I pretty much stopped riding a bike when I got my license. I kept one in the garage for years but ended up just letting the movers have it.

Then unexpectedly one day my gf, who never learned to ride a bike, randomly fell in love with a 3-wheel Schwinn Meridian. She eagerly bought it.

I liked the thing so much I decided to buy a Schwinn of my own, a used Cruiser 7. Kinda rough but I'll enjoy restoring it.

Anyway the bikes are in the building parkade. Vancouver is apparently the bike theft capital of Canada so I knew I couldn't skimp. Bought a heavy, canvas-sheathed chain that I believe is a re-brand of the one Kryptonite uses in their bike locks. And paired it with the strongest padlock I could get. The result is ungainly but it should keep the bikes safe at night.

Now onto the real question: We each need some portable locks for when we daytrip around the city. Cable locks are a joke I hear, so that's out. And call me the Bike Nazi but I can't mount a u-lock on my classic-looking Schwinn.

Decided that a light chain might be strong enough for quick jaunts indoors while still bundling up into a compact ball. But how light really? What's the point where bike thieves stop laughing and start groaning? What about interweaving chain with cable or something creative like that? Would love to know what others have done. Thanks!

U lock or locked in garage. I don't lock my bike up outside where I can't see it.

What's your price range for a lock?

The Ottolock looks promising for that kind of use, meaning short spans of exposure during daylight hours and not out overnight. It's still a kickstarter vaporware product though, won't be released until February.

https://www.pezcyclingnews.com/wp-con...ock-yellow.jpg

Another light option is the Palmy aluminum locks from Japan, carried by many north American dealers. I think I saw them at JV Bike in Vancouver. They are easy prey for thieves, but again for a quick stop they would still take longer to saw through than a cable lock, which is less than 5 seconds to cut through with bolt cutters.

They are mini U locks, so you can carry them easily in a backpack or messenger bag rather than mounting on your bike.

https://macadamcycles.com/966-large_d...ocks-palmy.jpg

The Palmy just happens to take Kryptonite Skins so you can put one of those on and make it look like a steel Kryptonite.

After all, the real purpose of such a light lock is just to make the thief look at the bike next to yours as easier prey.

No lock of any type is going to stop a professional thief from taking your bike. Or your car for that matter.

Security is inverse of lock weight.

Suggest a Abus Steel chain and integrated lock combo , not light , but not easily cut
and easy to wrap up and carry. on the bike ,

nylon cover to not scratch.. paint .. I slid some Old Inner tube over mine,
the nylon was red& quickly got black chain smunge on it.


My other Abus favorite is their Bordo folding link locks , again not light, But they stow in a Pouch
put on the Bike Frame.




./.

I got five feet of hardened steel chain at a hardware store. A thief with a big set of bolt cutters can cut it ... but a thief carrying serious tool s can defeat Any lock/chain. As fietsbob suggested, I slid it into an old inner tube for paint protection. it will stop casual thieves, and make a serious thief work a little while. It weighs several pounds (with lock) but if I know I am shopping and locking up out of my sights it is worth it to me.

If you have a rack on your Schwinn Cruiser 7, you can carry a d-lock and a lock and chain in a bag on your rack. I have a triangle bag between the top- and seat tubes for my lock and chain .... it doesn't look too bad, but it would mess up the lines of your bike.

Mostly be careful when and where you lock it, and consider getting a really cheap beater bike for ventures into tougher territory.

Just bought an Abus Mini U-Lock ($45) and have found it to be much more convenient than the cheapo coiling cable lock with "Word Combination" that I have been using. I've always been nervous about the cable word lock anyway, even if it is thicker than the cheapest ones. The 3"x5" mini u-lock, regardless of brand, fits in my back pocket and so far has been fine for locking up for the short time that I use it. It's big enough that I can loop it through my top tube or seat tube, and is much faster to pull out of my pocket and use a key than fiddle with a four letter word combination. Downside is 2.5 pounds in weight compared to maybe 1.5 pounds, and I have to have a key with me. Glad I didn't buy a bigger heavier one.

More concerned about the pricier front and rear light and cycle computer that I have to decide each time whether to remove or leave for the 20 minutes I walk away.

yes you should bring in your computer...

Hi Jean3n16, it's a Wireless Cateye Velo for $20. There is a fine line between the price of milk my wife asked me to buy and the inconvenience of popping it off.

My chain lock (kryptonite) is heavier than my U-lock. I use those for anything out of sight. Benefit of the chain over the U is that I can lock 2 bikes to a post (just barely). For cafes & outdoor places within vision, we often use a cable lock. Different locks for different places. Might try a mini-U next.

Folding lock. Abus and Trelock come to mind. Folding locks offer U-Lock level protection with cable lock convenience and they're easy to mount and carry.

