You don't need to be an 'investor' to invest in Singletrack: 6 days left: 95% of target - Find out more
I've recently read on here about bike muggings occurring at Delemere Forest, specifically for e-bikes.
Are they happening a lot, both there and elsewhere, or is it that we just here about them a lot more because of social media and the like?
I'm interested to hear other people's thoughts.
No idea about Delemere, but it's been a problem at Wharncliffe lately - close proximity to a pretty big council estate/surron crowd.
Riding around the Derbyshire Dales 20 miles away from there, I generally would even consider anyone is about to rob me - even though we have our fair share of scrotes
It became quite a problem along the Fallowfield Loop trail in south / east Manchester for a while. It's an old railway line - tarmac but away from traffic and often with no easy escape routes, no overlook from homes, no CCTV and limited lighting.
It was a commute route for me for a while but at one point work told us not to ride it alone and set up "buddy groups" where people could say what time they'd be leaving work and there'd be a gathering of a few people out the front, ready to ride that section together.
Took a campaign by a Guardian journo and a "critical mass" style ride along it to get the police to do anything more than token efforts.
Regent's Park (central London) has been the site of a few well-publicised bike jackings. Couple of guys on a moped will overtake lone riders, size up the bike and the likelihood of the rider putting up any kind of resistance and then just run the rider off the road. There were similar stories along a well-used road out of south London - a road that most riders coming from Crystal Palace area would end up using to get out into the North Downs and that was another ideal ambush point. Light traffic (so no witnesses), a very gradual climb so the cyclist would be going slowly, narrow lanes and high hedges so no escape routes.
I know of one person who was assaulted and had their bicycle stolen in Platt fields in Manchester.
I was threatend by youths riding under the bridge by the river Mersey, under Princess Parkway.
A son of a friend of my wife's had their bike taken by some balaclavad-up scrotes on the Cambridge Guided Busway a few weeks ago, just where it goes under the A14.
Crude form of wealth redistribution in a deeply unequal society!
Crude form of wealth redistribution in a deeply unequal society!
So you’re all for it then?
Usually it’s poor people making other poor peoples lives a misery. You do know that the poor are more likely to be victims of muggings of robbery? So we have kids not able to get an education because some one knicked their bike. I’ve encountered this in my working life. People unable to get to work because they had their bike knicked. People to afraid to take on employment or training because they are scared of the route they would have to cycle.
Crude form of wealth redistribution in a deeply unequal society!
Well you could always go an live in Russia comrade , after all things are so much better over there and wealth is distributed evenly 🙄
You do know that the poor are more likely to be victims of muggings of robbery?
In a lot of the cases in London in particular it was very much the opposite. A lot of City workers will ride to work via a few laps of Regent's Park, ride home via Richmond Park or go to a circuit race up at Lee Valley after work. They're on top end kit and that is well known and fairly easy to identify.
Even the thickest chav can read "S-Works" on the side of a bike and clock that it's likely to be worth high 4 figures, if not low 5 figures.
Rapha - who have very regular club rides in Regent's Park, often crack of dawn - were doing a whole load of awareness stuff, buddying up, group rides, safe meeting spots etc and calling in suspicious behaviour but as usual, by the time the police get there (if they even bother attending at all), any suspects have long since disappeared.
Riding around the Derbyshire Dales 20 miles away from there, I generally would even consider anyone is about to rob me
Something I got taught a while back was the most dangerous places are on the edge of busy areas.
Got to be busy enough that its worth waiting for victims but not so busy there are lots of witnesses.
Riding around the Derbyshire Dales 20 miles away from there, I generally would even consider anyone is about to rob me
Something I got taught a while back was the most dangerous places are on the edge of busy areas.
Got to be busy enough that its worth waiting for victims but not so busy there are lots of witnesses.
Typo in my post, should have read 'wouldn't'.
Either way, I'd rather ride round Matlock/Darley/Bakewell at night on my own than Wharny in the day on my own
With 900,000 Neets kicking about it's what I would expect to be happening.
Been occasional issues in Derby, usually small spates by gangs.
