noglider 

I assume you mean ring lock. People in the US don't have those.

acidfast7

Sorry for people in the US. It's really nice so the bikes don't get stolen or tipped over so easily

noglider 

Given that the ring lock prevents the bike from rolling but doesn't secure it to a fixed object, it seems a lot less secure than a U lock or heavy chain. Given that one needs at least one of those two things in a city, what good is a ring lock?

acidfast7

Usually, one can clip a crap cable lock or snap/BIC a U-lock and ride a bike away. Heavy chains usually deter but even heavy chains can be broken easily with an angle grinder / LN2 and the bike is ridden away easily.

The ring lock on a decent bike where it's welded the frame can't be defeated with any of the usual mechanisms (cable cutter / BIC / LN2 / Angle grinder) without cutting through the frame. Getting around the fender, frame, wheel, etc... makes it a wasted effort to break a ring lock.

Even if the bike is thrown in a truck to be transported away, it's not worth the effort to pick a ring long as no one will buy it used without the proper key.

Having said that, I have seen Baltic thieves take whole bike racks into a truck in CPH and take the ferry back to LT with about 10 bikes, so nothing prevents a thief really. The ring lock just makes it's not really worth it as it has minimal value without the key.

DiabloScott

You can also just pick up the front end and wheel the bike away on the rear - no tools needed and minimal time spent. You can also strip the parts and sell them separately from the bike, and I'm sure you've underestimated the ability of US bike thieves to defeat or remove the lock... the ones I've seen are not welded to the frame, and even if they were, you could make the bike usable with a hacksaw and some elbow grease.


The reason we don't have many of them, is because they're not good enough.

acidfast7

No one over here is going through that effort ... strip parts off of a locked bike, seriously.

Just steal the bikes one can ride away.

Yada, yada, US thieves better than thieves over here.

PatrickGSR94

Maybe because those don't have modes more suited for cycling, like actual cycling lights do.

Another vote for Cygolite here. I've had my Cygolite Expilion front light for 4 1/2 years now, and have multiple mounts for it on all my bikes. The Cygolite front light mount is excellent. No straps to deal with or degrade, and the thumb screw keeps it rock solid on the handlebars. The light slides in and out of the mount easily, with a clip to hold it in place. I can easily remove or install it with gloves.

noglider 

There seems to be an unwritten rule: Everything in acidfast7's life is better than everywhere else. Everyone else just doesn't know any better.

acidfast7

No need to get all worked up guys.

DiabloScott

You'd have to try a lot harder than that to get me worked up.

It's just a different perspective... your proposal to put cheap stuff on a bike that no one would want to steal, vs someone else wanting good stuff that is removable to prevent theft.

Here's a peace photo of the bike racks at the Copenhagen train station - been a long time since I was there.

alan s 

Also, may I suggest you don’t put your light in a pickle, but if you insist, the large Kosher ones should work.

NewATBikeComute

I hear you can make a battery out of a pickle as well...

fietsbob

TwoFish double Velcro straps at 90 degrees from each other,& a rubber block. though if you just get a cheap metal flashlight
you can use 2 hose clamps and just leave the light on.

acidfast7

Again, you don't know about what you speak. Ten seconds with a saw of that and you'd be recorded on CCTV or have security right on top of you. If you can't free the bike in less than 30 seconds you're at significant risk of being caught.

Stripping a bike without getting caught ... good luck with that ... maybe at someone's lake house in the their shed.

In an urban area (which 75% of all Europeans live) forget that idea of stripping a bike, you'd be filmed, harassed by a citizen or arrested/detained well before that.

edit: even when a bike was stolen at work in front of the building. First place the police went was to the 4 CCTVs cameras watching it, did a facial recognition scan and didn't get any hits. The bike was stolen because a £1 lock was used and it was cut and cycled away in stride. A simple ring lock would've saved the bike.

DiabloScott

Mate - since the bike isn't locked to something permanent the thief just picks it up and carries it or tosses it in his truck. Then he cuts off the lock or strips the parts in his den of evil...

You must have really good security over there... congrats.

A ring lock is exactly as useful as putting a U-lock through your wheel but not around a post. The thieves would laugh all the way to the bank.

acidfast7

Trucks (as in personal) don't really exist in Europe. Perhaps a few in a farm, but it's a rarity to see one in a city. In the last 10 years in Frankfurt, Copenhagen and Stockholm, I saw 2 personal trucks.

Even if that was the case, As I said before, the license plate would get on the CCTV and the owner would be arrested. It should be noted that in the UK, a license plate stays with a vehicle for life, so it's quite hard to evade capture once an incident occurs.

edit: This is especially true where I currently live as the number of CCTVs had dramatically increased as it's beecome a hotbed for British citizens to leave the UK to go fight in the middle east.

news article about it:

https://www.theguardian.com/world/20...its-died-syria

so, I think a ring lock is sufficient with the CCTV around as "pucks-up" don't exist in the UK. I'll occasionally see one in London about once a year.

PatrickGSR94

Do people really speak up to strangers messing with a bike in EU like that? Because they sure as heck don't in America. NYC especially. There have been hidden camera TV documentaries, and Casey Neistat also made a video about "stealing" his own bike, and people around just don't give a rat's ass about it.

alan s 

Sounds like a police state, with big brother watching your every move and ready to swoop in on a moments’ notice.

noglider 

It's not that we don't care, it's that we're afraid to confront criminals. Maybe we shouldn't be. I'm actually glad to hear how it goes in Europe. It would be nice if it were true here.

SHBR

I have a few of these. (quick release works well with gloves)



Works with almost any light.

Also there is a newer model, which might be better.

SHBR

They have vans though.

In China many low end bikes use ring locks, usually because of convenience rather than security.

Thieves here tend to either work as a team, or track the movements of the owners.

CCTV cameras get disabled and the crime is done.

Also, its easy to move a bike around just enough so the owner can't find it, and cut or disable the lock out of sight at a later time.

acidfast7

Actually, police state, that's the US. As in a literal problem with the police exceeding their responsibilities.

Over here, things are quite relaxed until you commit a crime. Now the photo of the guy that stole my colleague's bike in a central database and when he gets caught, it will be for all bikes stolen, not just the one they caught him with.

Also, it made the insurance claim automatic. Original owner had a new bike within 5 days.

acidfast7

I agree that China is not Europe. CCTVs over here don't get disabled unless it's an inside job.

DiabloScott

Right, but they have delivery vans and contractor trucks. This is a pretty common way for the higher-end thieves to work - they park the vehicle in front of the bike rack so no one sees them cutting locks; then they can put a bunch of bikes in the vehicle and leave without attracting a lot of attention.

Office and shopping center parking lots usually have some kind of security camera - might be helpful in filling a police report - almost never results in any kind of investigation. Wife's minivan got broken into right in front of the camera - smashed the window, grabbed a backpack, all on camera... the security guy watched it and gave her a report for insurance.

I have no problem amending my statement to say that ring locks IN USA are next to useless. I've only seen a few on bikes, although some new bikes come with the mounts to put them on (not welded).

noglider 

@SHBR, I have both of those, and they both rattle. They work fine, but the noise is annoying. How about yours? I don't use them any more, as I prefer real bike lights.