Originally Posted by alanbikehouston
Crooks are also lazy. There is always a bike nearby using a cable lock, or with the lock attached to only the front wheel, or locked with a u-lock bought at Wal-Mart. THOSE bikes can be stolen in under thirty seconds. No reason to bring in heavy duty tools, and spend ten or fifteen sweaty minutes struggling with a "SB" locked bike.
I have seen two bikes in downtown Houston with their frames turned into pretzels. If a u-lock from Wal-Mart is placed around the frame of a Wal-Mart bike, a crook can simply pick up the bike, and use its frame as a lever to pop the lock. The tubes on the frame of a Wal-Mart frame are stronger than the tubes on a Wal-Mart U-lock.
When a crook uses the "frame lever" method against a bike with a light weight frame, with paper thin tubing, locked with an OnGuard or Kryptonite U-lock, he ends up turning the frame into a pretzel, but fails to pop the lock.
In theory, a crook could remove the rear tire and tube, and use appropriate tools to cut the rear rim. Doing so would be time consuming, hard work, and would destroy the single most valuable component on the bike, as well as making the bike both impossible to ride, and impossible to easily sell.
How many bike owners use the "SB" method? From what I see in Houston, maybe one or two percent. The majority of bikes in Houston have cheapo locks that are attached to the wrong part of the bike, and attached to poles or racks that are even flimsier than the cheapo lock.
I saw a college student buying a $500 bike to park on campus. She was trying to chose between a $20 cable lock, and a $50 u-lock. She told me "I'm going to get the cable lock...that is what everyone at my school uses, and I can't afford the extra $30"
Which is the reason why her campus is the daily target of crooks seeking to steal nice bikes. I wonder if she can afford $500 to replace her new bike if she can't afford a decent lock?
FYI: Walmart carries kryptonite locks, both "U" and cable type, in both key lock and combonation. Cable lock (Model: KCL) is not made for hi theft areas:
Originally Posted by www.kryptonitelock.com
Cable security perfect for quick release component and accessory lock-up or as a secondary deterrent. For security in low crime areas and well-lit lock-up situations
For best protection against theft, use cables with a Kryptonite U-Lock or Disc Lock. Cables are recommended as a secondary deterrent, or for additional protection of quick-release components and accessories.
Sounds good enough to lock a bike to a pole outside Osco while I run in and buy some smokes. It or the U type are both under $15 at Walmart. I fig'd the cable would be better to stop an opportunist who will toos the bike in the back of his pickup and drive off with it if it's not locked to sumpthin. Like I said, if I get a good bike, I'll carry the better lock, or just not leave it. If I were to commute, I could bring it inside. Otherwise, I'm just excercising or buying smokes.