Securing your bike on the club run?

Chris-H

Hi All, just wondering how / if people secure their bikes at the half way stop on a club run? Few at my club seem to bother but having just bought a new bike I feel very paranoid about leaving it unlocked, it would be so easy for a few guys and a transit to make away with tens of thousands of pounds of bikes just by picking them up and slinging them in the back.

Obviously I dont want to carry a d-lock for a 10min coffee stop but what if anything do you use?

Has anyone experienced a theft in this circumstance?

Cheers,

Chris

smurfylicious

I had a similar thread on this with a poll.

http://www.bikeradar.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=12792291

Surely it's less of a problem when you're in a group (more eyes looking out).

ThatBikeGuy

There is usually somewhere outside to sit around our way, some even have bike stands to line your bikes up in so i feel a lock is unnecessary.

unixnerd

The trick is to make sure that at least one other person has a nicer bike than you do, so they'll take that one instead ;-)

SLX01

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/280610601792

cheap and easy to carry!!

MarcBC

I use a cheap cable combi lock by Abus. Anout £17 i think

It will not stop anyone serious but the local chavs will likely leave it and take someone else's unlocked bike. Small enough to fit into a jersey pocket too.

luv2ride

+1 for the Abus cable lock, if only as a mild deterrent. Makes me feel little happier when leaving the bike out anyway

cyco2

Cafe stops are are good target for thieves especially the cafe which is around the corner from the rest of the shops. Be aware that who ever is removing your bike looks like they are entitled to and nobody would take notice. So, the best way is to have somebody to keep an eye on them or lock several together. A friend of mine had his stolen from a group and they picked the best one. I've had mine stolen and many years later had some bits back from the police.

Thebigbee

After too many bikes being nicked I NEVER leave my bike unlocked in a public space. EVER!!

I have an Abus cable lock that fits on the seatpost - doesn't help with drag - though I couldn't care less.

Say your bike did get nicked when you were lulled into some false sense of security about it being safe.

Would you really look at the person who was "keeping and eye on them" in the same light ever again?

I treat my bike like I do casual sex. Better to be safe than sorry!!

markos1963

I make sure i get to the cafe stop first so all the other bikes have to lean on top of mine

turbo_hamster

My road bike has clip-on tribars. If I want to take a lock, I use bungees to attach a U-lock on top of the tribars. Adds weight, but on a social ride I don't find it matters.

My triathlon club meets at a cafe, does a two hour ride then returns to the meeting point. I take the lock and attach it to the railings at the cafe, so I don't have to carry it on the ride.

I totally agree that it is asking for your bike to be nicked if you leave it unlocked and in view. If I'm riding alone, I even take my bike into the Ladies with me. No-one has ever tried to stop me.

smurfylicious

turbo hamster wrote:

I even take my bike into the Ladies with me. No-one has ever tried to stop me.

What? You mean just through the main door, or actually into a cubicle? :shock:

racingcondor

I wrap my helmet straps through my wheel and frame and clip them together then sit next to the bike. Just enough that anyone trying to walk off with it will look obvious when they try to walk off with a bike with one wheel that doesn't move, should give us time to start chasing (and probably about as secure as an ultralight cable lock).

Our club did have a bike stolen from the coffee shop a while back, made me think about it more.

turbo_hamster

smurfylicious wrote:

turbo hamster wrote:

I even take my bike into the Ladies with me. No-one has ever tried to stop me.

What? You mean just through the main door, or actually into a cubicle? :shock:

Both, as it happens. You can't get the cubicle door shut, but we're all girls, so what does it matter? I'm not offering my bike as a free gift to anyone!

greasedscotsman

turbo hamster wrote:

My road bike has clip-on tribars. If I want to take a lock, I use bungees to attach a U-lock on top of the tribars. Adds weight, but on a social ride I don't find it matters.

Why not just ditch the clip-on bars and use the U-lock as your aerobars instead?

c0ugars

I use this when out snowboarding and it comes in handy when out on the bike and it small and best of all its only 10 quid!!

http://www.slidesnowboardstore.co.uk/sh ... cts_id=940

Thelittlesthobo

I like the idea of clipping the helmet to the spokes. By the time a thief has clattered about with it and realised whats happening you would hope he would leave it.

Personally, i have always worked on the basis of

a) Dont leave the bike unattended
b) If it is unattended then have it in view of where you are seated.
c) If you cant see it then make sure your bike is under as many other bikes as possible. They get taken before yours.

Has worked 100% so far

Wacky Racer

Simple answer, don't leave your bike unattended. I am lucky enough to live in a rural area where there are virtually no problems, but I still wouldn't take the chance. My bike goes with me when I stop, or I stay outside.