Leaving a bike locked in London

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cambsno

Well-Known Member
Sadly thats the problem with nice bikes - For a 5 min bike ride I would simply use an old banger and a cheap lock.

The other issue is not the lock but what you attach to. On our guided busway you are stupid to leave a bike worth more than £100 there as they just saw through the things you attach the bike too - then in the privacy of a unit they can take off locks attached.
 

Dec66

A gentlemanly pootler, these days
Location
West Wickham
What other precautions do some of you do when leaving your bike locked up in london.
My son who works in London is going to start commuting when he starts work after lockdown
He has a good D lock with extension cable to loop round wheels and frame and we have changed the seat clamp from QR to allen key I have also looped a strip of metal through the seat rails and attached it onto the pannier rack so tools required to remove seat
Any other ideas ?
I don't really have a problem as I have secure work parking, but if I need to leave it anywhere else, tips which other have touched on:

* Take your pub bike
* Use 2 good quality D locks
* Secure your saddle through the rails if possible
* Take any panniers or saddle bags with you.
 
Location
London
Bike is a Trek Marlin 5, Alloy frame, 6 weeks old, £400.00, Islington to Bankside approx 5 mls.
ah.
Not mega expensive but it's new-ness may well have attracted thieves.
Also from a quick search it seems to have suspension.
Not needed for London and I think any clever looking bit might attract folk, especially if new.

Unless insurance causes complications with the choice of replacement I'd go I think for a second hand steel hybrid.
7 to 9 speed will be fine, no more.
Cable rim brakes.
In time more can be spent on good wheels - not as noticable as clever bits, as long as they have no branding.

And maintain the bike yourself (himself) - then no reason why it shouldn't run nicer than the Marlin.
 
Location
London
Sadly thats the problem with nice bikes - For a 5 min bike ride I would simply use an old banger and a cheap lock.

The other issue is not the lock but what you attach to. On our guided busway you are stupid to leave a bike worth more than £100 there as they just saw through the things you attach the bike too - then in the privacy of a unit they can take off locks attached.
5 miles, not 5 minutes but i accept your general drift.
 

vickster

Legendary Member
ah.
Not mega expensive but it's new-ness may well have attracted thieves.
Also from a quick search it seems to have suspension.
Not needed for London and I think any clever looking bit might attract folk, especially if new.

Unless insurance causes complications with the choice of replacement I'd go I think for a second hand steel hybrid.
7 to 9 speed will be fine, no more.
Cable rim brakes.
In time more can be spent on good wheels - not as noticable as clever bits, as long as they have no branding.

And maintain the bike yourself (himself) - then no reason why it shouldn't run nicer than the Marlin.
Islington to Bankside...cheap single speed perfect!
 
Location
London
Son has no cycle mantainece know how. That is why he went for that type of bike, an old klunker would be no good for him
I'm not suggesting a "clunker" which suggests something terrible to ride. I consider most cheaper suspension systems a fast track to the big clunk. Bike maintenance and fixing isn't complicated. Know anyone who could help him with basic sorting out? With a mere 5 mile ride everything wouldn't need to be made perfect immediately. If your son doesn't want to do any maintenance he would probably have trashed that bike soonish anyway, turning it into a "clunker" in no time.
 
Location
London
Islington to Bankside...cheap single speed perfect!
True. Didn't realise it was a trip from islington.
Not too much of a climb.
Single speed might seem trendy though.
 

CXRAndy

Guru
Location
Lincs
All cities have a huge number of scumbags who will steal anything, using whatever means to secure it. If you take parts off then they will just take other parts off. Only way is to have a out of sight secure locked location within work building
 
Location
London
On days off, he has started cycling further afield with friends so single speed no use.
Good sign.
Buy him the park big blue book of bicycle maintenance and a couple of pots of grease etc.
Plenty of good advice will be available on here for sorting any niggles.
 
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