How do you secure (lock) a bike properly?

rumbataz

I was sold an expensive lock for my bike but the U-bolt on it is tiny and almost impossible to clamp onto anything. Hence, i'm looking for a more practical bike lock but would also appreciate some advice on how the bike should be secured (for example, when popping into a shop). And any recommendations on a bike lock would also be welcome.

Kerguelen

rumbataz wrote:

I was sold an expensive lock for my bike but the U-bolt on it is tiny and almost impossible to clamp onto anything. Hence, i'm looking for a more practical bike lock but would also appreciate some advice on how the bike should be secured (for example, when popping into a shop). And any recommendations on a bike lock would also be welcome.

Depends what the lock is and how big your tyres are. I have a Kryptonite NY Mini and a road bike with 23mm tyres - I find it a close fit to get both wheels secured to a standard Sheffield rack, but what I do is start with the method in http://www.sheldonbrown.com/lock-strategy.html, put the front wheel in between the bike and the rack upright and the lock through both wheels.

To get the bike out, apart from breaking the lock or the rack, a thief would have to destroy the rear wheel, leaving him with an unrideable mess.

sungod

locks that work...

http://www.lfgss.com/thread17938.html

...the first post in the thread is regularly updated with what's good, you don't need to read the whole thread

thieves do have vans with power tools, these will cut any lock, so what you are really defending against is casual scumbags who may carry a set of bolt cutters or a jack, 'filling' the inside of a d-lock with bike and post is the best method, and keeping the lock high above ground so that they can't use body weight as leverage for cutters

sometime posts for street signs can be lifted, or ralings cut more easily than the lock, so take care about what you use as an anchor as well

the longer you'll leave the bike unattended, the better the lock you need

busy areas are no guarantee of security, i had a bike pinched in full view of security guards and cctv plus people going in/out of an office building and loads of passersby, the lock was cut, people don't notice

TheEnglishman

There's quite a few good videos on YouTube on this subject.

The idea behind stubby U locks is to try and stop a thief putting a bottle jack inside the 'U' and forcing it open. If you have a really long U shackle it's really easy, quick to do and noise free. So get the shortest U lock that'll still lock your bike up. Don't use cable locks as they can be cut by a child with a pair of wire cutters. I'd go for a 16mm or fatter U lock - that'll pretty much stop any hand tools, although not a battery powered angle grinder :-(