linberl

My son lost the key to his bike in his apartment basement so I borrowed a neighbor's angle grinder. Took me less than 3 minutes to cut it off (a huge Kryptonite lock), and that included setting up extension
cords to reach it. I no longer have any faith in any lock. Portable angle grinders are cheap at stores like Home Depot, etc. Take it with you or lose it.

Schwinnsta

I use a Pewag chain and a Viro lock.https://www.westechrigging.com/pewag...RoC8cAQAvD_BwE

My theory is that it harder to cut with a grinder because it does not offer good purchase. You need a good support to cut it. The chain is very hard and nigh impossible to cut with even very large bolt cutters. I can also find more places to lock it because a chain is more flexible than a U-lock. It weighs about 2.3 pounds and is close to 3-feet.

tds101 

If I borrowed a chop saw from work I'd be through it in 30-45 seconds,...

ImplodingVoice

For the Brompton electric, or any other smaller valuable bicycle, are there any lockers in the US?
The only bike garage I know of is a computer-automated underground bike garage in Japan:

https://www.giken.com/en/video/how-to-use-eco-cycle

Does the US have any secure compact-bike storage locations, or lockers?

Lalato

Depending on the city, yes. Usually the lockers are co-located with mass transit hubs like train stations or bus depots.

linberl

I'm almost 70 years old, I held that angle grinder in my weak old lady hands and cut that sucker fast. No support. It was locked around the top tube so I pulled the bike onto the side and just cut. Was way too easy, fool yourself it you want, but it really opened my eyes up to how easy bike theft is. A long chain would be even easier as it would be easier to move it into a good position.

linberl

We have bike link lockers here in the Bay Area but they are mostly at transit stations. A few are at supermarkets. They're mostly for commuters so it doesn't exactly encourage using a bike instead of a car for errands and such. You either ride and lock a beater bike you can afford to lose, get a folder and take it with you, or don't ride and stop.

Schwinnsta

When I cut the Pewag chain to size I clamped the link down and cut it with a plug in angle grinder. It was not fast. It was noisy and it smells and you need to make two cuts. I figure that a plug in grinder is faster than a battery. Yes it can be stolen with a grinder but so won't a U-lock. Anyway, I have been using this method for four years in New Orleans. If it gets stolen the bike gets replaced.

linberl

Exactly my point - don't lock up a bike you can't afford to lose. It doesn't matter what kind of lock you use, if someone wants to steal your bike, they will. If it never happens, count yourself very lucky. And, to relate it back to the original topic lol, better to have a removable electric system than one permanently mounted to the bike/wheel, so at least you don't have to replace that.

bikebikebike

cordless ones even cheaper at Harbor Freight
But the heads up on chains vs grinders helps

You just have the not be the most attractive target in the vicinity

tds101 

30 seconds or less and I'd have a new brommie,...

linberl

I saw a brommie today locked to a pole on a side street around the corner from the farmer's market. Single u lock around the main tube. Obviously, a gambler.

tds101 

What's the address?

linberl

Lmao! I missed a chance to add to my stable of bikes...duh.