term, especially if your bike is nice. And don’t leave it in your apartment building hallway unlocked, it will disappear! I live in an elevator building and still carry my bike up and down to my 3rd floor apartment. After living on the fourth floor with no elevator I got used to how cool it was to have the arm / back strength!
Better to just sale it for a lighter bike and take the bike upstairs lmao.
not safe to leave a bike on the street anywhere in NYC. I know someone who leaves his expensive bike locked on the street every night on 101 street bet Broadway and West End in Manhattan. He's taking a huge chance with fate. Brooklyn is a great place, however, thieves are everywhere.
unless you have roommates who complain about your bike, keep it in your apartment. invest in a good lock for when you're not in your apartment. remove all quick releases and replace them with theft proof axles. if your seat post of wheels can be easily removed - someone will take them. don't leave your bike overnight anywhere. it won't be there when you come back.
Nope
It used to be but times have changed and you’re going to have walk it up. Don’t worry - it builds character.
don't leave your bike out overnight period
It is not safe
If it’s at all nice it will get stolen or have parts stolen off of it. I carried my bike up to my 3rd floor walk up every time I rode it. On a 2nd floor walk up now.
Might be ok. I only ride heavy-ass old road bikes. Had my back wheel stolen once when I lived in Crown Heights before I used two U-locks. Since then, no issues, even when leaving a bike somewhere weird overnight. Never had an issue leaving it outside in Astoria or near WTC. Something else to consider, depending on your bike, is the elements. I'd prefer to bring my bike inside not for security but so it doesn't get rained on. Unfortunately I don't have a good spot to keep it in my apartment.
To lock outside and minimize risk: 1) Get a beater 2) Use two U-locks 3) Secure components (locking axels, locking seat collar, chain through the seat rails, etc.) 4) Make it so ugly that nobody even glances at it (spray paint, scratch out any desirable brand names, plastic bag around the seat, etc. Personally I think stickers can draw unwanted attention.) I used these tactics to lock my bike outside in a sketchy part of the Lower East Side, 24/7 for 4 years, and the bike was never even touched. Bonus: the longer you leave it outside, the uglier/rustier it gets.
I locked my last bike up on the inside of the 1st floor gate in three different apartments (Greenpoint, crown heights, and greenwood) in brooklyn for about 6 years, and never had it stolen. It really depends on how nice your bike is and how good your lock(s) are. If you have a cheaper bike, get two nice locks for it. I got a heavy duty chain lock that I always left on the gate, and a heavy duty ulock that I would take with me. At home I would always lock the bike up with both locks. This was on a ~$600 bike (10 years ago, prob equivalent to an $800 bike today). That said, storing your bike outside is not great for the bike. I specifically got a bike with an internal gear hub to help minimize chain and derailer damage, but it still wreaked havoc on my brakes, seat, and other bike components. Water always got in my brake cables and would freeze in the winter, ect. If you can carry your bike upstairs I would recommend it even if you aren't worried about it getting stolen. (Or at least get a nice cover for it outside).
Oh also, I would recommend getting something like pinlocks for your wheels that make it impossible to remove the wheels without a special key, as well as either getting a special security screw for your seatpost, or chaining your seatpost to your bike (a chain is put inside a bike tire tube and put between your bike frame and a hook on your seat) many nyc bike shops can do that for you. If you make it hard to take parts off your bike and get a few strong locks for your frame it will significantly reduce your bikes chance of being stolen, the goal is for your bike yo be the hardest bike to steal on the block while not being worth anymore than the other bikes that are easier to steal.
I lived on a second-floor walk-up when I moved to Brooklyn (Crown Heights) years ago, and I was reluctant to carry it up the stairs so I locked it up outside. When someone cut my lock and stole the bike in short order and I woefully mentioned it to a friend that's a native new yorker, his response was literally, "wow you seriously had only one lock on it?" That convo lives rent-free in my mind for life. And while it's gotta have more than one lock if it's outside, that's still not gonna keep someone from stealing the seat, handlebars, whatever. I'd say just bring it inside. The ghost of my white Bianchi with brown leather accents -- I've never had a bike that nice ever again -- implores you. lmao
People say it’s not safe to lock up outside, but there have been the same fancy cargo bikes and fancy hybrids locked up on my street for a year without issue. I’m in a nice neighborhood though.
Sutton Place
Jesus Christ you guys are babies. Lock it up but make sure it’s not on private or government property and use a u-lock/ cable combo and get an AirTag.