jpjuggler

going with the idea that two locks are better than one, even though your locked bike still isn't safe from thieves/angle grinder, but is more of a hassle to steal than the other bikes nearby locked only once...

Which two locks would you buy in order to lock up your bike? Given that the top of the line Kryptonite can still be cut through fairly quickly, I"m thinking in order to save some weight and money to buy midrange Kryptonite or Abus, and then lock the bike twice.

Your thoughts?

indyfabz

I would not lock my bike anywhere where I felt I need two locks. But then again, I can’t imagine feeling like I need two locks.

Rage

I had to use two locks on my commuter for many years. It sucked.
But there really isn’t much choice in NYC. Adopted the two lock method after losing multiple bikes to bike thieves.
Might still be doing it if I had gainful employment but I do not. So, I guess that’s like the one plus to being out of work during lockdown.

I used the kryptonite New York lock and an Onguard chain with this old motorcycle disc lock. The chain was usually left shackled at the bike racks outside of work so that helped. But I still carried a cable to loop around the front wheel in case I had to lock it up somewhere other’n work.

GlennR

Any lock can be defeated... given time and opportunity.

I never leave my bike except if on a long ride and I need to stop at a deli or bathroom. And for those I carry a retractable cable lock. It's small, light weight and only keeps honest people honest.

Manster

If two locks is your approach make them two different kinds of locks. An armored cable lock is light, looks serious, and may require a different tool to defeat.

aclinjury

ugh, if i'm going to the restroom, the bike is coming in with me.

One time I left if outside of a deli so I could buy a water bottle, and just as I was finishing paying the cashier and walked out to my bike, a homeless guy was touching my handbar. I saw it thru the windows and rushed out and scream at him "wtf are you doing" and took his hands off my handlebar and walked away like nothing happened. The homeless guy appeared to be a bit sluggish cause I think he was drunk. If this was some young guy, he could have taken off on my bike and there would be no way for me to chase after him in cleats. This was near the beach so there are a lot of beach bums walking around looking for easy pickin. Lesson learned, never leave your bike unattended.

GlennR

Yes, on short rides... under 50 miles I don't carry the cable lock. I do bring my bike inside the public bathroom and have brought it into stores if I think it won't be an issue. But on longer rides I might need to to stop at a deli where I can't bring it in, so I use the lock below. Like i said, it keeps honest people honest. It won't stop anyone with cable cutters, but then not everyone walks around with them, I live in the suburbs so it's not like there's lots of foot traffic.

indyfabz

Never leave my bike unattended? If I lived by that rule I never would be able to sleep on tour, which would make for a sucky tour.

jpjuggler

Thanks for the info!

tcs

The word from places where bike theft is viral is that two relatively more modest locks do statistically provide more deterrence than a single higher resistant lock. ✔️

If I had to leave my bike in, say, the common storage room of a dormitory or apartment building, or perhaps at work where I had permission to leave one of the locks in situ, I'd look for a pair of locks that required different tools and/or techniques to physically breach and that used different design lock cores to make picking a royal pain in the %$!*. So I'd probably go with a Skunk Lock™ and Abus Ivy Chain pairing. A more modest but still formidable team would be an Abus Ultimate 420 and a Kryptonite Evo Series 4.

Rage

You’re welcome.

But keep in mind what GlennR says above and what I echo now. “Any lock can be defeated.”
Since grade school, I have had over ten bikes stolen from me. Took a long time but I have learned to never let my good bikes out of my sight lol.

I currently have three bikes that are set up as commuters and, while I am fond of all of them, it wouldn’t break my heart if anything
happened to them.

Also keep in mind where you lock your bike up. I used to leave mine locked up right outside of work at a row of bike racks situated right next to a security guard kiosk.

But, again, even if you think you have it locked up nice and tight, opportunistic bike thieves will still find a way to rip you/us off.

Some low-life stripped my old rockhopper down to frame, headset and bottom bracket when it was locked to a bike rack in a bike room in a fancy high security battery park city building. I was incensed...

Rage

Another time, same building, I had a beloved old bmx chained right outside the entrance of the building in full view of the three or four guys on duty at the front desk go missing.
All that was left was the cut chain.

GlennR

Some go around the lock.

indyfabz

One time I paid a visit to Kootenai Falls to see a filming location of The Revenant.

Having no choice, I left my bike and gear at the parking area sans lock a made the half mile or so walk to the falls. I was gone for at least an hour. I returned to find my bike and gear just as I had left them.

indyfabz

One time, to avoid doing just that, I had to leave my bike and gear on the side of MT 200 and dash up a hill into the woods. Nothing happened to my bike and gear. The alternative would have been sucky.

indyfabz

And I was wearing bibs.

jpjuggler

thanks for the info!

