How to carry the cable for a U-Lock?
 

Hello all. A couple days ago, I upgraded my cable lock to an Onguard mini u-lock. It's great, I feel a lot more secure. The thing is, it came with a cable, which is also great, the bike racks at school are too thick the fit the wheel and the post. So, I use the cable to lock up the front wheel and attach the whole thing to the post. The thing is, I need help figuring out how to attach the cable. The u-lock came with a frame attachment, so that's not a problem, but I cannot figure out a way to attach the cable to my bike, with it falling off. My old cable lock was obviously able to lock to itself, so I could wrap it around the top tube, but the new, lockless cable is thicker, so less flexible, and even if I could wrap it around, it would quickly come undone. For now, I'm carrying the cable in my backpack, but that's a PITA to take off my backpack, lock up, and then put it back on, especially when I have a lot of stuff to bring to school. I realize I'll probably have to bite the bullet and keep carrying it in my backpack, but does anyone have a solution that they use for carrying a lockless cable?

Since you have a U-lock mount, what I do -- coil the cable, run the U-lock through it, hang it on the bar -- won't work for you. What you COULD do, though, is coil the cable, and hook it with one of those decent-sized caribiniers from Wally, and hang it THAT way on the bar.

If you coil the cable down to about the size of a roll of ductape, it will carry just about anywhere.

Thick cables cannot be coiled like that.

Mine was a long thick one. I wrapped it twice around my waist, and secured it with the padlock.

What I do now is to leave the U lock on the rack I use at the station. Leave the cAble with the lock. Of course that doesn't work if you're needing to lock the bike up at multiple places.

Do you leave your bike in a high theft area, where a U lock alone wouldn't suffice?

Or does your commuter bike still have quick-release hardware? ;)

Wrap it around me like a sash, or a gunslinger. The OnGuard one I have has a little velcro loop so you can use that to secure it.

The problem with this approach is, if you get into a collision and require medical care, paramedics will have trouble removing the cable from your body quickly. Paramedics don't usually carry bolt cutters with them. Hopefully, they can locate your keys, or you will be conscious enough to unlock your padlock and receive the care you'll nee.d

shove it thru ur belt loops

Leave the lock & cable at the school rack and carry a lighter cable lock on the bike for short lock-ups running errands. Laminate a "Call/message xxx-xxx-xxxx before removing" card to the cable/lock if you are afraid the facilities people will get frisky with their bolt cutters. (Use a google voice number so you don't have to give out a live number.)

velcro straps? I have a coiled up armored cable lock hanging from the top tube.

I got myself recently the same OnGurad Mini U-Lock, my bike has a front basket so is ok to carry it there. But when I commute sometimes bu bus I have to take the cable out of the basket just in case it won't fall off if the bus hits a bump or something. I find it a little uncomfortable cause sometimes I find myself as well having to keep the cable on my bag.

Today though, I had to carry stuff in my basket, my bag pack was full and then I figure to wrap it up with the Velcro as usual and hang it on the handlebar making sure it wont interfere with anything else. It work...so that is the only way I figure out how to fix the problem.

Good Luck....

good idea, Leave the lock & cable at the school rack and carry a lighter cable lock on bike for short lock-ups running..http://www.okhealthy.com/youjie/images/6.gif

sorry to be an idiot, but what's a "lockless cable."

i really like the ABUS Bordo lock FWIW.