Are you guys kidding? You should try to cut a cable. You will be amazed at how quick and easy it is. I used a cutter designed for cutting brake cables. It went through the cable like scissors go through paper. A cable is the least secure way to lock a bike.

What lock you need depends on where you are and how long you will use it. In nice suburbs and the countryside, a cable is fine, but in a city or on a college campus, you need something serious.