metz1295

This method appears to be pretty safe. (Not staged. I actually saw this on a ride home from work once)

indyfabz

We have a winner.

Hate to break it to some of you, but there isn't a thief lurking behind every light pole and pinus contorta.

GlennR

That's would; be a sad way to live.

Barry2 

My lock is 6'4" in length and called "Steve".
Thread him through the frame and around a post and NOBODY is going to mess with my bike.
I do have a coffee shop option call "Matt", but nowhere near as formidable.

Else, the bike does not get left lying around.

Barry

tcs

A surprising % of bike thefts are from sheds, garages and balconies. Yeah, I lock my bikes @ home.

tcs

Best available information is that lock picking has been and remains a very rare avenue of bike theft. Hopefully, that will remain the case despite those Youtubers promoting this with 'how to' tutorials.

ggpepper

Get these guys, take them for a "run-behind" everyday and in nine months they'll protect your bike and you.

bruce19

I'd go with a G43X and I wouldn't need a second. Oh, wait. Locks? I thought you said Glocks. Never mind.

UncleG

At one place I worked we were told not bring our bicycles inside the building... if you wanted to have a bicycle after the work day you would put your bicycle inside the building... and there were various places that people would stash their bicycles inside the building and the guards were generally looking the other way...

It seemed rather odd since bicycle space was never an issue. On a good day maybe 8 to 12 would ride.

Aroyobob

I realize this is a stock image of a random bike somewhere but wondering why the owner didn't pass the lock through the rear wheel. Or, since the post is about two locks, one for the rear wheel to frame to immovable object and the other for the front wheel to frame and ideally, to immovable object. If the bike has quick release skewers then removing and bringing the front wheel might be OK for a place that won't allow the full bike inside.

GlennR

If 2 are good then N+1000 will be better


And if they can't steal it they might just destroy it.

Reynolds 

The thief left the frame, he could've cut the top tube in seconds with a hacksaw and taken the entire bike. The rear brake cable could be difficult though, but it's only 1 allen wrench apart.

GlennR

If they had a hacksaw they could cut the lock

Phil_gretz

The OP fails to give details like: where/what location, or duration (especially if overnight). So, many answers cannot apply.

My commute is onto a large Gov't installation that is quite safe (controlled entry points, guards, patrols, etc.) relative to a normal center of town or city. I still leave (permanently) a heavy chain and key lock at the bike rack outside of my building. It's been there for five years now. In my environment, this is likely overkill. I have seen bikes left unlocked and untouched there during work.

Reynolds 

I don't know what lock was that, but if it was hardened he'd have a hard time cutting it with a hacksaw.

Rage

Again, it sucks to have to lock your bike up at all. But you gotta do what you gotta do.
If you’re lucky enough, like Phil, to work somewhere it’s pretty safe to leave your bike then you are one lucky son of a gun.
But if you’re like me and prefer commuting to work and pretty much everywhere else in New York City by bicycle, you had better reconcile yourself to locking up your bike. Or be okay with your bike potentially not being there when you get back.
There’s no way in heck an unlocked bike in NYC is still going to be there if you leave it lying around unattended.

Jersey ain’t so great either btw. Someone lifted a bike from me in Kearny NJ, where people insist to me it’s ok to leave your doors and windows unlocked.

Just try to gauge the threat level as accurately as possible and react accordingly.
In this case, OP asked which two locks he should buy so I am assuming he feels he needs that level of protection.

GlennR

OK... we need more power.

Rage

There’s a YouTube video where Hal from Bicycle Habitat (great guy and mechanic) here in NYC takes an angle grinder to a bike lock. Think it was the same one I got, the Kryptonite NY forgetaboutit or whatever. He cuts right through it, no problem at all. Doesn’t take more’n a few minutes.
Gotta hope, tho, that the presence of passerby will deter that type of move.
But that also depends on where you are. Most places in NYC, most people won’t bat an eyelash.
Think only one person asked him what he was up to as he was trying to cut locks offa bikes on a busy Manhattan street.

Maybe take a look at that video, now I think about it.
Search “Hal Ruzal” on YouTube, if interested.

veganbikes

I had someone at a military base get their bike stolen. Never assume anything. Granted his was not locked up at all but still guards and controlled entry points and all of that.

vane171

I see one huge mistake here - the rear wheel wasn't threaded by the lock inside the wheel rim and it easily could have been. Not saying the bike can't be stripped anyway but at least you would have your wheel(s). This usually happens if the bike is left someplace outside for days on end. And if you are locking at all, you always need two locks if you value your front wheel. Also, the above happens if you leave the bike overnight or some long time. In some places, even short time may be too long but in such a place, you need to find out how other people do it, or not lock bike there at all.

Fancy bikes should never be left unattended, only commuters should ponder how to lock and that means double locking always (both wheels locked to frame and best both lock to a rail if space permits), if you lock at all.

GlennR

Yes, some people are not very good at using a cable lock correctly.

Koyote

GlennR is correct. The lock in question could easily be cut with a hacksaw, though it would take a few minutes.

A very large bolt cutter, operated by a relatively strong person, could snap it in a few seconds.

I'm not a bike thief, but I've had cause to do both with some very strong u-bolt locks like the one pictured.

Reynolds 

Easier yet would be using a long - like 5'- pipe as a lever.

tcs

Yep, they make it look easy. That said, on those lock cutting videos they typically
1) use a quality high power angle grinder
2) use a quality new blade
3) start with a high capacity, fully charged battery
4) put the lock in a vice at a convenient height and angle

I was intrigued by this 'net sourced image. The caption said the bike was still locked in place when the owner returned. Apparently, the thief's battery pooped out before he completed the second cut!

Rage

I’ve always wanted to give that a try with the angle grinder but don’t have a spare kryptonite U lock to sacrifice.
I do have an old kryptonite chain with disc lock that an old roommate left behind. Lost the keys years ago and could sorta use the chain.
Maybe I’ll take a shot at cutting it off when the snow is gone and I can do it in the yard.
FWIW I think that a good chain and lock is harder to defeat than the U lock.