Rebranded Dahon bikes - side benefit

[jur]

This weekend, considering my bike lock strategy and getting very frustrated by my hefty OnGuard U-lock after fruitlessly tinkering for some hours trying to mount it to my Raleigh 20 in preparation for loaded touring, it suddenly dawned on me that perhaps it is overkill.

At least here in Australia, bike theft is not that big a problem, compared to say the US where leaving even the crappiest rusty bike with dodgy lock can result in it getting a new owner. I have seen many bikes in Melbourne CBD locked with thin dodgy el cheapo cable locks, and even a number that were not locked at all. The latter were beater bikes but still...

Anyway, also seeing how rebranded Dahon bikes are unpopular even though they have the same frames with perhaps lower end componentry loaded, it occurred to me that my wife's Yeah bike is not all that likely to be a very attractive target.

* It is a folder, so a thief may think, "kid's toy" and pass it over.
* It is a Yeah, so a more savvy thief might think, "pooh, el cheapo Chinese, wish it were a Dahon", and pass on.
* It is a Yeah, so a very savvy thief might think, "Rebranded Dahon, OK but no street value", and pass on.

Sooooooooo, I am thinking of getting some extra long adjustable shackle padlocks, the type with body sliding on shackle, and putting the shackle over the chain stay through the spokes over the opposite chain stay, and so immobilising and securing the back wheel. A cable will serve to secure it to a pole or tree. Cables are easily cut, but the lock will have a hardened shackle and won't be easy meat, rendering the whole package unattractive, and lightening my load, not to mention I don't have to wrestle any further with how to mount a U-lock.

Daft or OK?

[lee_rimar]

Not so daft. If someone wants the bike, they're going to get it no matter how you lock it.

But ride something a bit unusual, or not easily recognizable as high-value, and it will be less attractive to theft.

True story: Couple years ago I was renting a lower flat in a posh neighborhood. Owner lived in the upper. One evening someone broke into his shed, which was some risky hard work. Only thing they took was my landlords mountain bike. They didn't touch my recumbent -- which was less than a month old and probably the most expensive single item in the shed.

[Bacciagalupe]

I'd just get a good ol' cable lock and lock the two together to a pole or whatever.

I seriously doubt that bike thieves would know any folding bike brand, they'll just see "small wheels" and either "good condition" or "ratty bike."