General Cycling Discussion - Best way to lock a seat on the cheap?

For the lat couple of months, I've been commuting to a new job and locking my bike in a high theft area. I've been taking my quick release seat with me, but I'm growing tired of this and would like to lock my seat to my bike. Can anyone recommend a good secure method for cheap?

I'm considering a cable lock that I can secure with my u-lock. These go for as cheap as $3 on amazon, but I'm not sure if those are easily broken or not. Is there a minimum diameter I should look for?

Also, what is the cheapest place to find something like that. If anyone can recommend a specific model, that would be great!

Thanks!

Cables are easy to cut. Switch to an allen bolt seat clamp, and use old chain to secure the seat. If it's an expensive seat, it will only slow them down. Read comments from this link (http://blog.brooksengland.com/wps/%E2%80%9Ethe-seat-didnt-get-stolen-by-itself/)
Get the cheapest seat that works for you, and that should hopefully solve your problems, and if it's stolen, it's not a big loss.


277774

Do you really think someone would take the time to cut a cable to steal your seat?

Pics of this seat.

Please.:D

It's just a stock Trek seat, but I live in an area with a huge bike theft problem. I'm 60 miles from Mexico, and there are organized bike theft rings that steal anything and everything from bikes. The bikes and parts are sent to Mexico, where they are used for illegal border crossings and drug smuggling. I'm not kidding, they'll steal bikes or even just parts that would be considered worthless by the normal person.

$20 ebay, gets you a set of locking wheel skewers and seat post binder. they use a specialty key to open

http://www.ebay.com/itm/LOCK-N-ROLL-BICYCLE-LOCKING-WHEEL-SEATPOST-SKEWERS-/380470677794?pt=Cycling_Parts_Accessories&hash=item5895d1d122

It's just a stock Trek seat.

Every bike shop in the world has a box of those things that they'll sell for around $5.00 or $10.00.

Ever hear of a "rabbit garden"? Buy a junk seat and a cheap Kalloy seatpost and keep it at work. That way, if the thieves steal your saddle, they may be happy to escape with just that and you can plug in your spare and cycle on home. If you totally frustrate the thieves, they may decide to stomp one of your wheels just to show you who's boss.

Ah, I get you Linear.

Well, man, if they want it that bad they're going to take it no matter what you do.

Any chance of bringing the bike into your work place office or shop?

Any chance of bringing the bike into your work place office or shop?

unfortunately no - we actually have safety people who do random checks for this, and issue $250 tickets for having bikes inside. :(

unfortunately no - we actually have safety people who do random checks for this, and issue $250 tickets for having bikes inside. :(

Unfair and illegal labor practice. I call shinagins on this one.

Unfair and illegal labor practice. I call shinagins on this one.

Lol now we have a lawyer in ths house. Seriously, do you think I'd make something like that up just to lie on an Internet forum? Get a life buddy.

Unfair and illegal labor practice. I call shinagins on this one.



Agree. Who the hell would pay that "ticket"? What happens if they don't? Do they go to jail?
Oooh, would a 3-strike repeat offender get a life-sentence for illegally parking a bike?

HAHAHAHAHA.

I can't remember who first suggested this. Assuming you have a chain tool and have (or can get from your LBS) an old chain, break the chain into an appropriately sized piece. Loop the chain through the seat rail, then down under the seat tube/seat stay junction, and reassemble. Chances a prospective thief will have a chain tool are vanishingly small, and chains are tough to saw or cut. If you're worried about the frame, run the chain through a piece of old inner tube first.

A bolt and nut, if it spins, then you need 2 wrenches to remove it.

+ get another saddle Naugahyde/Pleather will be better in the wet..

Of course if you got a Brompton and the cover bag,
you can park it under your desk in that cubicle..

Bike parking Ticket? You work for the Maricopa Co. Sheriff?

Agree. Who the hell would pay that "ticket"? What happens if they don't? Do they go to jail?
Oooh, would a 3-strike repeat offender get a life-sentence for illegally parking a bike?

HAHAHAHAHA.

I work at at large university with 40,000 undergraduates. The campus operates much like a city, and if you don't pay the fine your bike can be impounded. If you are a student, you will also be prevented form registering and/or graduating until the fines are paid.

Personally I don't like quick release anything. I replaced my seat qr with a quarter inch bolt that happened to take a 10 mm wrench :) That should be a very safe combination anywhere in the States.

Fortunately my bikes get locked in rather safe areas. I haven't needed anything else for the seat.

DieselDan has a point. How does a having a bicycle inside violate any kind of laws or safety practices. If your employer is using this as a ruse and there is no actual rule about bicycles, and the $250 fine refers to any safety violation, you may want to look further. It's not that we think you are lying, but rather that you are being lied to.

In any case, I find it hard to believe that there isn't a place that the bike won't fit into, unless the employer just doesn't like them and is using the safety inspections as a pretext. But there you can get stuck, because it is their business and they can set the rules.

DieselDan has a point. How does a having a bicycle inside violate any kind of laws or safety practices. If your employer is using this as a ruse and there is no actual rule about bicycles, and the $250 fine refers to any safety violation, you may want to look further. It's not that we think you are lying, but rather that you are being lied to.

In any case, I find it hard to believe that there isn't a place that the bike won't fit into, unless the employer just doesn't like them and is using the safety inspections as a pretext. But there you can get stuck, because it is their business and they can set the rules.

