Originally Posted by
Maelochs
I have no real numbers to support it ... but it seems most thefts are thefts of convenience. A cable will discourage a lot of lazy, half-hearted thieves because the three-to-five minutes it might slow them down is more than a cheap bike is worth to them.
That's what I think too.
The first lock that you use to protect your bike, no matter how flimsy, is about 90% effective because it's enough to stop the crimes of convenience. Moving from 90% effective to 99% effective involves a progressively more weight, bulk and cost. 100% effective doesn't exist.
Choose a protection/risk/cost level that you are comfortable with.