Anti Theft Skewer Opinions?
 

Hi All! I recently bought a vintage road bike with quick release skewers and I want to replace them with anti-theft skewers. The bike has gold alloy rims so while it may not be expensive, to the Detroit opportunistic thief I'm sure it looks it.
What experience have other people had with skewers?

I rode with Pit-Lock skewers for a while. They are worth the price.

Hub Locks and there is another that uses a special key. The lock uses similar screws that are used in bathroom stalls. You know the ones that look like a phillips head, but are not.

Even the basic security skewers using pentagonal allen keys work fairly well. The pitlocks, which have complex and varied keys, have got to be much better.

I have pinhead skewers. I park outside in Manhattan. I still have my wheels.

The Zefal 'Lock and Roll' skewers are clever, relatively secure, and less of a PITA to use than most security skewers. There is no key to forget the one time you get a flat tire, but most of the time, the wheel is completely locked in place.

I have Pitlocks on the three bikes I'll ride somewhere and lock. The fourth bike has ordinary bolt-on skewers.

I like the Pitlocks because there are many different "pits", instead of one or two special wrenches (Pinhead, Delta and others), and because they make more than just locking skewers. I bought three sets, keyed-alike, that include a Pitlocked seatpost bolt and headset cap.

I have the Lock N Roll's on my bike, and just put them on my sister's bike (bought her new wheels after her son's use of her bike got the wheels stolen -- not enough cable to do it right). Granted, people don't mess with my bike, but I don't think anyone's even NOTICED. They look a lot like regular nutted axles to the casual observer.

I have these........http://store.velo-orange.com/index.p...t-skewers.html

I've got the V-O skewers. I keep the key in my wallet so I don't forget it... and it's just an 8mm security-pattern Allen-head wrench, available online in case V-O decides to stop stocking it, but unlikely to be carried by a hardware store (and thus available to thieves). They work very well - very light, and quick to get on and off. I keep my bike locked at the train station for 10+ hours a day, and the wheels haven't gone missing. I used to have a cable lock for the wheels, but I haven't needed it since I installed the security skewers.

LOVE my pinhead skewers, am also in manhattan, still have my wheels, fork, seatpost and seat! The latest addition to their product line is the saddle lock. they used to only have the replacement for the quick release on the seat tube, now they make an additional one that blocks access to the hexnut on the actual saddle. It's much better than doing the old chain through the seat rails and seat stays trick. I commute everywhere on my bike and its great just locking the frame to something and not ahving to weave a heavy ass chain through spokes, wack it against my carbon fork, take my seat off and carry it with me, etc.

Those of you using pit locks, where are you buying them from? I just checkecd out their website but the language translation isn't wonderful. I noticed they seem to offer some options for VBrakes and Disc Brakes which would be AWESOME for me. I've recently built a commuter with a disc brake and I can totally see someone wanting to jack that.

Peter White Cycles, US
Urban Bike Tech, US & Canada

TIP: Swing by the hardware store and buy a Clevis Pin to keep the pit on your keyring.

Oh - a trick for the cheaper skewers and anything expensive fitted with a hex key: full up the space with a small ball bearing held in place by hot melt glue. Carry a neodymium magnet and swiss army knife with an awl to get the gunk and bb out. Not hard, but takes a few minutes - very discouraging to thieves.

could just put solid axles in the hubs and fix with hex nuts., get a chain and lock
long enough to hold both wheels and the bike to a fixed object.

Lighter the bike, heavier the lock ..

I use skewers with hex heads an all my bikes. Seems to be enough for short stops during the day, plus I run my cables through the frame and the wheels so that's an additional deterrent. Of course, I wouldn't trust this setup with overnight parking in the city.

Pit-locks work...just don't loose the key....$35 replacement.

Wow thanks for all the tips guys! The pitlocks are very impressive but just out of my price range.

I use an earlier generation of these keyed skewers http://www.rei.com/product/732406 priced at $59.

I keep the key/wrench hidden on the bike. The key is a little slippery and awkward against the nut, but I don't need it to be fast and I only take the wheels off once or twice a year or so to replace tubes or service the bike.

I used to think that, but then started to think about how much my bike is worth to me.

I agree with that, but then I remember that I'm a college student that has to do the best the can with their part time paycheck. :b
Sigh. One day...

I ordered the three pack of pinheads last week, they should arrive today. I'll be sure to post about how the install goes. I also plan to buy their saddle lock in the future.

Me too.

I use the On-Guard locking skewers too and I agree, the wrench is slippery and awkward to use. Where/how do you hide the key on the bike? I'm always afraid I'll leave the key at home or in the wrong bag and have a flat somewhere. I'd rather keep it on the bike.