Bike Locks

[Coggy]

I have just purchased my first "expensive" bike. A Specialized Tarmac SL4.

I looked into getting the bike insured against theft etc (I have personal third party liability cover already). They spoke of me having to fit a lock with Sold Secure Silver Rating. This would mean using something such as this http://www.halfords.com/cycling/accessories/locks/magnum-plus-chain-bike-lock-85cm

So, If I want to go on a nice day out on the bike, maybe stopping at a cafe or coffee shop or two for breaks I am going to have to lug around a big heavy chain that looks like it would be used to anchor an aircraft carrier down.

Or is there something more lightweight and portable that meets the Silver Standard ?

 

[tadpole]

http://www.cyclingweekly.co.uk/news/7-of-the-best-bike-locks-5221

 

[vickster]

Hiplock http://www.wiggle.co.uk/hiplok-bicycle-lock-version-150/

Or http://www.londoncyclist.co.uk/three-best-sold-secure-rated-bike-locks/

Or just a cafe lock, or even better just take your bike in when you get your coffee, then sit outside with it. I've done this in plenty of chains. I carry the bike in to show willing, although I doubt the wheels are any grubbier than the average pushchair!

 

[Roadrider48]

Hiplock http://www.wiggle.co.uk/hiplok-bicycle-lock-version-150/

Or http://www.londoncyclist.co.uk/three-best-sold-secure-rated-bike-locks/

Or just a cafe lock, or even better just take your bike in when you get your coffee, then sit outside with it. I've done this in plenty of chains. I carry the bike in to show willing, although I doubt the wheels are any grubbier than the average pushchair!

My local Sainsburys don't like it when I take my bike in....can't see why.

 

[ufkacbln]

THe problem with tests is what you include / exclude.

Most tests mark the Abus Granit series as the best, butthey were not even included!

 

[vickster]

Abus granit is great but not really a lightweight cafe lock

Don't take bike into supermarket, but costa, Starbucks, Nero. The op mentions cafe stops, not weekly shop I wouldn't choose to have my mid ride cake at sainsburys

 

[raleighnut]

I got persued by an overweight security man in Sainsburys once, by the time he caught up with me I was already at the till " I'll have to ask you to leave that outside" he puffed pointing at the bike "fine" said I "Ill just pay for this first" and passed the bottle of Talisker to the woman on the till.
It was 8-15 on a Friday morning and I'd just finished a 12 hour night shift, no lock cos the bike stayed in the workshop next to my workstation, or bench as I preferred to call it (trendy 'management team' there) and I wasn't going home then out again.

 

[BRounsley]

If it’s one lock get a decent short shackle D-Lock………

I had both of my bike nicked from a metal cycle store at my house. In the aftermath I channelled my anger into beefing up my bike security, resulting into a lot of research around bike locks. That and still eyeballing every bike that goes past me!

Personally when out and about I never leave my road bike more than 3 paces away, as I’m not going to carry the locks that would stop a tooled up thief. If that mean sitting in the rain cuddling it outside a café so be it.

My commute bike occasional gets locked up outside. I use a decent D-lock and link lock.

I understand the “silver standard - cycle” is for your insurance but it’s still a very low standard (silver standard cycle is lower than silver standard motorcycle for example). Where you leave your bike will be a bigger factor (e.g. within eyesight) to its safety.

Every lock is beatable and with always will be a compromise of weight, protections and cost. D-locks typically come out best when compromising on weight. One downside of a D-lock is it’s often hard to find something to lock it too, epically if it’s short shackle.

I’ve watched a lot of videos of people defeating locks, normally in seconds. These included £100+ gold standard locks. Typically approach:-

Any Cheap Lock/barrel – hammer and screwdriver

Cable – wire cutters

Chain/link - bolt cutters

D-lock – bottle jack (short shackle makes it harder to get the bottle jack in).

After that you’re onto real professions using battery powered power tools. Some people also use the freezer and hammer approach.

So if you combine a good chain with a good D-lock then the typical thief needs two tools and hopefully will move on.

The cables locks people use, including extra ones people use to lock a wheel (to a D-lock), are pointless. It will only stop an opportunists walking off with your bike (or wheel) at best.

For the house I took the motorcycle approach and ended up with an “Almax IV” chain locked with a closed shackle Squire Lock. It’s not portable and very expensive but I’m working to the assumption it will never need replacing.

