road2you

im feeling a U-LOCK and been looking into Blackburn or Kriptonite,
maybe have one of those 12+gauge wires go thru the tires then inthe the you lock to all get locked in.
i dont care of the 1min process or people looking at me while i lock and unlock mybike,
i care for it to be right were i left it locked up when i arrive to that spot.
i live in south oc, and there are always kids and other individuals who will pick up a bike if they see one worth the time and trouble to steal.

I will be using my bike to commute to work and school, and sadly will most likly be locking it up outside on a bike rack provided.

Please let me know your suggestions in products as well as any feedback.

Cheers,

iheartbacon

I use a cable through the wheels and a Kryptonite u-lock.

fietsbob

a steel cabinet to roll the bike into and lock the door shut with a big padlock.

chasm54

This would be nice. However, for locking the bike regularly to the same bike rack I'd recommend buying the heaviest U-lock (mine is an Abus Granit X-Plus) or hardened chain you can get, and leaving it locked to the bike rack so you don't have to carry it around. It'll be safe enough, because to steal it a thief would have to destroy it. It's then there, available, when you turn up with the bike. Then you can carry with you a decent cable and use that to secure the front wheel etc.

Don't put an expensive saddle on the bike, and don't leave lights etc. on there. They're too easy to steal. QR seatpost collars should also be avoided.

There's nothing you can do to stop the determined professional thief. But the above should deter most opportunistic amateurs, just because your bike will be much more difficult to steal than others nearby.

ahsposo 

For the bikes I own that I would leave unattended I use an airplane tie down gauge wire and a Master Lock.

I've found that this is an extremely versatile way to secure a bike from a casual thief. A determined thief will have his way with almost anything you use.

Mine is a curly fist size package. This is the best image I could find to illustrate the cable.

johnny99

Forget about cables. They are easy to beat with wimpy hand tools. Remove the front wheel and lock it in your u-lock with your rear wheel and frame.

Alternatively, use a u-lock on the rear wheel and frame and a heavy chain lock on the front wheel and frame. Thieves are intimidated by a setup like and typically are not prepared to cut two different types of high quality locks.

Only use high quality hardened steel locks, which are really hard to cut without power tools.

road2you

this looks just like the blackburn locks, any relation i count not find any off google, but blackburn has a insurance policy if your bike gets stolen you just have to do alot of paperwork prior to buying the lock since its due in like 15 days and you have to request the form, its not a auto policy you need to do the work to get it~

yeah, i feel 2 locks will intimidate them more,
as per my original thought of weaving the cable thru wheels and in the you lock,

ive been on youtube all last night and so dissapointed in some ways ppl can open some of these locks,
just as an FYI and your reading this and have a circular key on your lock, U- lock, or whatever style of lock, buy a new one that has a flat key to the lock.

stevebiker

I haven't seen any discussion of weight. What are some lightweight tough-as-nails locks that will discourage a casual thief? I don't plan to leave my bike unattended for longer than it takes to go into a convenince store and juice up.

theextremist04

It's hard to do light and secure- when it comes to locks the more material the better. But if you're just looking for something quick, go for a good cable lock.

iheartbacon

Where you live is also a factor. If I was still living in Seattle I'd use 2 u locks, a heavy chain, and a cable to hold everything together. There's a substantial used bike market in the Seattle area so bike theft is common.

Now that I live in a small town I just use a u lock and a cable.

conradpdx

Here ya go there is actually a series of these vids. And it is the best way for sure.

chaadster

TiGr lock is the way to go, but it'll discourage a much more determined thief than a casual one.

SpotOn

I submitted a thread about this not too long ago: https://www.bikeforums.net/showthread...Bike-%E2%98%85

Post your locking methods in that thread. Pictures are more than welcome.

Keith99

Get a Presa Canario. Teach him how to pedal. Always ride a tandem and just loosely tie him to the bike when parked.

Similar plan for dealing with problem dogs.

mechBgon

As a corrolary to that, you can also have a medium-duty lock to carry with you, that's sufficient for random short-term lockups. And when you're at your predictable long-term parking spot, you can use both locks at once... the one you leave at that location, plus the one you carry with you.

For a medium-duty lock, I think of the Evolution Series 4 U-lock, which is under 4 pounds, double-deadbolt, and big enough to get the frame and rear wheel plus a parking meter pole.

catonec 

Master lock street cuffs. $50. clamp one to the bike rack, then run the other one through your frame and rear wheel. take off your front wheel and lock onto it around the rim/tire.

StabbyJoe89

OnGuard Bulldog Mini DT 5015 + 4 ft cable for front (but i only toss it on in bad areas) ($35 on amazon, ~$30-40@LBS). for a mini, you can do wonders. by locking it like this, you leave no room for leverage attacks like a crowbar. crank, rear wheel, & frame all secured
you get much more length out of your cable by locking like this instead of like this

Retro Grouch 

The first lock that you put on your bike, regardless how cheesy, is about 90% effective because it will prevent casual theft.

As you move from 90% effective to 99% effective you engage in a progressively high tech and expensive contest with the thief which you will ultimately always lose. There is no 100% safe locking system. Anything that can be made can be cut. It's just a matter of time and tooling.

An expensive locking system also advertises "High End Parts". A determined thief who doesn't have the tools required to steal your whole bike might settle for what he can get - like maybe your seatpost and saddle. If he's totally frustrated, he can always use his bolt cutter to snip a few of your spokes just to let you know who's the alpha dog.

A cheap alternative in a high theft enviornment is to commute with a POS bike and a relatively simple locking system. Try to park next to nicer, more theft prone bikes. Then save your good bike for "real" rides.

mechBgon

There's half of that lock still attached to the rack at a downtown grocery store. The other half... who knows

catonec 

whoops. I still think its pretty nice but obviously not %100 theft proof. they do offer a $3500 warranty for the first year of use.