Locks and bicycle security.

[Desperado Deluxe]

So I was wondering what y'all use in terms of keeping your bike locked up.
I started out with a simple master lock brand combination cable lock to keep my vintage crappy trek antelope 820 safe. It worked fine while I had it but I recently got a new bike (a trek ST 820) and figured I'd go with something a little more reliable so I bought a kryptonite U lock at wallys. And before I could even get it out of the package some dirt bag was hovering around my bike with an impact drill outside the coffee shop.
So im pretty sure it was worth the investment all the signs were apparent "hey nice bike!"

The only downside is it's so damn heavy and seems kinda impractical for touring.
Anyone have suggestions or alternatives? What do you use? And when?

I still use the cable lock to keep my quick release wheels safe and as a quickie if I'm just popping in somewhere to take a leak or something. And I figured I could use a cheapo dollar store cable lock or a chain for my seat.

Anything on keeping bags and rack mounts safe? Anything im missing?

 

[Jimmy Beans]

Those new style combination master locks are mad easy to crack the code. Be careful with those.

For my 2014 Specialized Crave Expert I used a Ulock and a separate 6' kyrptonite cable/key lock. I'd lock frame/rear wheel to a pole, remove the front wheel & seat and lace the cable through those, the frame and rear wheel to the pole as well.

It's kinda shitty you gotta carry around nearly as much weight in locks as your entire bike itself weighs but.. motherfuckers always tryna come up on someone's shit. I don't even feel safe with those locks but I figure if they got the time and skills to get through both, they earned it. I can't just tote around 4 Ulocks, though I'd like to. I think a Ulock/Cable team is about the best you can do.

 

[Coywolf]

I've learned from most populated areas that if someone is dead set on getting your bike, they will.

I locked my (not even very expensive) Mtn. Bike up in a well lit area of downtown Bend, OR with a U lock and a cable lock. Those fucking tweakers came in with a battery powered sawzall and stole that shit anyway. It was there overnight for like 8 hours though.

It really depends on if the area you are in had an organized bike theft ring or not.

U locks with center ground key are still the best bet IMO because you cant cut them with most bolt cutters.

But fuck. All the tweakers gots sawzalls now.

 

[Maki40]

Personally, I don't get a bike too expensive and then I use the cheapest $5 bicycle lock cable at Wally world cause I figure it keeps most people from taking it and the people with tools will get it regardless so no need spending extra on the lock and haven't had anyone steal it yet while locked though I did lose one at the liquor store when I was too lazy to lock it up before going in.

 

[LuckyMinnie]

If I wasn't riding the cheapest bike from Walmart, I would buy insurance. Velosurance is an insurance company for bicycles. If it gets stolen, they will pay to replace it. Right now I have a cheap bike and live in a city with a very low crime rate. Therefore I just use one of those word locks. Even when I get a more expensive bike, I won't use a u lock simply because they are heavy a/f. As for panniers, if you live in an area with a lot of theft, I think you're going to have to bring them in with you. Don't leave them on the bike. REI sells panniers that can also be used as regular bags, so it's not so ackward carrying them with you. Here's another idea for locking it up. You could get heavy duty chain and a lock from UHaul. I rent a storage unit from uhaul and they require people to use one of their special locks they sell. This is no ordinary lock. They didn't want to have to pay for people whose storage units got broken into, so they designed this lock to help prevent theft. As another person pointed out, the tweakers might still wind up stealing your bike. Nothing is perfect. But this might help.

 

[Deleted member 13433]

*and all the finest locks in the world are not going to do any good, if the bike is not locked to something super solid.

I saw a cat a few years ago who kinda had his super nice racing bike taken apart and locked to itself, and some dirtbag who was hanging around us simply up and walked away with it while we were inside watching a few bands play.

When I heard him say in such a gentle way about how he had it locked, just not locked to anything - all I could do was shake my head.

