Commuting - best lock for awkward fixing points?

Commuting, Day rides, Audax, Incidents, etc.
Tangled Metal
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Commuting - best lock for awkward fixing points?

Post by Tangled Metal »

So D or U locks are probably the most secure locks but not always good for locking the bike to available secure objects. These are heavy but the likes of Abus do gold rated ones between 1.5 & 2kg - a bit lighter than some other brands.

Chains are next best but very heavy for the same security levels. Hiplock is a nice idea, taking the principle used by cycle couriers and putting a nicer spin on it. The bronze rated is light enough but get to silver and gold even the Hiplock ones are heavy.

Cables? I'm using a simple one since my U lock doesn't fit the bike rack at work (a poor design of wheel bender). This cable is not even the armoured kind. Snips would cut it but something's better than nothing. My old bike got nicked from work but it wasn't locked up. Never again trusting colleagues to spot and stop thieves in even a secure yard like ours.

Folding locks like Abus Bordo look decent but even the top one that's gold rated has problems. I've read a review where it lasted over 5 minutes but unlocking it after they gave up sent the whole lock mechanism springing out in pieces. It survived the attacks but was useless afterwards. Don't trust them.

What lock would you recommend to fit easily around awkward objects. Example wheel bender rack which has the nearest locking structure almost half the wheel or more away from the frame part you'd lock to it. Or I lean the bike against the side of the rack and fix it to the part that normally lifts the wheel up. This either needs to a very long U lock or a chain to lock around the frame triangle.

It's not impossible to use a standard sized U lock but it needs a lot of fiddling around in the dark at times when you're rushing to get into.work on time.

I'd like a chain I think but I'm flexible about things. I'll look at U locks if there's a good one you can recommend. Weight is an issue as I'll be carrying it everywhere. I'd like a gold rated even though it's overkill since my bike is only £650+ cost of extras fitted and I don't leave it in a risky area. Seriously, would a silver or even bronze rated lock be such a risk to take?

Price is an issue, I don't want to spend too much If I can help it, but will spend if something is worth it. Up to say £65 or so.
mercalia
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Re: Commuting - best lock for awkward fixing points?

Post by mercalia »

well you dont say where the bike will be locked up? if you are using one of those hoops then a D lock needs to be just big enough to go around the hoop and wheel/frame and no more so a lever cant be inserted. U dont say how long the bike will be left. The best lock is to store the bike inside some where secure. I wouldnt ever leave a decent bike at a commute stop, it WILL be stolen eventually. Not the answer you wanted I know. I use a yellow Kryptonite New York which is a Gold Lock, I only ever use the hoops and and for a short time while shopping. Locking to railing not a good idea as they are usually only soft mild steel, could be cut thru very quickly. Get a Brompton and take it with you inside?
Tangled Metal
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Re: Commuting - best lock for awkward fixing points?

Post by Tangled Metal »

It's one of those bike racks with a slot made up of two vertical.strips of metal the wheel goes into. Alternate bikes go on a stand to lift the bars of one bike above the other. However put the rear wheel in it to lock the rear triangle into the stand. The wheel goes into the frame a bit but not really enough to U lock into the rear triangle.

My solution was to put the bike wheel in between two bike slots so I can move the wheel against the step up that lifts a bike wheel up. This allows me to.just D lock it through the horizontal part of this step through the rear triangle at the chainstay. It's a tight squeeze with my Squire D lock (230mm I think?.

The stand I lock to is inside a security fenced yard with two entrances at either end of a yard. Offices overlook one entrance and the other is used for loading and has people going across it a lot. It's on an industrial estate where there's a lot going on. There was a spell of bike thefts last year and late on 2014. My bike included but there's not been any thefts since a bike fencing gang from Bulgaria were caught with £80k of bikes and parts. Also before this crime spree no thefts had happened. People I work with live in the area we work so they'd know of any bike theft. When our bikes got nicked it really surprised these locals.