Occasionally felt intimidated by people on the canals/cyclepaths riding between Ilkeston and Nottingham but not aware of any attacks
There were similar stories along a well-used road out of south London - a road that most riders coming from Crystal Palace area would end up using to get out into the North Downs and that was another ideal ambush point. Light traffic (so no witnesses), a very gradual climb so the cyclist would be going slowly, narrow lanes and high hedges so no escape routes.
Yup, that sounds like Tatsfield/Warlingham area of the North Downs where 3 years ago there was repeated bike muggings affecting cyclists on high-end bikes going into Kent from London, Penge Cycling Club was particularly affected**
Beddlestead is the narrow lane with a long climb which at the top the muggers on mopeds would often be waiting. It was really quite a problem but presumably it just involved a couple of individuals because it eventually stopped as quickly as it had started.
And that's the problem it only takes a few individuals to cause a huge issue which gets widespread coverage.
** This an example:
https://road.cc/content/news/another-cyclist-targeted-motorbike-riding-muggers-294087
Yep, the Police and Forestry Commission had a campaign some months ago in Delamere after a some youngsters had their bikes forcibly taken off them by people on electric motorcycles. I think/sure it was reported a number of electric motorcycles were confiscated.
Ha, just found a more recent report of electric scrambler/motorcycle confiscation:
Sure there was a more detailed report for an issue last November 🤔
Crude form of wealth redistribution in a deeply unequal society
Username checks out 😉
Nobody will be surprised to hear I've not had any problems with attempted muggings riding my £300 Carrerra my mate gave me, with broken full mudguards bodged together etc.
Snap.
Had two attempts myself - edge of Sheffield - Rother Valley, failed as we got away.
And once in a local park, police had a helicopter handy and we found the bike (technically not a mugging but we were sat their and moped came past and took it.) Chased them - got it back.
It bothers me a lot (as I ride with partner and she can't move as fast as me) and now I stay away from edge of Sheffield - further away you are from built-up areas the better. We do have a lot of off-roaders around here and the've gone from noisy menaces to criminals with the Sur-ron bolt-ons.
Keep an eye on Moped's with 2 up.
I used to go in the woods to get away from all this stuff but now since Covid and I think people got used to the routes we have lots of Naturists, scrotes and more people generally!
I think it's mostly a city-edge thing and Wharncliffe seems the perfect spot. We're a bit more rural and towny so it's less of an issue but I still feel like I have to look over my shoulder.
Happens occasionally in the Calder Valley. Gotta admit it's on my mind when I'm solo on night rides, been 'buzzed' by wrong uns on crossers before but that's as close as I've got thankfully!
Older chap on a nice Santa Cruz near Halifax not too long ago, hammer involved, bike thrown in the back of a car, off at speed with the boot still up.
I have been told by two different people that they actually hit him with the hammer but can't confirm this.
There is a Quarry on Shipley Glen full of jumps but the kids are a bit wary of going there due to bike theives and it happened in the woods at Esholt too recently. Almost always the same MO, ballies and Suron's.
It's certainly something I am aware of if I'm out on my own on my e-bike.
The scrotes' steed of choice is an ebike. I doubt they're buying them.
It would definitely play on my mind a lot if I did have an expensive bike. My commuter I mentioned up there is locked on the street so purposely cheap and unkempt.
I don't recall hearing of any muggings on the local Facebook groups, might have been one it two closer to London.
I expect, like most muggings, that it's mainly teenagers and early 20s that are victims - and I think those are the only bike muggings I've see reported in this area.
We're not just concerned with middle aged riders on £4k+ bikes here, are we?
I expect, like most muggings, that it's mainly teenagers and early 20s that are victims - and I think those are the only bike muggings I've see reported in this area.
We're not just concerned with middle aged riders on £4k+ bikes here, are we?
The overwhelming bike muggings that I am aware of, be they locally on the North Downs or Richmond Park, involve older cyclists and very expensive bikes, the sort of lightweight bike that a pillion rider can carry.
I have never heard of bike muggings in central Croydon involving cheap bikes.
