Which cycle lock for coffee shop stops?

racingt
racingt Posts: 108
edited January 2014 in Road buying advice
Expensive bike but don't want to carry 2 kgs of steel with me, and, yes I know the protection will be to a lesser degree, but what would be a convenient and reasonably secure lock that can be easily carried? Happy to spend £100 and guessing anything under £65 won't offer a good level of security. All good ideas welcomed, thanks!!

Comments

  • marcusjb
    marcusjb Posts: 2,412
    http://www.abus.com/eng/Mobile-Security ... locks/1950

    That is what I carry.

    Bike is rarely out of my sight at the cafe, so this is just enough to stop someone simply walking away with the bike. No, it won't stop the determined thief who knew I was going to be at coffee shop x and happens to have their bolt cropper with them - but I will take that risk. As I said, the bike isn't out of my sight for more than a couple of minutes.
    Stuff about riding a bike a long way
  • racingt
    racingt Posts: 108
    Thanks Marcus this looks ideal for the situation you describe. Wondering about those stops where you are gone for 15 minutes, but in a suburban environment rather than city centre. Think I may end up getting two, and your suggestion may be the first one....
  • rolf_f
    rolf_f Posts: 16,015
    I just use a retracting combination cable lock that I got from Clas Ohlson for about £4.00 (there are all sorts of variation on the theme) which is light and takes up no significant pocket space. You could probably cut the wire with a hard stare but anything sub D lock is going to be easy picking for a proper thief. But as a deterent, ultimately even a bike with the most feeble lock on is going to be less interesting to the thief than a bike with no lock on.

    In the end, I'm careful about where I stop and if my bike is on it's own, and I have any doubts about the location, I make sure I can see it. If I had to carry something even like marcusjb's lock, then I just wouldn't bother with the cafe stop!
    Faster than a tent.......
  • mercia_man
    mercia_man Posts: 1,431
    I use the same Abus cable lock as Marcus. Small and light enough to carry in back pocket. Long enough to fit round street furniture and secure more than one bike and strong enough to deter opportunist thieves while you have your lunch or coffee stop. Cheap to buy.
  • smidsy
    smidsy Posts: 5,273
    If it is just about stopping the opportunist and you are essentially not leaving it out of site heavy duty cable ties are just the ticket.

    Very light, simple to fit and will not scratch your frame.

    You can even undo it with another cable tie and re-use.
    Yellow is the new Black.
  • monkimark
    monkimark Posts: 1,926
    Abus Bordo if you want someting a bit more secure, I have one for work and its pretty sturdy feeling. The light version is only 600g or so but you'd probably have to ditch a water bottle to carry it (it has a frame mounted carrier)
    http://www.amazon.co.uk/Abus-Bordo-6150 ... B0046RXOF6

    Or something like this is pretty solid & small - just so long as you can carry it and get it to fit (you'd get the chainstay attached to a railing as long as you can get right against it with the bike)
    http://www.infinitymotorcycles.com/prod ... c-lock/733
  • PBo
    PBo Posts: 2,493
    smidsy wrote:
    If it is just about stopping the opportunist and you are essentially not leaving it out of site heavy duty cable ties are just the ticket.

    Very light, simple to fit and will not scratch your frame.

    You can even undo it with another cable tie and re-use.

    That is genius!!!
  • smidsy
    smidsy Posts: 5,273
    Perhaps if I bought a bucket load and put Mavic stickers on and marketed them as cafe stop theft devices I could sell them for £10 each. :-)
    Yellow is the new Black.
  • marcusjb
    marcusjb Posts: 2,412
    smidsy wrote:
    Perhaps if I bought a bucket load and put Mavic stickers on and marketed them as cafe stop theft devices I could sell them for £10 each. :-)

    Get pink ones, put a Rapha logo on and that's £20 you can charge. (you can split that extra tenner 50/50 with me thanks).
    Stuff about riding a bike a long way
  • MattC59
    MattC59 Posts: 5,408
    I use a snowboard lock, somethign like this:

    http://www.sailandski.co.uk/acatalog/Burton-Cable-Lock-2014--clear--23066.html?gclid=CJffuLuvnrwCFZPm7AodtUgAxA

    The body of it isn't that sturdy (you don't get many thieves with bolt croppers up mountains) but it's fine as a deterrant and to prevent the opportune thief.

    Leave your bike in top gear as well, your avarage pikey will probably struggle to work out how to use STI gears so it will at least slow his get away, should the worse happen.
    Science adjusts it’s beliefs based on what’s observed.
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  • Mart74
    Mart74 Posts: 111
    smidsy wrote:
    If it is just about stopping the opportunist and you are essentially not leaving it out of site heavy duty cable ties are just the ticket.

    Very light, simple to fit and will not scratch your frame.

    You can even undo it with another cable tie and re-use.

    Brilliant idea!

    How do you open it with another tie though? :oops:
  • Bar Shaker
    Bar Shaker Posts: 2,313
    The retractable locks have a plastic coating on the cable so will not scratch your frame either.

