Long Distance Competition/Ultracycling, Randonneuring and Endurance Cycling - Do you bring a lock on your LD rides?

Do you bring a lock on your LD rides? I have been bringing a light cable lock that uses a key. It allows me to go into a convenience store without worry.

I notice that I seem to be the only person on a group ride using a lock.

Michael

You need a "sometimes" choice in your poll. I don't bother with a lock on brevets, since the number of fellow cyclists who are typically coming into or leaving a control minimizes (somewhat) the chances for mischief. But on a solo ride, I'll sometimes take a tiny cable lock, that is so flimsy it could possibly be broken by someone with strong hands, but that should make just enough of a "scene" that it gives an edge of protection and minimizes the chances of someone deciding that the quickest way home from the convenience store is to "borrow" my bike.

I don't bring a bike lock on distance rides, but I'm also the sort of person who rides their $3,000 custom brevet bike as a year-round commuter and leaves it locked up outside of bars and pubs in the middle of the city. I have had bikes stolen before, but it's usually because of stupid stuff like leaving it locked up at the same street corner, day-in and day-out for six months.

most people are not potential bike thieves, and most bike thieves don't stake out rural convenience stores waiting for careless distance riders to let their guard down.

but, with that said, one should do what is important to maintain their peace of mind and enjoyment of the ride.

I'm pretty much the same as TheBulls. I don't bother to bring a lock on an organized ride (enough other cyclists/volunteers at the checkpoints to keep an eye on things). But when I'm on a solo ride I have a lightweight combination cable lock that I can stow easily between my saddle and saddle bag. Bring it with me in case I make a stop somewhere.

Wow, I'm the only yes so far. I bought a very small, light, cheap cable lock just for that purpose. It will at least prevent the grab and go crime of opportunity.

Never bothered; never seen the need to on any of the rides that I've done. But then I've never locked a pair of skis, either, in many hundreds of days on the snow.... I suppose my attitude toward such things might change when I have my gear swiped someday....

Has anyone ever had -- or ever heard of -- a bike being swiped mid-ride on a long-distance ride, while the owner is in a convenience store or restaurant?

I bring a lock,just for peace of mind if nothing else.I really don't think anyone in around where I ride would steal a bicycle from a convenience store but I can't afford to get my bike stolen so I lock it up just in case.

Have spent too much time and money on my bike to leave it unlocked. Use a small light combination lock I found in a bikestore.

I don't bring a lock. On organized rides there is always someone to watch the bikes, and on solo rides I put the bike right next to the front window of the convenience store if I need to go in, so I can keep an eye on it.

Has anyone ever heard of somebody having there bike stolen during a brevet before?

I have a small combo cable lock I picked up at Lowe's for under $4 I use specifically to take on solo LD rides. I usually take it. On solo rides where I do not bring a lock I feel uncomfortable leaving my bike outside while I go in to use restroom etc., I guess because I live in a big city (Houston) and although I ride away from it, I'm don't think I could ever ride far enough away to get away from all crime. If riding with friends at least one of us stays out with the bikes so a lock is not needed. Like has been said, I have spent too much time and money to let some opportunistic thief walk off with it.

on solo rides I put the bike right next to the front window of the convenience store if I need to go in, so I can keep an eye on it.
Unfortunately I've heard of a couple cases now where people I knew watched their bikes being stolen while they were inside a restaurant. It takes a few moments to get back outside and by then the thief is disappearing down the street. At least in one of the cases the thief did drop one of the bikes when he realized the owners were running after him.
Attaching a little cable lock doesn't take long and seems like a good idea even if you plan to keep the bike in sight while in the store or cafe.

... most bike thieves don't stake out rural convenience stores waiting for careless distance riders to let their guard down ...


It's not the "professional" bike thief I'm worrying about, because they're looking somewhere else. It's the person who comes out of the convenience store, dreading their walk home, notices a bike sitting there, and then rides away on it.