Low risk now but I need to make my bike a bit more difficult to steal than any other bikes. Everyone is locking up with simple £5 cable locks but my bike is probably twice as expensive as anything else even at the rrp of £650. I just need a bit better security I think.
greyingbeard
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Re: Commuting - best lock for awkward fixing points?

Post by greyingbeard »

heavy chain with heavy padlock, often sold for motorbikes.
Or make your own if you can find a few feet of very heavy chain, large hosepipe to cover it, massive lock.
Oh I wish I could get away with leaving it unlocked but wired to the mains through a big coil.
Chiz
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Re: Commuting - best lock for awkward fixing points?

Post by Chiz »

greyingbeard wrote:heavy chain with heavy padlock, often sold for motorbikes.
Or make your own if you can find a few feet of very heavy chain, large hosepipe to cover it, massive lock. ....


Second this, there's a lot of reasonably good ones within your £65 budget, various lengths available too.

That said, you mention the weight of various grades of lock, will you have to carry said lock often? Is leaving it at work not an option?
Tangled Metal
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Re: Commuting - best lock for awkward fixing points?

Post by Tangled Metal »

It'll be my main lock for commuting use but also for any other time I need to lock my bike up.

This means I'll be carrying it. Weight is going to be in issue with big chains I think. Chains are going to be the best if I can get one that's light and strong. That might be impossible.
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Vantage
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Re: Commuting - best lock for awkward fixing points?

Post by Vantage »

Oxford Heavy Duty Chain and Padlock 1m by Oxford http://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B000R593CE/r ... QwbQ8HN6ST

Gold rated. 5.5lb/2.5kg.
Mines 3 years old and hasn't jammed once despite being used in all sorts of weather.
I can't give any evidence of how much of a deterrent the lock is but every other bike I ever had was pinched within a year of owning them and my current vantage has just passed being 4 years old :D
I barely notice the weight any more.
Think whether you'd rather a heavy lock or a heavy heart from losing your bike.
Bill


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DaveP
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Re: Commuting - best lock for awkward fixing points?

Post by DaveP »

Have you considered owning more than one lock?
The lock and chain suggested by Vantage would probably be fine, if a bit heavy for my taste. I'd be happy to leave that sort of thing at work and use something a little lighter for other duties - but it all depends on where and for how long. I usually manage to find something I can fasten to with with a decent D-lock.
Trying to retain enough fitness to grow old disgracefully... That hasn't changed!
Tangled Metal
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Re: Commuting - best lock for awkward fixing points?

Post by Tangled Metal »

There's nothing else at work to fasten to apart from security gates / fences. I'd certainly get told to move it for company image reasons locking it like that front of house. The only other place is to stash it in the warehouse, out of sight but not locked to anything just itself. Some do that but not happy doing it myself.

Thing is, work is possibly the place needing least security. I don't trust leaving my bike locked up say in town centre or another town or even at popular places to cycle to. All would need a good chain I think more than work. So if I'm going to need a good chain to carry there's no point getting a lock and leave chain just for work.

I'm tempted to use my D lock on the front wheel and get a chain for the back. Perhaps one of the lighter Hiplock ones. V1.5 or even lite version. I'm guessing two different locks on a bike are better than two the same. Different tools needed and all that. Is there anything better than Hiplock lite/v1.5 for price and weight and convenience?
mercalia
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Re: Commuting - best lock for awkward fixing points?

Post by mercalia »

read this

http://www.londoncyclist.co.uk/bike-lock-guide/

if leaving at work get a very large m/c one ( tell the owners its yours!) and leave there and a smaller one for use elsewhere?
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[XAP]Bob
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Re: Commuting - best lock for awkward fixing points?

Post by [XAP]Bob »

Proper dutch frame lock and associated plugin chain?

Leave the chain at work, take a cable with you elsewhere?
A shortcut has to be a challenge, otherwise it would just be the way. No situation is so dire that panic cannot make it worse.
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pwa
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Re: Commuting - best lock for awkward fixing points?

