# True? No bike locks in Salt Lake City UT



## lawrence (May 17, 2005)

I live in NJ, is it true that bikes are kept unlocked in Salt Lake City UT because no one steals them? Is your crime rate so low? Does that mean there are no jails? What's the story?


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## John Nelson (Mar 10, 2006)

Yea, right!


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## lawrence (May 17, 2005)

This was on this morning's Steep and Cheap email
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"In Salt Lake City some people literally don't lock up their bikes. I'd go to the library and there'd be a whole corral of bikes by the entrance just resting on their kickstands. It was really confusing the first time I saw it because I didn't know what was holding them up; it looked like a modern art piece, and frankly, I thought it fit in pretty well with the design ascetic of their fantastic library. I compulsively locked up my bike is Salt Lake in spite of the free spirit so many cyclists there exhibited. I've only had one bike stolen, and it was in fourth grade when I left it unlocked. I'm not sure if it was taken out of my garage or, more likely, I rode it to school in the morning and then walked home after class because I'd forgotten that I'd ridden it there. Either way, not locked up."_


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## Pablo (Jul 7, 2004)

Salt Lake City is not small town homogenous Mormonville. It's a big city, with about half of the populaiton being Mormon, with big city probelms, such as Polynesian gang activities (from what I've read). 

You can leave your bike unlocked in lots of places throughtout the country, for short periods of time, but it's a bad idea. I lived in Greeley, Colorado and would leave an old Cannondale 10 speed unlocked on the streets and in front of my apartment, but that doesn't mean someone wouldn't have stolen my nicer bikes i the same situation.


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## bluekudu (Aug 24, 2006)

*I live in SLC*

... and I keep my bikes locked in my garage and then I lock my garage door... My nicer road bikes get locked in my house (Moots, Dean Ti) I did grow up back east though


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## tystevens (Jul 10, 2008)

*I wouldn't leave my bike unlocked in SLC (or anywhere else)*

I don't know where this article is coming from -- I've never seen bikes of any value sitting unlocked in SLC or anywhere else. I've lived here for about 6 years (came from Portland, Or), and it seems that crime levels are pretty much the same as anywhere else I've lived -- true, Portland doesn't have a high crime level overall, either, but SLC is pretty much just like any other city, as far as crime goes. It is a fantastic place to live if you like to ski and bike, however!


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## FondriestFan (May 19, 2005)

Another SLC resident here.

This is a myth. Bike theft is as big a problem here as anywhere else.


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## PG_Gary (Jan 21, 2008)

I live south of SLC and I lock up my bikes here (Utah County) and in SLC.

Remember, SteepandCheap.com, and it's sister site ChainLove.com, tend to have a *very *tongue-in-cheek style of writing.


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## tystevens (Jul 10, 2008)

Lock your bike. Heck, I had my car broken into at an access point for the Jordan River Parkway right in Salt Lake at 6:00 pm last Saturday while we were on a little family ride. Someone broke the front passenger window out and rummaged through it in broad daylight, right next to a busy street. By the cop's reaction, it is a frequent occurrence at that particular lot. Unfortunately, we have crooks here just like anywhere else.


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## CleavesF (Dec 31, 2007)

Well now I know exactly how I can start my own used bike business! Muahahhahaha. They will pay for their bike sins.


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