Best locking technique?
 

Just wondering what you guys do if you ever have to lock up your bike outside the office, school, apartment, etc? I need advice on best locking technique for college campus. Would it be best to go with two u-locks or one u-lock and one cable? Since my landlord won't let me bring my bike into my apartment, I plan on taking the front wheel off and taking it with me but still need advice on locking up the rest of the ride. Is a saddle cable enough to secure the seatpost and saddle? I feel like it is much too thin and a pair of scissors could easily slice through it.

Thanks guys.

My advice is don't depend on locks. There are far too many videos on youtube showing just how easy it is for thieves to get through them.

Consider combining your lock with a vibration sensitive alarm. They are really cheap and run on batteries. For example:

http://www.aliexpress.com/item/Micro...825132381.html
or
http://www.aliexpress.com/item/Bike-...903225797.html
or some of these:
http://www.ebay.com.sg/sch/i.html?_t...at=0&_from=R40

Secondly, consider "uglifying" your bike:
http://dominicwilcox.com/portfolio/a...arbike-device/
Prevention is better than the cure.

I was considering an alarm awhile back but couldn't find much info on them or anyone who used them. Have you used an alarm and how well do they work?

Another poster here mentioned using a bike chain wrapped in old intertube to run through the frame and seat to secure the seat. It would require a chain tool to remove (or a battery powered angle grinder). If you have a quick release seatbost binder, you could replace it with and allen keyed binder bolt. Not foolproof, but requires a tool (and if you leave your wedge pack on the bike, they can just get the tool from there). Your first step is to get renters insurance (not sure they would cover it parked outside), take photos, write down the serial number.
If you don't have emotional attachment to the bike, then uglify it. Wrap some electrical tape around the tubes (for some reason it makes the bike look like it was broken, although electrical tape would never hold a broken frame together). Tape up the seat. Get a sharpie marker and write your name on it in various places. You can even google how to uglify a bike.
The bottom line, if it's unattended, someone will attend to it, so make it less attractive to them.

I've been using these types of alarms for about a year now. The first one I bought had buttons on it, and you had to type in the code to disarm it. Unfortunately it began to malfunction (would not disarm) on me after around 6 months of use. I am now using one of these:

http://www.aliexpress.com/item/Free-...702848146.html

This one uses conventional keys, so there no code to type in. I'm hoping it will behave better than the last one. It actually also mounts on a nail in the wall (or door), if you want additional home/apartment security.

But my situation is different. I have a folding bike, so it is rare that I keep it out of my sight for any length of time. I park it in my cubicle while at work, and it takes up very little space at my apartment. In fact the reason I bought a foldie was for security - I just couldn't bear the thought of risking theft. If the option is available I highly recommend changing to a folding bike for peace of mind.

In addition to the alarm I use a simple number combination cable lock. The cable lock will not trouble thieves too much, but any fiddling will cause movement. If the bike moves the alarm is set off and I come running with whatever convenient weapon I have nearby.

I suggest you invest in two locks - an U-lock and the cable-alarm or frame mounted alarm.

Variations on locking technique:

http://www.ravingbikefiend.com/bikepics/lockup2b.JPG

http://www.ravingbikefiend.com/bikepics/lockup2c.JPG

http://www.ravingbikefiend.com/bikepics/lockup2d.JPG

Move.

I've been car-free since 1999. I've learned to interview potential landlords to find those who are bike-friendly.

My current landlord helped me install my racks in my living room. And you'll notice they have a locking loop for my U-locks and I use a cable to the radiator too.

http://www.brucew.com/images/bikefor...in-out-800.jpg

Right now I'm one of four car-free cyclists in the building (46 units total) and there are several other occasional and recreational cyclists here as well. For those who don't want to carry their bikes up the stairs, the landlord lets them lock their bikes to pipes in the boiler room.

Personally I am using this Kryptonite lock http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00...?ie=UTF8&psc=1

If you go to their website, you can find that they offer an insurance plan in case if your lock fails. Haven't had that issue (yet?), but sounds nice.

I would suggest talking to campus security. They should be able to give you advice about what types of locks, but also about where to park the bike for best security. Just a thought.

Tough call. Many campuses are bike theft central.

Make it ugly / buy a beater, if you must lock it up, your U-Lock must not have enough space for someone to slip a jack into. Chains should not hang low on the ground to provide leverage for bolt cutters.

Your apartment, you should be able to bring whatever you want inside. Carry up on shoulder, put down on mat/rug/ tray for water and dirt issues. " Sixty Fiver" not good locking technique. U lock should go through frame. Better yet, take off front wheel, and lock to post through frame and rear wheel. Is that a sign post you are locking it to? Just need to undo 2 bolts and the whole bike slides up and away.

Excellent setup, nice pic, TSL.
Thanks for the share.

I use two 6' cables with decent-sized padlocks and a U-lock while my bike is unattended at work, secured in an outside common area not visibile from the street with lots of foot traffic going in and out of the building. Three locks hopefully appears daunting enough for the average opportunist, but I have no illusion that a determined pro would be deterred.

Thanks for the advice so far guys. I'm basically going to go overboard protecting my bike even though it's only a $300 bike. I'm planning on getting a Kryptonite New York Lock for sure. I would also need a saddle cable but those are thin and I'm not sure how secure it would be. I will also have a chain that used to be used for a moped so I'll use that for overnight parking. My question is should I get two U-locks or one U-lock and one cable for the frame for shorter stops?

You say "campus", but then you say "landlord" and "apartment" so I'm confused. Are you living in a dorm, or in an off campus apartment?

