Locked bikes in strange locations - an Adel thing??

[sven]

I see around town and on main roads headed west bikes (cheaper, K-Mart style) locked against signs, stobie poles and the like.

Not on bus routes, not near bus stops, but along the bike track in western parklands, HB Road, Sir Donald B and Port Road - even on a medium strip. While (not quite yet) obsessive about them, have NEVER seen anyone unlock or use them. Not the Mormons either. Yet they move around and are rarely there there for more than 24hrs

Any theories? The wackier the better

Sven

[stevepedlin]

Its a subliminal advertising ploy, maybe by Big W, to have their range of affordable bikes seen out in public. They employ a few fifteen year old kids on the minimum wage to take them out, then back into a warehouse somewhere at days end.

Maybe its even the shopping centers trolley boys they have distributing them...

[you cannot be sirrus]

You are not seeing it quite right Sven. the bikes aren't secured to the stobie poles, the poles are attached to the very heavy Big W style bikes to prevent them falling over, part of an ETSA cost cutting initiative I believe.

[brauluver]

Anything left for more than a month, get removed in the CBD.Notice attached with 7 days warning.
Most end up as scrap.

[Skexis]

It's a K-Mart/Big W scheme. When new models (aka new paint jobs) come out they themselves each buy a cetain percentage so as they can boast artificially good sales figures. Unfortunately this then leaves them with a quantity of secondhand bikes that they then cannot sell so the offer them around via the simple expedient of leaving them somewhere and hoping someone with a bolt cutter happens along. This has the added benefit of getting bikes into the community without actually having to officially give them away and also can be claimed as a business loss on tax returns. The scheme is also very popular with the bike manufacturers as, given these type of bikes rarely last more than a few months due to either rusting into oblivion or the chronic siezing up of all moveable parts, there is a never ending demand for working examples.

[arkle]

I see around town and on main roads headed west bikes (cheaper, K-Mart style) locked against signs, stobie poles and the like.

Not on bus routes, not near bus stops, but along the bike track in western parklands, HB Road, Sir Donald B and Port Road - even on a medium strip. While (not quite yet) obsessive about them, have NEVER seen anyone unlock or use them. Not the Mormons either. Yet they move around and are rarely there there for more than 24hrs

Any theories? The wackier the better

Sven

They are Bait Bikes, similar to Bait Cars, left strategically in high bike-theft-risk areas to lure thieves into stealing them. They are equipped with GPS tracking. The tyres can be deflated, and the clipless pedal release mechanisms can be jammed, by remote control, to prevent the thief from escaping. The head stems incorporate a tiny video camera to record the thief's face for later conviction.

[SeanB]

[hillman]

[MichaelB]

You wouldn't be trying to get you post count up by any chance ???

[hillman]

Absolutely

[mikesbytes]

K-Mart mountain bikes carry a sticker on them stating "not for off road use" so when the rider gets to the park, they lock them up and continue on foot