Locking a bike and forget about it, possible?

mrblue
mrblue Posts: 11
edited October 2017 in Commuting general
I was bragging about my u lock with a friend. I was claiming that was unbreakable, being thick 19mm and costing 100 usd i supposed was invincible. My londoner friend looked at me with complacency as you were talking to a baby, and said i am very naive. "EVERY u lock or chain can be opened!!...How? just freezing the lock and then hammering it once it became fragile to smash in many pieces!"
They had already told me that the weak point of chains is not the chain itself, but often the lock by the way.

I wonder if it exist a lock that make you safe in leaving your bike safe for 24h in a london street.
Thank you

Comments

  • cooldad
    cooldad Posts: 32,599
    Easy. One locking a really cr4p bike.
    I don't do smileys.

    There is no secret ingredient - Kung Fu Panda

    London Calling on Facebook

    Parktools
  • mouth
    mouth Posts: 1,195
    mrblue wrote:
    I wonder if it exist a lock that make you safe in leaving your bike safe for 24h in a london street.

    Bottom line is that if they want the bike, they'll have it. Could chain a Rottweiler to it I suppose.

    I'm at the point that I don't even know where my bike locks are. Can't remember the last time I locked it up in public, only ever leaving it at work (secure enough parking to not bother even locking it there either) or in my shed at home, where I don't bother locking it. I'm not particularly precious of my bike but I reckon I'd miss it,
    The only disability in life is a poor attitude.
  • cooldad wrote:
    Easy. One locking a really cr4p bike.
    This. There is a reason I've kept my old Felt. Unfashionable, ugly and no-one in their right mind will want to steal it.
    (And if they do, my wife will be happy that there is more room in the garage.)
    2007 Felt Q720 (the ratbike)
    2012 Cube Ltd SL (the hardtail XC 26er)
    2014 Lapierre Zesty TR 329 (the full-sus 29er)
  • veronese68
    veronese68 Posts: 27,757
    We have a scabby old 3 speed shopping bike the Mrs leaves at the station when she goes to work. It sometimes gets left for a couple of days. The locks are worth more than the bike, it being stolen is not the problem. Drunken tw@ts are the issue, the back wheel and mudguard were kicked in the other day to the point that the wheel wouldn't turn as it was fouling on the frame. I managed to straighten it to the point that it is now functional, but it isn't right.
  • alan_sherman
    alan_sherman Posts: 1,157
    My wife's Apollo hybrid was nicked! i think it only cost £130 new and it was about 5 years old. Some people will steal anything.
  • The Rookie
    The Rookie Posts: 27,812
    When they can get 50% of the value of the hole bike from the other components, cutting the frame to steal the components is cost effective.

    You aim to make it less worth the hassle than another nearby bike.
    Currently riding a Whyte T130C, X0 drivetrain, Magura Trail brakes converted to mixed wheel size (homebuilt wheels) with 140mm Fox 34 Rhythm and RP23 suspension. 12.2Kg.
  • veronese68
    veronese68 Posts: 27,757
    The Rookie wrote:
    When they can get 50% of the value of the hole bike from the other components...
    I just passed a Specialized frame locked to lamppost with an Abus D lock. No wheels, forks, bars, seat or brakes. But hey, at least the lock did its job.
  • mouth
    mouth Posts: 1,195
    My wife's Apollo hybrid was nicked! i think it only cost £130 new and it was about 5 years old. Some people will steal anything.

    Couple of local scally's didn't fancy the walk home from the pub/crack den/whore house would be my guess. Check your local canal for any remnants (of the bike).
    The only disability in life is a poor attitude.
  • mouth
    mouth Posts: 1,195
    Veronese68 wrote:
    The Rookie wrote:
    When they can get 50% of the value of the hole bike from the other components...
    I just passed a Specialized frame locked to lamppost with an Abus D lock. No wheels, forks, bars, seat or brakes. But hey, at least the lock did its job.

    Yep. Couple of frames around this way too. And in one instance, a rear wheel. I guess he/she forgot to actually lock the frame.
    The only disability in life is a poor attitude.
  • The Rookie
    The Rookie Posts: 27,812
    A mate at Uni had a real sheddy bike (seriously if it was worth £10 I'd be surprised) and a semi decent combination lock, came back to find the lock stolen......
    Currently riding a Whyte T130C, X0 drivetrain, Magura Trail brakes converted to mixed wheel size (homebuilt wheels) with 140mm Fox 34 Rhythm and RP23 suspension. 12.2Kg.
  • cooldad
    cooldad Posts: 32,599
    Which is a lot less traumatic than having your multi grand bike stolen.
    I don't do smileys.

    There is no secret ingredient - Kung Fu Panda

    London Calling on Facebook

    Parktools
  • Surely you chaps have seen this -> https://youtu.be/NZcXF10Ir9Q
  • timothyw
    timothyw Posts: 2,482
    It does strike me that this is a large obstacle to the widespread adoption of bicycles for day to day transport.

    I mean, people largely take it for granted that they can park up their car, come back and have it still be there and usable.

    I'm a keen cyclist, I ride to work 5 days a week, but I do so in the knowledge that there is on site parking for my bike that is behind two security gates and I have a sold-secure gold d lock ready to attach to it on arrival.

    For anything but the briefest of errands (trip to a cash machine, collection of parcel from depot...) I wouldn't dream of taking my bike - too worried about the bike going missing or being vandalised when I come back!

    I think I might need to get myself a proper beater for this type of usage.
  • veronese68
    veronese68 Posts: 27,757
    Surely you chaps have seen this -> https://youtu.be/NZcXF10Ir9Q
    That's a little misleading. The wheels stay in place until they take the lock off the front wheel, then the front wheel goes over a month after it is removed. The lock through the back wheel is moved at the same time so it is only through the frame and not through the wheel. That back wheel stays in place for over two months. When the frame and back wheel disappear was it the council that removed it or had they removed the lock. There is no cut lock left on the ground so it makes me wonder.
  • Veronese68 wrote:
    Surely you chaps have seen this -> https://youtu.be/NZcXF10Ir9Q
    That's a little misleading. The wheels stay in place until they take the lock off the front wheel, then the front wheel goes over a month after it is removed. The lock through the back wheel is moved at the same time so it is only through the frame and not through the wheel. That back wheel stays in place for over two months. When the frame and back wheel disappear was it the council that removed it or had they removed the lock. There is no cut lock left on the ground so it makes me wonder.

    That's not bad, is it? Still pretty much complete after 6 months, and even the bottle in the cage stays there for over 4 months.
  • veronese68
    veronese68 Posts: 27,757
    Veronese68 wrote:
    Surely you chaps have seen this -> https://youtu.be/NZcXF10Ir9Q
    That's a little misleading. The wheels stay in place until they take the lock off the front wheel, then the front wheel goes over a month after it is removed. The lock through the back wheel is moved at the same time so it is only through the frame and not through the wheel. That back wheel stays in place for over two months. When the frame and back wheel disappear was it the council that removed it or had they removed the lock. There is no cut lock left on the ground so it makes me wonder.

    That's not bad, is it? Still pretty much complete after 6 months, and even the bottle in the cage stays there for over 4 months.
    No, I thought it was very good. It only really got messed with when they made it more of a honey trap.
  • fenix
    fenix Posts: 5,437
    I like that they continued after it had gone.

    Now lets see it repeated with that 4 grand e bike that someone wanted to leave on the street.
  • mr_eddy
    mr_eddy Posts: 830
    Short answer = No

    Any lock can be broken it just depends how much effort is required. The trick as others have mentioned is to make your bike not worth stealing !
  • Or at least, it needs to be less desirable than the one next to it.