 

[texastraveler]

I kept anything worth stealing from my bags in a backpack, and made sure to lock it solid with a Kryptonite cable lock. Started with a U-lock but switched due to weight and bulk. I know L.A. metro offers bicycle lockers for like 5c/hr, I used those when possible. Otherwise, lock it to something solid through your frame and wheels, preferably next to a prettier bike lol

 

[Timothy Englert]

I poured enough money into my bike's mechanics, seat and tires for touring, but I keep it run down and dirty looking. I only clean the mechanics and never the frame. I use a U lock when touring but also a thick chain if I'm leaving it downtown [Buffalo]. Even my panniers are beat looking. Thieves seem to like the bright and shiny bikes and thier high tech exotic components. I upgrade with standard gears, parts, etc. [high quality for not much $$ actually] If I had a bad ass super bike it would stress me out. Who cares, besides myself and my family, about a 65 years old guy on a grubby bike? LOL Little do they know of all the $$ I've poured into my bike. When the Mormons used to use bikes for missionary work they would wrap a new bike with electrical tape to degrade it's newness.

 

[Deleted member 13433]

That was a trick the bicycle messengers in NYC used to use in the mid 1980s, you'd see all these ratty looking electrical and duct taped wrapped 3 speed English racing bicycles chained up to lamp posts everywhere one looked in midtown Manhattan !!

 

[void gaze]

Used to have an old coaster brake cruiser and locked it up overnight to a thick metal railing with a little pocket u lock. The town had tweakers but the bike wasn’t worth much and looked it (I had even spray painted the frame a very dingy boring color). Anyway I guess I came home a little too drunk or something one night or maybe I just thought it was late enough already ? And judged it would be ok to leave the hoopty u locked to the stop sign out front -or rather to the square hollow pole it was on- for eight hours, as I was going to be up pretty early considering the circumstances. After all I had locked it to the railing so many times, what were the odds that something would happen the one night I didn’t? Sure enough I got up in the morning someone had already sawed the signpost down!!

 

[SneakyWeasel]

You might want to check out this Youtube channel: LockPickingLawyer - https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCm9K6rby98W8JigLoZOh6FQ Many locks are so easy to defeat that they're a joke.. including u-bolts.

 

[Dunedrifter]

Remove any name brand decals, especially if you have a high dollar bike. Ugly it up with some duck tape and stickers (bands, anarchy, etc.) This will make it a lot less lucrative to steal.

 

[HitcherTheDrifter]

So I was wondering what y'all use in terms of keeping your bike locked up.
I started out with a simple master lock brand combination cable lock to keep my vintage crappy trek antelope 820 safe. It worked fine while I had it but I recently got a new bike (a trek ST 820) and figured I'd go with something a little more reliable so I bought a kryptonite U lock at wallys. And before I could even get it out of the package some dirt bag was hovering around my bike with an impact drill outside the coffee shop.
So im pretty sure it was worth the investment all the signs were apparent "hey nice bike!"

The only downside is it's so damn heavy and seems kinda impractical for touring.
Anyone have suggestions or alternatives? What do you use? And when?

I still use the cable lock to keep my quick release wheels safe and as a quickie if I'm just popping in somewhere to take a leak or something. And I figured I could use a cheapo dollar store cable lock or a chain for my seat.

Anything on keeping bags and rack mounts safe? Anything im missing?

I have a decent sized dog in my trailer which is far better than any lock and chain 😂

 

[Desperado Deluxe]

So update I lost my old cable lock and got a new cheapo one from Wallys. It's an outdoor brand made for coolers and such and because it's so thin i can put it through the seat. So I just put it there and the front wheel, using the U lock on the rear wheel and frame.

 

[Deleted member 23866]

seconding all the stuff about making ur bike look dingy. i've managed to keep a single speed around for >5yrs in a well populated city by never replacing my handlebar tape. also, if u have a kryptonite lock they have this anti-theft protection program where they'll reimburse u for up to $500 if ur bike is stolen while locked up. the only downside is i think u have to register ur bike's serial number with the cops and report it stolen etc.