Commuting - Where do you mount your lock?

I am assuming that most of you carry a lock of some sort to secure your bike. From what I have read, a u-lock seems to be the best choice for security. Do you mount it on the seat tube? If so, I assume that means giving up a water bottle cage. I haven't had much luck in finding photos of mounted locks or proper use of u locks.

I leave my U-lock and a cable for the wheels at work on the bike rack. For coffee shop runs and such I use a lighter Krypto cable lock and carry it with the bracket it came with. With the lighter lock I try not to let the bike out of my sight for more than a couple minutes at a time.

I carry my lock in my messenger bag or sometimes my back pocket. The bike mounts usually are weak and look crappy. If you want to carry it on the bike rather than on your person, I'd say strap it to a rear rack. A rear rack can carry lots of other useful stuff too, and looks better than a u-lock mount that will break soon.

I have two locks ,a cheapo u-lock and a krypto cable lock with combination.

I leave the u-lock on the bike rack on campus, I carry the cable on the backpack.

I have several locks:
- cable lock for super quick stops
- kryptonite NYC lock + additional cable to lock wheels

I will carry my locks in my panniers if my bike has them or in my backpack. I hate attaching locks to my bike directly. The mounting brackets are ulgy and hanging a lock off your bike any other way is just asking for trouble when it gets jammed in the wrong place at the wrong time.

This thread might give you more ideas:
http://www.bikeforums.net/showthread.php?t=184183

I put my chain lock in my pannier if I'm going a longer distance, or around my waist for a rip to the store or the coffee shop. U-locks can also be put over your belt.

On my bike with a large open frame, I mounted it like this:
http://jeffa.homedns.org/images/GreenSide.jpg

My commuter however is a hybrid, the top tube is more angled and there's not enough room for the lock on the inside like that. I couldn't find any good place for it, so I mounted it on the handlebars. I don't have a picture handy, I'll try to get one for you.

I don't have too much to worry about at work, I leave an old cheapo lock on the bike rack and will carry a krypto cable lock if I'm making stop. I'll carry the lock either in my trunk bag or on the seatpost clip that came with it.

I recently picked up a Trelock 3-point bracket for my wife. It mounts to the rear rack or the rear stays and rack. She's quite happy with it, and I shall soon order sets for all of our bikes. I've tried many different brackets and these are the best I've found. BTW, she uses on OnGuard Brute.

http://www.trelock.de/trelock/c_2/pop_zubehoer_en.php?id=bs610_en
http://www.bike-components.de/catalog/images/products/big/10459.jpg
http://www.bike-components.de/catalog/product_info.php?manufacturers_id=59&products_id=10459&osCsid=5462ab08d20ed107be8db36ece4e9f34

I haven't had much luck in finding photos of mounted locks or proper use of u locks.
I mount a cable lock and key with a D-Ring to the bike basket. Can easily switch to another bike as the need arises - usually I use a different bike on non-work days. This cable lock has served me well for the last 9 years in both the US and Europe.

Click to enlarge
http://img240.imageshack.us/img240/6688/bikelock34ao.th.jpg (http://img240.imageshack.us/my.php?image=bikelock34ao.jpg)


http://img134.imageshack.us/img134/6533/bikelock20ya.th.jpg (http://img134.imageshack.us/my.php?image=bikelock20ya.jpg)

I bungee the U-lock to the front of my rear rack.

Paul

I've given up on frame-mounting U locks. They never work well, rattle, don't last long, and look lousy. If I need to carry the U lock, it goes in the panniers, but I usually leave the U lock on the rack at work and carry a much lighter cable lock with me for quick stops (a la Sheldon Brown).

The only reason I am using one pannier this time of season is to store my u-lock in it.

If I can't take the bike in with me then I don't ride it. I don't trust locks or people. I have taken my bike in Office Depot, Wal-Mart, Albertsons, Target, Home Depot (work), Sams Club, ect... Sometimes I get funny looks and I just tell them, before they say anthing, I never leave home with out it. They just laugh and that's that. Lock are for just keeping honest people honest.

I put the mounting bracket on the seat tube since I don't use bottle cages. To keep that space free for bottles, I've seen others lock the U around the seatpost, resting the locking part on the seatstays or pannier rack.

Proper use of a U-lock: http://sheldonbrown.com/lock-strategy.html

For the same reasons others have stated I don't use a U-lock either. I park my bike in my office so the only time it's out of sight is if I have to make a quick stop between work and home. I carry a cable lock, attached with a bracket to my seat post. It sits between the seat post and my rack trunk. The lock assembly nestles down between the mounting brackets on the front of the rack. Nice and quiet.
Rattles drive me nuts!:mad:

I have a D lock and a cable, the cable is coiled with each end going through a leg of the U-Lock, it is mounted on the downtube, but with the mount turned out to the side, so that it goes back, overlapping the rear wheel. The Cant brake sits inside the D of the d-lock, and I have a little velcro strap that holds the cable, and D-Lock tight against the seatstay, so there is no rattling or movement back there. The lock sits half behind my pannier when the pannier is mounted.

This way I don't lose a water bottle cage, but still have the lock mounted to the frame.

Not sure if you can see it in the attached photo, most of the lock is hidden behind the pannier.

18457

I just carry my locks in a pannier or a backpack.

However, I've seen bikes that had both a U-lock attached to a frame and a water bottle cage. The U-lock mount was on the seat tube and the cage on the down tube.

A month or two ago I found a rack with a built in u-lock holder. I have no clue what brand it was.
I believe the ulock was held under the rack's platform parallel to the platform.

I now carry my u-lock in a pannier, or bungied to my rack if no panniers.

I used to carry it locked through the rack, which really calls for a picture. I poke the U up throught he side opening of a rack, curve of the U outside the rack stay, then lock the cross tube on top of the rack. I tied some bungie cord at the end to hook over the bottom of the rack stay to reduce the noise. Works great if you don't have panniers.

In my bag. I use the same lock on all my bikes. There is a core set of stuff that goes in whatever bag I'm going to take with me.

I attatch mine to the side of my rack using a single rack strap.

How I did it was my particular rack (Avenir heavy duty) has a weird rear support design, where the supports form a diamond shape...so the strap does not slide down much, even if I'm being stupid and getting the bike airborne. So I just ptu the hook on the rear support, then wrapped it twice and put the other hook on the rear support....then just slide the lock in and out of the straps as needed. Doesn't even rattle unless I'm doing something I really shouldn't.

I don't carry a lock. My bike is either being ridden by me or at home or work. I'll lock it to my bike rack in my truck though.

Through the rear rack, in the back pocket, in the pannier or messenger bag. Really just whatever's most convienent at the time.

If I can't take the bike in with me then I don't ride it. I don't trust locks or people. I have taken my bike in Office Depot, Wal-Mart, Albertsons, Target, Home Depot (work), Sams Club, ect... Sometimes I get funny looks and I just tell them, before they say anthing, I never leave home with out it. They just laugh and that's that. Lock are for just keeping honest people honest.
Sounds like you are the ball and chain for your bike; or is it the other way around?

back pack or mess bag

I bungee the U-lock to the front of my rear rack.

Same here unless I have my trunk bag or grocery panniers on then it goes in one of those.

Here's a pic of how I got mine set up....sorry about how crappy my fallback camera is with handling differing shades of black....my bike is charcoal grey, if that shows you how bad this thing butchers colors...

http://i12.photobucket.com/albums/a238/catatonic_cyclist/DSC00011.jpg