Recreational & Family - Do you lock your bike at every stop when shopping?

My daughter and I did some bike errands today. Her bike was in the shop so we walked to the bus stop with my bike, put it on the bus (our buses have front carriers for bikes), bussed to the bike shop and picked up her bike. Then we biked together to the clinic for a flu shot, errands at the drugstore and the bank and then home. We didn't lock up at the bike store since we could see right out the window there but we used a wrap around combination lock everywhere else. I like my bike and don't want anyone making off with it and hers had just had some major work done-new seat, new tire, new rack, new bottle cage, tune up so even though its not new its an investment and replacing a stolen bike would be expensive so matter the value of the one you have.

Just wondering if other people lock up whenever they go into a store or business.

If my bike is going to be out of my sight or I'm going to be at some place for a long time, I lock it up. But then I live in a smaller city in Southern Wisconsin, so I don't think I have to worry too much. (Ah, those famous last words.) ;-)

There is a bike theft ring in the Denver Metro area - they know high-end bikes, and they steal them. My son's new bike was stolen in the 70's when he was a kid, and, yes, I lock my bike unless I know I am going to be watching it.

There is a bike theft ring in the Denver Metro area - they know high-end bikes, and they steal them. My son's new bike was stolen in the 70's when he was a kid, and, yes, I lock my bike unless I know I am going to be watching it.

Might be Denver cops. A few years ago, Denver was world famous for their police department that was big time in the burglary business. Not enough of them ended up in prison.

Might be Denver cops. A few years ago, Denver was world famous for their police department that was big time in the burglary business. Not enough of them ended up in prison.

That was in the 1960's - more than a "few" years ago. However, the Denver PD still has a way to go. Quick with their guns, and they cover for each other behind the "wall of blue" extremely well. The manager of safety just quit after 2 months, etc., etc. Continuous upset and unrest.

I've lost one bike this year, I'm not going to lose another one. Even if it is in sight, but I'm moving away from it a few feet, I'll lock it up.

... we used a wrap around combination lock everywhere else.

Combination locks are incredibly easy to open. Nothing is thief-proof, but you'd be better off with a cable and padlock or a U-lock.

And yes, I lock my bikes up.

Just an addendum.

I know of no lock that will stop a determined bike thief. Some claim to do so, but it is unlikely that most, if not all, of the bike locks out there are totally secure. I view a lock as a deterrent to someone doing a "snatch and grab" - just riding away on the bike that is sitting there for the taking.

Just an addendum.

I know of no lock that will stop a determined bike thief. Some claim to do so, but it is unlikely that most, if not all, of the bike locks out there are totally secure. I view a lock as a deterrent to someone doing a "snatch and grab" - just riding away on the bike that is sitting there for the taking.

I agree, determined and properly-equipped thieves can break any lock on the market in less than five minutes - and for most locks, a lot less than that. But I can open a combination bike lock that I have never seen before in less than two minutes with my bare hands, and I could teach you the trick in less than five.

i always lock up. it's simply easier to lock it than to replace it. and, if it does get stolen anyway, it'll be easier on my mind to know i wasn't a complete fool (if still just a bit naive); i wonder if using a lock makes it easier to make a post-theft insurance claim? our bikes are technically covered under our renters insurance.

I agree, determined and properly-equipped thieves can break any lock on the market in less than five minutes - and for most locks, a lot less than that. But I can open a combination bike lock that I have never seen before in less than two minutes with my bare hands, and I could teach you the trick in less than five.

That would have been a good trick to know all the times I forgot the combinations to my lockers in school.

I view a lock as a deterrent to someone doing a "snatch and grab" - just riding away on the bike that is sitting there for the taking.

Around here there are a lot more of those than the determined professional sort. Locking is a bet on the probability of one of those snatch-n-grabbers passing by and wanting a bike at the moment yours is unattended and available.

Or, paraphrasing Ernest Hemingway in the Old Man And The Sea, it's good to lock up to avoid tempting someone who could go either way on stealing your stuff.

I lock up my bike everywhere I go. Just gives me peace of mind and I can just enjoy what I'm doing.

I get a little too careless sometimes, and I've been lucky. I need to tighten up with my self-discipline.

