Cheap second lock

[vickster]

Yeah, understood

So are the datatag kits worth worrying with or the cycle register thing

I won £100 on the premium bonds today - been an expensive month, but my lock budget is now £35! I still don't want anything daft heavy as I simply won't bother lugging it around if honest!

I also need to talk to my insurance company about adding the bikes to my home policy

This looks a bit of a monster - any good - like the price tag! http://www.cyclestore.co.uk/productDetails.asp?productID=23858

 

[Riverman]

I'd spend £60 and get the Abus Granit 54 plus.

My bike only cost £285, retails at £400 though but I wouldn't be without my lock.

I think it comes from being burnt in the past and not wanting to buy something that weighs a tonne.

 

[vickster]

How heavy is it though? I need to see what requirements the insurance company has before I spend

 

[vickster]

Well, I relented and bought http://www.discountcyclesdirect.co.uk/product_info.php?products_id=4570 (good price)...only 1.5kg and can attach to bike

I assume my insurers will be happy! (better be )

So much for a cheap second lock

Thanks for all your help

 

[Riverman]

How heavy is it though? I need to see what requirements the insurance company has before I spend

Not sure, sorry I didn't get round to weighing it. The Abus is probably the best Dlock you can buy, bar the kryptonite mini one.

It's Gold secure rated.

 

[Riverman]

Well, I relented and bought http://www.discountcyclesdirect.co.uk/product_info.php?products_id=4570 (good price)...only 1.5kg and can attach to bike

I assume my insurers will be happy! (better be )

So much for a cheap second lock

Thanks for all your help

That's a great price too.

 

[e-rider]

Where are you guys leaving your bikes that they are at such risk!? I leave mine for an hour or two on a populated high street with CCTV

The Krytonites get poor feedback for key and bracket and rust...

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Kryptonite-...1_fkmr0_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1271346446&sr=8-2-fkmr0

All D-locks rust if left in the rain; they are made of metal! They should be kept oiled if they get wet often. These reviewers would have made the same comment about another lock, it just happens that they bought a kryptonite!

As for the key issue, a number of cases have been reported but this is due to people not oiling the lock mechanism frequently (necessary for any lock) and twisting the key without it being fully inserted, and generally forcing it - again happens with other locks too.

I agree that kryptonite brackets are rubbish! I carry mine in my bag.

That ABUS looks like just the ticket - good buy.

One more point: CCTV is useless. It doesn't put thieves off at all, and most likely the police will not have the time to even watch it, and definitely not to identify the person and arrest them. You seem to be quite unaware that firstly, a bike is stolen every 8 seconds in the UK, and secondly it's pretty close to not even being illegal! You typically need to be caught 20+ times before even being given a small fine or community order; which they never pay or do anyway. Bike theft is everywhere - use your new ABUS and you can relax a little.

 

[vickster]

So is it worth registering the bikes (I am guessing lots of srtolen bikes get flogged on fleabay, gumtree, loot etc) as I asked ^^^ Or a waste of time, effort and cash...immobilise is free and the stickers cost a few quid...

 

[e-rider]

You could register it; definitely note down the frame number etc. However, if your bike is stolen the chance of ever seeing it again are close to zero.

Best to invest you effort and money in not letting it get stolen in the first place!

 

[vickster]

Well I don't really park it anywhere it is likely to be at greater risk - as I said always somewhere fairly busy and yes, it could get nicked obviously but short of never leaving it anywhere (which defeats the point of using it rather than the car), what else can one do other than insure?

 

[e-rider]

Yes, buy a good lock (as you have) and get it insured - that's it.

Now you can be certain that whatever happens you're not going to be out-of-pocket.

Leaving it in a busy place certainly doesn't make it a safer place though. You can be certain that if someone got some noisey power tools going and cut your lock, not one person in the street would stop and say something (which is what you would expect really; would you potentially risk your life to protect a strangers bike?)

 

[vickster]

Yes, but I assume in a busy area, the less professional thief is more unlikely to get their power tools out - always go for an easier target, like a less good lock or a bike in a less populated area?

 

[e-rider]

The 'power tools' thing was just an example of how people wouldn't say anything even if it was really obvious that the bike was being stolen. It's unlikely that power tools would be used in reality.

Bolt-cropper and hydraulic jacks are the main 2 tools - both almost completely silent and also small(ish)!

Areas where there are lots of bikes attract thieves - they come and take their pick. As you say though, easy targets go first ie. anything with a cable lock. D-locks will be attacked for more expensive bikes though (that's where the insurance policy comes in handy) and a good experinced thief can break an average D-lock within a few minutes if it hasn't been used correctly.

A D-lock used properly will be pretty hard to break though. Tips: never leave large spaces in the middle of the lock; fill it with parts of your bike and wheels. For example, don't just lock one tube of the frame to a post. This will leave space to insert a hydraulic jack and pop it open, or allow a long pole to be used to lever it open (a long pole with 2 men hanging off it is enough to break most D-locks open).

 

[vickster]

Both bikes added to insurance until 7 August - no charge, just admin fee of £12.50, no specific lock stipulation, just that they are locked up. Each insured to value of £450 (would be the replacement value)

£150 excess but I guess that's unavoidable.

Impressed with insurers - they even took my details for a call back rather than making me sit in a queue as all the advisers were busy when I rang

 

[Riverman]

Both bikes added to insurance until 7 August - no charge, just admin fee of £12.50, no specific lock stipulation, just that they are locked up. Each insured to value of £450 (would be the replacement value)

£150 excess but I guess that's unavoidable.

Impressed with insurers - they even took my details for a call back rather than making me sit in a queue as all the advisers were busy when I rang

I don't know much about insurers but a £150 excess to insure a £450 bike seems very expensive as your bike would only be worth around £200 second hand.