Commuting - I'm so SLOW locking up my bike

Dang. One of the worst parts of my commute, believe it or not, is the bike lockup process. I've got a long Kryptolok that can go around the front tire and the frame, and I also use a light wire to secure my helmet and the quick-release seatpost to the Kryptolock. I find that half the time, I'm always messing with the lock - won't reach half the time due to positioning error. Is there a foolproof fast way to Kryptolock your bike to a rack?

Also for work, I'll take my panniers (Jandd economy) with me, but for shopping, I often have to loop through those, too. How do all you shoppers out there manage? I'm always paranoid about bringing big panniers into stores since the staff sometimes look at you suspiciously, yet I hate to leave my $80 panniers on my bike.

I am the same way about locking up my bike. It seams everyone else just locks their bike and go. Im always standing there for 10 min., trying to get all my locks just right. Plus taking off my bike bag, lights if im using it, cycle computer display, and all my stuff. Its embarrising when I ride with somebody.

When I go to a store, I take everything in with me. Some store people stare me down, and if they look very uneasy I will just walk up to them and ask if its ok I bring my stuff in, since it may get stolen outside. I carry my helmet in a store, to show I rode my bike, and dont have car to leave my stuff in too.

I carry locks based on where I'm going and how long I'll be away from the bike. Short store trips call for a very minimal lock for me. My commuter bike has nothing quick-release and the lights are bolted on and wired to a permanent dynamo front hub. I pass a chain through the helmet and triangle in 30 sec. and head for the train. My commuter bike also looks pretty crappy on purpose despite being well equiped and well built.

Takes me forever too. I'm able to park my bike indoors at my workplace and so I never carry locks on the commute. However, when on errands where I know I'll be out of sight of it, I take both locks (Kryptonite Evolution Mini and Master Lock Python). Since these sorts of trips are few and far between it isn't a routine and so it seems I stand over the bike for fifteen minutes locking up and stripping lights and the seat bag. Annoying, but I'm never tempted to play the odds.

Dang. One of the worst parts of my commute, believe it or not, is the bike lockup process. Got same trouble. Locking the bike just takes so long. Unlocking it, in fact, takes even longer because I need to arrange the cable lock so that's it's not a twisty unruly mess...


Also for work, I'll take my panniers (Jandd economy) with me, but for shopping, I often have to loop through those, too. How do all you shoppers out there manage? I'm always paranoid about bringing big panniers into stores since the staff sometimes look at you suspiciously, yet I hate to leave my $80 panniers on my bike. Oh, that's an easy one - I bring my panniers with me every time. Nobody's looked strangely at me for that, and if they have, I didn't notice. If they start giving me trouble about it, I might ask to talk to the manager or take my shopping elsewhere. Seriously - do those stores have problems with backpacks, handbags, plastic bags etc.? If not, what's so special about panniers? Of course, if everyone is required to leave the bags at the cash - why not do it? Pretty secure and convenient if you ask me (I hate having to hold panniers in my hand; I seriously wish for a shoulder strap on them!).

I carry my helmet in a store, to show I rode my bike, and dont have car to leave my stuff in too. If I happened to put it on for the ride, carry it in too. On my head. :p Why occupy your hands with it if it's sitting nicely and securely on the top of me noggin'?

But in general I find it strange when people assume you drove in. I am in Toronto after all, people who walk into a store are actually more likely to have arrived there on foot, by bike or by public transit. I guess it's different in the 'burbs though...

Fast lock-ups come with time. As you get more organized, you'll be able to do this quicker. JUST KEEP locking up...

Bike theft is a huge problem around here and it's getting worse. It seems like every day there is another Craigslist notice or another friend getting their bikes stolen. With as much money and effort as I have put into my bikes to get them how I want them, I'm not turning my back on them without taking the time to secure them. I leave the computer and seat bag on the bike and so far I haven't had any of that stuff taken (knock on wood).

Funny looks in stores when I wear my helmet or impatient glances when I go through my locking ritual are small prices to pay for a little security. I haven't had a bike stolen yet so I'm taking that as my reward for diligence.

I use a chain and a U-lock. The saddle's already locked down w/ some old bike chain wrapped in inner tube. Takes me about a minute to lock up and unlock. Cable locks are too easy to cut.

The lock ups don't take as long as it seems, it just feels like forever because you've just been zooming through the city and all the sudden you have to sit stationary for a few moments to find a place and lock up. I took feel like it takes me a long time, but even if I take off my front wheel and accessories it take me no more than 5-6 minutes, which is fine.

Whew. glad it wasn't just me with the lock issues! I won't feel so bad anymore for the 3-5 minutes I spend doing a proper lockup job knowing that it seems to be a common problem. After all, better safe than sorry, right? I like the idea of bringing the helmet inside to show that you biked to the store; they're probably wondering why this sweaty guy with big bags is in the store otherwise!

Same issue here.

One of the main reasons I got a folding bike, so I don't need to lock, remove lights, bags, etc.

This does not work for me. I end up locking my folding bike :). So back to the same routine, like most of yous :).

Check out a messenger locking up some time, it's all about practice. Now that I commute to a college campus I use 3 locks, 2 u-locks I leave at the rack and a cable I carry. I can get the bike secured or unsecured in under 2 minutes. It's wierd now when I watch someone struggling with a single lock and it's hard for me to remember what that was like.

