Bike security. What do you trust?

Tazio

MacRetro Rider
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Though I never leave my bike in the street I do carry a cable lock with me for popping into the shops etc but only for a couple of minutes. I also use it to attach my bike to the bike carrier in case I stop at motorway services or whatever.

However I think a lot of people think that these locks are secure enough to leave their bike all day. A lad who works in a different part of the building grabbed me a couple of days ago and told me he's lost his keys including the only key for his lock and did I have any tools that could help. So I asked him which type of lock and he told me it was a top quality cable lock and he was probably being a bit optimistic and I wouldn't be able to cut it.

Hearing that I grabbed a pair of Felco cutters I have in work and told him I have it off in seconds. Sure enough we headed outside and I had it cut off straight away with one cut. He was shocked and bought himself a D lock about an hour later. I didn't have the heart to tell him they could also cut steel up to 10mm thick.

http://www.felcostore.com/order/f-c16?referer=wirecablecutters
 
They are quite meaty, but have you tried cutting a D-Lock with them? A case-hardened steel d-lock should just blunt those cutters and all but the biggest bolt croppers or a grinder (that can't be concealed in a jacket).
I only take a cheap bike to the station and use a combination of cable lock and armoured lock when there, but mainly rely on the fact my bike has no suspension or disc brakes so is worthless apart from on here where it would be recognised anyway.

Carl.
 
I wouldn't try to use them on a D Lock, but I do have bolt croppers that will happily cut an M12 bolt. I think the point I was trying to put across is that wire locks are pretty useless against an organised bike thief. There were a bunch going round where I live with a van for a while, park up cut the lock and chuck it in the back.
 
I think anything is pointless against organised bike theft, like a car or a motorbike if they want it they will get it.
As a deterent for a few minutes a cable lock should do it though, for semi organised theft like the teens that target our local station a bit more is required and cable lock wouldn't cut it there, hence my combo method.

Carl.
 
at home i use a trick my police friend told me about.

basically you make sure you cant see any bikes you have stored, then get a real old shitter but keep the tyres pumped up. you then leave this propped up by your gate/fence/kennel etc. if the opportunist comes in they will take it as they probably only want a fiver from smack converters to buy vimto and beano mags.
 
drcarlos":10z2o5c7 said:
They are quite meaty, but have you tried cutting a D-Lock with them? A case-hardened steel d-lock should just blunt those cutters and all but the biggest bolt croppers or a grinder (that can't be concealed in a jacket).
Don't ne-er-do-wells bust open D-locks with a bit of scaffold pipe or car jacks, though?

edit: and there was always that Bic pen trick for the D-locks with the round keys...
 
d lock

bitd when i used to work at a hardware shop, a guy came in with a bike that had been D locked lost his key, grabbed a bottle jack and had that sucker off in 30 seconds makes quite a bang though
 
wheel/ seat qr security type...small cheap lock for front wheel onto down bar and a huge mofo chain to go through rear wheel and seat post tube befoe attaching to something non moveable
 
when my bike was stolen it had a cable lock
was in a bike cage at college, which was supposed to have someone on duty in the gate booth :x

in and out in less than 50 seconds! :evil:
got it back though


normally when out (only really lock my bike up in city centre or uni = same place)
i have a chain i guess about 10mm thick links
always goes through back wheel and bike bar and frame :?
 
I use an oxford motorbike lock, if its good enough to get me a discount on my motorbike insurance i think its good enough to protect my bike.

That said...if someone really wants to steal your bike they will do it no matter what lock you use.
 
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