Am I missing something about saddle security (Pit Locks)?
 

Ok I've done a lot of searching on all of the BF topics regarding the best way to secure your saddle / seatpost. There are some very interesting ideas out there (most notably threading an old bike chain through the saddle rails and the frame).

About the Pit Lock bolts for the seat post - isn't securing the seat post kind of useless? The seat post bolt only secures the seat post to the frame (at least on my bike - Jamis Aurora). The saddle is then clamped to the seat post using 1 or 2 allen bolts. Even if you have a Pit Lock on the seat post bolt, anyone with an Allen wrench can still unscrew your saddle from the saddle clamp, correct?

Am I missing something here?

the Pit Locks are better than a QR seatpost. I personally have an allen bolt.

and, besides, anybody with a 5mm allen wrench can strip most everything off my bike, anyway.

I don't doubt that anything is better than a QR clamp. However - my question is that even if you secure the seatpost then anyone can still take the saddle by unscrewing your saddle clamp bolts. Is that correct? If so, then why don't they make Pit Locks for your saddle clamp?

The pitlock skewer merely makes it more difficult for someone to steal your saddle. They can still unbolt your saddle from the seatpost. You can superglue ball bearings into the hex socket to prevent this.

Replacing the quick release or normal bolt on a seat post clamp slows down a potential thief, it takes a little longer to monkey with the saddle clamp bolt to remove the seat. What you are trying to do is slow down the thief to make him/her look for easier and faster claims elsewhere. That's all the chain does as well, slows them down.

I will be using the chain method on my Fillmore to secure the Brooks saddle on it. I've got a section of worn out 10-speed chain with the hollow pins which I've slipped into a snug fitting length of clear tubing to help keep the chain from removing paint from the bike frame. The exposed portion of the chain where I put it back together will be positioned and held up under the saddle with a small tie wrap. The only thing this will do is to try and slow down any potential thieves, think quick snaggers outside of a waterfront coffee shop while I run inside to hit the restroom. :eek:

Yeah, but then you can't get it off either! :cry:

To the original poster - You have a good point. It's a little more time consuming and akward to unscrew the seat from the post than it is to unscrew the seatpost, but not by *that* much.

Id be pissed if some jagoff took my moots ti post... I'd have a pitlock on that one.

also, you can get creative with bolts:
http://www.brycefastener.com/keyedlok.htm

Sure you can. Think chemistry instead of physics. Though you'll want to be careful, because that which removes super glue can also remove paint or clear coat.

And after all, what are the odds that a bike thief would have nail polish remover on him?

..never mind, forgot about the hipsters.

All this stuff does is slow down a thief to either give you time to get back to your bike to catch them before they make off with your stuff or make the would-be thief think twice and move on to an easier target.

Any lock can be cut if given enough time and the proper tools. If you can't keep your bike with you at all time and have to lock it up, all you can do is try to dissuade the opportunistic thief and seriously slow down a determined one.

Remove anything that's QR if you can and if you can't, then use a sturdy cable or other chain to tether down the QR parts the best you can and pray your stuff will still be there when you return.

Why don't they just throw in a 4th pit?
 

Why don't they just throw in a 4th pit into the set?

superglue/ball bearing method: http://velospace.org/forums/discussi...ntion/#Item_14

but seriously: I've never understood why they don't address this by simply making a seat pit as well. unless i'm missing something too.

For which brand of seatpost? Too many variations in bolt lengths and sizes I suspect.

One ofthe most theft resistant seat posts ever was the old Campy with two top of post bolts used to retain the saddle and adjust the angle. Tight enough clearances so Campy even made a special wrench for adjustment and tightening. I still have one of the posts though it is not currently installed on a bike.

Wow, those sure look great! Lets find a couple hundred other people to split that 2500 minimum order. :eek:

Am I the only person who just takes his saddle and seatpost with him?

You're not alone. This polarbear does as well. Tho I need a seat post cap just to keep stuff from falling or raining into the seat tube. :(:( Any ideas or so they have such caps at Home Depot?

i know this is an old thread but we were talking about it in another thread and it came up in a search. Pinhead makes a saddle lock as well as a seatpost lock

http://www.pinheadlocks.com/index.ph...mid=60&lang=en

I'm still looking for a security nut that fits triple-rail Brooks saddles and other straight-seatpost saddle clamps (I have a few nice vintage saddles as well).

Pitlock sells a small steel cable lanyard that you loop around the rails of your saddle then use the other loop to connect to the pitlock seatpost clamp. Look at this pic, it's there but kinda hard to see. It's just like those full size cables you see at shops. Some shops even carry those small lanyard cables...
http://bikeforums.net/attachment.php...hmentid=195048
I myself use an old single speed bike chain. Just like Treebound... use a chaintool to trim a length of chain, then use a old road tube cut to same length. Drop the chain into the tube then wrap tube covered chain around the rails of your saddle and top tube. use chaintool to reconnect chain.
Anyone whos gonna want your saddle not ony needs tools to remove it, but they're gonna have to earn it as well. I also will use a waterproof saddle cover or a shower cap to help "camo" my Brooks Flyer in high theft hotspots. these methods help and, may give a little piece of mind.