Bleep

I lock my bike at any stop, Not only do I do the U lock but then i thread the rope lock through the frame and both wheels and around the post and U lock once again. Whoever wants to steal my bike is gonna have one tough time getting through that,

bazmaz

On our Pashleys, if its a stop just to pop into a shop to buy a newspaper, we just use the integral bike lock that locks the wheel. If I am going to be any longer than a few minutes (and yes I know they can steal a bike in seconds) I chain it to something secure.

It's sad that I have to carry something ugly and heavy around on a beautiful bike, but there you go.

(some would say just me riding it is carrying something ugly and heavy...)

paperback rider

If the bike is outdoors and unattended, it's locked. And the only bike I leave outdoors unattended is the beater.

rekmeyata

I always lock my bike with no exceptions. I don't use the most theft deterrent system on the market, but then again I don't lock it in low traffic, or high crime areas, or at dark. All I use is a 5/8th's inch thick cable with a Abus Disc lock that I've been using for over 30 years and no one has ever tried to defeat it.

Doohickie

I still have the same cable and Master combo lock I was using in the 1970s. I figure it must be theft-proof if no one has gotten through it yet.

himespau 

usually, I don't leave it unlocked for a second. today I was at the lbs and on the way out the dude was checking out my bike and convinced me to go back in and buy some reflective tape for it. I'd already unlocked and put my panniers back on and there was no one on the sidewalk and I could see it through the door that I was standing right next to. Still felt uncomfortable, but I violated one of my rules and left it unlocked for about 2-3 minutes.

BrooklyntoNYC

Bike is not locked I'm nervous. period!

Haff

If I'm anywhere but at my house, or the house of a friend, its locked. Though I have noticed its hard to find something to legally lock it to sometimes.

xizangstan

Like everyone, I've taken chances in the past, and gotten lazy by not locking my baby up safely. I have been lucky, but am very displeased with myself for the carelessness. I'm thankful I still have her. But reading the posts in this thread, I'm more aware now and I think I will re-double my efforts to keep my prized GT Xizang locked whenever I'm not riding her.

Right now, she's in a garage-shop out back, with two locks on the door. I'm thinking that some sort of U-lock even in there would be called for.

blamp28

Unless I am a few feet away and looking at the bike, it's locked up - basically always.

DX-MAN

I have 2 1/2"-thick cables and a security chain to choose from to mate up with my OnGuard U-lock. There's always one on my bike, and if the bike doesn't come in the building with me, it gets locked up. I also have security skewers replacing my QR's.

It's just what I do, because NO ONE is getting my bike if I can help it!

DGozinya

Has anyone ever seen/used the motion sensor-type alarms? I think this in conjunction with a lock would be a good combo. Can't put the bike on a high activity bike rack, but by itself on a street sign? Sure.

EriktheFish

I think everyone has covered the locking part of your question quite well (yes, I use a long, thin cable/lock during quick stops to "keep honest people honest"), but there is another piece to your story (especially since you posted here in the "Family" section.

Kids are a great excuse for cleaning up our own acts. Our "role modeling" often goes way beyond what we realize:

4hmom: Honey, what took you so long to get home?

4hdaughter: Oh Mom, I can't believe it, I only when into the store for a pack of gum, but then I saw my friend, 4hgirl, and she told me all about winning a blue ribbon at the 4H Show, and then when I came out of the store, my bike was gone!!!

4hmom: Well, did you lock your bike up?

4hdaughter: I didn't think I needed to, you never do when we go in for just one thing!

nymtber

have left bikes unlocked in a bike friendly town before. Many times. Never stolen.

But, I wouldn't do that in a major city. Not even in my town! This town has heavy bike traffic in warm months, and people pretty much like that, it brings business to their town

Plutonix

Almost always. If I am going to be just a few feet away, and can see it and there is nothing to lock it to I might not.

