[Faline]

Ever wondered how long it would take thieves to gradually dismember a shiny new bicycle left chained on a New York city street?
Judging by a recent time-lapse experiment on one poor bike which fell victim to the city's scavengers, it would appear 270 days.
Design company Red Peak secured a bicycle, fully-equipped with a basket, water bottle, lights and bells, using a U-lock on a SOHO street for a year on January 1, 2011.
They returned only to take picture of it each day to document its destruction and create a time-laspe video. The video shows the city, slowly but surely, devouring the bike until around the nine month mark when it disappears completely.
The bike appears to hold up well for over 100 days, but then at 182 days its 'I heart New York' water bottle is stolen.
Things quickly start to go down hill from this point.
By 223 days, the d-lock and basket are stolen, with a few few weeks the saddle is taken.
The bike is in a dire state by 263 days, with the front wheel and handle bars missing, by the 270 mark it has completely vanished.


The fully-equipped bike is secured to a U-lock on a SOHO street on January 1, 2011:


After just over 100 days the bike looks slightly weathered but appears to be completely in intact:


At 182 days, it appears that a thief has made off with the bike's 'I heart NY' water bottle:


At 223 days the bike's d-lock has disappeared as has its basket:


The next part of the bike to be stolen is the saddle at 247 days:


At 263 days, the bike has lost its handle bars, and the front wheel:


At 269 days, the bike is left lying on its side stripped to its bare bones:


By 270, the bike disappears completely after being devoured by the city's scavengers and thieves for almost nine months:

[Faline]

Wouldn't last a week chained up in city near me

[shoottokill]

u know the trash collectors could have taken it too, since its just laying on the ground. it amazes me that someone would take it piece by piece and not the whole thing. whats the point in taking the saddle when u can have the bike.

interesting though. surprised it stayed there so long

[Jere]

[Sweeney]

They should make a hollywood movie called: "Bicycle Life"

Intro Soundtrack: Bicycle - Queen

[kellyhound]

that's a real long period for such a big city.
weird they took the lock and not the rest.

[luton loyal]

[carkees]

Originally Posted by Kelly ↗

Wouldn't last a week chained up in city near me

Amsterdam, Rotterdam? Not a chance!

[blackhalk123]

Okay is it just me or is that bike pretty crappy looking for "fully loaded", you wonder why they stole the lock and everything else first. I vote we try again and this time lets not screw it up we need at least 2001 cadi we will fill it full of cup holders (making it fully loaded) we could throw a basket in there to be generous and park it outside of B.e.t. and see how long it lasts