SilverStreak

I'm starting my bike commute in June in the Washington, D.C. area, and I've been doing a lot of thinking about the best way to lock up my Jamis Coda once I reach my workplace. I've read everything I can find on the subject and have arrived at what I think is the most secure locking technique.

Here's how I plan to lock my bike:

I will be locking my bike to an inverted U rack. I will remove the quick-release front wheel, place it next to my rear wheel (also quick release), loop my Kryptonite Evolution 2000 around the U rack and through frame and both wheels, then lock. Next I will repeat this same procedure with a hardened steel chain, making sure to lock the chain to the U rack as well. The chain will be secured by a Master brass high-security lock. I'll take my quick release saddle into the building with me. A potential bike thief must defeat two types of locks to get my bike.

Observations/question/opinion:

Several bike shop websites recommend using a Kryptonite U lock with a flexible steel cable. The technique they most often recommend is running the steel cable through the saddle rails (one loop through another), through the back wheel, through the front wheel, and then hooking the Kryptonite U through the remaining cable loop before finally locking the Kryptonite to the bike rack. To me this seems like bad advice. A bike thief needs to defeat only the Kryptonite, after which he just tosses the cable aside.

My feeling is that if you're going to bother to introduce a second deterrent (the steel cable in this case), you should ensure that the thief has to defeat this deterrent as well. In the above case, I'd at the very least get a nice long steel cable, thread it through the bike as described (minus the noose loop on the saddle rail), but lock it separately to the bike rack. This way the thief must cut this cable too if he wants the bike. For maximum protection, I'm going with my stated plan at the very top of this message, unless anyone can provde a better (less heavy!) alternative.

My commute is short (2.5 miles each way -- wish it were longer!) and I'll be locking in a low crime area. Perhaps my approach is overkill, but I’m paranoid.

Cheers

John E

5mi/8km round trip? I would buy a beater bike at a yard sale, lock it with a lightweight cable, and keep the good hardware at home for fun rides. This is what I have done for almost 35 years, and the only bikes I have ever lost to theft were a Sears Free Spirit and a low-end SR 10-speed, both of which were $15 yard sale treasures(?). For a short commute, it is almost as much fun to ride a junker with a lightweight cable lock as a nice bike weighted down with 4 kg of security devices. (In the 1970s, I carried a big case-hardened chain and an Abus Diskus padlock, and we used to joke that "the lighter the bike, the heavier the security system.")

b_rider

Your approach to this is not overkill by any means. If you feel you need this kind of security to lock and protect your bike then more power to you.

But please do keep this in mind. The only thing any kind of lock does or ever will do is keep good people from doing bad things. If a thief wants your property bad enough and he or she has the time and the right tools, then guess what? They are going to steal it. The most any of us can ever do is do what we can to stop a thief from stealing our property.

MichaelW

I would concur with John. The Jamis is a great bike, but if you have a flat 2 miler, then any bike will do the job. I used to ride an old 3 speed across town. My current bike looks like a beater, but is quite a nice ride.
The Jamis may travel a bit faster but will take longer to lockup every time. Use bolt-on wheels and seatpost, rather than QR and it will save alot of hassle at every lockup.
If you use the same lockup everyday, you can leave a hardened steel chain or armoured cable there and carry just a U lock or smaller cable.

john999

The boltcutters they make nowadays seem to be able to cut through any chain or padlock. The old ones were made with high speed steel blades, the new ones are tungsten carbide with longer handles.

I reckon cables might be better because they take longer to cut through, especially if, as usual, the boltcutter is a bit blunt (cutiing through padlocks will make it blunt).

SilverStreak

Interesting point re: using a beater instead of my Jamis. However, though this is a short commute, there are varied routes I can take, depending on weather, motivation. I can do hills or flat ride. Plus, I really like to FLY on the Jamis, so I'll definitely be using it.

Thanks again for the advice. Look forward to learning from this group.

--------> SilverStreak