I have to disagree with the comment that combo locks are "incredibly easy". All last winter there was a rusted *Mart beater chained to a tree in the park. The OnGuard lock was worth twice the bike and it looked like it had been locked to the tree as a prank or something.

Over the months, I'd often stop to try to tease out the combo until my hands would get too cold. I lost the race to liberate the lock before DPW cut it.

radumas

Always lock bike. Always. Even for 30 second stop. An unlocked bike is asking to be stolen, even in a low crime area. Yes, determined thief can cut any lock off, but why offer your ride up to the opportunistic thief, too?

Keith99

Yes. Cheapo lock. I view it as something to stop a grab and run theft. The exception is on a club ride. I don't lock the bike then as we have the bikes in one place at any stop and someone from the club always has the bikes in sight. Even then I latch my helemt through the front wheel. That won't stop anyone thinking, but a pure grab and go will get a nasty surprise.

xizangstan

I've read this and thought about it several times. I'm wondering what a "bike friendly town" is. Would that be a town where everybody is into bikes and riding them? Wouldn't that be a town where lots of folks have more than one bike? Wouldn't bikes be in especially high demand in a "bike friendly town"?

Or would your bike be more safe in a town where people don't ride bikes, and the people have no interest whatsoever in that welded-together odd collection of tubes and wires? I'm thinking a bike might be LESS safe in a town where everyone loves and covets bicycles.

rekmeyata

The only time I leave a bike unlock is if I'm in eye shot of it at all times, otherwise it's locked, I don't care how nice the town may appear, it only takes a second to make a normally honest person dishonest by presenting an opportunity. I've seen junker bikes parked outside in a busy shopping center just leaning against a wall with no lock for days and never taken, but don't count on that happening with a decent bike.

radumas

when would you leave your car unlocked, keys in the ignition?

that's the analogous action. An unlocked bike is, like that car with keys, ready to go in an instant.

buh bye

trestlehed

About 10 years ago I was looking at buying a custom cab-over camper shell for my old Nissan 4x4 truck. The problem was the 2 rear doors of the shell which open outward had a cheesy latch with key lock, like the kind you see on the average truck camper shell. I told the salesman that I was very unimpressed with the lock set-up as I was always carting around 2 surfboards and 1 bike. His answer: That lock will keep the honest people honest.

My reply was: It's not the honset people I'm worried about.

The total combined value of my 2 surfboards and 1 bike was about $1000. So i decided not to buy the camper shell. Instead I bought an average shell for one fourth the $ of the custom one. Kept my shell windows blacked-out with curtains and secured the bike inside the shell with a cable and u lock.
The moral of the story here is outta sight, outta mind. I have since upgraded to the New York Fagettbout it chain link with u lock. If anyone can get thru that thing my hat's off to them. So don't skimp and cheap-out on a crappy lock.

mr geeker

i don't go anywhere unless i'm able to lock my bike up, so yes, i always lock my bike up.

nodachi

I always lock my bike. The 1 minute it takes to lock and unlock the bike is well worth it compared to the cost of replacement or insurance deductible. Call me paranoid, but why not...

sunset1123

The only time I have ever left my bike unlocked and unattended for a "few minutes" was while on tour. At that point, the bike was hauling close to 70 pounds of gear not counting the 10L of water needed for the desert crossing. I left it in a high gear so it would be nearly impossible to pedal away. On reflection, there really wasn't anyone around to steal it anyhow.

Often, when we run errands around town, we'll try to plan it so we can park/lock the bikes and walk to as many places as possible.

VintageBikeGirl

Always! I lock the bikes and the bike trailers too. I've seen many people lock the bike, but leave the trailer just hooked to the bike. They are easy to remove and take just seconds to fold up and stick in the back of someones truck.


We had 3 bikes stolen from our front porch, they were all locked up, and we were planning to ride them in the morning so we weren't worried about them getting damaged from weather. We learned our lesson. We always bring them inside now.