Interesting post. I appreciate the posters expertise with locking devices.

When I was preparing for my first crosscountry tour I worried about how to secure my bike and bought a widely touted cable lock. When it arrived I quickly decided that I was going to find something that was quite so heavy.

I now use 3/16" marine stainless cable with a decent small padlock. The cable is long so that I can wrap it around most trees. The whole set up weighs 1/2 the cable lock I threw away.

I agree with the poster that no matter what you use to secure the bike you still have to consider where you are, how long you will be away, etc.