Sheldon Brown's Lock Strategy

jhclare · May 2007

Hi all,

Just reading the following artcile about how to lock bikes:

http://www.sheldonbrown.com/lock-strategy.html

This seems a very different approach to everything I've been told. Reading it makes sense - but I'd still feel paranoid without the lock around the actual frame itself!

Does anyone here use this technique?

John

ed_m · May 2007

no... but he has a point!

<center>____________________
www.ultrarunner.co.uk
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Unknown · May 2007

no completly disagree........if you put it around the frame and the wheel, it makes no difference anyway, and leaves even less room to get a jack in, etc

--

Insert stupid, possibly baby elephant realated, comment here......

gaterz1981 · May 2007

looks like a pic of his pub bike though!!

Cats have nine lives. Which makes them ideal for experimentation.
http://i125.photobucket.com/albums/p67/ ... 81/MTB.jpg
http://i125.photobucket.com/albums/p67/ ... rFrame.jpg
http://i125.photobucket.com/albums/p67/ ... rFrame.jpg

dakidcp · May 2007

Makes a lot of sense .... especially if you do have a cable going through the frame as well?

<hr noshade size="1">"Get a bicycle. You will not regret it, if you live."
Mark Twain

hubgearfreak · May 2007

again, he is making sense. i'd never thought of that

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">Originally posted by gaterz1981

looks like a pic of his pub bike though!!
<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">

no.........
"Kryptonite Mini lock securing my beloved 1916 Mead Ranger"

rgisme · May 2007

That's like, really radical man [:)] But I still think I'll lock my bike the conventional way. The day when I only have a mini lock avaiable to me I'll do it that way!

Garybee · May 2007

I like that, a very good idea.

That's an interesting looking chainset/chain on that bike, I wonder what the benefit of that could be...very odd.

Hypocrisy is only a bad thing in other people.

philip99a · May 2007

Interest in the bike. he has lots of detail here. The guy is so thorough!

http://sheldonbrown.org/ranger.html

Made in 1919.

Campag Super Nova; faster than a cannon ball

Unknown · May 2007

I guesss it would work, but I would be slightly worried that it would be more encouraging to theft attempts (and possible damage) even if they failed.

frogcp · May 2007

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"> I guesss it would work, but I would be slightly worried that it would be more encouraging to theft attempts (and possible damage) even if they failed.<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">

Agreed!!! Not every bike thief has the nonce to see that sawing through a wheel rim might not be as easy as he thinks. He's hardly going to practice on a few spare wheels before he goes out on a nicking spree [;)]

effex · May 2007

I've been locking my bikes through the rear wheel like this for years. When you think about it, it makes a lot of sense... a frame could be sawed through in under a minute, not so a wheel. My bro was glad he'd locked his bike this way when a thief tried to break his lock, but instead managed to only bugger the key area. My bro then had to go about sawing his wheel to free the bike from the railings, if it had been locked through the frame he may have had to cut through the frame to remove it.

frogcp · May 2007

Believe me, my first choice would have been the railings [:D]

pbiggs · May 2007

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">Originally posted by jhclare
http://www.sheldonbrown.com/lock-strategy.html

This seems a very different approach to everything I've been told. Reading it makes sense - but I'd still feel paranoid without the lock around the actual frame itself!<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">Yes it does make sense. ANY lock deters casual opportunists. Serious bike thieves already know it would be easier to bust the D lock than cut through the rim.

The article inspired me to get the mini version of the Kyrptonite Evolution. Saves weight and can be fitted on my seat tube without having to remove the bottle cage. Must admit though that I still usually just lock the frame because that's usually more convenient. I use security skewers for the wheels.

~Pete

Unknown · May 2007

So this does nt happen to your baby.......

http://www.gumtree.com/london/29/10014729.html

--

Insert stupid, possibly baby elephant realated, comment here......

hubgearfreak · May 2007

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">Originally posted by frog

Believe me, my first choice would have been the railings [:D]
<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">

i did proper laugh at this[:D]

i'd have done the iron work too

knucklehead · May 2007

I hate to take up SB but a bolt cutter would make mush of the wheel section the bike is locked through in less than a minute including the tire. A would be thief would still have a serviceable rear hub and the rest of the bike doing this. There is no substitute for 2 d-locks (one to lock the front wheel and fork/handlebars to the frame one for the rear wheel+seat tube). This combo will take the longest for a would be thief to cut off.

pbiggs · May 2007

....Are you sure?

How are you sure? [:)]

Seriously, if you are sure then you should discuss it with Sheldon with the view to getting the article changed or scrapped.

~Pete

toontra · May 2007

I use a d-lock through the rear triangle and back wheel and a cable lock through the frame and front wheel. These two are carried permanently on the bike. If I'm going anywhere especially dubious then I'll put another d-lock through the top-tube. I carry this in a rucksack.

I'd like to see the buggers deal with that lot! (well, I wouldn't, actually).

there's no such thing as steep hills - just the wrong gear

terongi · June 2007

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">Originally posted by effex

When you think about it, it makes a lot of sense... a frame could be sawed through in under a minute, not so a wheel.
<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">

??

What thief is going to want to saw through a frame to steal it?

My strategy is this:
(1) Pay œ40 per year for dedicated cycle insurance.
(2) Pay œ40 one-off charge for good Abus lock. Good lock is usually a requirement of the insurance policy. Committed and professional thief will get through any lock if they really want to. Insurance gives me complete peace of mind. I can replace stolen everyday bike next day with full reimbursement.
(3) Never leave beloved/sentimental-value-type bike out of my sight . . . ever.

Terongi

ColinJ · June 2007

People - it doesn't matter how good your Lock Strategy is! Honestly, I guarantee that you can lock your best bike up using a 50 pound chain and you will still be reduced to tears when you return to it and find that it has been destroyed just for the hell of it... [:(]

I've lost count of the number of times that I've seen bikes still securely locked to railings, lamposts, whatever, but vandalised beyond repair. I would never leave my bike in any built-up area for more than a few seconds.

I went to watch a criterium in Manchester City Centre about 15 years ago. I walked the length of Deansgate, which was very crowded with spectators at the time, and noted the number of top quality bikes chained up along there - Pinarellos, Colnagos, Bianchis and so forth. By the time I walked back towards the railway station an hour later, every single one of them had been wrecked [:(!]!

A Miss is as good as a mile, especially if she cycles...

Sheldon Brown's Lock Strategy

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