Alamx bang on about their locks “never been bolt cropped” but still you can still power tool them off. That said you still just cut the bike carbon frame in half with a hacksaw and sell the components

Their “Wall of Shame” video is a sobering watch.

I’m depressing myself now….better stop the doom and gloom.

 

[vickster]

Good insurance. Read reviews of different companies claims process, check excess, T&Cs. Theft sucks but bikes can be replaced when all's said and done, if someone's that determined, not a lot you can do. Of course if you bike gets nicked while out on a ride, 50 miles from home, it'd be a bugger

My bikes live in my lounge but I really should move them into a suitable store in the garden. Just need to figure out what. It's actually the inconvenience of locking them up outside as much as the possibility of theft that is making me procrastinate!

 

[BRounsley]

I think I’ve previously waffled on about cycle sheds before. My bikes where stolen from Trimetals Metal Bike Store. I have to take some of the blame as I got lazy and didn’t lock them to my ground anchor. My version (in case they have fixed it) of the Trimetals has a design flaw where you can unbolt it apart while it’s locked. That’s how my bikes were nicked. The back was removed and the bike pulled out. I’ve fixed this problem by bolting it back together with “shear nuts”. It’s also now locked with “Oxford HD Mini Shackle Lock”. The shed was broken into a second time by cropping the padlocks, fortunately no bikes in it at the time. Open shackle padlocks are useless, cropped in seconds. The Oxford HDs appear to be better.

I now use an Asgard shed. It appears to be more secure but it’s not been field tested. It’s also locked with one key which is more convenient than the 2 Oxford HDs locks on the Trimetals. I would recommend the Asgard over the Trimetals.

Like all security it’s all about layers that make the thieves steal elsewhere.

I have a good quality ground anchor with the Almax chain. This is in the Asgard. I’ve beefed up the lighting. I also now have CCTV. I can stream the CCTV to my phone, over the internet. The CCTV may appear overkill but I love it. I hear a bang in the night, quick glance of the phone, all is well, so back to sleep. Plus thieves are lazy and I now know I put too much faith in the one layer of security of the Trimetals.

I did the work myself. Cutting the hole into the metal floor of the Asgard, for the ground anchor was a pain. Drilling the hole through the house to run the CCTV cables took 3 attempts over 3 days (ever increasingly bigger drill bits).

Locking the bike up is not that much of a pain. Two locks, shed and padlock. It only takes a couple of minutes. It also means I'm not dragging a dirty bike through the house!

 

[vickster]

It's the Asgard I'm looking at. I won't hear anything in the garden as I sleep at the front of the house. I'll D Lock / chain them together. The shed weighs 100kg so unlikely to go walkies. Won't be visible from the driveway down the side of the house. Doubt I'll bother with a ground anchor in the shed. However, bikes are insured.

 

[Globalti]

I don't own a serious bike lock because the bike is NEVER out of my sight. On the occasions when it is not in my sight or under my bottom while I go into a cafe, I use a cafe lock. The cafes I use are very rural!

 

[Big Nick]

Cheapo cafe cable lock for me to stop the opportunist riding off while I order my tea and cake but I always keep it in view as well

At home its a different story and my bikes would be more difficult than most to steal but someone with decent tools and cutting gear could still have them if they were that determined

 

[Roadrider48]

I got persued by an overweight security man in Sainsburys once, by the time he caught up with me I was already at the till " I'll have to ask you to leave that outside" he puffed pointing at the bike "fine" said I "Ill just pay for this first" and passed the bottle of Talisker to the woman on the till.
It was 8-15 on a Friday morning and I'd just finished a 12 hour night shift, no lock cos the bike stayed in the workshop next to my workstation, or bench as I preferred to call it (trendy 'management team' there) and I wasn't going home then out again.

What happened to me was that I asked the security guard and he said I could walk it round.
On my way around the store I met the customer services man, and he politely asked me to leave it outside next time.
I said to him that I did ask, but it didn't cut any ice.

 

[Roadrider48]

I don't own a serious bike lock because the bike is NEVER out of my sight. On the occasions when it is not in my sight or under my bottom while I go into a cafe, I use a cafe lock. The cafes I use are very rural!

I sleep next to mine! They are in the bedroom not very far away....EVER!