Top Gunner

I've seen the YouTube video where someone cuts through a wheel in a few seconds. I'm not asking for speculation, or opinions about what may and may not be possible using this method, I get all of that. I'm asking if anyone has actually had practical experience with this lock strategy failing? I've been using it, and I've had no issues, but there's always this itch in the back of my mind that the frame isn't technically secured to anything. Thanks!

https://www.sheldonbrown.com/lock-strategy.html

Scheherezade 

If someone is savvy enough to overcome Sheldon's strategy, they are savvy enough for anything else. I wouldn't worry about it.

bcubed

Well, there have been a lot of advances in battery power recently (Li-ion, for example) that have made battery-powered Sawzalls and cutting wheel tools much more practical and powerful.

I'm guessing the S.B. advice pre-dates this technological advance, as he mentions "bolt cutters" as a preferred tool for theives.

So, today, any lock is rather easily defeatable, thus my first advice is to use a commuter without much black-market value, and save the high-zoot for the weekends.

My second advice would be to park out in the open, in a location where the noise of a Sawzall would quickly draw attention.

Boozerguyzer

so he's suggesting basically locking only the rear wheel to whatever your locking post is...interesting. He defends the idea pretty well so it definitely interests me, but I'll still be locking my fantomcross through the rear wheel AND frame with the front wheel attached. Paranoid maybe, but people in downtown MPLS like their free bikes!

Chris Pringle

No issues with Sheldon's locking method. Unless I remove the front wheel, I also use a cable lock to secure the front wheel and the real wheel together. When they see two different methods that they have to break, they just leave the bike alone.

Andy_K 

I put the U-lock around the seat stays and the bike rack, between the spokes. This seems to me to be superior to Sheldon's method. The seat stay method has the downside that it requires a slightly larger lock, but it has the significant advantage that it is more obvious to the would-be thief that the bike is secure and thus reduces the chances that I'll come back to a damanged bike due to a botched theft attempt.

jr59

Any lock or method can be defeated! Given the correct tools and time.

Cordless grinders and sawzalls will cut most.

There is no 100% way to be safe. Well maybe don't have a bike.

All we can do is make it as hard for a thief to take, but if he REALLY wants it. It's his, with little you can do to stop him.

bluefoxicy

This is why we invented cars and motorcycles. Sure you can steal a motorcycle and we use chains to secure those, too; but be realistic. It weighs 800, maybe 1200 pounds. You're walking it all the way home, or putting it on a truck and trying to speed away. It's also a registered vehicle, but this doesn't much matter to a chop shop.

Stealing a car is even harder.

Thus, people drive cars because it's the ultimate in security. People drive cars because the world is filled with spineless, thieving *******s that'll steal your bike out in broad daylight!

Andy_K 

This is true, but the question, I think, is whether it's harder to cut a well-built wheel or a U-lock. I think the lock may be the weak point.

sauerwald

I use the Sheldon Brown method for my commuter, and it sits in a parking garage all day, on our corporate campus and have not had issues - however, I don't think that the crime rate in that area is that high, so I am not overly concerned.

My particular commute bike is at the high end of commuter bikes - custom steel frame and top notch components. Total cost for the bike was over $5K. If I wanted to steal it, what I would probably do is park a pickup truck next to the bike rack, and then just cut through the rear rim and tire to be able to take the bike, leaving the U-lock attached to the rack. Probably less than 30 seconds of work with a battery powered sawzall. I would then need to buy a new rim, tire and spokes, and would have to rebuild the rear wheel before being able to sell the bike. I am not too concerned about this scenario since I don't think that many bike thieves are willing to put forth the extra effort, and I don't think that the value to a bike thief of a $5000 bike is 10X the value of a $500 bike. He probably can't sell either one for more than $100.

groovestew

This exactly describes my choice of locking method and rationale.

DogBoy

My commuter is a semi-customized LHT. I use a ulock between the frame and the bike lock, then use a flexible cable to run through the rear wheel and front wheel, but its still only one lock. I park next to a trek 7.5 FX that is not locked at all. I figure I'm safe until his bike is stolen.

bcubed

A "well-built wheel" is made of aluminum and rubber, both of which are engineered to be as light (less material) as possible. A battery-powered circular saw w/ composite blade would be through a wheel in less time than it took to place this post.

