Thought it may benefit some of you London folk, keeping your penny farthings safe from urchins
Ealing Council is giving local people another reason to get on their bikes this week thanks to the return of its highly popular, subsidised bike lock scheme.
https://bassammahfouz.wordpress.com/201 ... nt-scheme/
Ealing bike lock discount scheme
Ealing bike lock discount scheme
Honestly chaps, I'm a female!
Re: Ealing bike lock discount scheme
Sounds like an excellent idea and will certainly be of benefit to many cyclists. However, one has to ask, will the lock being offered be sufficient to protect a high-end bike worth £1000+?
My bike's not worth anything near that, but I secure it with a hard-steel chain and a high-quality padlock, both of which are difficult to cut. Whether the padlock is easy or not to pick - I'm no expert I'm afraid, ask a locksmith.
But my son locked his Bianchi road bike in a bike rack outside St Pancras station once, leaving it unattended for only about half an hour, and it had gone. The lock - a good D-lock IIRC - was also gone, suggesting that it had been picked, not cut.
Don't know whether I should be asking this, but how do other forummers secure their property?
I read somewhere that a lock should cost about 10% of the value of the bike.
My bike's not worth anything near that, but I secure it with a hard-steel chain and a high-quality padlock, both of which are difficult to cut. Whether the padlock is easy or not to pick - I'm no expert I'm afraid, ask a locksmith.
But my son locked his Bianchi road bike in a bike rack outside St Pancras station once, leaving it unattended for only about half an hour, and it had gone. The lock - a good D-lock IIRC - was also gone, suggesting that it had been picked, not cut.
Don't know whether I should be asking this, but how do other forummers secure their property?
I read somewhere that a lock should cost about 10% of the value of the bike.
Suppose that this room is a lift. The support breaks and down we go with ever-increasing velocity.
Let us pass the time by performing physical experiments...
--- Arthur Eddington (creator of the Eddington Number).
Let us pass the time by performing physical experiments...
--- Arthur Eddington (creator of the Eddington Number).
Re: Ealing bike lock discount scheme
And weigh at least 10% of the bike!
Re: Ealing bike lock discount scheme
I bought one of these in May 2013 http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B000 ... uctDetails
At that time, Amazon listed it as Sold Secure Gold rated for a bike and silver rated for a scooter which I checked on the SS site and indeed it was listed there. On that basis, I was able to get her insured with Evans Cycle Insurance should my worst nightmare come true. So far it hasn't.
Given that I'm absolutely terrified of losing it, I very rarely lock it anywhere preferring to either walk or get a taxi or something but when I do, I take as much as humanly possible off the bike and take it with me in the panniers (although they have now been replaced with a much nicer Carradice Pendle
) so that part is a bit more tricky now.
Life without my bike doesn't bare thinking about.
At that time, Amazon listed it as Sold Secure Gold rated for a bike and silver rated for a scooter which I checked on the SS site and indeed it was listed there. On that basis, I was able to get her insured with Evans Cycle Insurance should my worst nightmare come true. So far it hasn't.
Given that I'm absolutely terrified of losing it, I very rarely lock it anywhere preferring to either walk or get a taxi or something but when I do, I take as much as humanly possible off the bike and take it with me in the panniers (although they have now been replaced with a much nicer Carradice Pendle
) so that part is a bit more tricky now.Life without my bike doesn't bare thinking about.
Bill
“Ride as much or as little, or as long or as short as you feel. But ride.” ~ Eddy Merckx
It's a rich man whos children run to him when his pockets are empty.
“Ride as much or as little, or as long or as short as you feel. But ride.” ~ Eddy Merckx
It's a rich man whos children run to him when his pockets are empty.
