iTrod

Anyone have recommendations for a lightweight, but effective bike lock? Mostly for 5-30' periods when at a controle. I usually try to maintain eyes on the bike, but this is not always possible.

ksryder

Ottolock.

Tourist in MSN

If I am at a restaurant where I can see the bike out the window or run into a convenience store for a few minutes I use a small lock like skiers use with a retractable cable. But I only use that where I feel pretty safe about a lock that is not very good. I use a real lock if there is more risk than that.

winston63 

You might like one of the TiGr locks: they are expensive, but very light and probably more effective than anything else in their weight bracket: https://www.tigrlock.com/

I've got a TiGr mini+ and I love mine

fietsbob

Ring lock. It's mounted on the frame , seat stays ,
You close the hasp thru the wheel , then take the key out..

StephenH

Mostly, if I'm riding with other people, not in an urban area, etc., I don't carry a lock.
On the rare occasions when I do, it's a reasonably light cable lock.
Yeah, I know you could cut it with a pair of pliers or nail clippers given some time. But it'll keep someone from hopping on and riding away.

clasher

I bought a palmy u-lock for this exact use but I've never used it on a brevet. I took it touring and used it a few times.

pakeboi

Ottolock !

unterhausen

iTrod got an Ottolock. I think we used it once, before the start of Mac 'n' Cheese to lock up at a subway. The hotel was in a vaguely sketchy area, and the Subway was across the street buried inside a building. The lock is big and orange and it looks substantial enough to keep thieves of convenience from stealing a bike. Real thieves would laugh, but they are also unlikely to steal a bike from in front of a Subway in broad daylight.

jimmymcg

I use a knog. Not bullet proof but it will stop someone walking away with your bike. Fit it in your back pocket and forget about it until you need it.

Brett A

I also have a TiGr Mini. It's incredibly light and claims to be very secure. Its shortcoming is its size and shape. You need to find something very slender to lock your bike to and the angle of the bike and the post (or whatever) need to line up just-so. Keeping this in mind, I'd still recommend it. I've had mine three years and have used it touring and riding locally.
https://www.tigrlock.com/

Salubrious

I got a small hardened key lock from Ace Hardware. I think it was about $6.00. They also sell aircraft cable complete with thimbles and nicos. I have a nicopress so I got about 6 feet of the cable and built it up using the thimbles and nicos at either end. Total was about $11.00; its light and packs up easily in the side pocket of my framebag. Its only meant for broad daylight in tiny little towns where everyone knows everyone else and I'm only a few minutes for resupply at a gas station or grocery store (or a restaurant; if its a hotel I take the bike into the hotel room). Just 'keeps honest people honest'.

OrenNoah

When it comes to locks, bike or otherwise, "lightweight" and "effective" are mutually exclusive. Wish it weren't so.

unterhausen

this is the long distance forum, most of us don't even use a lock. I have never carried one. If I were touring, I probably would have something that looked difficult to cut through

StephenH

If you run out of things to do, go to YouTube and look up "The Lock Picking Lawyer". He's got a gazillion videos of picking different locks, but also using brute force, bolt cutters, etc. If I remember right, the Ottolock was especially easy to cut.
One of the locks he recently checked was an aluminum lock from Japan, where, he said, most people don't lock their bikes anyway, so ANY lock is good enough, mostly. It was a lightweight U-lock, not very effective, but looked like it was.

unterhausen

yes, I was thinking about an aluminum u-lock. I am not sure you can buy one in the U.S. though

clasher

I posted a link upthread to amazon for one of those aluminum u-locks... palmy is the brand. I've been using it mostly around town to lock up my wheel while the heavy security chain is used for the frame... I took it touring a few years ago and it's good for that. I've never brought a lock with me on a brevet though.

unterhausen

thanks, I missed your link. That looks pretty substantial, which is good. How light is it? What would be good is one that was superlight. Not quite aluminum can wall thickness, but close. maybe bicycle tube wall thickness.

clasher

I just weighed mine and it is 293g.

Salubrious

I made my comments entirely on the basis of my experience with the Tour Divide Race, which is 2700 miles. Quite often in the smaller towns there is no need for a lock, but if you are doing resupply in a grocery store and have to leave your bike 10 minutes, having it not there when you're done could really put you off your day. I carry the lock mostly for my peace of mind when in the store.