I left a month ago for a bike trip that is now over 2,000 miles long and still going. I don't have a bike lock with me. I'm currently inside a McDonalds surfing the web and my bike is outside...I'm in Quincy, IL right now. I'm not worried about my bike. I was up around Chicago over the weekend. Yes, I'm still alive even though anybody that steps foot around Chicago is going to get killed.

First thing...watch where you go. Be smart about choosing your locations of where to ride. Don't follow standard bike paths...Trans Am, Katy Trail, etc. Go where people don't normally see much in the way of bikers. Things they do normally have the chance to think of ways to unload they aren't going to get after them.

Secondly, as mentioned before when you go inside make sure you can watch your bike...especially if you are in a location that has a lot of foot traffic. Normally, I don't think a thing about where my bike is parked. I don't even keep it within eye sight. Right now, because of the town I'm in...it's a different story. Learn to read where you are at and prep accordingly. Do you have a good feeling about the people you are around or don't you trust them as far as you could throw them. If you don't trust them...keep moving until you find a place that you feel more like you can trust the people.

Third, stay around smaller towns. Bigger cities will provide bigger troubles for you. I didn't go inside Chicago but I was all through the outlying suburbs of Chicago. I never feared a second for my safety. Now there was a point earlier on in the trip while in Baltimore that I wanted to get the heck out of the area.

Learn to be smart. That's your cheapest and best bike lock you will ever own.