Did you read my post? It's the UNiversity of Arizona. Google it if you don't believe me. This forum, more than any other, Is filled with jerks. I can't believe there are like 5 people arguing with me about s university regulation, instead of answering my question about a seat lock. Get a ****ing life, Jesus!

I can't remember who first suggested this. Assuming you have a chain tool and have (or can get from your LBS) an old chain, break the chain into an appropriately sized piece. Loop the chain through the seat rail, then down under the seat tube/seat stay junction, and reassemble. Chances a prospective thief will have a chain tool are vanishingly small, and chains are tough to saw or cut. If you're worried about the frame, run the chain through a piece of old inner tube first.

This is what I was going to post. Do this.

Did you read my post? It's the UNiversity of Arizona. Google it if you don't believe me. This forum, more than any other, Is filled with jerks. I can't believe there are like 5 people arguing with me about s university regulation, instead of answering my question about a seat lock. Get a ****ing life, Jesus!

Relax. We are trying to help, and bringing your bike with indoors is one of the best ways to prevent seat theft, so it's a valid thread of inquiry. You are right, I did miss post #15, my apologies. Even so, that does not automatically preclude being able to park your bike indoors.

As for other ways to deal with the subject, it seems like most of your possible options are being laid out. Cheaper seat, cable locks, bolts, bicycle chains, bring it indoors. You've got a variety of options. DieselDan had no way of knowing where you work, so I think his comments are justified.

https://parking.arizona.edu/citations/fines_nonmotor.php

Looks like it is a $20 fine, not $250.

The best solution is to use an allen-head bolt and a nut, and use a drill with a diameter slightly larger than the size of the allen key required to remove the flats from the bolt, and use a grinder to file the flats on the nut down to a smooth cone shape. Make sure you have your seat height exactly where you want it before you damage the fasteners because you will have to drill out the remainder of the bolt to remove it for adjustment.

The best solution is to use an allen-head bolt and a nut, and use a drill with a diameter slightly larger than the size of the allen key required to remove the flats from the bolt, and use a grinder to file the flats on the nut down to a smooth cone shape. Make sure you have your seat height exactly where you want it before you damage the fasteners because you will have to drill out the remainder of the bolt to remove it for adjustment.

great idea, thanks!

check out my thread on boardrunners

You have 2 bolt to take care of.
The one between the saddle and the seatpost.
The one between the seatpost and the frame.
Solder or glue them with epoxy.
Soldering as the advantage that you can remove them easily with heat

Would it be possible to bring your bike inside where you work?

On my Hardrock I iceman OnGuard cable to secure my saddle to my bike. You can replace the quick release with either a locking or allen key clamp. Or you can continue to simply remove the saddle and carrying it inside with you.


For the lat couple of months, I've been commuting to a new job and locking my bike in a high theft area. I've been taking my quick release seat with me, but I'm growing tired of this and would like to lock my seat to my bike. Can anyone recommend a good secure method for cheap?

I'm considering a cable lock that I can secure with my u-lock. These go for as cheap as $3 on amazon, but I'm not sure if those are easily broken or not. Is there a minimum diameter I should look for?

Also, what is the cheapest place to find something like that. If anyone can recommend a specific model, that would be great!

Thanks!

Unfair and illegal labor practice. I call shinagins on this one.

Lol now we have a lawyer in ths house. Seriously, do you think I'd make something like that up just to lie on an Internet forum? Get a life buddy.

I suggest that you contact your local labor board to learn the truth on this. You'd be surprise at how many companies do things like this, cause they know that they aren't going to be challenged on it.

DieselDan has a point. How does a having a bicycle inside violate any kind of laws or safety practices. If your employer is using this as a ruse and there is no actual rule about bicycles, and the $250 fine refers to any safety violation, you may want to look further. It's not that we think you are lying, but rather that you are being lied to.

In any case, I find it hard to believe that there isn't a place that the bike won't fit into, unless the employer just doesn't like them and is using the safety inspections as a pretext. But there you can get stuck, because it is their business and they can set the rules.

Did you read my post? It's the UNiversity of Arizona. Google it if you don't believe me. This forum, more than any other, Is filled with jerks. I can't believe there are like 5 people arguing with me about s university regulation, instead of answering my question about a seat lock. Get a ****ing life, Jesus!

Just because they're a university, that doesn't mean they can do everything that they want. They still have to obey local, state and federal laws.

It sounds as if they're engaging in blackmail to get people to do what they want.

You have 2 bolt to take care of.
The one between the saddle and the seatpost.
The one between the seatpost and the frame.
Solder or glue them with epoxy.
Soldering as the advantage that you can remove them easily with heat

There's also Loc-Tite.

There's also Loc-Tite.

It also can be loosened with heat.

Personally I don't like quick release anything. I replaced my seat qr with a quarter inch bolt that happened to take a 10 mm wrench :) That should be a very safe combination anywhere in the States.

Fortunately my bikes get locked in rather safe areas. I haven't needed anything else for the seat.

Don't kid yourself, we have a 10mm wrench. Currently a guy in Ohio is using it... :rolleyes:

There's also Loc-Tite.

It also can be loosened with heat.

Given.enough time and the right tools ANYTHING can eventually be defeated.

Deface the seat in such a way that it doesn't deleteriously affect function but makes it less valuable to steal.