boggy

What do you guys think of my locking strategy? I take battery and intuvia display with me, the front wheel is locked down with kryptonite wheelboltz locking skewer. I plan to reinforce seat post clamp with pitlock pit stopper, but it's still in the mail. The hardware you see is Fahgettaboudit Mini, Abus 5650 frame lock with chain , and Abus seat leash cable. Bike is locked inside parking structure by the exit checkpoint, in front of manned security office (hopefully it will deter someone from using power tools).

fietsbob

It was how I locked up my Koga WTR at the Grocery store, bike rack yesterday.
minus the U lock.. for shopping..




I don't live in LA..

linberl

There is no such thing as a theft proof bike. See if your homeowners/renters insurance covers the bike when you are out and about. If not, and you can't afford to replace the bike, then look into bike insurance. Angle grinders are cheap and bike thieves don't care who sees them anymore; they (and your bike) are gone in seconds. Some insurance carriers cover locked bikes minus the deductible. Make sure you have a copy of the purchase receipt and some recent pictures showing any accessories or upgrades you have made (and receipts for them). Better prepared than sorry later.

lkoyanagi

I would use two different kinds of locks avoiding cable locks. Look up how to secure locks on a bike before you buy.

linberl

Doesn't matter what kind of locks you use or how you lock the bike if someone has an angle grinder, game over.

powell

I would never ever leave my bike locked even with 4 locks outside.
if business dont allows bikes indors I dont use such place.
​​​​​​​Usually I roll mybike between entrance doors.

boggy

I commute to my place of work on a bike, and company will not allow bikes inside high rise building (just imagine bikes inside those packed elevators each morning).
I can choose to commute to work on my beater bike, but making 20 miles one way on it will take forever and leave me drenched in sweat, and we do not have any showers at work. Cleaning up in restroom with baby wipes is something I am not willing to do ever again at work.

2old

Bottom line, as stated above, is if a thief wants your bike, he'll get it. I've discussed this with Abus & Kryptonite at Interbike and they have no solution for angle grinders. My son had a bike stolen that was locked with a U-Lock to a steel plate in a locked garage behind a locked gate. Consider putting an inexpensive DD hub motor (YESCOM or equivalent for a kit - $200) on your beater bike and with a removable battery you might be safe. BTW, these systems are very reliable; some users report 15,000 - 20,000 miles of use. I've had mine for three years, but use it mostly for errands, so much less mileage; also 33+ mph with a 52V battery.

ColonelSanders

I have a possible suggestion for what might defeat a thief with an angle grinder, that is not totally impractical.


As the angle grinder will almost certainly be battery operated and it is very unlikely the thief will have a back up battery with him, if your bike was secured by two Abus Granit Extreme 59 U-Locks, there is a very good chance they may not have the juice to cut through both of them, so the thief might not even bother, or only make it through one of the locks.


Obviously carrying two of these beasts won't be for everyone, due to weight and cost issues, but I believe something like this could be the ticket for someone very concerned about bike security.


I didn't want to make a crazy suggestion and say that one should use 6 of the Abus Granit Extreme 59 U-locks for instance.

daoswald

My place of work is a high-rise. For $60/year I can gain key-card access to a chain link bike storage cage inside the parking garage. For another $60/year I can get key card access to a locker room with showers. Excellent use of $120/year.

Inside the cage there is a solid rail cemented into the wall that runs the length of the cage. There are also about two dozen vertical bike hangers cemented into the wall. People typically just leave their super-heavy lock dangling from the rail when not parked there.

So on days where I commute I just lock the bike up inside the cage where it is protected by a bike lock, a key card accessed cage, and a security staff. There are people who forego this $60/year and just park at a rack outside on the street. But most of their bikes are pretty junked-up. For a nice looking fairly new commute bike it seems like finding an indoor, gated, reasonably secure storage area is the way to go. If your work does not have such a facility you might find a neighboring building that does, for a fee. You might also petition your building's management to address the need.

I don't think there's any combination of locks adequate to protect a $2000-$6000 bike parked at a rack that anyone can walk up to. Even if security has their booth nearby, they must step out once in awhile to make their rounds, or to grab a sandwich. It doesn't take long. Remember the ploy often used by bike thieves of administering a flat and severely damaged tire so that you have to leave the bike there while you go to fetch a replacement tire. If you set out on this mission toward the end of the day, the would-be thief just has to wait for security to call it a day, and the bike is theirs.

2old

My thought, which will never be implemented because it would precipitate massive lawsuits, would be to alloy a toxic metal like beryllium into the lock, then have a big sign that says "POISON" on it. Bye bye, angle grinder.