cable lock length for on car rack
 

Hey all. Have no idea where to put this in the forum. I've asked other "gadget" questions in the "electronics and gadgets" section and seems to me that if it isn't an electronic gadget, then it gets ignored, so here goes....

I'll be preparing the taxes real soon and thus getting my small refund and finally getting a new bike. I carry my bike on a trunk mount bike rack to work and ride after work. I didn't care about a Walmart bike sitting out there unlocked on my bike rack, but I will care about a new "good" bike.

I was thinking just a cable to wrap around the frame and wheels. I have a large towing eyelet mounted under the bumper of my Jetta and figured I would be able to attach the cable and lock to this eyelet. I don't live in the big city and figure this will be secure enough for my area just sitting out in the work parking lot. It is a small manufacturing facility with people outside in the parking lot all the time anyways, so I doubt anyone would mess with it. We have had a handful of overnight break-ins of cars over the 18 years I've been there, but that is overnight and I work all steady 5-day daylight.

I am wondering how long of a cable you think would be sufficient for this? I guess I did just think of the fact that I could find some rope and try it out with my current junk bike, but I'll be honest, my laziness is keeping me from going out trudging through 3 feet of snow to the back of my car in the single digit temps. (Yes, you read that right, 3 feet of snow, the wind whips around the house and deposits all the snow around our cars. 12 inches of snow today while the driveway received 3 feet. Around the pool, it is above the 52 inch deck rails, LOL.)

Can anyone give me some better idea on how to lock my bike to my car while I'm at work? Just locking it to the bike rack won't work, it's a trunk mount on nylon straps. The straps could be cut in seconds and bike with the rack tossed in the back of a truck pretty easily. That's why I am thinking of the convenience of having that large tow eyelet mounted to the frame right under the rear bumper.

Planning to put an order into Amazon for some bike stuff to use up a gift card and figured I'd grab a cable to lock it up as well.

A big enough pair of bolt cutters would make quick work of your cable- why not just put the bike in the car?

I don't even know how you would put a bike in the car. I couldn't even get my kid's 20" bike in the car. It's a 4 door Jetta, not a whole lotta room in the back doors to get a bike through.

I suppose it would come with quick disconnect front wheel... Not use to that and didn't think of that. I don't currently have quick disconnect on my wheel, just on the seat post which makes it convenient when sitting out in the morning rain I take the seat off and leave it in the car so it's not wet when I ride after work. Just too use to the heavy Walmart mountain bike I guess, I'd never be able to fanangle that heavy thing into the car. I can experiment with that though with a better bike I suppose. Still can't picture it being done though. Not to mention, I have my driver's seat almost the whole way back and tilted. There is only a few inches between my seat and the back seat.

Take into the facility. If it's a manufacturing facility there must be a space somewhere you can stow it

When I bring my bike to work the bike comes inside with me into the locker room. That's because I bike TO work. Is that a possibility for you?

I have a four door Jetta and have put bikes in the car. You might have to take off both wheels, but if you are getting a new bike it should have quick releases both front and rear. It is good practice for taking off and putting on wheels. My bike can fit in the truck with the back seats down with only the front wheel off. My husband's bike requires both wheels off. If both are off you can put it in the back seat or trunk.

I would not leave my bike on the car all day, even with a U lock.

I went to thee Hardware store, bought cable by the Foot,
and some aluminum pieces made to pass the cable through it, form the Loop,

and then banged the aluminum piece tight around the cable loop with a Hammer..

though my purpose was to have a 10 Foot long cable to lock my bike to trees Camping.

LBS has some thicker cable 40 foot long , and secures the row of rental bikes on the sidewalk with that.