Bike stolen at the "The Canadian" in Ottawa

[Pat Menzies]

After a couple of meetings we are anticipating setting up a system where we video tape the only two possible entrances and exits to our transition area.

Because we all know that thieves won't go to the effort of lifting a featherweight bike over a fence if they want to steal it.

[Joe Dwarf]

Just curious - does anyone use locks?

[RobAllen]

After a couple of meetings we are anticipating setting up a system where we video tape the only two possible entrances and exits to our transition area.

Because we all know that thieves won't go to the effort of lifting a featherweight bike over a fence if they want to steal it.

Let me know your idea on how to secure a transition for how our transition area is laid out. I am open to ideas - there are many of them, few actually work in practice.

[Pat Menzies]

After a couple of meetings we are anticipating setting up a system where we video tape the only two possible entrances and exits to our transition area.

Because we all know that thieves won't go to the effort of lifting a featherweight bike over a fence if they want to steal it.

Let me know your idea on how to secure a transition for how our transition area is laid out. I am open to ideas - there are many of them, few actually work in practice.

Make everyone ride a stock bike that nobody would want to steal.

[jgore]

Make everyone ride a stock bike that nobody would want to steal.

That's what I have thought for ages.

Athletes want to push full responsibility for the protection of their hyper-expensive bicycles onto race organizations despite the fact they themselves will not make use of the single most effective protective device available to them, a lock. Apparently, saving the few seconds it takes to use a lock is more important than the safety of the bike. If that's the case, why should race organizers accept anything beyond minimum responsibility for protecting your bike?

Having at one time been in charge of the transition zone at the K-Town Tri for a few years, I know that the more safe you try to make things, the more complaints you receive from athletes who want:

1. easy accessibility
2. good viewing areas for their families and other spectators
3. an almost 100% guarantee that their bike won't disappear.

Numbers 1 and 2 tend to have negative effects on number 3.

[Jwolf]

Many transition zones aren't really set up for effective bike locking. That would take a bit different setup if participants were expected to lock their bikes. It's clearly not expected.

Makes me happy I don't have an expensive bike. Seems that the best insurance is to make sure the bike next to yours is nicer.

I'd love the stock bike idea and it would make triathlon a much better sport in many ways. It would also cut the triathlon forum topics by about half.

[jgore]

Many transition zones aren't really set up for effective bike locking. That would take a bit different setup if participants were expected to lock their bikes. It's clearly not expected.

The problem is that the sport started, and standards were set, at a time when people weren't riding bikes that required a mortgage.

[Joe Dwarf]

Many transition zones aren't really set up for effective bike locking.

Don't they usually have a rack of some sort? No fancy locking required, you'd only need a volunteer to keep an eye out as someone cutting a lock would be pretty easy to spot.

[Jwolf]

Many transition zones aren't really set up for effective bike locking.

Don't they usually have a rack of some sort? No fancy locking required, you'd only need a volunteer to keep an eye out as someone cutting a lock would be pretty easy to spot.

The bikes are really close together and the rack is usually a simple thin metal bar.

[Joe Dwarf]

The bikes are really close together and the rack is usually a simple thin metal bar.

Hang by the seats, right? Combo cable lock is probably good enough, just enough deterrence so that a thief is easily spotted.

[Mark.AU]

I'll give my perspective as a regular triathlon participant (unlike most in this discussion...).

I expect the RD to configure the transition area to make it difficult to steal my stuff. I don't expect it necessarily to be impregnable, just difficult. For example, a fence high enough to make it difficult to lift a bike over. Some form of check ID to remove the bike from transition.

I have insurance for a stolen bike - it's a specified object on my home owner's insurance. Yes, my bike is quite expensive. No, it doesn't require a mortgage to buy/replace. However, it's my prerogative to spend as much as I like on my bike. Or my car. Or my house. What I spend on my equipment has nothing to do with this discussion.

While on that point; it's an asinine notion to suggest standard bikes. Who pays for them, the RD? If competitors have to buy this standard bike, kiss goodbye to the sport. People like to buy nice stuff - it's an integral part of the whole triathlon culture/experience/lifestyle. It's human nature. On a simply practical note, not all bikes fit all competitors, what standardization is even possible?

Locking bikes in transition? Duh. It's a race - if the RD takes the required steps I've described to make transition reasonably secure, then I shouldn't need to, and won't. If I ever get to a race and think the transition isn't secure, I wouldn't leave my bike that at all. BTW, my wetsuit cost $600 - should I lock that too?

