The Money Mustache Community
Learning, Sharing, and Teaching => Ask a Mustachian => Topic started by: flamingo25 on October 10, 2014, 08:12:07 PM
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New here. Been lurking for a little while but finally signed up for the forums today!
I have been inspired to dust off my bike and try to ride it more. Any recommendations for a bike lock? Looking for the most security for my money. Thank you!!!!
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http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=sr_st_popularity-rank?keywords=u+lock&qid=1412994434&rh=n%3A3375251%2Cn%3A3403201%2Cn%3A3403211%2Cn%3A3403231%2Cn%3A194613011%2Ck%3Au+lock&sort=popularity-rank
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I'd recommend a U-lock, much more secure than a cable.
I have a mid-range kryptonite u-lock (was maybe $30-$40) that I feel perfectly secure with, but I also live in a fairly low crime area. If I lived somewhere where bikes got stolen more often I would invest in a tougher, more expensive u-lock, or lock my bike with a u-lock and cable (less likely a thief would have tools to cut both).
In general, I'd try to own a lock that's slightly more secure than the average bike lock used in your area. I figure no one's going to bother with cutting my u-lock to steal my 35 year old bike when it's locked right next to someone else's new mountain bike locked up with a thin little cable.
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I always use a D-lock through my rear wheel, frame and the fixed object (bike rack), and then a cheaper Kryptonite cable going through my front wheel, frame, fixed object, rear rack, and onto the D-lock. I also have a cheapo cable permanently securing my saddle to the bike frame... but then I'm pretty paranoid. I personally don't think bike locks are something to skimp on, but you don't need to spend hundreds. I bought a Krpyonite New York D-lock on Gumtree (kind of like Craigslist) for $80.
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The Kryptonite u-locks work great. But they only work as well as you use them. Check out YouTube for a ton of instructional videos on locking bikes correctly. For my area (a college town), I have decided to go with a u-lock through the front tire spokes and around the frame. Has worked great for four years.
Also, check with your local police department or parks department. (Or search "your town" and "bike plan" to find the right department.) Sometimes police departments have certificates for discounts on quality locks at local bike stores. You get a discount and support a local store -- everyone wins.
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U lock or u lock with cable.
Always lock front tire and frame to something non steal able.
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What everyone said, but also make sure to get a decent U-lock, by which I mean one that comes with a warranty. (I can't remember the wording but something like they'll pay you replacement cost of your bike if you used it correctly and your bike still gets stolen.)
The cheap-o ones can be cut through with a hacksaw in no time at all.
I can't comment on the cable-style locks.
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Anything can be defeated by a motivated thief in less than 5 minutes. The solution is not to have a theft-worthy bike, especially if you have to leave it locked for long periods of time in an unsupervised location (overnight in an apartment situation).
I personally find u-locks annoying as hell at the typical bike rack I'm faced with, so often I just resort to the cable lock because it's lighter and easier to use. Half the time I can't find anything for the u-lock to attach to, but the longer cable can string around something.
Locks only exist to keep honest people honest.
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If you are locking up a bike to go in a store or coffee shop for a relatively short time, any lock will do. If you are locking up an expensive bike overnight, no lock will be sufficiently safe. Any lock can be broken or destroyed, given the opportunity and incentive. It depends on what kind of bike ($$), the area and for how long.
As far as warranty is concerned, I have read that the requirements for a payout are such that it is rare you get to collect. I would not count on that.
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If you are locking up a bike to go in a store or coffee shop for a relatively short time, any lock will do. If you are locking up an expensive bike overnight, no lock will be sufficiently safe. Any lock can be broken or destroyed, given the opportunity and incentive. It depends on what kind of bike ($$), the area and for how long.
I use a mini u-lock:
http://www.amazon.com/Kryptonite-Evolution-FlexFrame-3-25-Inch-5-5-Inch/dp/B005YPK9C0/
Which means that I often don't lock the front tire, and just the frame. It's a tradeoff. At home and at work I have locked indoor bike parking so I don't even bother with a lock. When I'm out and about I gamble that no one is going to grind off a ulock in broad daylight.
On the rare occasion that I have to lockup overnight and outdoors, I add a cable lock for the front tire.
Remember that you don't have to outrun the bear, you just have to outrun the slowest hiker :-)
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All very good thoughts. I agree too, that you just have to beat the guy next to you, to a minimum. Any lock can surely be broken. It's just a matter of the time spent trying to break it that differs between the quality and setup of locks. My understanding of bike theft statistics reveals two more-likely scenarios and a lull of theft in between. On one side, the crime of opportunity, based on persons/ passerbys with little or no specialized tools stealing a poorly locked or unsecured (not attached properly to an anchor) bike, usually low-end bicycles not deeply loved. On the other side, the planned crime, based on scouting high-end bicycles and utilizing an arsenal of effective tools to capture the prize. Both acts are done quickly. My thoughts are thus to use a low-to-moderate end bike with a moderate-to-high end lock setup. As a result, there is much less opportunity for the crime and the payoff from the thief's perspective has less value.
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I've had a mid-range U-Lock for about 7 years. Never an issue. Two days ago, a co-worker of mine had his bike stolen literally from under his nose from the front of our office. It had a cable lock.
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Thanks for the recommendations everyone. I will look into the u-locks and some info on locking bikes correctly.
Fortunately my bike isn't super fancy and can live in the garage so hopefully doesn't have a high chance of getting stolen. Mostly I need to lock it while running errands, etc. Still want to be as secure as possible however.
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Which means that I often don't lock the front tire, and just the frame.
http://www.sheldonbrown.com/lock-strategy.html
^^ for others as well that use only a U-lock that can't go around the frame and wheel together. You're doing yourself a disservice if you're locking the frame directly. I use just a mini u-lock also, I don't like carrying more weight than needed and small u-locks are harder to break open. You can get scissor jacks in the large ones if there's enough dead space, and just pop them open.
'Anyone can get your bike if they really want it' is a bad reason to not use the best lock appropriate for the situation. Your bike doesn't have to be impossible to steal, it just has to be harder than the bike next to yours, and this isn't at all difficult. I tend to look at how people lock their bikes and very rarely do I see someone do it properly.
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I leave my bike in the apartment lobby with only a cable lock. I'm in a fairly low-crime neighborhood. I no longer had much use for an old beat up mountain bike so I left it outside at the bike rack unlocked. It was there a few weeks before it disappeared. So it does happen but so far, in eight years--the bike in the lobby has been left alone. The neighbor across the lobby also leaves his bike in the lobby. I simply do not have enough room in apartment for the bike.
When I use the bike in the neighborhood for short errand stops, I still stick with the cable lock. Beyond that, I add in a u-lock. The greatest deterrent is that my bike isn't really worth much. So if it's ever stolen, it would likely be a crime of opportunity. It's unlikely the bike would be scoped by bike thieves for resale.
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Anything can be defeated by a motivated thief in less than 5 minutes.
Hmm, I've been using these bike lockers at the train station. But now that I think about it, I wonder if they are any safer than a U-lock. At least I don't have to worry about petty vandalism, seat/helmet/light theft, etc.
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I use a Kryptonite U-lock (the way sheldon brown recommends) with a cable securing the front wheel all day at work. My bike is parked in a place where there are always less securely locked bikes, and at under a grand it's not a tremendously expensive ride. I'd be surprised if someone thought it was worth the time and effort to steal. I've had people walk off with my lights, so I always strip the lights, water bottle, and take my helmet in with me.
For short trips around town I just use a cheaper cable lock.