Folk's I've been reading some of the story here about special
bike locks that can be picked with a bic pen. I can't help
but wonder whatever happened to using a simple pad lock &
chain set up. Now don't get offended by what I say but why
in the world does one NEED a special lock in the first place?

If a thief wants your bike (or anything else you own for that
matter) he's going to,in time, get it. Locks only keep honest
people out. What give's here????

My retro look would not be complete without my Abus disc-shaped lock and either a 4-pound case-hardened chain or a fat cable.

However, my only real security is to ride my Peugeot UO-8 beater for transportation, saving the more valuable hardware for rides which do not require me to leave a bike unattended. (I park inside the building at work, so commuting is not a problem.)

Like you said, a determined thief will get your bike no matter what. The easier the better though and a simple chain and padlock is much simpler to break into than the locks of today. The U-locks and heavy duty chains out there now, except for the cylindrical type locks, are a much better deterrent than the cheaper padlock and chain and/or combination lock and chain types sold out there.

I use a chain and padlock. It cost ohhhh one tenth the price of the bike-store equivalent. I also wonder if expensive locks attract the attention of thieves...

Not all thieves can defeat all locks. If a thief has a car jack, he will be unable to break a chain or cable lock. A thief with bolt cutters may not be able to defeat a u-lock. Bigger and harder locks require heftier equipment to defeat. In any event, even if a thief can break it, a lock may slow him down long enough to get caught or may make him decide to steal someone else's bike.

Using a hardware store chain and cheap padlock may stop the neighborhood kid. But a cheap pair of bolt cutters will slice through the chain with no difficulty. However, it may be perfectly adequate if the threat where you lock your bike is comprised of opportunist kids who are looking something they can simply ride away.

Nickle plated hardened above 5mm link steel chain requires cutters with 4? foot arms and you usually have to put one arm on the ground to get enough leverage.
Hard to hide cutters that big under a sweater. I'll probably get a new lock but @ least I don't have a Krypto.

Also if using a padlock- if it has key or ident #, write down and file off. A key can be ordered to replace or to steal I've been told.

Oh, my lock is 40mm with a 5mm hardened bolt so it's gonna be a tough cut too. I'll probably go 8mm hardened chain and lock soon. Cost maybe $20-$24.

>jef.

Guess you guys haven't seen the neistat brothers bike stealing video. No one gives a **** if you're walking around with bolt cutters the size of a skyscraper.

I'm a NY chain and padlock kind of guy, but lots of folks use the U-Lock probably because it's a lot lighter, smaller, and very simple to use.

People are turned off by a heavy duty chain. Girls and business men don't want to get their hands dirty. They don't like the weight. Or the bulk. I dunno....

Well I guess pulling up to a bike with a car and anyone can use hydraulic cutters. Compared to what? Noodle cables? Garbage designed Krypto? Hmmm, I like my chain also because its a 'defense' item that cannot be deemed 'illegal'.
My bike looks ugly, stripped steel and all the parts are colored, mismatched, ident carved. And the frame is very hard to disguise as the seat tupe is ovaled @ the bb. I also lock it in my friends bike shop downtown, and if I'm gonna be a while, I lock it @ the Police station right in front of the camera.

https://www.lockitt.com/chain2.htm

WOW!! Now THAT is a lock set up!!!! You folk's that think a
cheap lock isn't going to work need to check this out....

One problem with a lock & chain is that any bozo with a throwaway masterlock can put it on your chain, and then you're stuck. You can't unlock your own bike. Also, this person could probably argue with a police officer to cut off your lock claiming that some bozo put their lock on his chain. I had someone put a lock on a chain of mine once, but they didn't close the lock completely. I don't know if they were giving me a warning or what, but I don't use a lock & chain anymore.

Not if your bike # is reg with the police, the only time I had the police cut a lock for me the bike had been reported stolen. No problem. I really doubt the police would chop a lock just 'cause you asked.

By the same token, the bozo could throw a cheap cable lock or U-lock around your bike and you'd still be stuck.

This thread reminds me of why I don't carry a lock and chain, or any lock for that matter. If my bike can't go with me, I don't go or it doesn't go. That sucker is within my sight at all times. Heck I ate lunch in Wendy's yesterday, sitting across the table from my bike. A couple of looks, but I don't care. I'm not sick inside wondering if some jackass is trying to screw with my bike.

[Edit] Unless that jackass is me, of course [/Edit]

that reminds me of when i worked in a LBS in college. we had a smash and grab, 2 high end gt mountain bikes stolen. about a year later i was headed to class. I was locking my bike to the bike rack outside the humanities building. I looked over next to me and there was one of the bikes. I dropped my u-lock on that bike and rode over to the phone, called the shop and got the serial #. The inventory tags for the missing bikes were still on the wall in the boss' office. we called campus police and they staked out the bike. I guess someone must have come by before I could get my u-lock back off, they must have gotten spooked. we never caught the thief but we did get the bike. I got a good bonus out of that deal.

That's true, but I would think it much less likely that someone would have available a lock AND cable. AND, it would take much more time to attach another cable vs just adding another lock. Yeah, it's still a risk, but I think the risk is much lower. But in any event, I don't know anything (other than never letting your bike out of your sight) that would prevent someone from putting on another cable.

Simply put, If your bike is registered with the police, and somebody double locks you, phone them, explain.
They may come and chop it or just phone someone to bring a hacksaw, sit yourself down and start cutting.
Report first-cut later. My bikes reg, and I have had them come and cut a lock off my ex-wifes bike when I spotted it downtown. Reported stolen, they had no probs with cutting the lock, she showed up and rode away.

Chain and padlock? It's called a hack saw.