SunnyFlorida

For those shopping trips to the mall or stopping by a nearby store or local eatery, how do you safely lock up your folder?

The one I'm expecting has a QR seatpost.

I know most would fold and carry the bike in, but I can't see lugging a 26 lb folder around the mall or while I window shop.

Way back when I occasionally would see a folder folded up and locked at a bike rack.

Honestly though I didn't see how it was locked since I wasn't considering any other bikes at the time.

badrad

we use a ulock for the frame and rear wheel, and we carry a second small lock with a cable which we use to secure the front wheel and snake it through the underside of the seat. so pretty much everything is tied down. we also remove any clip on stuff - lights, blinkers, cyclo-computers that are worth anything. with the QR pedals on my MuSL, I've since learned to just leave those on, since most people did not realize the pedals come off anyways.

lucille

I find them really difficult to lock, because of the shape of the frame. I haven't found a good way yet, so far we lock the two folders (each facing different way) wheel to tube on both sides, which requires two u-locks. That's a lot of weight to carry. Maybe somebody has a better idea.

vmaniqui

i never lock my folding bike. i always bring them with me anywhere i go. that is also the reason why i always make sure that the bike i am buying can be rolled when folded. dahon bikes and tikit are good at these. but why would you lock a folding bike ? you should be able to fold it and roll it inside or anywhere.

ddez

As above i never lock it,if it cant come in i wont go in. If its a fair distance walking wise i roll it.
I believe your brand of bikes are able to be rolled are they not?
Sorry, for round about way of answering your locking problem,this may be of no help.

hazyphonics

I just roll it or place it in a shopping cart. bring a bag (even a trash bag) to cover the bike if you think they won't let you in. otherwise - just dont bring your folder.

folder fanatic

How do I personally lock my folding bike up? Well, actually I never do-no exceptions. Here is why I don't:

• I included this old 50+ photograph of my father & his motorcycle. This carefully chained motorcycle was stolen in the mid-1950s. My father never quite got over it or bought another one. Many years later, when one of my old beater (yes junky) bikes was attempted to be stolen. My father had to release it from the ruined U lock it was using. He told me to buy another bike-my first folding one-and not to depend on locks ever again. So far it works even around here-right down the street from a family of professional bike thieves.
  
• My Piccolo (and my other bikes) are placed in shopping carts (as shown), fold-able luggage carts which I use for the ones that don't have a built in castor wheel system bunged tied on my rear racks, wheeled about on around their own wheels (as in my Brompton's case), taken aboard inside the cabins of mass transit vehicles, and the like. And if I can't keep the bike with me at arm's length (like I do any of my other valued possessions), it stays home. So far, no problems.

• Except for photographic purposes, I always use a soft bag or slipcover when inside stores and the like. That way I don't call undue or unwanted attention to me by hostile bike phobic clerks or security guards. The funny thing is the real law enforcement people-police, FBI and the like seem to welcome the bikes especially wrapped in their protective bag cocoons-go figure.

These are my own methods in securing my bikes. I no longer have any use for locks that cannot work except to extract money out of me.

lucille

That's all good for commuting to work and getting around town, but if you tour you will have to leave your bike out sometimes. I doubt the restaurants will let you in with a loaded bike, same goes for attractions. Are you guys saying that you won't eat, or go to a museum/gallery/whatever you wanted to see, because they won't let you bring the bike in? It all depends what you use the bike for, sometimes you do have to lock it.

folder fanatic

Well, when I am on vacation, I noticed my bikes stay at home. The bikes are simply an answer to a local problem of bike theft that is skyrocketing around here as bikes become more valuable than they are worth in a realistic fashion or in retail stores (as transportation). In strange or unfamiliar places, I don't want the hassle or headaches of worrying about bikes. I use mass transit or more likely drive. Around here, there is enough weirdness going around:

https://cbs2.com/local/Bike.Thief.Robs.2.1784994.html

Just remember my father's lesson....Locks Don't Work In 1955 Or Now! Folding bikes were selected by my father as to their ability to fold, bag, & take with you, but they are not anymore theft proof than other bikes if you lock the unloaded or loaded bike outside. I would have someone "guard" the bike(s) by staying with them or having a series of "safe houses" to keep them inside as I did before the folding bikes.

nekohime

When I had a cheapo folder I would lock it sometimes. It was a fold-in-half type, so I would fold it up and put a u-lock or chain through the two wheels. Now that I have a brompton I really, really try not to lock it up.

