badger1

I was about to 'reply back' to your second point, then thought better of it.

veganbikes

Steely Dan is Real-y Dan

wheelreason

Aha! I knew it! That's why THEY won't let us go to Antartica....

wheelreason

LOL. What's your fee schedule?...

Outrider1

No to the OP. But then I've got other pursuits in life so don't fixate on my bike/cycling.

rsbob 

Todays’ “Restaurant Lunch”

rsbob 

He obviously has gone dark so he can’t be found.

phughes

What's your Strava?

indyfabz

Or maybe he was disappeared by the shadow government.

Steel Charlie

I don't have to worry. I cut the chip out of my butt and taped it to the back of an interstate semi. The Master Chief inspired me.

wheelreason

LOL. There is a reason we call it the Chiefs' Mess....
Beat Army!

rebel1916

I do not consent to joinder. GET ME A SHERIFFFFFFFFFFFFF

Gravel Rider

First one in 25 posts to get it.
Miles from nowhere, no strings attached.

apo

I'm not doing anything nefarious on my rides and I don't care about secrecy per se... but I like the simplicity of bikes. It's so much easier to just get around because there are more options (road, bikepath, dirt trail, field/forest shortcut, etc. etc.).

Duragrouch

My phone is with me on rides but location is always off unless needed.

My driver's license and credit card are both in foil-backed paper sleeves that are designed for RFID shielding.

If reporters are filming video on the street, I avoid getting in shot.

I never post face pics on here or anywhere else online.

I stopped using credit card for nearly all purchases locally 10 years ago, due to known tracking.

My discount card for the grocery store is under a fake name.

I pay cash for meds; Pharmacies and medical are covered under HIPAA, credit card records are not.

My medical files at my doctors are on "lockdown", someone needs to "break the glass" to access, which is recorded.

I have my credit locked down at all three credit agencies, making it impossible for someone to open credit in my name.

I use Duck Duck Go as a browser.

I don't use Facebook.

I don't allow others to post info or pics of me on Facebook.

I use TOR when needed.

I "opt out".

I don't give to causes (such as political candidates) via credit card, I always mail them a check.

I don't open more credit cards than I need, no matter how much they offer me to do so ($250 for Chase, $100 for REI, etc). There's a reason they are willing to pay for that.

I don't give my social security number at dentist and medical when they ask; I inform them that under federal law they cannot demand that, and they stop asking.

"His checks bounce because his signature varies. He's a class act." - Joe Cutter, Hopscotch (1980)

phughes

Duragrouch

Yeah that always irked me, repetitively redundant. So is "heat transfer".

hidetaka

Looks like OP abandoned their old account but is still active in the thread. Rejoice!

Clyde1820

Sure. It's one of the few things that hasn't yet been completely corrupted to the "internet of things / tracking" thinking that's all the rage. So, in that sense, I do care.

Still, with the grossly increasing costs of such products it's heartening to know that at least some of the components have serial numbers. Not that having any of it "registered" really does me good ... until it's stolen and later recovered. Though, the whole time, "registered" or not, I've got the receipts and have documented the numbers, and thus I can prove I'm the owner, even if I only supply a partial along with photos and contact info to the numerous bike shops in my area. Not that it's the business of a shop to double-check lists against every used bike that comes through the shop for servicing.

For those who don't care about doing that sort of thing, I suppose registering the number ahead of time with "the authorities" is the typical thing to do. (Beyond whatever ordinances/laws might require be done.)

In the end, it probably doesn't make all that much difference. Such a great portion of so-called "modern" life is corrupted beyond repair with such tracking, tracing, documenting of a person's business and goings-on. About the only way to avoid the mess involving a bike is to buy with cash, never take a tracking device along on rides, buy all components and add-ons with cash, and to never "register" the thing with gov't, something increasingly harder to do as the prices go up on new equipment.

PeteHski

It’s only an issue if you choose to make it an issue. Using the word “corrupted” is a bit harsh since a lot of it is actually quite beneficial. Having lived my adult life both pre and post internet I would say on balance the latter is better, but that is a personal judgement.

Corruption certainly pre-dates the internet and you might note that the most corrupt of government regimes actively restrict public internet access and content.

Steel Charlie

I would like to know how you got a picture of our galaxy?

Clyde1820

"Corruption" speaks strictly to the abuses of such tech, abuses of such documenting by "the authorities." Worsened with the ubiquity of GPS and such connectivity, even when it isn't strictly needed.

And the issue doesn't come from us. It comes from the devices and the people who'd leverage such ubiquity against us. In short, it's not us "making it an issue." It's the issue being made upon those targeted, tracked.

Is what it is. AKA, the "modern" world. Irrespective of the benefits of such abilities.

That said, it's simple enough to not participiate with such devices via not acquiring them, not using them on journeys, not "registering" things or signing-up for things where tracking/analyzing our goings-on are specifically "authorized" by such. Like the OP suggested, a bicycle's one of those things that is fairly simple, fairly inexpensive (if pre-owned), easily acquired/sold with cash, easily operated without registration, documentation or tracking/GPS/cell.

PeteHski

So what do you think the “tracking and analysis” implications are for me using a Garmin GPS to track my bike rides? So far I haven’t noticed anything sinister about it and there are certainly some personal benefits, which is why I have one.

tomato coupe

How could it possible make any difference if I pay for a bottle cage with a credit card instead of cash?

Koyote

The people who believe the government is tracking them usually seem to be the people in whom the government would be least interested.