It is worth remembering with all this talk of "scrotes" that they are driven solely by a ready market. There are, presumably, plenty of keen cyclists who are willing to buy top end bikes at "bargain prices".
I was riding the downhill trail through Esholt the other week and a bunch of 5 dodgy looking lads appeared half way down the track, no idea what they were doing but looked very suspicious. Still they all scattered out of the way when I hurtled towards them.
Had a few instances up and down the canal with lads on Surons in ballys coming past then circling back, but not had anyone attempt anything, must of thought either my bikes too shit or I'm too much bother.
It is worth remembering with all this talk of "scrotes" that they are driven solely by a ready market. There are, presumably, plenty of keen cyclists who are willing to buy top end bikes at "bargain prices".
Lots of cases where they've ended up abroad - Poland seems to be a common destination as does Russia.
https://road.cc/content/news/elite-mtb-rider-who-had-ps45k-bikes-stolen-hires-pi-303327
That was quite a newsworthy case and GCN did an interview with him not long ago in a video where they deliberately left a bike to be stolen in the hope they could track it. As it turned out, they didn't place the trackers very well so although they saw it a couple of times, the tracking was hopeless.
I think a lot of what gets nicked here at lower level ends up on FB Marketplace or gumtree but higher level stuff is more organised. Sure, the guys doing the actual nicking are low-level scumbags presumably paid a certain "wage" for nicking stuff to order but after that it's being smuggled out of the country in proper organised crime rings. Same happens with high end cars - you occasionally hear of raids where dozens of top spec cars are found in containers ready for shipping off to central Europe.
I've come across it twice in more recent years.
Couple of years ago, summer, around 5pm. Person on phone dressed like a cyclist in Reddish Vale Country Park - turns out it was a female and she was robbed for her ebike by a group of lads just a few minutes before I came past - made the local press. Unfortunately, where they got her was a small 'climb up from the Park to scumsville Brinnington, and you've no escape route on the climb as it's fenced in and steep. It's on my commute but now only use it in the mornings.
Roll onto last September, commuting home at 5pm, sunny day, warm, loads of folk about. Get onto the Fallowfield Loop West of Princess Parkway - approaching the bridge under it, notice four lads on bikes. I accelerate to 20 mph, and as I get there one tried to block me, but I switch sides, only for another to throw his MTB in my path. Fortunately, I was commuting on a 90's MTB which just smashed the hardtail out of the way/rode over it. Police took a statement and they reconned they knew who they were, but they usually hung around the bridge near Sainsbury's in Fallowfield.
Earlier this year, again on my route, two up on a scooter robbed a road bike off someone in Fallowfield.
I avoid the Loop in the evenings now. Still cautious in the mornings, but the scrotes aren't usually up. Very wary near home on The Alan Newton Way, as it's used as a rat race by lads on Sur-rons, and there are places where it's easy to get mugged, even though it's a regular dog walking route.
It's also been in the press about Farmer Johns in the past ! I have seen a notice, not far from there, on a road climb (Compstall Brow going to Romiley for the locals), telling folk to be careful with expensive bikes.
The Millennium Cycleway in Chester is also a bit dodgy for 2up muggins. It's a great cycle route, but it can be remote.
Overall I think it's rare, but when you are somewhat isolated on your own you need to be cautious. Once upon a time you'd not worry, but these criminals can now get about on their e-motorbikes ! Previously they wouldn't have gone far on pedal power.
I think the 'urban' cycleways/bridleways are far more risky.
The overwhelming bike muggings that I am aware of, be they locally on the North Downs or Richmond Park, involve older cyclists and very expensive bikes,
What I should have said, was that I think there's also a reporting bias going on.
I feel the media (mainstream or cycling) are more likely to pick up a story if it's a "proper" cyclist, rather than a 15-year-old. And if there's an exciting element like a motorbike involved.
I also suspect the police are more likely to flag this kind of robbery for attention, vs. the teenager getting mugged in an alley. Possibly because the bike value is 10x higher, but also because it's more unusual.
