To cyclist 5:

There really is no telling how secure your bike is. If a thief wants it, they will find a way to get it. what you want to do is make it as difficult as possible.

Using more than one type of lock is a good idea. I have the Onguard mini 7. Not as long as a typical u-lock, but not as short as the traditional mini. I am able to secure the lock through the chainstays, rear wheel, and bike rack (similar to sheldon browns method). It is also not heavy so I don't mind carrying it :thumb:.

I will also carry a cheap cable lock. I can attach that through the front wheel, frame, and a rack or sign post.

My saddle is now secured with an old bike chain looped through the saddle rails and seat stays (wrapped in an innertube). I did this after my previous saddle was stolen :cry:.

Locking skewers can also work as a deterrent.

Basically a thief would need an angle grinder for the mini, bolt cutters for the cable, and a chain tool for the saddle.

Not foolproof, but nothing is. If the bike is parked in a lit and public place hopefully they will look for an easier target.

Plus all of the things mentioned are minimal as far as weight is concerned.

As others may have mentioned, the rule is to make it look tough to the thief, so he leaves your bike alone... a cable lock and u-lock is the one of the best defenses, but the trick is to learn how to use them properly. There are some neat videos on YouTube on how to lock your bike properly. The more theft-resistance accessories you add to your bike, the better. Thieves will even go for your saddle, if it's easy to get.

I have all the accessories needed for security. I lock my bike properly. U-Lock through frame, post, and rear wheel. But there is plenty of space for tools to break it with to get into. The seatpost has a security cable wrapped around it and a loop free for a cable lock to go through. The cable lock goes through both wheels, around the frame and post and security cable free loop. I'm wondering if I should upgrade the u-lock to something smaller and thicker.

Smaller U-locks definitely work best, but sometimes it is hard to find good posts for them (hard to reach around.) If your bike is expensive, the cost of replacing the U-lock for a better one is peanuts in terms of security and peace of mind. I would also upgrade the cable lock as soon as you get a chance. I've read that cable locks with an incorporated lock work the best. Otherwise, plan on spending an additional $20 for a good stand-alone lock for your cable. Bicycle security can be expensive if one wants to do it right.

The cable lock has it's own incorporated lock. It's an OnGaurd 1/2" thick cable. Though, it does have some rust-looking spots throughout it if you look closely. Definatly upgrading that after a lock. Weight is also a concern. The New York Mini is 4lb whereas the Evolution Mini is 2.3lb but thinner. My current Trek Streetwise is about 2-3lb and is as thin as the Evolution at 13mm. I'm soooo leaning towards the New York Mini because it just looks mean!

Of course the angle grinder WILL cut a bike chain, or a cable. Bolt cutters can break a bike chain too.

Come on dude, I'm a hacker; I don't play inside protocol, I break the rules unless you actually find a way to stop me. What makes you think a bike thief is going to play fair? ;)

This is why I always say, "Whatever lock will work with whatever object you're locking the bike to." Does no good to have a lock that won't fit around a lamp post if that's the only remaining option.

Of course, that isn't a problem in areas with fewer bikes, but in some places in DC, all the bike racks can be filled, along with many parking meters and other posts.

The lock I use the most often is an OnGuard chain (the "Beast", I think). It's long enough to go through both wheels, the frame and a typical bike rack post. I'm kinda interested in the boron carbide locks & titanium chains that bluefoxicy was talking about on the first page.

Isnt a loaf of milk basically. . cheese?

http://www.amazon.com/Master-Lock-Pa...dp/B000WEIIQC/

This is what I have, except mine takes a key.

http://www.amazon.com/Kryptonite-Kry...dp/B000NOO3ZQ/

And this steel cable... right, cut the cable, ignore the lock. This is why I want to get titanium steel chain and coat it myself.

EDIT: It's notable that this kind of security is a pretty serious time-based deterrent. You can cut through titanium or probably boron carbide with an angle grinder (might take a bit longer with the boron carbide--that stuff is RIGID); in general, the malleability of the steel will dictate just how hard this is. If it can deform easily, you can deform it by pinching (bolt cutter) or abrasing (angle grinder, hack saw). If it's more rigid, you're better off sledgehammering it; but most rigid steels will flex under force rather than shattering, unless frozen.

So these resist attack, for a time; an angle grinder is rather unconventional, and whoever has that is going to want to seriously steal your bike. Count on a bolt cutter. A hacksaw takes too long, unless your bike's out of sight (or you're in New York).

But like I said, serious time-based deterrent: they're seriously heavy, and if you want the extra several minutes (hacksaw on a boron carbide anything is going to take ages, I doubt I could cut my Master Lock in half an hour but maybe I'll try one day), extra equipment (angle grinder), etc, you need to accept carrying a heavy load.

In my neck of the woods, this does nothing. The organized bike thief ring will steal anything that'll sell.