Post by pwa »

It depends on your personal circumstances, but if you lock your bike to the same place at work, day after day, why not buy the beefiest lock that will do the job and leave it there permanently? I did that a previous job. Every few weeks I would bring some lube to work to keep the mechanism going.
eileithyia
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Re: Commuting - best lock for awkward fixing points?

Post by eileithyia »

pwa wrote:It depends on your personal circumstances, but if you lock your bike to the same place at work, day after day, why not buy the beefiest lock that will do the job and leave it there permanently? I did that a previous job. Every few weeks I would bring some lube to work to keep the mechanism going.


+1 Keep my u-lock at work around a drainpipe next to individual bike bin, (we can't lock and 'reserve' the bike bins) so bike goes in bin and lock is used to secure the door.

Many other just use the steel bike parking slots and leave their locks at the lock up point also. Have been leaving the lock at work for 30 odd years at different venues.
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RickH
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Re: Commuting - best lock for awkward fixing points?

Post by RickH »

AFAIK there was a single review of the Abus Bordo Granit-X where attacking the lock meant it fell apart when opened with the key. If a lock is going to fail in any manner then this is surely the best (or least worst) sort of failure. The legitimate owner can still unlock the bike but the potential thief has failed.

I bought one despite that review and have been pleased with it, although it has not, to my knowledge, had its security directly tested. So far, any bike I have left locked with it has been still there with both bike & lock undamaged on my return (but then the same is true when I have used my mini retractable combination cable lock that could probably be cut through with scissors although I wouldn't have used that as an all-day-in-a-slightly-dodgy-area-with-a-£1k-bike lock as I have with the Bordo).

Despite its weight it can be easily carried in the supplied rubber case using a bottle cage mount or the velcro straps, also supplied (no rattles either way which is also good :D ). With the front wheel removed it will lock both wheels and the frame to a Sheffield stand or similar. For a more awkward object you would probably need a second lock to keep the 2nd wheel secured to the frame. There is a certain knack to threading the lock as it only bends in one plane.

Rick.
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ArMoRothair
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Re: Commuting - best lock for awkward fixing points?

Post by ArMoRothair »

Whatever you buy, you will find it is always half-an-inch too narrow to go around a street sign, or half-an-inch too short to get your wheel, frame, and solid object included! After ten minutes grunting and cursing your hands will be covered in oil and knuckles skinned.

What's worked for me (over twenty years since having a bike pinched *touches wood*) is an Abus Gold U-lock; I always make sure I fill it fully with wheel, frame and solid object being locked to because, although angle-grinders will go through anything, the most common attack on U-locks is £19.99 motorists' hydraulic bottle-jack (carried in a small bag) inserted into the lock and pumped up.

If locking for any short time, even to pick up a pint of milk, I will secure wheel, frame and fixed object. If leaving for any length of time, like a meeting, I'll do that plus put a cable around the other wheel (despite security pins). Or I'll use an Abus flexi lock on the other wheel. It's good to use two different types. The U-lock can be attacked with a bottle jack but a flexi lock can't be. The flexi can be snipped with a bold-croppers but the U-lock can't be - not easily anyway, you need a 42" croppers.

It's a long time since I've left a bike all day outside the office; I don't know if I would now, but the last time I did so, I left a mother of a chain permanently locked outside my employer's office.

If they come after your bike with a petrol driven angle-grinder, it is gone. No question. Nothing will hold up against that. I'm working on a building site at the moment and they use them to cut through reinforced concrete steelwork like going through butter.

The big problem in central London now is there simply aren't enough Sheffield Stands to go around. There are no longer any parking meters, and all buildings have "bicycles will be removed" signs (and they will, I've tested this). To combat this problem I now use my Brompton for most central London utility rides. It comes with me, into the shops, into the meetings. When it is in my hand, I know it isn't being robbed.
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