One good trick is to use the U part of the u-lock like a claw, grab the post, bring the bike into the U and then clamp down the lockbar with your other hand. Also, it's helpful to keep your key on one of those springy wrist bracelets, it makes for one less thing to fumble with. Just keep practicing, the speed will come.

Yup! Think I may even have the same lock as you :)

The kryptolok I have is a long shank but its juuusst too short for some cases. I fit it around the pole, through the rear wheel and then shove the kryptocable it came with around the front wheel and frame through itself, and thread the free end onto the kryptolock and lock the kryptolock.

Takes about 5 minutes to do, but if its a tight fit, then things fall over, I get sweaty and keys fall out of pockets, and in general its just a right royal ass!!! :D

You've got to change your outlook. Me the lockup time is also the rehydrate and dry off before rejoining civilization time. Step one, lean bike against choosen rack, take a drink of water. Step two remove helmet and gloves and set aside for later, take a drink of water. etc... After ten minutes my bike is locked up, the spare water bottle is empty, and the sweat ball that is me at the end of a commute is somewhat less gross.

As for stores I recommend the following: act like you are doing exactly what you should be doing. No one will ever question someone who acts as if they are doing exactly what they should be doing.

Check out a messenger locking up some time, it's all about practice. Now that I commute to a college campus I use 3 locks, 2 u-locks I leave at the rack and a cable I carry. I can get the bike secured or unsecured in under 2 minutes. It's wierd now when I watch someone struggling with a single lock and it's hard for me to remember what that was like.

One good trick is to use the U part of the u-lock like a claw, grab the post, bring the bike into the U and then clamp down the lockbar with your other hand. Also, it's helpful to keep your key on one of those springy wrist bracelets, it makes for one less thing to fumble with. Just keep practicing, the speed will come.

I like this answer. I keep a lock at work and keep a light lock in a pannier for errands during the commute. If your U-lock has enough room lock the front wheel, frame, and rear wheel with the one lock to whatever you attach to.

I've got a long Kyrpto lock as well. When I first got it (a month ago), I was having the hardest time getting my bike locked, especially when I was pressured into hitting my clock-in window at the time clock at work.

I've found that you can't fight it (the natural tendcy to "coil"), so don't even wrestle with it. I use it to my advantage actually. When I first stop at the rack or post, I lean the bike and get out the lock. I take one end and put it through the front wheel from the post/rack side, and pull through just enough to wrap around the frame twice. That way I don't have to pull the entire length through the wheel and fight the coils. The part wrapped around the frame should be enough to hold that end without it coming undone as I pull against it routing the lock around the post... and also provides the wraps around the frame I need. I take the loose (long end) and proceed to wrap it around/through the post/rack and then to the back wheel. Its considerably shorter, so there are less coils to fight, and I put it through the rear wheel and back up to where the other end was wrapped around the frame. Snap shut, scroll the dial, and check to make sure its locked. I take off my cyclocomputer and snatch up my water bottle. Then I double check to make sure I got front wheel, back wheel, wrapped at least once around frame, the lock isnt sitting on the combination numbers, and that its locked.

I'm getting the whole process down to mere seconds, especially since now I'm getting handy with my messenger bag. As I roll up to the post I park at for work, I swing the bag around and get out my lock (while still riding). I also go ahead and stuff my cyclocomputer and water bottle in my bag while its around too. Swing the bag back around with lock in hand as I stop at the post and dismount.

If you are in a rush, always double check your lock and that you got all components secure!

You'll get faster w/ practice. I use an OnGuard Rottweiller cable lock because it's fast and there's not a whole lot of bike theft where I lock up. I keep the lock around my waist when riding so it's easy to get to when I need to lock up. It's 3' 4" so I can run it quickly through the rear wheel/triangle, around a post or rack, and back through the main triangle of the frame. I've got my seat chained from the rear triangle up through the rails so no one can easily walk off with it, and I'll pop my front tire off if I'm really concerned.
I use a backpack instead of panniers, and leave my helmet on my head (or buckle it to my backpack.) Dismount to locked-up takes under a minute now, even if I'm taking my front wheel with me.

Pretty quick for me:

Folder: runs cable or chain around frame in two spots, attatch to object (wheels are deceptively hard to remove....no thief is going to get those off since the tools needed are just ridiculous...I can't even change a flat on this bike without a torque wrench).

Roadbike: run cable through front whell and bottle cage, attatch to u-lcok that running through my rim and object.

Mountain bike: Same as roadbike, except I u-lock the front wheel to the frame.

Each lockup takes around 2mins per bike or less.

Keep in mind I use a messenger bag to hold my locks, and not any fancy frame holder. I find this speeds things up immensely.

I lock up at work at the same place every day. I leave the biggest chain sold at Home Depot with a large padlock around a guard rail post. When I get to work, I offload the toolbag from the rear rack and unlock the padlock. I run it through the front wheel and the padlock end through the frame. This takes about a minute. Next, I take my ulock from its handlebar location and run it through the frame and rear wheel. I connect a cable leash that secures my seat and rack to one side of the ulock and voila! I am inside the air conditioned bliss of my salt mine in less than 4 minutes max.