have you ever wondered if the bike rider has stolen the bike?

[uk elephant]

I have been seen riding in street clothes and tennies/sandles with my clipless pedals if I'm just nipping out. But I do see your point. A news story in the local paper from home just last week....the police stopped a student late at night drunkenly riding a bike that very obviously wasn't his. Turns out he had stolen it and he was made to hand it back to the owner himself. The owner, a 6 year old boy, was somewhat disappointed though. He was hoping for a new bike since his had been stolen. Now he was stuck with the returned old bike for a while longer.

[Biciclista]

well, actually, I can be seen riding in street clothes almost every single day on my fancy road bike. I wear my expensive red Italian leather shoes(SIDI) and helmet as well..

[ginny]

I also would wear street clothes on my roadie before I had my commuter... but, I see the point. Though, the police reports say stolen from being parked outside. Who would leave an orbea outside and unattended? I don't leave my roadie parked outside at all... if it can't come in with me when I run inside, I take the great blue tank (my commuter). You are in So Cal? Yeah, I can see someone stealing high end bikes and then riding them in their baggie shorts... (I grew up in south OC). Well, take special care of your road bike...

[MartianDestiny]

I routinely wear street clothes (and a backpack) while riding my $3.5k carbon race bike. I like to ride it, so when I can I commute on it. No point in full kit to go 3 miles to work...

I do tend to wear my bike shoes though, only because the contact area on my pedals is puny (mountain bike pedals).

But yes, I have seen bikes that I thought just HAD to be stolen. Like a nearly new, but obviously abused Specialized, must have been a 3-4k bike, with very old school cage pedals that were beaten to heck. The rider looked like he hadn't showered in a week and his clothes and shoes were in dire need of replacement...

[Fredwina]

There was an article in Bicycling a while back (click here) about day laborers and bikes.
Basically , Stolen bikes are a lot less expensive than a Huffy.
I've seen bikes that don't belong with the ride (Specialized Tarmac, Rivendell Rambolieut, and a Vitus 992(though that may be a goodwill special))

[BleeckerSt_Girl]

There was an article in Bicycling a while back (click here) about day laborers and bikes.

That's a very good article, thanks.

[Geonz]

I'd hate to "profile"- but indeed, sometimes the bike and rider are a painful mismatch. Usually the purchaser of a high end bike who is doing it the standard way has this idea about becoming a higher-end rider, after all

I do remember the time I had to break a chain around a bike and put mine on it... and I didn't want to litter with the chain so I stuffed it into my backpack, not realizing that the broken part was dangling out.
I wondered why that driver behaved so oddly, honking at me in that 'excuse me, did you realizing you were losing soemthign?' way and then peeling around me and driving off... \

I'd be tempted to take a picture of a suspicious combination (if I could do so without putting myself at risk) - 'round here, our bike discussion list sometimes has posts when a bike is swiped.