Many museums, restaurants, attractions, etc. have a coat or baggage check, so I leave my bike and whatever other stuff with them. I go to LA Opera a lot and the people at Dorothy Chandler know me as the young lady with the cool bike. Many places also allow you to just roll it in, so it is very, very rare for me to be inside while my bike is locked up outside.

If bikes are not allowed in the place and I'm meeting up with someone who has a car, the bike goes in my friend's car. If I really, really cannot bring my bike in, I just find somewhere else to go. But if there is nowhere to put it and I absolutely have to be at that place, I lock it up, but again, this is an absolute last resort. I fold the bike up and the U-lock goes through the frame and both wheels. I'll try to take a pic of my Brompton locked up for illustration.

SunnyFlorida

I ordered the Eco D7 so I'm not sure if I can roll it in. If anyone knows for sure that I can then that solves part of the problem. In certain cases then I can roll it in if I'm going to one particular store or eatery.

However, if I'm window shopping or going to several stores in the same mall, I don't think I want to drag my folder around besides my helmet and backpack.

I don't have a stable of bikes so the option of leaving the folder home and going on a beater, for example, is not an option.

P.S. Note to self - Next bike - a beater!

lucille

The reason we bought our folders was to be able to take them on vacation. Of course, every bike can be stolen, no question about it. All we can do is make it as difficult as possible, hoping the thief will not want to bother.

edwong3

Hello

What you could do is to fold the bike in it's entirety, and use a GOOD STRONG cable lock from a company such as "Krytonite" for example, to run the cable through the two wheels, through the seat rails, the frame and finally to the fixed object it is being locked to. That way, everything is covered.

No locking device is 100% foolproof, but you should always get the best you can afford.

Congrats on the new bike BTW.

folder fanatic

While you are waiting for your beater to be found, you can invest in an inexpensive luggage cart. Beside bike duty (toting bike, packages, helmets if needed), these carts are so useful in lugging home 20 lb. of cat litter, groceries, odd shape products, cats & dogs from the veterinarian office or even a new one adopted from the shelter, and the like. My carts cost anywhere from 5 dollars-20 dollars (this one "Overland Travel Cart" pictured is from Target at 25 dollars). Since I am also car free, I look for helpful things like these carts that can have multi uses in my home......

folder fanatic

I guess everyone must make their own decisions on risk and cycling. I myself gave up bikes for a number of years due to the almost certainty of bike loss to theft in my high crime area filled with desperate people who takes a chance anytime they can get away with it along with jaded police and sheriffs who might take a report and nothing is done afterward. After a beater bike (a beater for heaven's sake!) was almost stolen, I turned to this methodology of bike security. Does it work? Well, I am about to sell a folding bike I had for a while. This is a nice feeling to be able to choose parting with a bike after being separated from so many bikes prematurely over the years. I am happy with my bikes and each one has the folding feature. This is the only security I need even here-not over rated and overpriced locks.

snafu21

Take it with you. If a thief wants it, he'll take it. Angle grinder in vans and bolt cutters in backpacks means unless you've got two or more locks, your bike is a target. If the bike can't be stolen, it might be vandalised in revenge. I was chewed off in the Hybrid forum in disbelief for mentioning that when I left my MTB chained to hospital railings in London, the only parts that were easily removable were the wheel nuts. I came back to find they had been loosened in an attempt to disable the bike.

London is home now to Brompton-jacking, City workers cycling through Canary Wharf are being forced off Bromptons at knifepoint. A fast and easy crime.

Trust, and lose.

ro-monster

I replaced all my quick releases with locking skewers, and simply lock the frame with a single mini U-lock. True, the bike no longer folds unless I unscrew the locking skewers, but that's ok with me because I don't really need it to fold unless I'm packing it for travel. If I were locking my bike in the city I'd probably add another lock, but in this area I'm one of the few who uses anything more substantial than a cheap, thin cable.

I look at it this way. My bike is just a tool. While I'm willing to take some basic precautions to keep it, I'm not willing to be a slave to the need to hold onto a mere material object. If it does happen to get stolen, it can be replaced.

SunnyFlorida

badrad, lucille, vmaniqui, ddez, hazyphonics, folder fanatic, neko., edwong3, snafu & ro-monster - Thanks for the feedback on this.

