hotwired

When out for a casual ride where an unplanned stop is likely for the purpose of inspecting plumbing, enjoy a bagel or otherwise do you bring the "30 second" cable lock to keep honest people honest or the "5 minute" U-lock?

az_cyclist

30 second cable lock for me

Garfield Cat

Depends on the bike and on the neighborhood. On the $4,000 bike there is always someone watching the bikes. The other riders go for the coffee and pastries and the watcher gets free coffee and pastry...even in Newport Beach's Fashion Island.

BSLeVan

I almost never carry a lock with me when out on my road bikes (if I'm using the commuter for shopping, that's different). Basically, I don't let my bike out of my sight (and usually reach too). I've even been known to take the bike into a restroom with me.

cranky old dude

+1
and you can only imagine the looks my LWB Recumbent gets when it's
parked inside the men's room!!!!!

dipy911

If you have clipless, that stops most rideaways. You could always take your seat in with you.

dipy911

hotwired

My Sirrus LTD is a modestly expensive bike $2000, and the neighborhoods where I would stop are best described as slightly upscale suburban.

hotwired

pedals are combos spd and platform

stapfam

Best lock is Butt and hand. One of which is always on the saddle.

If I am stuck- I leave the bike where I can see it and take the front wheel with me.

tpelle

Since I've been doing longer rides (30 miles + = long for me), I've added a handlebar bag to my LHT and keep wallet, house keys, cell phone, cable lock, digital camera, cigar, Makarov, whatever extra stuff comes to mind, in there. I figure on a long ride I may want to duck into a store, use a restroom, whatever, and a cable lock is probably good enough for the rural areas I frequent.

gcottay

I usually use a cheap lock and a thin cable combined with keeping it close.

Pat

I don't use a lock. If I am riding by myself, I generally use undergrowth for comfort stops. If I am in a group, the bikes are leaned up against the convenience store and there are enough cyclists milling around to prevent someone from thinking that snatching a bike would be easy. I have never lost a bike and no one has lost a bike on any ride I have been on.

Deanster04

Same...Also, I undo the rear skewer so it looks like it is closed but its open...Very hard to make a getaway. Not letting your bike out of your sight is the only real safety "lock." This other stuff just keeps the "impulse shoppers" at bay.

Artkansas 

I've had that lock broken. Someone jimmied it with a '64 Chevy Impala fender at speed.

ad6mj

Cable lock for quick pit stops.

hotwired

After thinking about it, the U-lock has the advantage of being a "dog persuader" of last resort.

solveg

I bring a thin little lock with me most times... those big locks are such a pain. But if I was going to leave it to eat, or park it for hours, then I'd put a giant chin in front and a bar lock on the rear.

Digital Gee

And where can I buy a giant chin?

solveg

https://www.nbc.com/The_Tonight_Show_with_Jay_Leno/

Tom Bombadil

I've been using a little 8mm cable combo lock that cost me $3 at Wal-Mart. But have noticed that many bikes in the rural towns that I frequent, are left unlocked. I visited Cedarburg, Wisconsin last summer and there must have been 30 bikes leaning on trees, against walls, etc. with only a handful locked.

I might upscale a little this year, as I was able to pick up a brand new Kryptonite 10mm heavier duty lock for $6 at the recent swap meet. A model 1018 combo lock - it will be overkill for my application. Will probably continue to use the $3 lock on my hybrid.

I have an On-Guard U-bolt for using in Madison.

hotwired

Looks like the Madison swap meet was a very good investment!

Tom Bombadil

In today's paper this is a story about a person who left their bike in a bike rack outside of a grocery store and then went in to use the ATM. They said they were in the store for about 5 minutes. Came out, no bike.

The missing bike was a brand new $8000 fixie! He didn't lock it.

My first reaction was, "He didn't lock an $8000 bike?!?"

My second reaction was, "People pay $8000 for a fixie?!?" No brakes, no gears, one chainring and one sprocket. I guess there's a market for just about anything. I'm guessing it is an extremely light bike.

cranky old dude

It probably floated away.

Catweazle

I use a long, keyed and reasonably strong cable lock. It's part of my kit and goes everywhere with me. Slight bit of extra weight and bulk to cart around, but I can have peace of mind wherever I pull up because even where there's nothing to lock it up to the frame and both wheels will be anchored together and the bike unrideable. (And wherever there nothing to lock it up to I can see the bloody thing anyways! There's always SOMETHING, cause I don't ever ride out in the desert!)

BluesDawg

I have a cable lock with a combination lock. I keep it in a bag in my living room.