Anyway, I'm not trying to be contrary - or deny that older riders get robbed. Just my take on it.
Also, I don't expect many of these muggings feed into the organised export of stolen bikes, seems too high risk compared to other ways of stealing bikes.
Our next door neighbour's 16 year old son had an attempted mugging for his bike on the Waggonways near us in North Tyneside. Guy blocked his path, then forced him off the bike. Unfortunately for the culprit, the 16 year takes no prisoners and, shall we say, the grown man met his physical match. Bike recovered only moderately damaged. Not sure the guy in question was as undamaged, emotionally if not physically!
I've recently read on here about bike muggings occurring at Delemere Forest, specifically for e-bikes.
Hi, I think that was me. I haven't heard of it happening again since.
In my experience they have been rare until now around Glasgow. Easier and less risk to steal parked bikes than mug someone for their bikes. You do get the odd person just getting assaulted without any intention to steal a bike. A nurse in Maryhill years ago got knocked of her bike and broke her arm by a guy she was cycling past. When I commuted after midnight I had to swerve onto the wrong side of the road a couple of times when drunk peds were coming onto the road at me.
Once on a towpath late evening commute a group of teens spread across it to stop me. I speeded up and burst through.
I don't know whether there may be an increase now targetting e-bikes which are more valuable and sellable and not as easily found locked in to street.
Another towpath one in Maryhill. This made the news because the victim was a minor celeb. Many others may not make the papers.
"A musician has told of being struck on the head with a lump of concrete in an attack by a group of youths at a Glasgow underpass.
Singer-songwriter Kevin McDermott, who was riding an electric scooter, said the helmet he was wearing saved him from serious injury.
He was attacked on Monday afternoon when he stopped after finding the path blocked by branches."
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-glasgow-west-61307622
Not specifically muggings, but mainly fear of theft from home, made me wonder if that was the reason for very low numbers on some local ebike segment leaderboards. Like less than ten to fill the top10 page.
As in many were keeping their rides completely private or only sharing them with "followers."
neighbours 18 year old lad had his taken by two lads at the end of our close, not 50 yards from his house.. This is a suburban town, not really a through road, 1-2 miles from the town centre. Police followed up and tracked the scrotes to the train station and it was suspected they went back to Portsmouth, i think they were people under suspicion already.
There's been a few times at night at my local I've heard Surons coming in, although in hindsight it's "just" lads wanting to illegally ride the trails, still 3 on hi powered ebikes vs 1 of me aren't odds i would fancy
A friend of ours (and friend of Ampthill) had her ancient Cannondale MTB taken whilst commuting in Leeds - that was over 20 years ago, so not necessarily a recent thing. Basically a big bloke walking up whilst stopped at a junction and demanding her bike.
Occasionally felt intimidated by people on the canals/cyclepaths riding between Ilkeston and Nottingham but not aware of any attacks
There were a few instances a couple of years back where scrotes have been holed up on the Erewash canal or one of the well known exits to Nutbrook looking to rob people. Someone from my riding group had an encounter where a group of three rolled a shitter of a bike across their path to stop them - fortunately the chose the wrong guy and his first reaction wasn't to brake.
Nothing this year though, but I am aware there also seems to be fewer riders around as well. I'm not seeing as many folks on my local rides.
Crude form of wealth redistribution in a deeply unequal society!
Well you could always go an live in Russia comrade , after all things are so much better over there and wealth is distributed evenly 🙄
Russia hasn't been socialist in more than 35 years. Income inequality in Russia is worse than in the UK.
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gini_coefficient
Occasionally felt intimidated by people on the canals/cyclepaths riding between Ilkeston and Nottingham but not aware of any attacks
There were a few instances a couple of years back where scrotes have been holed up on the Erewash canal or one of the well known exits to Nutbrook looking to rob people. Someone from my riding group had an encounter where a group of three rolled a shitter of a bike across their path to stop them - fortunately the chose the wrong guy and his first reaction wasn't to brake.
Nothing this year though, but I am aware there also seems to be fewer riders around as well. I'm not seeing as many folks on my local rides.