It does do something. Most thiefs don't know what bike has what frame. So if you cover up that 2.1 or Soho on that shiny Trek they can't look at it, Bing it, and know it's MSRP. They'll think it's just some other used bike you get for $300-500 at the LBS, not a $1500 bike. Or is my reasoning off?

Yes, and once the word goes out that your ride is missing, friends and acquaintances can keep an eye peeled on Craig's List and in the LBS and pawn shops... which means it's only really good for a quick fifty bucks from someone the thief knows, same as a simple BSO. Not worth the work of attacking a decent lock setup - If it requires a lot of work to re-generic the bike to sell, a pro thief will skip it, unless it's real pricey stuff.

I don't use a lock at the grocery store - I just bring the bike in with me.

I think if my bike had the right Wald basket panniers for just dropping groceries in I'd take mine in with me. I figure if the manager says something to me I'll reply "do you want to be responsible if my $2K bike gets stolen because of your generic Walmart bike rack that I can cut with a bolt cutter?" I used to work in the pharmacy of said grocery store and when I rode my bike through the drive through they got pantsy about i said my bike was a legal road vehicle :)

I use a ring lock on the frame and an abus Bordo when I leave it l for more than a few minutes.

http://simplecycle-marc.blogspot.com...ore-locks.html

Marc

I found a 6 foot lenght of coated SST cable at work today, I'll crimp some eyes on the ends when I get a chance. It's a start anyway.

Drop a GPS beacon into he seat tube. . .

I'm in Evanston, IL and thought a u-lock was overkill as well. Then my bike was stolen yesterday at the train station, so now I'm not so sure. Fortunately, I had no emotional attachment to the bike. I had about $500 into it though. The bike was a single-speed (no skewers) locked to a strong bike rack with a Kryptonite lock (whatever it was that they replaced the Bic-pen-vulnerable locks with), through the back wheel, the seat tube and the bike rack. At least, that's the theory. While I am an experienced cyclist there's always the slim chance that I somehow missed the bike rack. I came across this thread while searching for lock alternatives.

So I'm in the market for a replacement commuter bike and a new lock... :(

Looks like more stuff to part out and sell on craigslist to me. A good lock to a stationary object in a highly visible location is all we can really do.

Marc

Narrowed it down now. I'm now debating whether to get the Evolution 4 or the Evolution Mini. I like how the mini deters tools with it's small size but the Evolution 4 Standard would allow me to lock the front wheel to the back wheel if I ever forgot the cable lock. Both only have a 9/12 rating but both weigh half as much as the New York equivalents.

Ouch! Sorry about your luck. May I suggest buying two locks for your new bike?

Sorry to hear that. Though it sounds like you did nearly all that could be done. My U is 'post-Bic' but not the latest greatest. If I were parking near a higher traffic area (bus/train station, Walmart, etc) I'd definitely step up the locking strategy to a mini-U with cable, and take lights, bags, etc with me.

The crazy thing is I would normally have ridden the dang thing to work and parked it inside (we have a sweet setup at work). The weather was crappy yesterday, so I just rode my bike to the train station because I was running a bit late for the train I wanted to catch. Normally I would have just walked to the train.

That absolutely sucks.

Anyone here use the bike registry thing. . . or a bike registry thing? I think me living in a small town it would work fine. Not a lot of places to sell where it could go "unoticed"

Hell. . I may actually be the only one IN town that actually HAS a bike. . . i mean a somewhat nice one. Hmm. . . .

To the person who got their bike stolen: if you don't need to carry a whole lot of things and don't mind using a backpack. Get a folding bike and bring it everywhere you go. Something like a Strida so you can roll it everywhere even when folded. A locked bike is just asking for it. In a hot market, it'll get stolen eventually...just a matter of time.

So my way of thinking is to don't tempt the bike thieves with your nice nice bikes, but if you do have to haul crap and absolutely need to use a regular non folding bike, use a beater...afterall, this is just commuting...no need for uber light bikes for commuting...leave your nice bike safe and sound at home fortified like fort knox.

Some of us though can't afford two bikes. I can't afford to commute on a beater bike, it just takes too long. I have ONE nice bike that I commute one and race on (road and cyclocross). It's a $2K bike but I park it at bike racks in very public places near entrances to work/class, lock it with two seperate lock types, and walk by it every couple hours at least. It's all I can do but I can't afford to go on a cheaper slower bike.

Thanks for the folder suggestion. A better (and cheaper) option for me would be to just leave the house five minutes earlier so I can walk to the train (that's my normal modus operandi). I'd also prefer a more efficient bike when I commute (12 miles one way), which is typically all the time in nice weather. My actual nice bike (Madone 5.2) would never be left outside, and is essentially never ridden in the rain. The commuter was better than a beater, but not terrific. (Schwinn Madison, flat bars, Crank Brothers pedals.) The only thing kind of unique about it were the old Galli levers.