Nutted wheel security?
 

Do you suppose that using a nutted front wheel would be enough of a deterrent to theft? I mean, I suppose if a thief was looking to use tools to steal parts instead of a whole bike, he could go for my seat, seat post, bars, stem, crankset, etc.

My point is... would using nutted wheels be enough "security" that all I would need to do is run a U-lock through the frame to a post/rack/etc? Or should I go with a QR front wheel, and remove the wheel everytime I park?

I changed my wheels to nutted.
At least the thief will have to have a wrench handy.
I had a rear wheel stolen that was QR. It was just too easy for the thief.

Since most of my bikes with nutted wheels are cheaper, all I lock is the frame. That keeps my bike from being ridden off, and no one is going to bother stealing cheap parts.

If I had expensive wheels, I'd still cable lock the wheels and use the U-Lock, depending on where I was parking and how long.

Nutted wheels provide a little bit of security, but not enough that I'd feel comfortable leaving them unlocked in a theft prone area for an extended period of time.

There are security skewers , that need a tool to remove , from Common allen wrenches to a special key
(Pitlock) that is specific to the set you buy..

http://www.endeavorproducts.com/ word has it you can get into a pitlock with one of these, but I haven't seen it on video or anything. Still... unlikely they'd carry one unless they were going for wheels with pitlocks : P which would be pretty ridiculous and would fall under the "if they want it bad enough, they'll find a way" category.

There was a reality show about NYC messengers awhile back. In one of the two eps that aired,one of the guys had his wheels stolen. He just had the frame locked,the wheels were nutted,and they were taken from out in front of the place where he worked. Considering how many 'fixie tools' out there have a 15mm,I wouldn't consider them to be real security.

Pinhead/Pitlock for quick lockups,otherwise two locks or lock/cable.

I think that Pitlocks are also vulnerable to flathead screwdrivers. I have a pair of clever Zefal locking skewers that are vulnerable to magnets, and the standard V-O type are vulnerable to channel locks.

All security only buys you time, but if you're leaving your bike someplace so dangerous that all of these attacks are likely, you might want to consider leaving your bike in a different place.

Add a cable to your U-Lock and use it through both wheels whether Q/R, Nutted or theft resistant.

Yup.....cable & U lock all the way.

I use nutted axles instead of QR and the same for the seatpost as well for a touch more security. But then I have more problems with vandalism then theft in my area and I get to bring my bike inside the shop at work so it only gets to sit outside locked to something when I'm inside a store shopping on the way to and from.

On thing that could be good is triangle or pentagon shaped nuts that you couldn't work with a regular wrench. I've seen them used on security system housing and automatic card swipe gates and such. Difficult to get by design and the same goes for the special ratchet socket to tighten and loosen them. Wonder where you could get some in the right size threads for a bike axle?

Obviously it depends on the level of crime where you're parking. I would consider a nutted wheel adequate security for the wheel, (I would u-lock the frame and not worry about the wheel, but I would not u-lock the wheel and not worry about the frame). The only things I've ever had stolen off my bike were accessories that did not require tools to remove.

I don't see that it's any higher security to throw a cable through your wheel. In either case, a tool is required to make the theft, but nothing that is uncommon or can't be easily carried around and concealed when not in use. Both is obviously higher security, since then you'd need two different tools to carry out the theft.