Vmani,ddez, hazyphonics folder fanatic & snafu - I plan to bring the folder in if I'm going to one particular place. Hopefully it does roll, which I very much doubt. I have a luggage cart so I'll see how that can work for the mall.

lucille - I hope this thread gave you some other ideas about how to lock your own folder, if you wanted too.

badrad, edwong & ro. - Will keep in mind your suggestions for locking the folder.

ro - I was thinking of replacing the QR seatpost with a skewer I saw in Rei.com. If I put that on, could I just replace the skewer with the QR when needed? I don't go to the mall very frequently. If I go once every 3-6 months that's a lot for me.

neko - Thanks alot for offering to take a pic of your locked up Brompton but if you don't get to it, not to worry. I have a good idea now on how to approach it.

folder fanatic

I think when I go to a strange city, I will continue to leave my bikes at home as airlines charge for anything with their excess fees. If I do cycle there, I want boring cheapies no one would stick a knife in my face over or contact a nice person(s) from this forums(s) who would be my-paid-guide & knowledgeable escort if that proves not to be too troublesome for them.

edwong3

I would like to add that sometimes we forget we can take in our folded bikes into an establishment in many cases. We tend to take that for granted. Case in point, two weekends ago, I was on my Victory folder for a pleasure ride. On the way home, I decided all of a sudden to stop by the supermarket to pick up a couple of items.

When I got there, I then realized that I didn't have my bike lock with me, and almost gave up on the idea of shopping when I opened my eyes, and said to myself, "What am I thinking? This is a folding bike!". So I folded it, and placed it on the bottom carrying rack on one of the shopping carts.

To top it off, I guess I provided some entertainment as one of the assistant store managers told me he was fascinated by watching me fold the bike, in addition to the some of the other patrons noticing my folder with admiring glances

miamimike

Due my first Dahon Folder stolern here in Miami(cabled to the main exit door 10 feet from the cashier at our neighborhood Home Depot) in less then 12 minutes inside this past Jan 18, my Dahon Mu Uno comes inside with me ---wherever, whenever. I have wheeled it inside unfolded at Home Depot, Restaurants like Pollo Tropical. In Walmart, Target, Walgreen's drugstore, ST Martha's Catholic Church(for sunday mass--back row of seat of course) I fold it (in <15 seconds) and wheel it in using the seat as a Handle. No Problems by anyone to date pushing it around in this fashion. I also did this at Walmart at times and put it into the bottom of the Shopping cart and otherwise then a few stares from people trying to figure out what it is, No Problem. If there comes a time I cannot bring it into the store, that place just lost my business. Simple. Here in Miami, it does NOT matter if your folder is a Cheepo or the expensive model ; unattended at the stores and MAlls ect, IT WILL BE STOLEN. Fast

jefmcg

Really? If this is a big problem in London, I'm surprised you haven't mentioned it before. I've tried several google searches, and I can't find a mention of it.

Not that bicycle jacking doesn't happen in London: a neighbours kid was forced off his bike by some other teenagers a few months ago. (still makes me angry that she had to tell him he was right to walk away. He was, but he shouldn't have had to.) And Brompton's are big targets for theft (they sell for high value on eBay, and a colleague was threatened when he met with a seller at Waterloo station and started complaining the bike didn't match the eBay description). So while I am sure there has been at least one Brompton Jacking, it would be good to know if this was a big problem.

joan

oh, OP: I'm of the school of not locking. I chose my bike partially on weight, and I'm not adding 2+ kg to that for a lock I'd nearly never use. It would be nice just to lock it up at the supermarket and mall - but I never have a lock with me and I'd just be worrying about it the whole time, anyway.

HK 45

I leave my bike locked around different places all the time. I just take a a thick steel wire cable I got from home depo and rap it around the front tire of my bike going back all the way to the frame triangle. I then take the 2 end loops and lock em with 3 key rubber locks.

Not getting your bike stolen is all about making your bike be the less sweeter of a prize.

LDB

Too bad common sense isn't more widespread. Use a weapon to commit a felony = automatic capital punishment with no exception. Far far fewer cases as a result. Sadly, the bleeding hearts are far too soft on the criminals and the honest society suffers as a result.

I like the take it in idea and will likely adopt that as my method and as the deciding factor in where I go and where I pass by.

SunnyFlorida

Thanks everyone for the additional responses and feedback on this one.