Never bothered; never seen the need to on any of the rides that I've done. But then I've never locked a pair of skis, either, in many hundreds of days on the snow.... I suppose my attitude toward such things might change when I have my gear swiped someday....

Has anyone ever had -- or ever heard of -- a bike being swiped mid-ride on a long-distance ride, while the owner is in a convenience store or restaurant?

I've read ride reports where people have had a bike stolen. In at least one case, they saw it being stolen but couldn't catch up with the thief who was, after all, riding away on a bicycle :-)

Most bike theft is opportunistic. I once had a bike stolen from my garage when I had moved to the side yard for a few minutes.

I carry one of the small key locks that come with firearms. It doesn't weigh much and is sufficient to stop the grab and run thief.

I never bring one but I've often worried/wondered about the moron opportunist who may see my bike and run off with it then sell a $7000 bike for $50 at the local pawn shop. That's just wrong...

Wasn't there some sort of organized race in NYC just in the past month where a couple of bikes were stolen?

I don't bring a lock. On organized rides there is always someone to watch the bikes, and on solo rides I put the bike right next to the front window of the convenience store if I need to go in, so I can keep an eye on it.

I've heard of people (without a lock) loosen their front skewer and brake. And/or down shift a few gears, then up shift the same amount once parked. I guess this only applies to someone who is thinking about riding off with your bike. I use a 5/8" x 2' cable lock. I'm thinking about getter a lighter cable lock though.

In three years of rando'ing, I have yet to hear of anyone on OR or WA brevets having a problem because of an unlocked bike. It's not like controls are in downtown Portland or something. AFAIK, bike theft is just not an issue on PNW rides.

SP
Bend, OR

...I guess because I live in a big city (Houston) and although I ride away from it, I'm don't think I could ever ride far enough away to get away from all crime...

If I lived where you did, I'd go with the lock also. I learned this in the 70's in Rochester, NY, but I don't live where I need to be terribly concerned. :D

Besides, if I'm out with a group, only someone who prefers older bikes would steal one of mine. :o

Nope. I bring two cable locks and two or three U locks on all rides.

I currently have a beefy Krypto U lock and slightly lighter cable lock. Thinking of grabbing some hardware store cable, getting the ends looped, and a cheap pad lock for long rides.Light weight, easy to stow, provides enough resistance against grab'n'go theft.

In three years of rando'ing, I have yet to hear of anyone on OR or WA brevets having a problem because of an unlocked bike. It's not like controls are in downtown Portland or something. AFAIK, bike theft is just not an issue on PNW rides.

SP
Bend, OR

On last weekend's 400k, my ride partner and I took turns inside at the Granite Falls control because we weren't about to leave our bikes and all our gear out in the parking lot with
a) the meth-head luking behind the propane tank cage, trying to simultaneously not be seen and spange money from people.
b) the 5 drunk teenagers in a Chevette hatchback, exiting the store with 3 more 18-packs of beer and telling us how they were going to go into the woods and shoot a bear.
c) the silent drunk guy who stared my ride partner up and down for 30 seconds like he was from Mars.

We didn't trust any of them not to either go through our bags and steal phones/wallets/etc. or just drag the bike next to their car to destroy it for fun. Granite Falls is OK during the day, but on a Saturday night after the bar (yes, I'm pretty sure there's only 1) closes, it's somewhere between Deliverance and The Hills Have Eyes kinda creepy.

Never do and I stop at convenience stores and fast food joints. I just keep the bike parked where I can see it.

Just ride in the store (clipped in) and tell the sales clerk that your shoes are stuck to the pedals or else you'd leave it outside. :D

I bring what I call the "smallest and lightest bike lock in the world" (I'd be happy for someone to prove me wrong) with me on every ride. It is home-made from the smallest padlock in the hardware store, a piece of old derailleur cable, and two cable end caps (chopped down so that the cable can go all the way through, then crimped in a bench vise). It is fine for popping into the convenience store, but I wouldn't use it for anything more than that. It fits in my tool pack very nicely:

http://www.murray-white.net/sightseeing/lock.jpg

Cool!