jonhewer

hi

i'm taking my scott boulder (worth about 800 pounds) up to uni with me and need a decent lock as bikes tend to get nicked on a regular basis up there.

i'm not really sure what type of lock to get, either a chain with lock or a coated steel wire type? I don't really want a d lock as i find them a bit of a pain. Ideally i would like to spend about 40 pounds, however if everything at that price is easy to break i would rather spend a bit more for peace of mind.....

if anyone has any recommendations that would be great

cheers
jon

ps, locks i've had a quick look at so far:

https://www.ane-shop.co.uk/prod/catal...4beeb401111ff9

https://www.planetbikes.co.uk/acatalog/Security.html

https://www.cyclexpress.co.uk/categor...source=adwords

alanbikehouston

The best bikes for a university are bikes that are twenty years old, and look it. They are often available at yard sales, police auctions, and charity resale shops. An expensive bike at a university will be a visitor, not a long-term resident.

If possible, keep your bike with you after dark. Don't leave it outside at night in a university town. At www.soldsecure.com you will see a list of the locks approved for insurance in the UK. Get two of the locks on the "Gold" list. Lock the rear wheel, directly behind the seat tube to a steel pole set in concrete, or steel fence set in concrete. Use the second lock to attack the front wheel to a second steel pole, or to the frame. Then, wrap a cable lock thicker than a finger through both wheels and the frame.

The cheapest locks likely to get a "Gold" rating are sold under the "OnGuard" name in the USA. They are sold under the Magnum name in the UK. The UK brand of Paramount Plus also earned a gold rating.

Pick a location that is well lighted at night and with lots of people around. Any lock can be cut by a Pro who gets ten minutes of peace and quiet. Pick a spot where those ten minutes do not exist.

froze

The only lock I would recommend is the Abus lock, but not those silly cable ones! A cable lock can be compromised in less then 30 seconds. The Abus City Chain X-Plus 1060 should deter most thieves. To really frustrate a theft, you should use two different type of locks, one chain and one thick twisted steel cable like the Abus steel-o-flex 1000. The combination of these two locks requires that the thief bring more tools on the scene and spend more time on the scene...neither is something a thief is thrilled about doing.

By the way, most thieves do not want to spend 10 minutes hacking on a lock, most thieves give themselves about 60 seconds because the more time on the scene the greater chance of getting caught; and most locks people use are defeated in less then 30 seconds. According to a locksmith friend of mine (opinion) that the Abus locks are the best on the market.

jonhewer

thanks for your replies

alanbikehouston - i do have a ****** old bike for uni which i use to going to town and lectures etc but i wanna bring my nice bike up so i can join the mountain biking club. also, i will be paying to keep the bike in a locked garage and won't leave my bike unattended anywhere else

froze - thanks for your suggestions, i'll have a closer look at the abus range

jonhewer

wot r the oxford hardcore chain and padlock combinations like? theres a few stores on ebay selling these at quite reasonable prices.

cheers