helvetica

This is what I use to lock my bike, its a 1/4" inch cable and lock. Will junkies in San Francisco be able to get through it?

Seggybop

I use basically the same. Yes, if they really want to. Which they don't over here, but I have no idea how determined your local vagrants are.

Fantomas

IMO no....

Fantomas

by that I mean not a good idea

LóFarkas

If you have a really cheap bike, like you bought it for $100 and thieves could sell it for only 20, then it'll probably be enough. But remember, that's just the kind of stuff a bolt cutter goes through quicker than you can open your lock with the key.

HereNT

Yeah, that's nothing. Get something better if you value your bike.

Yoshi

The lock looks easier to cut than the cable for what it's worth.

531phile 

I use the same thing (master lock) I only leave it out for a few minutes, maybe an hour max so it's not a big deal for me. I always leave my bike in a very public area to make it harder for the thieves w/o balls to steal.

Lunigma

if you lock your bike up with that or ANY type of cable lock i can steal your bike in less than 5 seconds with out any tools.

no i'm not a thieft. a while back at a show someone locked their bike with my bike with a cable lock. i was in a hurry to leave to work, so i pulled a macgyver. i won't explain how i did it, but just don't lock up your bike with that

spud

is that electrical tape making the cable ends/hoops?

harryhood

not only will they get through cable, they will find a way to smoke crack out of it too.

dolface

AND they'll leave a big steaming pile where your bike was...

junioroverlord

If you want to go cheap and pretty darn safe you can go to a local hardware store and get thier stongest chain and a shrouded lock. Then get some of the plastic coating used for gripping tools and bam you have a high quality lock for under $20, that will be VERY tough to get around.

$0.00/Gal

I have some safety scissors that could get through that cable in about 20 seconds.

mattface 

if by "safe" you mean "is a thief likely to hurt themselves while cutting through this with a butter knife?" then rest your troubled mind. That setup is perfectly safe. Nobody's gonna strain themselves getting through THAT

tink20seven

this doesn't mean a thing.
people are too selfish to give a **** about a bike or the rider or the would be theif

besides, poeple are also dumb and will avoid conflict
if the theif says "no, this is my bike, i lost the key..." or something like that, noone's going to press the issue..
anyways,,,

dude,
get yourself a better lock

baxtefer

you're kidding right?

the mutant squirrels around here could chew through that in about 10 seconds.

you

bad idea. someone stole my friends ****ty bike, while it was locked with something similar in a well lit, populated area, while we were watching a movie in SF (about 1.5 hours) get a U-lock, I have yet to have my bike stolen with just a mini locking it to a parking meter.

531phile 

I've never had my bikes stolen. Knock of wood.

jasongilbert

When selling me a lock, my LBS owner presented their heaviest cable and explained that it would "discourage" theft because it would take cable cutters to get through it, but that it would not prevent a detemined criminal, whereas the Ulock is theft "prevention" (to the degree that is possible) because it cannot be cut. I got the cable anyway. I don't like Ulocks and am more focussed on the oportunists than on the criminals.

carleton

No lock is 100% safe. Locks just buy time. The better the lock, the more time it will take to hack/cut/break. That setup buys you about 5 seconds.

crushkilldstroy

this is a good idea as long as their strongest chain is actually heat treated/case hardened/etc. i can cut through a standard 3/8" proof coil chain with a normal set of bolt cutters without any trouble.

look for the words "grade 70" or "gr70." you'll quickly recognize that fancy ass kryptonite gold looking color (yellow dichromate, holler). it has a breaking point of like 6600 ft/lbs. you could pull a house off of the foundation with this ****. expect to pay at least $6 a foot for it.

(mind you, this is a kansas city price. probably translates to about $1000 a foot in a real city, because anything in kc is dirt cheap.)

cheers.

G14Classified

Definitely get a better lock if you're parking it for more than qucik trip. I learned the hard way and lost two bikes at once...damn theives and stupid me for using a dinky cable. Oh this was in East San Jose...SF Bay is just the same.

Lucky-Charms

I've seen at least two videos of thieves stealing bikes right off public streets in big cities. Folks walk by, take a look at the thief hacking through the cables, and continue walking down the street sipping their mocha latte cappuccino espresso (I assume this is some type of coffee drink for fancy rich people too busy to care about my bike getting stolen). You might think about changing your tune.

bobdanger

havin a bike stolen really sucks- i mourned for months-i had a big braided cable lock till it got cut and my love was taken from me- the next lock i bought is huuuge and heeaavvy- it brings peace of mind though- think like a thief; what would you do to get something you wanted? counter that response accordingly-i see many good bike locked up with very very poor locks-it only takes a small set of bolt cutters or less to get through them- either get a crappy lock and wonder if your ride is safe or invest in something more substantial and set your mind at ease. its that simple.