Kabuki12

I don’t lock my bike(s) because I don’t have to leave them unattended. If I have to go into a store , I take my bike, if they object I find another store. I do not carry a lock , I ride my bike for recreation and when I am done I put it away. Watch Storage Wars with the cordless grinder, they can cut through any lock or cable and toss a bike in the back of a truck faster than you can pee!

indyfabz

The only place I had a bike stolen was from inside my house, while I was home and awake. And I’m taking from inside the house, not a garage. What have I been doing wrong when it comes to bikes outside?

veganbikes

I would use some ABUS locks ideally something keyed a-like either in the Plus or X-plus series. If I am looking for a lot of protection I would go down to the local ABUS dealer and order the Granit Powerchain and have a serious chain that can be plus keyed (through some difficulty as it is a longer key number) that should make it pretty hard for someone to steal. Granted it is not a lightweight solution it is something if you are locking up in a building or locking up in the same place all the time could be left.

I would also recommend some wheel locks (ABUS Nutfix, Pinhead or Pitlock). You could also lock up other components using the Pitlock system.

Make sure you are locking in very visible public places that are not places where people go and are gone for long periods like subway and train stations.
Lock the frame and rear wheel if nothing else and make it so the bike cannot be flipped over.
The item you are locking to should also be secure, a lock is only as good as the weakest link so chainlink fences and things like that are terrible.
Try to avoid fairly moveable objects if you can and check your locking area to make sure it is not compromised (there have been reports of people cutting u shaped posts and covering the cuts in metal tape and painting over to steal bikes)
Make sure your bike is easily recognizable and personalized, a Trek from the store is not your bike and you cannot easily prove it but with stickers especially those with your name and some other personal touches will help prevent theft.
Put your name and contact info in the handlebars or some place like that, if it is stolen it could aid in recovery.
GPS tracking can also help

csport

<winter mode>
Why use two when you can have four at once? Four locks, mile 109 on the C&O Canal: https://www.canaltrust.org/pyv/four-locks/
</winter mode>

Kabuki12

IMO, you are doing nothing wrong. I just have a different view of locking a bike up and leaving it unattended. My classic road bikes are very important to me and I don't trust my bike to a lock. For one , I don't have to because I just ride and put it away. It is very rare I need to stop for anything other than stretching and water/snack break. I see and know folks who use their bikes for transportation and lock them up when they reach their destination. I store most of my bikes in my shop and home which is no guarantee that they will not be stolen , but in my 45 years of riding these things , a heck of a lot more secure than outside a store with a lock. Having your bike stolen from inside your house while you were home had to be alarming for sure.

blakcloud

The locks that I use are dependent on the amount of risk I perceive at the bike's location.

At home in my own personal bike parking locker, I use three Kryptonite U locks, 2 which are New York Fahgettaboudit locks and 1Kryptonte mini with a Kyrpto cable and Pitlock Skewers for front and rear wheels. I have the same for my wife's bike. The bike locker has a combination lock and a second Kyrptonite mini. I deem this area to be the highest risk for someone stealing my bike.

If going downtown, two locks are a given.

For riding down the bike path and stopping for lunch, then I bring the ABUS Granite Bordo folding lock combined with the Pitlock skewers for the Rivendells and just the Bordo if bringing the Bromptons (for the places you can't carry the Brompton in).

For the carbon wonder bikes, they just don't get locked as I wouldn't leave them long enough to be stolen.

Again it all depends on risk. When I am in Japan my bike gets locked with either a ring lock or a cable that nail clippers could cut. Risk is lower there. Here in Toronto risk is higher, thieves more brazen and allure of fentanyl and heroin too high. Again it is all about risk.

pdlamb

How do you ride to work and keep the other two bikes in sight?

Bike security is a matter of situational awareness and threat assessment. Depending on the situation, I've slept nearby with the bike outside the tent (and out of sight) many times; gone into a diner and left the bike parked outside, only sometimes in sight; and watched two bikes while the other rider went into a grocery store.

If you think you need two locks, get two different kinds of locks. Park your bike in a highly visible area and lock it to something secure (not a parking meter a thief can lift the bike and lock over, or a signpost that can be picked up!). And leave the bike there the minimum time you must.

metz1295

Find a way to take it to a Mad Max level. Sure you'll be out a bike, but there will be one less bike thief on the street.