The thing you're hoping is that a non-functional bike that had to be walked away from the scene would be much more conspicuous than a fully functional bike that would be ridden away, to the point that it would serve as a deterrent.

(And lest anyone freak out, I'm speaking from ample experience AS A SCRAPPER, not a bike thief. Heck, folks *throw out* more "perfectly good bikes" than I could ever fix up and ride myself!)

richardmasoner

Where's the video? I've been wanting to make one myself (in the style of Myth Busters), but it looks like I don't need to bother anymore.

toddles

This is my 2 cents. I am not an owner of a lock. If I can't take my bike in with me wherever I go -- I don't ride. But I understand some people don't have that choice or prefer not to make it their choice. But the bottom line is a good lock really only prevents the frame from being stolen. Think about it. How long would it take you to strip down a bicycle for it's parts if you wanted them? Therefore, I think locks are only a deterrent but anybody who wants it and makes an effort to get it can or at least most the good stuff anyway.

bhop

yes

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H9fLtdZyX-A

edit:... nevermind.. i didn't read the part in the op's post that he'd seen this vid before I posted... but this is still enough for me to 'not' use the sheldon brown method.

Boozerguyzer

I've made sure to strip all my hex screws down to nothing

monsterpile

If someone is bringing any type of powered saw to steal your bike and they want it then they will get it. If you are really paranoid about your bike getting stolen lock it with a good lock, make peace with the fact it might happen or get a bike that you will have more peace about if someone wants it more than you.

bcubed

Or replace 'em with Torx screws? How many thieves would be packing a set of those? (Entertain the guy down at the LBS while you're at it......)

CACycling

Kind of like the heavy duty steering wheel locks that are locking a steering wheel that is made of fairly thin metal encased in foam and/or plastic. Cutting the wheel would be far easier than cutting the lock.

bluefoxicy

You mean The Club? Have you ever stolen a car?

If you're wandering the streets carrying a breaker bar, the cops might want to ask you a few questions. It's uncomfortable, and you have cops watching you. You can be picked up for suspicious activity, annoyingly, and they can eject you within 48 hours if they don't find anything to charge you with.

A hacksaw blade fits in your pocket.

Saw through the steering wheel, probably plastic core, takes 2 minutes. Remove The Club. Wedge The Club into the wheel. Turn The Club. Break The Steering Lock. Hotwire car. Drive away.

Yes, you actually have to break the steering lock to drive off with a hotwired car. Didn't you know that? It's far easier to steal a car equipped with The Club than it is to steal an unequipped car, unless you're carrying large, suspicious-looking tools.

toddles

I'm going to speak more brazen now. Locks are an illusion and provide a false sense of security. I could give a rip about your frame --- but if I wanted your expensive parts I could get them in a matter of minutes. If you can, take your bike in with you -- or don't take it at all.

bluefoxicy

There's lots of funny security stuff. Things that are deterrents, psychological annoyances, the like.

One deterrent is more bicycling. Imagine if there were 10 bikes parked at your bike rack instead of just your one. Now, I'm looking at the components on your bike, I can sell those pretty easy and cleanly... hell, I could salvage bikes, sell the components, mix your junk in with stuff I salvaged, it looks legit, you can't prove anything, and if someone gets suspicious they see that I go through dozens of legally abandoned bikes all the time so hey.

People walking by, on the street, whatever, might say something, call the cops, gotta be clear right? But they'll leave me alone... in and out case. Got your Brooks saddle, your derailleurs, shifters, all in about 8 minutes ... oh, nice pedals, I'll take that too, and the BB comes out pretty quick right? No? Leave it behind ....

But there's 10 bikes here. At any time, one of these other jackasses might come back to find me picking over your bike. Now granted, people on the street don't care, I mean they don't park their bikes here, they drive cars. You show up though ... YOU ride bikes too; next week it might be YOUR bike I'm picking over.

Now I'm going to run away, because I'm pretty sure you're going to kick me in the face.

You know, if bikes were pretty popular, and there were lots of them in and out, and people who might take somewhat more serious offense to you stripping the bike right next to theirs wandering by every so often ... people might not want to get caught picking things off your bike. Just a thought.

Security is a funny thing... no, not really. Society is a funny thing. My bike is no more secure because there's 10 more bikes here; it's just less likely to be attacked.

Pedaleur

Exactly. Even though it _is_ secure, it might not look like it to a thief who thinks he can get the wheel off.

Pedaleur

Can you just go away already?