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Beware skimping on locks

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Old 01-20-12 | 08:10 AM
  #51  
djb
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I'd seen this lock before, I can see that from a security pt of view, it is most likely much more secure than any coil lock, but for touring a coil lock is always going to be more convenient because one can quickly lock your bike to odd shaped objects-a tree, a picnic bench, whatever-and for me, thats much more important than pure strenght or a lock not being able to be cut.

I know its always a crap shoot with thefts, risks are always there, but usually one doesnt leave their bike alone when on tour that much....(touch wood)
Im also leery of having a key for a lock with me on a trip, but thats just me.
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Old 01-20-12 | 11:27 AM
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Originally Posted by djb
I'd seen this lock before, I can see that from a security pt of view, it is most likely much more secure than any coil lock, but for touring a coil lock is always going to be more convenient because one can quickly lock your bike to odd shaped objects-a tree, a picnic bench, whatever-and for me, thats much more important than pure strenght or a lock not being able to be cut.

I know its always a crap shoot with thefts, risks are always there, but usually one doesnt leave their bike alone when on tour that much....(touch wood)
Im also leery of having a key for a lock with me on a trip, but thats just me.
That's true. On past tours we used long cables and they worked since our bikes were not stolen. That said, we were rather paranoid about not leaving them unattended.

While it is less versatile than a cable, it appears to be far more secure. Perhaps even as secure as a U-lock without the weight.

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Old 01-20-12 | 11:39 AM
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Are those for sale anywhere I saw their kickstarter thing when they advertised it last summer, but hadn't heard of it since.
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Old 01-20-12 | 01:30 PM
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Originally Posted by djb
Im also leery of having a key for a lock with me on a trip, but thats just me.
Not just you, I feel the same way. And when I put my cable lock away, I don't lock it since on one tour I completely forgot the combo. Took an hour to try the various combination I could remember. It turned out it was the last one I tried, as always ;-) So now I leave it unlocked so when I take it out to use it, I can look inside the lock and see the tumblers if I forget the combination. That way hopefully I'll remember it for the short time I'm in the store/cafe after I lock up.
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Old 01-20-12 | 04:48 PM
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VT, many years ago we went car camping with a few families, some of us brought bikes. One of the dads went to the washroom just before we were about to head out on our bikes, locked his bike, and when he came back couldnt get it unlocked. After ages trying all the combos, etc etc, we finally borrowed a hacksaw from the park people and sawed through it in an amazingly short time (in fact we were all frankly flabbergasted in how short a time-especially him as he had bought it recently with the assurances that it was very strong)

So you are not alone...
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Old 01-21-12 | 12:22 AM
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Always have my Kryptonite in its bracket whether it's a trip to the corner store or a 500-mile tour. To me it's just part of my bike.
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Old 01-21-12 | 11:06 AM
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Originally Posted by djb
we finally borrowed a hacksaw from the park people and sawed through it in an amazingly short time (in fact we were all frankly flabbergasted in how short a time-especially him as he had bought it recently with the assurances that it was very strong)
The GF lost the key to a u lock that was being used in conjunction with a pretty new, thick Kryptonite cable to secure our road bikes in the house. (Had a bike stolen out of the house so we lock things up inside.) A mechanic from a LBS made a house call toting the shop's small, cheap, made in China hand cutter. Took him about 3 min. to cut through the cable. Would have taken much less time had be brought the good cutter. We were amazed at how the right tool can defeat a solid cable in no time.
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Old 01-21-12 | 11:38 AM
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Originally Posted by Losligato
That's true. On past tours we used long cables and they worked since our bikes were not stolen. That said, we were rather paranoid about not leaving them unattended.

While it is less versatile than a cable, it appears to be far more secure. Perhaps even as secure as a U-lock without the weight.

I looked pretty heavily at that lock. I still haven't seen any prices, but I finally got around to looking at the weights, hoping for something amazing. My small u-lock, which I've yet to encounter a place where I couldn't use it to secure my frame, weighs as much or less than the 670 grams (about 1.5 pounds) of their "heavy" lock. The 1.3 kg (nearly 3 pounds) they're using on that chart must be for a full sized U-lock. Of course, cable lock users will scoff even more at those weights. Anyhow, after seeing the weights, the general length and awkwardness of the design (reduced packability) really turned me off.

As far as cable locks go, I work at a bike shop at UT Arlington and we've seen lots of cut cables. We have some abused Park Tool cable and housing cutters we keep around for utility purposes. We keep a few cable locks on hand just to show people how easily we can cut through them. The thin ones can be cut in one snip. I think a thicker one took me three full motions to get through. Another friend almost had their bike stolen outside of a friend's apartment. She had left it there and they weren't comfortable with just the cable lock she left, so they threw a U-lock on there for the night. The next morning, the cable had been simply PULLED from where it was crimped into the lock mechanism. Of course, the bike was still there because it was also secured with a U-lock. That defeated cable lock also hangs in the bike shop.
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Old 01-24-12 | 01:21 PM
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Cable lock for the campgrounds,otherwise the bike does not leave my sight.If you kill me you can have it......otherwise your going to have to fight me for it.I don't have 35 years to collect all of the crap again.
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Old 01-24-12 | 01:36 PM
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Took a leak in the Public WC, in Central Copenhagen, when I came out,
the guy beginning to strip off parts rode off, and that was just in a few minutes.
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Old 01-25-12 | 02:23 AM
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This might be a first defence as alarms have been mentioned once, but not since in this thread.

We are going to visit this particular bike shop tomorrow to have a look:

https://www.cyclingdeal.com.au/shop/a...es/alarms/1313
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