We had 52* riders out a week last Monday, no scrotes will mess with Ilkeston Cycle for Health!
*in 5 groups
Russia hasn't been socialist in more than 35 years. Income inequality in Russia is worse than in the UK.
Has it ever been?
Not specifically muggings, but mainly fear of theft from home, made me wonder if that was the reason for very low numbers on some local ebike segment leaderboards. Like less than ten to fill the top10 page.
As in many were keeping their rides completely private or only sharing them with "followers."
more likely they are just logging them as regular rides either through ignorance; getting some sort of pleasure in trolling the meat powered bikes; or becuase there are far far more bike segments than ebike segments so if segment hunting, or even just looking to see your own PR's you'd get more results as a bike..
Has there ever actually been a theft via strava? I tried to work this out a few years back... it all came back (chronologically) to one article by a "journalist" who had been (or the subject of the article had been) burgled not long after starting to use strava.
They made the unsubstantiated assumption that criminal masterminds were virtually staking out their targets.
Every subsequent mention of this being a potential risk either refered back to the original article, or just stated it as fact with no references.
Russia hasn't been socialist in more than 35 years. Income inequality in Russia is worse than in the UK.
Has it ever been?
Absolutely it was, it followed a fully socialist economic model. Plus there were certainly limits on both the minimum and maximum that individuals could earn.
It wasn't communist though.
Scrotes,thieves and people who dare to leave there council estates.Hope non of their fleas hop down to the posh boys trails as well .
Peds and neds should know there place to.Hard to believe all this looting at the bottom when there's no looting at the top.
Scrotes,thieves and people who dare to leave there council estates.Hope non of their fleas hop down to the posh boys trails as well .
2/10
Scrotes,thieves and people who dare to leave there council estates.Hope non of their fleas hop down to the posh boys trails as well .
2/10
They are words, but not as we know them.
Scrotes,thieves and people who dare to leave there council estates.Hope non of their fleas hop down to the posh boys trails as well .
I'll bite, seeing as I gave you the benefit of doubt on your first contribution.
You seem to have some serious issues with anyone that has made themselves a bit better off in life than (presumably) you have. And with this hang up, seem to be condoning nasty little shits threatening people with violence to take their stuff - just because they are poorer and somehow in your pathetic little mind this redresses the balance.
Grow up you prick, you should have listened at school.
Posted with love from a council estate yoof whose parents were on the dole and had sod all growing up. Never felt the need to rob people though, just saying....
The notion of this being something that folk out riding a bike need to be aware of is just nuts to me, 😲
The notion of this being something that folk out riding a bike need to be aware of is just nuts to me, 😲
Don't worry, just hand over your belongings like a good citizen, because you have it and they don't.
I detest thieves - house robbers, bikes on trails robbers, blokes on site taking peoples tools. It's not yours, leave it the **** alone
The notion of this being something that folk out riding a bike need to be aware of is just nuts to me, 😲
Agreed. Never used to give a thought to it.
The notion of this being something that folk out riding a bike need to be aware of is just nuts to me, 😲
Agreed. Never used to give a thought to it.
The above post re scrotes not getting up till noon is spot on. I cycle down a disused railway track c8am and it's fine, dog walkers, school kids, cyclists. Same journey in the evening it's a war zone, there's been a few assaults so it's cctv d up the whole length. Scrotes just wear balaclavas or full face helmets.
Sad really, they are just kids. They ll pick on the wrong target one day and learn a pretty painful lesson.
Some top tips here
Posted with love from a council estate yoof whose parents were on the dole and had sod all growing up. Never felt the need to rob people though, just saying....
I kinda think that may have been the point MCMD was trying to make.
I kinda think that may have been the point MCMD was trying to make.
Were they?
Seemed to me that they were intimating that all the poor little neds that try and nick someones bike with violence, were all victims of society and making excuses for them, whilst attempting to troll anyone that has a dim view on this.
Anyway, I bit - apologies for my rant, was a few Peroni deep
Our next door neighbour's 16 year old son had an attempted mugging for his bike on the Waggonways near us in North Tyneside.
