Cosmetic bike locks
Did you know that one in seven bikes parked at Purdue University can be walked away with in under a minute?
In my few years living in West Lafayette, I’ve noticed a lot of bike locks which are cosmetic; that is, locks which appear sound at first glance but are topologically insecure on closer inspection. I spent a day meandering around Purdue University’s campus, recording a tally and photographing the different configurations. In total, I collected data on 270 bikes, and found roughly 6% of them to be entirely cosmetic or unlocked, with 15% removable with basic tools. See the chart below for a breakdown.
Interestingly, only one bike that I could find had the chassis and both wheels locked: the most secure configuration. I think that the 15% of bikes which are unlocked, cosmetic, or easily removable with tools speaks to how safe of a town West Lafayette is. It’s a tiny urban island in the middle of rural Indiana, cited as the most bike-friendly city in Indiana, and one of the few towns in the Midwest spared from Rust Belt decay. I kept my old bike unlocked for years, and it was never stolen. Now that I have a nicer bike (3500 miles and counting) I keep the chassis and front wheel locked with a u-lock and cable. Some lessons are better learned vicariously.
Below, I’ve compiled some photos of each of the possible bike lock configurations, as well as some unique and quirky ones I found. See below!
No bike lock
Cosmetic bike locks
Front wheel only
Chassis only
Chassis + front wheel
Chassis + back wheel
Chassis + both wheels
The only bike I could find which locked both tires and the chassis was this one, which used a chain held together with a Master Lock. I used to pick these locks in high school, so despite being the most topologically secure, this is in fact one of the least secure bikes I found.
Strange locks
This bike could be stolen with just some basic tools to remove the handlebar
And my favorite: these two bikes, chains rusting and rubber degrading, sharing a single lock around both chassis. I am fascinated to know the story behind it. Did the bikes belong to lovers who rode their bikes to campus together and shared a lock, abandoned after a breakup? Frugal roommates who shared a lock and moved on elsewhere? A stranger who locked their bike around another and left indefinitely, trapping their bike? Where was the second stranger’s bike lock? As often happens, answering one question opened the door to several more. I am left to continue wondering.
