Should you treat your bike well? Yes.
Should you take every precaution when it comes to theft? Absolutely.
Should you treat it like a human child and invest in it a part of your soul?
Only if you’re the kind of person who falls in love with strippers.

Once the sun comes out and the ground thaws there are a few things we can count on happening:
– the city removes the rusty, abandoned bikes from posts and makes some cash or trash from them
– bike shops get overwhelmed with repairs
– the cops attempt to crack down on wild, erratic cyclist behaviour
– bikes get ripped off like sweaty t-shirts on a night of pool hopping

We tend to let our guard down over the winter when the city is in hibernation, including the bike theives, but we must have our wits about us if we are to keep our sweet rides safe and sound. Keep in mind that one good lock is better than 2 shitty locks, and two good locks are even better. Also keep in mind that *anything* will get stolen. If someone can get 5 bucks for it and get the score they need, it will get taken. So what can we recommend?

Learn to lock your bicycle securely.
Lock down any removable parts or take them with you (wheels, saddle, lights).
always lock next to a bike with a shittier lock!
lock up somewhere with a lot of traffic and that is well lit.
but most of all DON’T leave your bike outside unless absolutely necessary. Have a safe place for it to sleep in your house.

Over at the Bike Snob NYC blog they have some more, hard-hitting recommendations. Scroll part-way down past the bike-theft story.

While I understand his point regarding having a pretty bike (I often feel the heart-stopping stress of wondering if my bike is still safely where I left it), there is nothing like having a beautiful, well-crafted, and sexy bicycle. It makes the ride more enjoyable, it can be an expression of your personality, and it can make YOU feel sexy. But yes, it comes at a cost. Like anything beautiful, there is always the threat of someone else wanting it to be theirs.

To sum up: Trust no one. Happy Riding.