One of my best friends is a locksmith in northern Colorado. I've ridden shotgun with him in his service van as he's gone out on calls. Safes at supermarkets. People locked out of their cars and trucks (I recall one FedEx driver locked out of the cab of his semi-tractor), big-time safes at medical marijuana dispensaries, locks at airports and government offices. I'm always amazed how easy it is for someone who knows what he's doing to get into virtually anything, anywhere.

Locks are for honest people. They just keep out the people who wouldn't ordinarily take your stuff. Someone who really wants it is going to get it.

So my strategy is to have a really nice bike, but to leave the factory stickers all skinned up, looking nasty. Hopefully, a thief would prefer a bike with higher "curb appeal" than mine.

And I'm getting better at locking her up wherever I go.

Do I lock up my bike every time?

Yes, Yes, Yes.

There's no guarantee that it won't be stolen but I'm not making it easy for them.

I've lost one bike this year, I'm not going to lose another one. Even if it is in sight, but I'm moving away from it a few feet, I'll lock it up.
Good thing to do. We had several bike thefts recently at coffee shops frequented by cycling clubs. A one-day old Trek Madone was stolen with the owner less than five feet away. Owner gave chase but wasn't in time. The thief was dressed up in cycling clothes so no one had paid much attention as he checked out the bikes and he was gone around a corner before others could hop on their bikes to pursue.

Which makes it obvious that a lock is mandatory for all of us. But I keep wondering if anyone out there is working on a GPS locator device, hidden inside carbon bars, seatpost or somewhere on the bike, where it will work like a LoJack on a car. A guy needs a fighting chance against slimeball bike thieves.

I'm beginning to respect the guys who used to hang horse thieves.

Of course I do.

I saw a pair of white shoes that a Montana judge had made out of the skin of a convicted horse thief. Old George Parrot stole one too many horses, got hanged and became shoes and a briefcase for the judge. I like the old justice system better than the current one... It just seemed more sensible somehow!

And if someone hops on your bike while you're watching through the bikeshop window?

I lock it up always when touring.

If I am running errands I always lock it up.

If I am doning my fitness ride, I don't bring a lock since I don't plan on stopping anywhere.

Even if you are sitting in a cafe or shop or park, looking at the bike, you need to at least lock the wheel. Put a cable or U-lock around the wheel, in the rear triangle, or use an "O-lock" (which goes thru the spokes) like they use in Europe. Otherwise, even the most opportunistic thief can hop on the bike and ride off faster than you can chase them.

If the bike will be out of my sight for more than 30 seconds I also lock the bike to an object. For very short, mid-day trips, or in low-crime areas, or with an old crappy bike, a cable lock is okay. But around here, thieves carry short bolt cutters or shears which can be hidden in a bag or jacket and cut thru any cable in seconds.

For any longer stops, or higher-crime areas, a small steel U-lock is much better protection. Sure, you can cut thru them with a hacksaw, if you have enough time, but most thieves are not that committed. Shears won't work, and only long, cumbersome bolt cutters will work on a good U-lock. Perhaps the pro thieves in Manhattan carry around electric grinders to defeat U-locks on expensive bikes, but that really doesn't happen in most smaller cities.

In fact, almost every bike stolen here in Long Beach was unlocked or locked with a cable or cheap chain, according to what cops and bike shops have told me. Heavy chains and U-locks are rarely defeated. So use one!

When we go on family rides, I have a section of high tensile chain and a keyed disc lock. Find an object that is fixed solid to the ground, chain them all together, and the chances of anyone taking your stuff is pretty slim.

Also, if using a bike rack to secure your bike, put the back tire in, not the front. If you chain the front tire in, the thief will simply unbolt the front tire, find a nearby bike with an unsecure front tire, and voila, they have a bike. By placing the back tire in the rack, you have access to the seatstays that can be cabled to the bike rack. Not impossible to steal, but alot harder. We had this problem in Turkey with highend American bikes getting stolen and this was the preferred mothod of theft. My buddy came out to find nothing but his front tire chained to the rack. Right next to his bike was one with no front tire...........


But like others have said, a determined thief will get what they want. The only thing that is absolute is that nothing is absolute.

I either take the bike in with me or lock it up. I have a $15 Master cable lock (with the combo lock built into the cable) for my commuter, and I use an old ca. 1970s cable with an old Master padlock on my other bikes. I know it's not that great, but then again, I've had that setup since the '70s and no one has stolen it yet.

