Bike locks

[Hiking Fox]

I need to get a new bike lock, and wonder whether anyone has any personal recommendations? There's so many different brands and prices out there...

I currently live in a very studenty area, so I assume bike theft is popular in this neighbourhood.

[fredrikw]

depends a bit what's available at your bike store, but a general tip is not to go for the cheapest one, but actually spend some money on it. if you're getting a u-lock you should get one that's as small as possible, which means that there will be as minimal amount of space to use a jack to break it.

don't use wire locks, they might deter someone just passing by, but they are an easy target for a real bike thieve. it's quite easy to open a u-lock as well, but it takes more time and will hopefully make the person wanting to steal your bike to chose another one.

make sure you lock it properly as well, lock the frame and the rear wheel together to a solid stationary object.

[dean]

make sure you lock it properly as well, lock the frame and the rear wheel together to a solid stationary object.

...including the released front wheel, of course.

[Daddy Fungus]

i recommend abus u-locks. excellent quality. there is one on the upper price range which will even reduce insurance costs.
http://www.abus.de/us/main.asp?ScreenLa ... kelGrID=1#

[bob_summers]

two locks of different types (ie one U lock, one chain) are a good idea, as two different tools are required to cut them - most tealeafs only carry the one tool. pain in the arse to carry them around but you have to make your bike harder to steal than the one next to it.
the two locks i use to lock my bike up weigh more than the bike itself

i use abus too, although the kryptonite 'fahgeddaboudit' looks very useful.

[Dave Noisy]

I have a 'loop' lock that apparently has a kevlar core, and is nearly impossible to cut through..i can't verify this of course! (Except that i couriered with it for a year, and have had it for about 8yrs.)

They're made by Specialized, fold up relatively small, and are fairly lightweight.

[vegcrow]

I use two locks as well. One cable to tie the wheels to the frame and one u lock through the frame and rear wheel. I've never lost a bike while properly locked. My brother on the other hand, locked only his front wheel and lost his bike a month after buying it.
I used to only lock with a cable and lost my Kmart bike after leaving it on the schools rack over a weekend. Not a big loss as that bike was a piece of ( )

[Hiking Fox]

Thanx for all your replies.

I popped down my local bike shop to find a big sale on, and a chunky 16mm hardcore 'Magnum' lock reduced from nearly £40 to £12.99, so I got it and it prob weighs about half as much as the bike! I'll use a chain as well.

No bugger is gonna have my 'Comet' without a fight!

[dean]

I wonder why they were on sale.
I always used a krytonite U lock and surround the bike with an invisibility cloak.

[Hiking Fox]

Most stuff in the shop was on sale, there were bikes at half price.

I think a lot of cycling and outdoor shops have sales on at this time of year, so they can clear out last year's stock and bring the new spring stuff in.

[vegcrow]

Yeah, I picked up my locks on sale too. One store bought out another and put all the stores old merchandise on really big discount... hooray for me!

[the crazyest vegan]

I currently live in a very studenty area, so I assume bike theft is popular in this neighbourhood.

i'm a student....lol, for ultimate bike security go to your nearest train station and see if you can hire a cycle locker, they are very conveniant, in the UK their £20 for 3 months, you may think them a bit expensive but i use mine everyday, and you can leav your bag and cycle cloths in their after you get changed if you want to, other than that i carry a teeny retractable wire cord that locks with a number, apparently its hard to cut because the wire is too thin to be caught by anything other than big heavy duty cutters, but then i only leave my bike alone for 5 mins max

[VeganBikerChick69]

i have the kryptonite new york lock. Very heavy!!! and i also use a cable lock. Even though i work in a good suburb area. I am still paronoid it will get stolen. Especially because there is no bike rack and i attach it to a tree ( which of course a U-lock wont go through!)

[runner]

I have 2 for my bike one chain lock price +/- €35,- and a circle lock (the small ones you can leave on your back weel +/- €15,-

some people here use 3 locks ...

but then again it's in the dutch crime top 5