Peleton of teen road cyclists with expensive road bikes blew in for coffee

[Laguna]

I'm old enough now that when a team of young athletes comes in and sort of takes over the local Panera, I just sit back and watch with amusement. Yes, it sort of makes me feel young to watch them, sort of sad that my youth is behind me and excited to see that at least they aren't at home in front of the computer.

This happened to me this week when several team of male and female rowers came in and "took over"...but in a good way. God bless them, I hope they all find their way in life.

[Eden]

I agree with Reesha - I don't think Shootingstar was making any snarks or judgments about the kids *having* expensive bikes - just about leaving them piled about outside unlocked - so mainly about kids being careless with what they are given...

But - it is quite common in the racing world... on team rides we don't carry anything more than is necessary and you can't put a u-lock in your pocket - well at least I can't. We all leave our bikes outside unlocked- even the $5,000 carbon ones and go into Starbucks. 1- they are generally not actually out of sight 2 - there are usually 40 other cyclists around and we for the most part all know one another. If you walked up to one of those bikes and tried to walk away with it, unless you came prepared to really look like you belonged on it, someone would stop you.. Same at races, where if you were a really ballsy, enterprising and creative thief you might be able to make off with quite a haul.

[Irulan]

OP wasn't being snarky, but I definitely think. some of the posts poo pooing the nice gear were.

[pll]

op wasn't being snarky, but i definitely think. Some of the posts poo pooing the nice gear were.

+1.

[Grog]

I'm sure their parents have equally expensive road bikes and don't lock them up either in similar contexts.

I have been road riding for eight years now, often with clubs where we leave a bunch of expensive bikes out without locking them up, and am yet to hear even a rumor about someone getting a bike stolen from such a pile up. Of course, we always keep an eye on them, but it doesn't seem like that's how bike thievery operates.

Interestingly, the riders of the club I ride with now - attracting an older, less athletic demographic - tend to lock their bikes up when we stop for lunch. However those are long stops where we are inside and the bikes are out of our sight. When we just hang out around a coffee shop, we don't lock them up either...

[pll]

When I am out with the road bike, I do not carry a lock. Once per week, I ride with a group that never stops more than a few minutes anywhere (and someone is standing by the bikes). Riding by myself, I sometimes have to trust the bike won't disappear when I go, for example, into a store for a bottle of water -- I usually ask someone to please keep an eye on it, but sometimes that is not possible. My rides typically take me through affluent, low traffic, areas (relative to where I live), so that is something that allays some bike anxiety. However, each time I have to leave the bike alone, I take my keys, ID, etc. Knock on carbon fiber nothing will happen, but I am cognizant there is a risk.