I was just riding there yesterday, not a comfortable part of the ride. Pleasantly traffic free, but I'd imagine it's prime scrote territory
I live in South Manchester and it is now fairly common to see gangs of lads roaming around 2 or even 3-up on scooters or more powerful bikes, balaclava's on and all the rest of it. It's painfully obvious what they're doing and sometimes you can even see the bolt croppers they openly carry around. I've been sized-up once or twice when just walking down the street but nothing happened, I assume because I look too poor as much as anything else.
I usually road cycle early doors on weekend mornings but on the occasions I am out in the evenings and have stopped for a coffee or some food on my way home on the high street it does sometimes occur to me that it's possibly going to be a problem if they happen to come past at that point and my bike's leaning against a cafe wall or whatever.
A lot of this boils down the age old concept of not displaying external signs of wealth when in certain environments. Don't wear a fancy watch when out on the tiles in a city centre, don't take a full fat wallet out when visiting Barcelona and don't take your nice bike down urban canal towpaths etc. (insert clip of the American tourist from Trainspotting)
I'm in the fortunate position of owning an ebike but i'd not take it out to Delamere on my own in an evening or anywhere else that blends urban and rural environments for reasons others have stated. Its probably why my cheap hardtail is by far my most ridden bike. Plus i dont wanna get fat 😉
My friend's 15 year old son was knocked off his bike by a driver in a small peugeot van yesterday. He's OK but they bundled his bike in to the back of the van and sped off, he's all over FB doing his detective work (ridiculous amount of bot posts from companies offering to find his 'asset').
Only around the corner me in North Worcestershire/Solihull border.
Esholt woods are close to me and I've always thought they were dodgy vibe-wise for the 25 years I've lived out here - I basically don't ride down there anymore.
One of my friends had his biked robbed and was pushed in the Leeds Liverpool canal (Leeds end) when commuting - maybe 20 years ago so not a new thing, was a standard commuting hybrid so maybe not of interest these days. I don't know whether it's better now with more bike traffic but it was a bit bleak commuting home in the twilight back in the day
The OP was about how common bike muggings are in reality vs the perception. What I get from the posts on this thread is that there are geographical hotspots for it, due to a mixture of generally higher-crime areas and also places where people regularly go with really nice bikes. The middle of that venn diagramme is the very worst place to go alone and late in the day. I'd guess a lot of the perps are fairly local and probably feel comfortable being pretty brazen or just hanging around waiting.
Targeting people commuting seems more random, especially just knocking someone over on a main road and grabbing the bike. That doesn't feel like a local teenage opportunist thing, hard to guard against that kind of madness.
The late in the day thing is really telling.
Where we are there are loads of scroters on scooters and quads etc. There always has been and yes they're trouble causers because we're not near a city but we are a medium town - there doesn't seem to be the amount of muggings etc that I know of.
Must also be city thing/near city thing. Maybe is city is needed to dodge out of the way.
Also very issues actually in the woods themselves because they're highly populated around here with tourists.
Targeting people commuting seems more random, especially just knocking someone over on a main road and grabbing the bike.
I'm not sure it was ever proved but with the Fallowfield Loop spate of thefts, there were rumours of 1 or 2 chavs on lookout duty at one point phoning through to the main mugging group further down.
"Guy on decent bike coming, get ready" type stuff.
It wasn't indiscriminate muggings; most people would get past the group no issues (they'd actually be quite polite!) but then the lone guy on a decent bike would be kicked off it, they'd grab it and scarper.
Me and mate got done at knife point in Temple Newsam Park in East Leeds.
And yes, they rode off in the direction of the local sh*thole estate.
Depressing how much I'm hearing or reading about this.
It's the kind of things I assumed stayed in the wilds of Mexico.
Still I generally hope it stays in the big urban areas to give some context.
Although I've had two run-ins in 30 years.
Depressing how much I'm hearing or reading about this.
It's the kind of things I assumed stayed in the wilds of Mexico.