I also ride bikes that a determined thief would normally pass by.

If I'm leaving my bike for than a few feet, I'm locking it, unless it's in my LBS, then I lean it against the counter (the employees know me & my bike). Just talked to a couple who had theirs stolen during a football game - they used cable locks outside the stadium, and the cables were cut.

A U-lock is definitely harder to get through than a cable lock, and the "professionals" usually know where to look for bikes that will be unattended for a long period of time (at a stadium during games, restaurants, or places they see the same bike over and over at the same times, etc). For those things, I'd recommend a U-lock as a better deterrent. Otherwise, a cable lock is fine when u are on a casual ride, and need a quick lock-up.

Why risk loosing your bike for a moment of laziness?

I lock my bike at any stop, Not only do I do the U lock but then i thread the rope lock through the frame and both wheels and around the post and U lock once again. Whoever wants to steal my bike is gonna have one tough time getting through that,

On our Pashleys, if its a stop just to pop into a shop to buy a newspaper, we just use the integral bike lock that locks the wheel. If I am going to be any longer than a few minutes (and yes I know they can steal a bike in seconds) I chain it to something secure.

It's sad that I have to carry something ugly and heavy around on a beautiful bike, but there you go.

(some would say just me riding it is carrying something ugly and heavy...)

If the bike is outdoors and unattended, it's locked. And the only bike I leave outdoors unattended is the beater.

I always lock my bike with no exceptions. I don't use the most theft deterrent system on the market, but then again I don't lock it in low traffic, or high crime areas, or at dark. All I use is a 5/8th's inch thick cable with a Abus Disc lock that I've been using for over 30 years and no one has ever tried to defeat it.

I still have the same cable and Master combo lock I was using in the 1970s. I figure it must be theft-proof if no one has gotten through it yet. ;)

usually, I don't leave it unlocked for a second. today I was at the lbs and on the way out the dude was checking out my bike and convinced me to go back in and buy some reflective tape for it. I'd already unlocked and put my panniers back on and there was no one on the sidewalk and I could see it through the door that I was standing right next to. Still felt uncomfortable, but I violated one of my rules and left it unlocked for about 2-3 minutes.

Bike is not locked I'm nervous. period!

If I'm anywhere but at my house, or the house of a friend, its locked. Though I have noticed its hard to find something to legally lock it to sometimes.

Like everyone, I've taken chances in the past, and gotten lazy by not locking my baby up safely. I have been lucky, but am very displeased with myself for the carelessness. I'm thankful I still have her. But reading the posts in this thread, I'm more aware now and I think I will re-double my efforts to keep my prized GT Xizang locked whenever I'm not riding her.

Right now, she's in a garage-shop out back, with two locks on the door. I'm thinking that some sort of U-lock even in there would be called for.

Unless I am a few feet away and looking at the bike, it's locked up - basically always.

I have 2 1/2"-thick cables and a security chain to choose from to mate up with my OnGuard U-lock. There's always one on my bike, and if the bike doesn't come in the building with me, it gets locked up. I also have security skewers replacing my QR's.

It's just what I do, because NO ONE is getting my bike if I can help it!

Has anyone ever seen/used the motion sensor-type alarms? I think this in conjunction with a lock would be a good combo. Can't put the bike on a high activity bike rack, but by itself on a street sign? Sure.

My daughter and I did some bike errands today.... We didn't lock up at the bike store since we could see right out the window ... Just wondering if other people lock up whenever they go into a store or business.

I think everyone has covered the locking part of your question quite well (yes, I use a long, thin cable/lock during quick stops to "keep honest people honest"), but there is another piece to your story (especially since you posted here in the "Family" section.

Kids are a great excuse for cleaning up our own acts. Our "role modeling" often goes way beyond what we realize:

4hmom: Honey, what took you so long to get home?

4hdaughter: Oh Mom, I can't believe it, I only when into the store for a pack of gum, but then I saw my friend, 4hgirl, and she told me all about winning a blue ribbon at the 4H Show, and then when I came out of the store, my bike was gone!!!

4hmom: Well, did you lock your bike up?

4hdaughter: I didn't think I needed to, you never do when we go in for just one thing!

have left bikes unlocked in a bike friendly town before. Many times. Never stolen.