    Cable ties are a great idea and I think string and a good knot would also work to a similar level of security. These options are marginally better than carrying lucky heather, which you should also consider if you can't afford £8 for a retractable cable lock.

    I'm happy to use a retractable cable lock but would find a different cafe if my bike was out of sight whilst I ate. Only a gold standard mahoosive chain, locked to something really immovable like a street lamp, would result in an insurance payout, if your bike was nicked.

    Thieves have targetted cafes on Sunday mornings so be careful about where you leave your bike and what you secure it with.
    Boardman Elite SLR 9.2S
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  • rolf_f
    rolf_f Posts: 16,015
    MattC59 wrote:
    I use a snowboard lock, somethign like this:

    http://www.sailandski.co.uk/acatalog/Burton-Cable-Lock-2014--clear--23066.html?gclid=CJffuLuvnrwCFZPm7AodtUgAxA

    The body of it isn't that sturdy (you don't get many thieves with bolt croppers up mountains) but it's fine as a deterrant and to prevent the opportune thief.

    Leave your bike in top gear as well, your avarage pikey will probably struggle to work out how to use STI gears so it will at least slow his get away, should the worse happen.

    That's pretty much like mine. As for the gears - I reckon leaving it in the smallest cassette sprocket, and the smallest chainring but with the shifter already in the large chainring position would be even more effective!
    Faster than a tent.......
  • smidsy
    smidsy Posts: 5,273
    Mart74 wrote:
    Brilliant idea!
    How do you open it with another tie though? :oops:

    Well if I told you how on here it would not be very secure would it :wink:
    Yellow is the new Black.
  • petemadoc
    petemadoc Posts: 2,331
    smidsy wrote:
    Mart74 wrote:
    Brilliant idea!
    How do you open it with another tie though? :oops:

    Well if I told you how on here it would not be very secure would it :wink:

    Ah come on! I want to know this trick too
  • markhewitt1978
    markhewitt1978 Posts: 7,614
    As would I, and what sort of cable ties you're using. And how to avoid having to carry a knife with you!
  • petemadoc
    petemadoc Posts: 2,331
    :shock: Holy cow I just figured it out :shock:

    My life has been changed FOREVER!
  • Mart74
    Mart74 Posts: 111
    smidsy wrote:
    Mart74 wrote:
    Brilliant idea!
    How do you open it with another tie though? :oops:

    Well if I told you how on here it would not be very secure would it :wink:


    :lol: very true!

    I'll figure it out somehow :shock:
  • bendertherobot
    bendertherobot Posts: 11,684
    I got one of these for a fiver from Lidl
    http://www.sjscycles.co.uk/safeman-comp ... -prod4738/

    Slightly better than a cable tie but no obvious deterrent. It's just for that quick pop into somewhere.

    That said I use two of them to lock the bike up outside work. Never had an issue. Mind, I do work for the government......
    My blog: http://www.roubaixcycling.cc (kit reviews and other musings)
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  • racingt
    racingt Posts: 108
    Thanks guys!
    Going for the Abus Bordo Granit X, yes I know it's heavy, but some of these solutions scare me! Bikes going to be worth it, so I'll just carry a heavyweight lock :-(
  • rolf_f
    rolf_f Posts: 16,015
    Hmmm, weight = 1.46kg.......

    Of course, at this point you might question whether or not you should have bought a cheaper, heavier, less desirable bike and a lighter lock to the same basic end result..........
    Faster than a tent.......
  • petemadoc
    petemadoc Posts: 2,331
    A 1.46Kg lock is not a cafe stop lock.

    One of those little cable locks would be more suitable

    http://www.wiggle.co.uk/abus-combiflex- ... bike-lock/

    Just keep the bike in view
  • markhewitt1978
    markhewitt1978 Posts: 7,614
    PeteMadoc wrote:
    Just keep the bike in view

    That's what I'd like; where the bike is in view, or at most you're inside for 30 seconds to go to the loo; any longer and you're talking about proper lock territory.
  • smidsy
    smidsy Posts: 5,273
    +1
    Honestly if the cable tie does not do the trick you are wasting your time. Its stops the 'opportunist' thief. Besides you need to keep the bike in view.

    If you fit anything else and then treat the situation as anything less (i.e not keep a watch on it) you are giving the 'prepared' thief more of a chance.

    The best protection is you.
    Yellow is the new Black.
  • pippi_langsamer-2
    pippi_langsamer-2 Posts: 1,470
    If you mainly stop at the same cafés, why not chip-in with some of your more willing ride partners and get a decent lock or two you can leave at the more oft visited cafe/s? Get a cpl of keys copied and you'll not have to lug a lock around with you.

    And maybe carry a few of the heavy duty zip ties for other moments (and leave your bike in 53x11 :lol: )
  • navt
    navt Posts: 374
    You don't ride a bamboo bike by any chance do you?

    http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/blogs-magazine-monitor-25913241

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