Still I generally hope it stays in the big urban areas to give some context.
Although I've had two run-ins in 30 years.
Me and mate got done at knife point in Temple Newsam Park in East Leeds.
And yes, they rode off in the direction of the local sh*thole estate.
F***!
Is that recent? I'm in Leeds, sometimes around/through Temple Newsham on the gravel bike ...
Thanks for hoping it stays in the big urban areas rone.Living in the centre of a collapsed town, it makes me glad to know you have our backs!
I,ve never had a bike stolen in 25 years.Its called being street wise.
Still I generally hope it stays in the big urban areas to give some context.
It doesn't. A couple of years ago we had a spate of bike muggings in the quiet lanes of the Kent North Downs.
For obvious reasons these quiet lanes are attractive to muggers and if they patrol certain lanes they can be sure to get a regular stream of cyclists on expensive road bikes.
I don't think that motorcyclists with pillion riders are interested in heavy MTBs
Another one in Leicester yesterday, the report doesnt go into detail, but it is usually ‘knock over cyclist, then steal his/her bike’ when the story comes out a little later.
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/ckg42zml9g1o
One in June, where a woman was seriously injured, and was close to death.
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cy8d18vpzqeo
Thanks for hoping it stays in the big urban areas rone.Living in the centre of a collapsed town, it makes me glad to know you have our backs!
Not really what I was getting at.
I live in a de-industrialised town with a fair bit of deprivation. I was just referring to the fact I don't want it to spread. Clearly cities are slightly more rich pickings etc.
I don't wish ill on anyone and I've had two attempts myself - I just don't want the knife crime and violence of a big city.
One reason I bought my eMTB was to ride out of the city for evening rides in the local woods, which I'd otherwise need to use my car for, which in turn made it too much faff. I'd done it on my normal bike a few times (which is a stretch), but mostly on weekends.
It turns out, I don't really feel safe doing it, so I rarely go.
Groups hanging around doing nothing in particular, sometimes sitting around with bikes laid down blocking the way, Surron riders one or a few, dogs out on their own, rough looking people sitting around in cars doing nothing in places there's no reason to be stopped.
there were rumours of 1 or 2 chavs on lookout duty at one point phoning through to the main mugging group further down.
I've seen a suspect lookout 2-3 times. Bridleway out of the urban fringe village heading into the countryside, just a little down from the gate there's a chav just there hanging around.
Reminds me of the guy touring on a penny farthing who got robbed at gunpoint after camping for the night. Ecuador.
" When they get to within a few yards I realise something is wrong. No smiles, animals on the hunt. The first guy who is about 35 reaches into his pocket and pulls out a gun, this is serious. The other younger man with stave in hand helps drag me out of the tent. With the gun to my head I´m in no mood to argue against their blows. My options are limited, stay calm and pacify. "
https://www.crazyguyonabike.com/doc/page/?o=3d2&page_id=447413&v=I
On the other hand this was on his second round the world tour. I guess no matter how carefull you are your luck sometimes just runs out.
As well as CO2 cartridges, is pepper spray the answer for urban riding....
Wilcos cable lock ready for legitimate usage .
A couple of years ago we had a spate of bike muggings in the quiet lanes of the Kent North Downs.
For obvious reasons these quiet lanes are attractive to muggers and if they patrol certain lanes they can be sure to get a regular stream of cyclists on expensive road bikes.
If that's Layham's, I've referenced that a couple of times as well. Narrow lane, high hedges, no houses, no escape routes.
Still I generally hope it stays in the big urban areas to give some context.
Cities have lots of people, police, CCTV, lots of attention to attract if you start screaming. I doubt very much anyone will ever come to your aid but people will probably at least start filming it on their phones or calling the police...
I mean sure, it's also easy to escape into traffic but people will see you dragging a bike alongside you. It's higher risk.
Edge of the city as you get into the more rural areas - regular stream of cyclists heading out that way (usually on expensive road bikes), limited CCTV / housing, fewer people around to clock anything unusual. That's usually the more dangerous spots, often because it feels safer so people take fewer precautions.