I've been trying this little neat contraption for the past week and it's kinda awesome. I looked for those wrapped metal ties (never found them) and came across this thing called the "cable wraptor". I bought the medium size one and it works great. It'll probably snap in the harsh Chicago winter but it has been working great now. You can buy them on ebay for less than $3 US dollars. I purchased the medium size and it works perfectly. Easy on and off and I just clip it to the end of my bike while I'm riding. Way easier than the velcro straps and just as secure. I'll probably buy a few more as backups.