If my bike gets stolen, I'll be pissed. However, I'll be really pissed if the RD didn't take all reasonable precautions to prevent it, but I'm grown up enough to realize that if someone is really determined to, they can steal my bike. Or my car. It's a fact of life.

Bottom line; **** happens. It did to this racer and I feel bad for him. Hopefully he was smart enough to have the bike (and wheels) itemized on his home insurance - there is no substitute for taking all reasonable precautions ourselves to protect against the loss of personal property (locks might be argued here but I'd argue that's overkill, YMMV). I am not impressed with the race representative's comments because they showed a lack of care and the race itself reportedly had a lower standard than that of taking all reasonable precautions to secure transition, so I won't race with these guys.

[jgore]

I expect the RD to configure the transition area to make it difficult to steal my stuff. I don't expect it necessarily to be impregnable, just difficult. For example, a fence high enough to make it difficult to lift a bike over. Some form of check ID to remove the bike from transition.

I agree.

I have insurance for a stolen bike - it's a specified object on my home owner's insurance. Yes, my bike is quite expensive. No, it doesn't require a mortgage to buy/replace. However, it's my prerogative to spend as much as I like on my bike. Or my car. Or my house. What I spend on my equipment has nothing to do with this discussion.

The mortgage comment was obviously hyperbole. As for the cost of the equipment, while it shouldn't have to be part of the discussion, it is. As equipment becomes more expensive and specialized it becomes a more likely target for thieves. Increased security measures aren't the problem. Peoples' responses to those measures are a problem. Your outlook is reasonable. There are many whose opinion is not.

While on that point; it's an asinine notion to suggest standard bikes. Who pays for them, the RD? If competitors have to buy this standard bike, kiss goodbye to the sport. People like to buy nice stuff - it's an integral part of the whole triathlon culture/experience/lifestyle. It's human nature. On a simply practical note, not all bikes fit all competitors, what standardization is even possible?

Once again, obviously not a serious suggestion. It falls into the realm of a Utopian racing world in which everyone is the same height, weight, and age, has the same training programs available to them, and everyone uses exactly the same equipment.

Locking bikes in transition? Duh. It's a race - if the RD takes the required steps I've described to make transition reasonably secure, then I shouldn't need to, and won't. If I ever get to a race and think the transition isn't secure, I wouldn't leave my bike that at all. BTW, my wetsuit cost $600 - should I lock that too?

If my bike gets stolen, I'll be pissed. However, I'll be really pissed if the RD didn't take all reasonable precautions to prevent it, but I'm grown up enough to realize that if someone is really determined to, they can steal my bike. Or my car. It's a fact of life.

"Reasonably secure" is very important. People tend not to think about this until something bad happens. If participation were to drop at those events that do not have decent security, the organizers would have to reconsider their setups. You'd think that those with more expensive equipment would be more likely to boycott events that don't match their expectations, but that isn't necessarily so. If someone decides to participate in a race at which the security measures don't match their expectations, the onus is on them to do whatever is necessary to make themselves comfortable, for example, locking the bike.

With respect to the organizers taking "all reasonable precautions to prevent it", if you haven't looked into the security setup prior to leaving your equipment in the care of the race organization, you have decided to take your chances and your getting pissed off at them after something happens isn't their problem. You do have the right to be pissed off if loss of your equipment is due to them not doing what they said they would.

I am not impressed with the race representative's comments because they showed a lack of care and the race itself reportedly had a lower standard than that of taking all reasonable precautions to secure transition, so I won't race with these guys.

BINGO! That is exactly what racers should do. If you aren't happy with the security setup, don't do the race(s).

[La]

If I am required to check my bike into transition the day before a race (like at IM and some HIM events), then I do have the expectation that the area will be secure and that the RD is responsible for my bike while it's in their possession. I would expect them to hire proper security personnel and not just rely on vounteers.

[turd ferguson]

I'll give my perspective as a regular triathlon participant (unlike most in this discussion...).

I expect the RD to configure the transition area to make it difficult to steal my stuff. I don't expect it necessarily to be impregnable, just difficult. For example, a fence high enough to make it difficult to lift a bike over. Some form of check ID to remove the bike from transition.