Re: Ealing bike lock discount scheme
has been said many times by many people. you dont leave a good bike out of your view for any time even if locked up tight, in an unknown public place ( I only lock up my bike at my local Sainburys right near the door at the trolly depot which is always very busy and is a confined space where a thief could get trapped)
Re: Ealing bike lock discount scheme
Yep that looks like serious security, but weighing in at 2.6 Kg!!!Vantage wrote:I bought one of these in May 2013 http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B000 ... uctDetails
My own lock/chain combo comes in a tad lighter, at 0.7 Kg, which means I can stuff it in the wedge bag and carry it around. I wouldn't trust locking my bike overnight in the street with it though.Suppose that this room is a lift. The support breaks and down we go with ever-increasing velocity.
Let us pass the time by performing physical experiments...
--- Arthur Eddington (creator of the Eddington Number).
Let us pass the time by performing physical experiments...
--- Arthur Eddington (creator of the Eddington Number).
Re: Ealing bike lock discount scheme
Problem is, we all want to encourage people to 'go by bike' whenever possible. How many bike journeys are not done, simply because there's nowhere safe to leave the bike when you get there? I once abandoned a trip to a pub to have farewell drinks with a departing colleague, simply because there was nothing to secure the bike to, outside the pub.
A good lock is of course better than a cheap lock, or no lock. But no lock is going to prevent the mindless vandalism and hooliganism. In Brighton, all too often I pass locked-up bikes in a state of ruin, frame kicked in, wheels bent like pringles, etc. etc....
Personally I would not leave a bike anywhere in a public place in Brighton for any length of time. It's my nearest big city and within easy cycling distance. When I need to go, I go by train - or car. 
A good lock is of course better than a cheap lock, or no lock. But no lock is going to prevent the mindless vandalism and hooliganism. In Brighton, all too often I pass locked-up bikes in a state of ruin, frame kicked in, wheels bent like pringles, etc. etc....
Personally I would not leave a bike anywhere in a public place in Brighton for any length of time. It's my nearest big city and within easy cycling distance. When I need to go, I go by train - or car. Suppose that this room is a lift. The support breaks and down we go with ever-increasing velocity.
Let us pass the time by performing physical experiments...
--- Arthur Eddington (creator of the Eddington Number).
Let us pass the time by performing physical experiments...
--- Arthur Eddington (creator of the Eddington Number).
Re: Ealing bike lock discount scheme
I think that says more about Brighton's crime levels than anything to do with bikes. Are the police there asleep? Have you written to Brighton councils, police commissioner, media, saying what you've put here? If not, please do.
Here in safer Norfolk, or in Cambridge or Bristol, I lock the bike with D lock through rear forks and independent cable lock through any quick release parts, plus an alarmed lock if it's a high risk location. If I'm going to be a while, I prefer it to be in a CCTV staffed cycle park.
Here in safer Norfolk, or in Cambridge or Bristol, I lock the bike with D lock through rear forks and independent cable lock through any quick release parts, plus an alarmed lock if it's a high risk location. If I'm going to be a while, I prefer it to be in a CCTV staffed cycle park.
MJR, mostly pedalling 3-speed roadsters. KL+West Norfolk BUG incl social easy rides http://www.klwnbug.co.uk
All the above is CC-By-SA and no other implied copyright license to Cycle magazine.
All the above is CC-By-SA and no other implied copyright license to Cycle magazine.
Re: Ealing bike lock discount scheme
mjr wrote:
Here in safer Norfolk, or in Cambridge or Bristol, ......
Cambridge? really? I thought that place with its student bikes was a den of bike thieves?
Last edited by mercalia on 21 Jan 2015, 8:03pm, edited 1 time in total.
Re: Ealing bike lock discount scheme
mercalia wrote:
Cambridge? really? I thought that place with its student bikes was a den of bike thieves?
Yep. Apparently not as bad as Brighton!
Anyway, locking as described,visiting every month or two for the last two and a half years, I've not yet lost a bike there, but then my bikes are a bit odd.
MJR, mostly pedalling 3-speed roadsters. KL+West Norfolk BUG incl social easy rides http://www.klwnbug.co.uk
All the above is CC-By-SA and no other implied copyright license to Cycle magazine.
All the above is CC-By-SA and no other implied copyright license to Cycle magazine.