I kept my bike in my dorm room when I was in college, and in every apartment building I lived in after that. It might be that I live in a city with a fairly heavy amount of biking...

The first thing is, if you're leaving your bike outside overnight, your bike better not be expensive. I mean it depends on where you live - I went to college in a small town and a cheap bike locked with a cable lock never got stolen though it was locked up outside on campus.

Two ulocks would probably be the most secure, if you have something secure to lock them to. Not much point in 2 ulocks if you're just locked them to a wood railing, for example.

I actually **wouldn't** take your front wheel with you. If your bike looks like it's been abandoned (front wheel missing), that seems to greatly increase the chance that someone will strip the parts off your bike, or that an official (landlord, university person) will decide the bike has been abandoned and cut the lock off of it.

The most secure thing for a seat is to get different kinds of bolts with weird heads on them and replace the current bolts. I know people do it, I don't know much beyond that though, unfortunately (no specific links). The biggest thing is to either not have a quick release seatpost thingy - or to take your whole seat with you inside (take a rear reflector mount and tighten it down with the seat on the bike, then when you put the seat back on it will always be at the exact same height). This kind of contradicts my previous advice about not making the bike look like it's abandoned, but...lol, what can I do (and missing a seatpost is less abandoned looking than missing a wheel).

Keep in mind that storing any bike outside where it's exposed to rain / snow will have a very bad effect on the longetivity of the bike components. If you can store it somewhere where it won't get hit with rain or snow it's fine, but constantly getting hit with rain or snow will mean a lot shorter chain life, as well as the derailler, gears, etc.

The only other thing you can do is buy a folding bike. They make some that are full 700c wheels, to 26" wheels, to 24" wheels, to very small wheels that fold up very small.

It **really** just depends on the kind of places you're leaving your bike locked up at. I never have to use more than 1 lightweight ulock for stops during the day. But I'm not biking around New York either...

The #1 rule is to **never** just use a cable lock (except maybe if it's inside your apartment or within your sight, I only use a thin cable lock with my expensive road bike, but that's because I only ever lock it outside if I can see it from where I'm sitting at a restaurant, etc).

Got an NL built bike, it has a frame mounted ring lock , on the front side of the seat stays ,

It keeps the wheel in the frame , and a chain made for the purpose , that retains the front wheel

and goes around the rack or the post the bike is locked up to.. a pin snaps into a catch on the lock.

Have you read the terms of their anti-theft protection plan? It seems almost impossible to collect. I wouldn't plan on it. And if you are planning on it, I hope you registered your lock within 15 days of purchase.

Yeah, it is very unlikely that a claim could be made. Basically, you have to hope that the thief left the lock which I don't see very likely since they wouldn't want to leave their fingerprints all over the crime scene...

I am not suggesting to rely on that, this is just an option although I have the same opinion. But I don't think that anybody would bother collecting fingerprints to investigate a case of a stolen bike.
I ride a $300 fixie, and as one of my friends said "even if someone cuts thru that lock, he will fall after a few feet riding that sh*it with no freewheel".

the best way to use a U (or some call it a D lock) lock is to do it this way: http://www.missinglink.org/page/how-lock-bike

If your U lock is too small and can't wrap the lock around both wheels, the frame, and the pole then simply do the same thing shown on the web site I gave except take the front wheel with you thus a smaller U lock will work. If you have nice bike your locking up then get a nice lock such as the Abus Granite X-Plus 54 U (D) lock, these cost around $200.

You should also consider using a second lock strictly for hassles sake, any lock will do that like the Trelock BC215 that only costs around $50.

Also no lock will work if you lock the bike up to something flimsy, like a small tree, a pole short enough to allow the bike to be lifted up over it, a pipe that could be yanked out of the ground or wall, chain link fence, or anything that is easier to cut or break then the locks!

However in reality if you have a really nice bike a determined thief will get it no matter what locks you put on. So the best deterrent is to buy a junker bike either used or a brand new Walmart job for $300 or less, then buy a single inexpensive $50 lock like the Trelock. Then leave the nice bike at home for your rides where you don't have to lock it up and be wondering if it will be there when you get back.

Ring Lock
 

Frame mounted Ring locks can be purchased from BASTA or YWS for around $25 and do prevent someone from riding off with your bike. They could of course walk off with it. I used one over 20 years without incident until I put it on my new bike which I kept on my locked patio with a 6 foot fence around it. About 4 am one morning it was stolen, lock and all. If you routinely lock an attractive bike at the same location, the determined thief will come up with a way to steal it.

The ring lock is unique enough that a thief probably won't try to mess with it. I would use it to clamp both the wheel and a cable. I liked it because it was quick to engage and release. I now use a combination cable lock as a theft deterrent. anyone with a bolt cutter cold take it in 2 min. but I haven't had any
problems....yet.

In college I rode an old 3 spd Schwinn Varsity with a 24 in frame that I bought for $40. I painted it black and it looked terrible. However, it was mechanically perfect. I never locked the tall ugly bike and nobody seemed at all interested in stealing it.

Specifics: http://axabasta.intermix5.nl/cat/fro...3=&item_id=637

chain for use with above:
http://axabasta.intermix5.nl/cat/fro...3=&item_id=639

I came upon a bike in San Francisco once, D locked the frame to a large post. The frame was completely bare, didn't even have bearing cups anymore. Even if you D lock the frame and both wheels, there's always the bars and forks some loser can steal.

^^^ just part of why I moved away. ^^^