I have insurance for a stolen bike - it's a specified object on my home owner's insurance. Yes, my bike is quite expensive. No, it doesn't require a mortgage to buy/replace. However, it's my prerogative to spend as much as I like on my bike. Or my car. Or my house. What I spend on my equipment has nothing to do with this discussion.

While on that point; it's an asinine notion to suggest standard bikes. Who pays for them, the RD? If competitors have to buy this standard bike, kiss goodbye to the sport. People like to buy nice stuff - it's an integral part of the whole triathlon culture/experience/lifestyle. It's human nature. On a simply practical note, not all bikes fit all competitors, what standardization is even possible?

Locking bikes in transition? Duh. It's a race - if the RD takes the required steps I've described to make transition reasonably secure, then I shouldn't need to, and won't. If I ever get to a race and think the transition isn't secure, I wouldn't leave my bike that at all. BTW, my wetsuit cost $600 - should I lock that too?

If my bike gets stolen, I'll be pissed. However, I'll be really pissed if the RD didn't take all reasonable precautions to prevent it, but I'm grown up enough to realize that if someone is really determined to, they can steal my bike. Or my car. It's a fact of life.

Bottom line; **** happens. It did to this racer and I feel bad for him. Hopefully he was smart enough to have the bike (and wheels) itemized on his home insurance - there is no substitute for taking all reasonable precautions ourselves to protect against the loss of personal property (locks might be argued here but I'd argue that's overkill, YMMV). I am not impressed with the race representative's comments because they showed a lack of care and the race itself reportedly had a lower standard than that of taking all reasonable precautions to secure transition, so I won't race with these guys.

Agree 100%. The idea of standardized bikes (presumably with baskets and panniers) is comically misguided.

I know I'm not much of a swimmer, but the idea of turning the dials on a combination lock after getting out of the water also makes me laugh a bit.

To respond to Jim's last point "If you aren't happy with the security setup, don't do the race(s)" - not that simple. You rely on what the race director says they're going to do. Sometimes you go to a race, the website said "only racers in transition, we're checking bibs" and you get there and there's barely a fence. Your choice is either (a) race or (b) walk away from your entry fee and go home. I've said this before about what I expect out of a race - I don't expect any particular thing but I expect the race to deliver on its promises.

[AjaxRunner]

Rob, talk to John Salt @MSC. They implemented (and quickly) a bracelet system for the last couple of races after The Canadian issue. I worked security the Sunday morning of the Olympic in Lakeside, and it went pretty smoothly. Fencing changes are also a consideration, they put in a 6ft fence at Wasaga from what I heard, instead of the usual netting one.

Thanks, will do. There are a couple of issues I have with the bracelet for our event. This is specific to our event, location and the way we set up our transition area.
1) Race-day packet pick-up is inside a building so athlete's will have to leave their bikes without identification outside of a transition zone while getting their wrist strap.
2) At our event everyone who has registered in advance is reserved their spot in transition. We want athletes to come into transition to put their bikes in their location with their name and then go get their kit. This is much safer in my opinion.

We already have 10 volunteers in transition. We are upping it to 14 to control traffic and video tape. We still have another 11 months to finalize.

My personal athlete opinion (with a view from the other side) is don't ever expect a race organization to have insurance for theft. Even the greatest set-up can be tricked by conniving thieves. Remember that these races are usually put on by volunteers or have volunteers manning these posts. Check your personal insurance to determine what coverage you have if a bike is stolen at a race.

Muskoka70.3 had a bike valet. Athletes would write their name on a piece of tape on the bike. Then they had to show ID to get their bike back to go and rack it.

Once you allow people to rack their bikes without now being able to identify who belngs to which bike, you have lost any form of security. In my opinion, cameras are nice marketing, but they will not prevent theft. They may just aid in catching somebody after the fact. Preventing the theft is a better option.

[Pat Menzies]

Japanese Keirin racing has stock bikes.

[AjaxRunner]

My kid's race down the street has trycicles.

[Pat Menzies]

And the best kid still wins....

[Jwolf]

Japanese Keirin racing has stock bikes.

Track racing?

How many bikes do they need each year for that and how often do they need to be replaced?

Obviously with the many thousands of triathletes competing each year, it's not a practical solution. But in theory I would welcome it. Not sure all triathletes agree though.

If competitors have to buy this standard bike, kiss goodbye to the sport. People like to buy nice stuff - it's an integral part of the whole triathlon culture/experience/lifestyle.

[turd ferguson]

Not sure all triathletes agree though.

Understatement much?