As will be said, there isn't a lock made that can't be defeated so plan you usage accordingly. IMHO, folding locks offer a great balance of protection, ease of use, weight, carrying convenience and paint protection. There are folding locks available across a range of price points and protection levels.


-Kedosto

That's a good combo, I've one like that from Axa. It defends against both kind of thieves, the ones who break the lock on the spot, and the ones who take the bike locked and break the lock later by putting the cable around a pole or something and insert it into the O-lock.

The clever thing about it is that you can leave the chain at home for trips to safe parking spots, or leave the chain wrapped around the frame of the bike if just the O-lock will do in that spot. The chain itself can't be stolen if it's inserted in the O-lock. I have it wrapped around my brooks saddle so that can't get taken off either.

I'm afraid the best theft prevention is to have someone else's bike stolen, locks don't prevent bike theft in general, you just have to make yours the less attractive to steel. These integrated Abus and Axa's are a lot of work to break and the cable has to be broken on the spot, and then the thief still has to carry the bike home, put it in a van or break the O-lock on the spot too, and that will take quite a tool. A noisy angle grinder for example. That increases the chance of getting caught. You could also get the lighter insertable cable and use the one that is fitting for the risk of the parking spot that time, but to me Vancouver seems flat enought not to worry about weight at all.

Is it this Abus Mini lock that is in the middle in the below picture??



You could do what I did and grab a KlickFix Handlebar Bag that is unbelievably convenient to use and is what I put my lights and other things in and take with me when I go into shops or into work.

It slides on very, very easily, is very secure and yet comes off very easily with just a click of the red button at the top.



I carry it around by that strap you can see on the side of the bag.

A light cable lock will work as well as anything. It will keep kids and crooks with no tools from taking your bike. But------------------there is NO lock that will stop a prepared bike thief.

The only thing that works is keep you bike in sight at all times.

I'm hoping someone picks up a Litelok and gives a review on it here in the forums; it is an interesting design and has goteen some good press. It also weighs alot less than the monstrous padlocks - basically mobile versions of bank vault doors - people are carrying around with them these days.

Yeah, same here. Someone (else) needs to take the plunge.

Maybe for the next dozen "What Lock to Buy?" threads i will gush all over the Litelok until someone thinks I am recommending it from experience and buys one ... and then I can ask for a review.

After a lot of poking around I came across the Master Lock 8200D Street Cuffs. They're more compact than a u-lock and (I suspect) stronger than cable.

I wouldn't trust these overnight or anything but I'm not commuting with this bike and I will always lock it somewhere visible. Think I might try them.

Also liked that folding lock idea and the Litelock. We'll see.

I also use an ABUS mini lock as it is light enough, doubleshackled and thick enough to provide as a good deterrent. Too small to get something inside it and jack it off with leverage. Fits in my back pocket as well and does the job to go along with all the pitlocks I have. Highly recommended.

Onguard mini u lock. $30 and you have to cut both sides to get it off, both shackles are locked in. Small enough to prevent jacks from gaining purchase, light enough to carry around in a rear pocket or a purse. You can even buy little fabric sleeves on Etsy that hold it on your pant belt. Any mini u lock that has both shackles locked in would probably be fine. Don't get the ones that only lock one side inside the barrel. And take your computer with you, slip it in your pocket or jacket; almost all of them have a little quick release button.

I've had more than a couple bikes stolen, but never one that had a U-Lock. I won't leave a bike unattended in Chicago without one now. I had the same issue with mounting them...looks bad, and no matter how good the bracket is they will flop around some. I went with panniers....just toss the u-lock in the bag and be done with it.

this is the Abus Mini I have

https://smile.amazon.com/gp/product/...e?ie=UTF8&th=1

At the zenith of the intersection of lightness, portability, versatility, and security are TiGr Bow Locks.

I don't use anything but.

https://tigrlock.com

I looked at them, but they don't bend or flex much. If you have to lock up to a tree or a light pole, you are out of luck.

They bend and flex more than any of the U-lock or mini-U-locks suggested upthread.

But since you're not the OP anyway, If you're looking for suggestions on "Effective/light locks to secure to trees," why don't you start your own thread? It's certainly a peculiar lock requirement which other tree-lockers-- and I'm sure they're out there-- would be happy to see come out of the lock underground into the light. As an urban cyclist with an abundance of purpose built lock points and lock points otherwise suitable to a variety of common locks, I admit I'm guilty of being unaware of the particular needs of cyclists in less developed communities and those who lock to trees and lamp posts, so such a thread would perhaps be enlightening to me as well, although I heavily suspect that there are few suitable options which I'd consider light. Like I said, I'm just delighted to have more appropriate lock points available for my needs, but don't want to crowd-out the voices of the less fortunate, so I look forward to your thread.