But, I wouldn't do that in a major city. Not even in my town! This town has heavy bike traffic in warm months, and people pretty much like that, it brings business to their town :)

Almost always. If I am going to be just a few feet away, and can see it and there is nothing to lock it to I might not.

I have to disagree with the comment that combo locks are "incredibly easy". All last winter there was a rusted *Mart beater chained to a tree in the park. The OnGuard lock was worth twice the bike and it looked like it had been locked to the tree as a prank or something.

Over the months, I'd often stop to try to tease out the combo until my hands would get too cold. I lost the race to liberate the lock before DPW cut it.

Always lock bike. Always. Even for 30 second stop. An unlocked bike is asking to be stolen, even in a low crime area. Yes, determined thief can cut any lock off, but why offer your ride up to the opportunistic thief, too?

Yes. Cheapo lock. I view it as something to stop a grab and run theft. The exception is on a club ride. I don't lock the bike then as we have the bikes in one place at any stop and someone from the club always has the bikes in sight. Even then I latch my helemt through the front wheel. That won't stop anyone thinking, but a pure grab and go will get a nasty surprise.

have left bikes unlocked in a bike friendly town before. Many times. Never stolen.

But, I wouldn't do that in a major city. Not even in my town! This town has heavy bike traffic in warm months, and people pretty much like that, it brings business to their town :)

I've read this and thought about it several times. I'm wondering what a "bike friendly town" is. Would that be a town where everybody is into bikes and riding them? Wouldn't that be a town where lots of folks have more than one bike? Wouldn't bikes be in especially high demand in a "bike friendly town"?

Or would your bike be more safe in a town where people don't ride bikes, and the people have no interest whatsoever in that welded-together odd collection of tubes and wires? I'm thinking a bike might be LESS safe in a town where everyone loves and covets bicycles.

The only time I leave a bike unlock is if I'm in eye shot of it at all times, otherwise it's locked, I don't care how nice the town may appear, it only takes a second to make a normally honest person dishonest by presenting an opportunity. I've seen junker bikes parked outside in a busy shopping center just leaning against a wall with no lock for days and never taken, but don't count on that happening with a decent bike.

when would you leave your car unlocked, keys in the ignition?

that's the analogous action. An unlocked bike is, like that car with keys, ready to go in an instant.

buh bye

About 10 years ago I was looking at buying a custom cab-over camper shell for my old Nissan 4x4 truck. The problem was the 2 rear doors of the shell which open outward had a cheesy latch with key lock, like the kind you see on the average truck camper shell. I told the salesman that I was very unimpressed with the lock set-up as I was always carting around 2 surfboards and 1 bike. His answer: That lock will keep the honest people honest.

My reply was: It's not the honset people I'm worried about.

The total combined value of my 2 surfboards and 1 bike was about $1000. So i decided not to buy the camper shell. Instead I bought an average shell for one fourth the $ of the custom one. Kept my shell windows blacked-out with curtains and secured the bike inside the shell with a cable and u lock.
The moral of the story here is outta sight, outta mind. I have since upgraded to the New York Fagettbout it chain link with u lock. If anyone can get thru that thing my hat's off to them. So don't skimp and cheap-out on a crappy lock.

i don't go anywhere unless i'm able to lock my bike up, so yes, i always lock my bike up.

I always lock my bike. The 1 minute it takes to lock and unlock the bike is well worth it compared to the cost of replacement or insurance deductible. Call me paranoid, but why not...

The only time I have ever left my bike unlocked and unattended for a "few minutes" was while on tour. At that point, the bike was hauling close to 70 pounds of gear not counting the 10L of water needed for the desert crossing. I left it in a high gear so it would be nearly impossible to pedal away. On reflection, there really wasn't anyone around to steal it anyhow.

Often, when we run errands around town, we'll try to plan it so we can park/lock the bikes and walk to as many places as possible.

Always! I lock the bikes and the bike trailers too. I've seen many people lock the bike, but leave the trailer just hooked to the bike. They are easy to remove and take just seconds to fold up and stick in the back of someones truck.


We had 3 bikes stolen from our front porch, they were all locked up, and we were planning to ride them in the morning so we weren't worried about them getting damaged from weather. We learned our lesson. We always bring them inside now.