czr

What method and type of locks do you use to lock your bikes? What has worked for you and what hasn't?

Gresp15C

I go with BTN style security (Better Than Nothing). Steel chain, in a piece of innertube, and a combination padlock. I figure with a chain, at least it will foil a basic wire cutter, but nothing will foil the thief who really wants my jalopy. When I bought the bike, it had a cable lock on it, that I had to cut. It was just too easy, so I switched to the chain. I also follow the practice of parking next to a nicer bike.

When I go somewhere downtown or on the university campus, I bring an Abus chain lock with a hardened chain.

I've never had a bike stolen, so in that sense, all of my locks have worked for me, but I also doubt that I've ever put them to the acid test, such as overnight in NYC.

Fahrenheit531 

Abus Bordo (combination style so I don't have to worry about a key) if I've gotta lock it up somewhere for a little while. At work it's a steel mesh bike locker with a high-rated Master padlock. Overnight or longer it's Schlage deadbolts, because the only place my bikes spend the night is in the house.

The Abus is pretty stout. Big ol' slabs of hardened steel that fold together into a neat little package. Like any security it can be defeated, but I feel like it's enough that the would-be thief is gonna see it and move on to easier prey. Downside: it weighs about the same as a Fiat 500.

seau grateau

If it's gonna be out there for a while, Kryptonite U-lock for the frame, Kryptonite cable for the wheels.

StirFry

I use an abus ultra mini when running errands, and a lightweight combination chain lock attached to my wife's bike when at home. I never leave my bike outside for any appreciable amounts of time, and I'm honestly more worried about someone breaking into my house one day and taking off with my bike than it happening in public.

hardboiled718

Small U-lock on the rear wheel in between the seat and chain stays against a fixed object works best. Sometimes just throw the U-lock around the rear wheel and seat tube if the bike's with in sight and I'm just running into a store for a second. also sometimes carry a cable if I plan on locking up for longer

Scrodzilla

I bring it inside with me just about everywhere I go. Now and again someone will crab about it at the grocery store near my house but if they do, I throw it into a shopping cart and push that around the store. **** 'em.

bonsai171

If you can, definitely keep it inside. Don't let people know what you have/how much it's worth. I'm a little paranoid after having one stolen out of my basement a few years ago (shared basement in our condo; locked up with a U lock and heavy steel cable) so I would definitely go with keeping it inside, preferably next to your bed so you can see it when you go to sleep All kidding aside, I had one there for a long time, nowhere else to put it.

Definitely keep it out of sight though, my fixed gear is by a window inside now, which has the blinds closed all the time so it isn't seen and targeted.

Dave

veganbikes

You have made my evening complete! One of my favorite comments in a long while!

My local grocery store (a large soulless chain) told me to move my bike to the front produce stand because I typically keep it near the emergency door and they might have an emergency which renders the two front doors a few feet from the emergency door useless? Though if they ever complain I might have to grocery cart that shiz.

czr

I've seen exactly one person that I can recall walk their bike around the store with them. Never in a shopping cart but if you can stick a kid in one, why not a bike?

PortlandEddie

abus lock to a bike rack in a high traffic area.

JeremyLC

I had to carry my wheels in with me once, so I put 'em in my cart. I had guy get all indignant and say "People put their FOOD in there!", to which I replied "So will I, but I'm going to CLEAN it and COOK it before I eat it."

prooftheory

I think the grocery stores are less likely to complain about walking in with your bike if you are clacking along in your road shoes and superhero outfit. Then they just look at you with pity.

Leukybear 

U lock through rim section of unomounted front wheel and rear wheel at the triangle.

TheatreME

I go a little overkill. Krypotnite U lock that I try to get thru a section of the rear triangle and around the wheel with a 6' flex cable that I wrap through the saddle rails and around both wheels locked with the ulock AND a combination cable lock also around both wheels. I hate getting leather saddles stolen...

veganbikes

Cables are underkill, they can be easily snipped through and offer low protection. Overkill would more be heavy duty chains (like ABUS Granit Extreme Plus 59s) instead of cables and maybe a U-lock or folding lock designed for motorsports equipment (again ABUS Granit Extreme stuff) for the frame and maybe Pinhead or Pitlocks for the wheels and other bolts. That would be my version of overkill but I still wouldn't call that overkill in some places it would be just good locking to prevent theft.

epdarks

Sounds kinda stupid but I ride my crappy bikes if I have to lock them for extended periods. If I have my nice bikes then its 2x kryponite U-locks, one for the front wheel and frame, one for the rear wheel to the frame. Locked up my Peugeot this way in downtown Detroit for a long weekend and I still own it!

REDMASTA

I use a U-lock and don't leave it unattended for more than a couple hours. I don't want to carry anything more than that. I think the length of time it sits is a big part of it. People who commute to work or leave their bike locked up all day or night probably have a higher chance of it getting stolen. Would be thieves will have more time to scope it out and possibly even learn your schedule.

I've had a motorcycle stolen before. It wasn't when I would leave it in parking lots for hours with nothing more than a disk lock. Nope, it was in the gated parking deck at the place I lived secured to a beam with the biggest Onguard chain and lock offered at the time. The real kicker is it happened during broad daylight, went to work and when I came back it was gone.

Nothing is guaranteed not to be stolen so you just have to weigh the risks I guess.

bmwjoe

Here is what happened to me with locks that were too small for downtown Philadelphia.

I doubt this would have happened with a U-lock.

Ride Safe,

Joe

fietsbob

Abus Bordo 6500 folds but is quite secure.. but I moved from a city to a town..

Which helps..

have other locks on other bikes .. replaced QR skewers with allen bolt ones.. pitlock are more secure...




....

instrumentality

Helmet clipped to the top tube, kryptonite cord starting through the rails of my saddle, through my helmet strap, then through the front wheel. Kryptonite u-lock through the frame and connecting the cord.

Frame, helmet, and front wheel secured.