[Closed] Locks for London? Advice gratefully received

Yep, use two.

My tip is an Abus Granit as the main lock [url= http://www.cyclesurgery.com/abus-granit-54-xplus-lock/d-locks/bikes-components-bikewear/fcp-product/16106 ]clicky[/url], then a cable for your front wheel (Krypto cable would be my tip)

Then, just make sure you choose where you lock with care.

Welcome to the Smoke! You're going to love it here!

As Flashy suggests, Abus Granit/Kryptonite New York as main lock, with cable for front wheel. Replace QRs with those 5-sided allen key skewers most bike shops do.

Oh, and if you really want to find your bike still there when you come back to it, then make sure it's a tatty looking old hack bike that you won't be too upset over if it does get nicked. The scabbier the better.

Try to look for busy places with CCTV about, rather than some secluded alley way. All the usual common sense stuff I spose.

Kryptonite New York locks. Heavy, but actually the visual deterrent alone can work. And as above; cable for the front wheel/seatpost.

I use two. For my beater bike...

Yeah but your 'beater bike' is really quite nice, Bully... 😆

I used a Kryptonite "new York" as a mobile lock and [url= http://www.amazon.co.uk/Master-Cuff-Street-Link/dp/B000XRQ8UG/ref=sr_1_5?ie=UTF8&qid=1306439448&sr=8-5 ]one of these[/url] as my permanent mooring at work.

Avoid the ratio of "the nicest bike with the weakest lock".

The PA wasn't the beater bike. It's now up for sale... 🙁

Or move somewhere nice?

To be honest buy one that your insurers agree on
Second waste of time has most carry Bolt croppers
or a battery operating grinder.

What part of London you going to be living in?

What a truly helpful and enlightening piece of advice from GG. How totally unpredicted....

It's true though and you know it.

😉

Erm it's not but thanks for your input anyway.

When people as different as Elfin and I agree, GG, you know that you are wrong here.

Well, be in denial if you will, but the truth sometimes does hurt.

Constipated again GG?

Try more fresh fruit.

No, I prefer Liver and onions, whilst swimming. In a Pool. 😉

Thanks all

The shackle needs to be 16 mm + in cross section and the locking mechanism need to be double locking IE both ends of the shackle.

Mine is big enough to get both wheels (front off the bike)and the frame round a lamppost - cost a lot and weighs kilos.

almax have a good rep and look at motorcycle stuff as well

the Abus linked to has a decent rep as well but i would get the bigger one

RRD, the location element of locking is really useful to keep in mind. As Elf says, CCTV is good, as is a busy place. I try and use places like taxi ranks or outside restaurants where people are sitting outside. Even sadder to say, I also try and lock up alongside more desirable bikes. 😳

I went for an [url= http://www.almax-security-chains.co.uk/index.asp?pg=7 ]Almax[/url]. A few videos on youtube comparing them and the others vs bolt cutters.

Best of all is to not lock it up at all. I've had two bikes nicked in the past few years in Manchester, one was even locked inside the building where I work. One of them was a crappy Decathlon bike I found in the cellar of the house I moved into, and must have been worth 20p.

Is there anywhere secure at work (inside) that you can use?

New one in London is bike jacking
IE knock you off the bike and taking it.

Theres some useful info [url= http://www.lfgss.com/thread17938.html ]here[/url]

get a cuppa first though as it's 27 pages long. 🙂

i use an Abus Futura Mini on my roadie, with a pitlock skewer on the front wheel

New one in London is bike jacking
IE knock you off the bike and taking it.

Not that new; first robbery attempt I experienced was about 20 years ago. Increasing number of incidents however. Be mindful of riding a nice expensive bike in rough areas. Quite a bit of it happens round my way, but the local scrotes know to leave me alone. Sadly crime will always be rife in big cities, so the risks always have to be considered.

"Quite a bit of it happens round my way, but the local scrotes know to leave me alone."

Is that because of your 'Gerrard' shirt you ride around in?

😆

No it's cos I'm nasty and 'orrible. 😀

Firstly GlitterGary? Really!?

Secondly, to the topic in hand. Don't get any advice from the police. They released their top tips a few months ago and basically they said, a) don't buy an expensive bike, buy something cheap - apparently the best quality of bike does not make up for its attractiveness to thieves.

b) purchase two locks that equates to 30% of the bike's value - thats right - I should have £240 worth of locks for my Cannondale Bad Boy.

A tad excessive.

The best advice I got, was buy two different locks - one of them should be a 'gold' standard (perhaps something around £60). I purchased a 'silver' standard lock as the secondary one - one D lock one chain lock.

But I am always careful as to where to park it and I have good insurance.

I am still waiting for the day it gets nicked though - so to make up for the day I lose it, I am always looking to see what I would replace it with!

Is there REALLY an increase of bike-jacking incidents?? Theres a few articles, in road.cc and in the guardian for instance, but they are both based on one press release from ETA (a bike insurance company).

I rode an old hack bike round London with a beefy lock on it for a year, left on the street outside work and at the station overnight and never had a problem. I often looked for a better bike with a worse lock to lock it next too.

This is pretty cheap for the security too...
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Onguard-Brute-Shackle-Lock-111mmx202mm/dp/B0010VLO4E/

Ah, Elfin. I'm only joking mate, sorry about all that footy stuff the other day, you seem like a nice fellow really.

If you're up in Bradford in the near future, and fancy a curry I'd be up for it. That's not a proposition by the way. 😀 It's just I'm moving to that area soon.

tinoflyer - I don't possibly know what you're on about, dear boy.

after having had two bikes nicked over the years when i lived in london i finally saw the light and decided to just get a crappy old commuter bike (covered in tape and a bit of dodgy spray paint).
you'll spend the same $ required to get a decent lock and then you never worry about leaving it locked up with a 'normal' lock- happy days. that one even survived a couple of overnight stays on the streets of islington. obviously good to not have QRs etc.
even the toughest lock wont stop some rotters if they are that determined.....

Don't get any advice from the police. They released their top tips a few months ago and basically they said, a) don't buy an expensive bike, buy something cheap - apparently the best quality of bike does not make up for its attractiveness to thieves.

This is the best advice you can get, tbh. I'd agree with that, based on 23+ years of commuting in London. If you wanna find your bike still there when you come back, then the scabbier it looks, the less attractive it is to thieves. This is common sense. If you want to leave your £1500 bike locked up in a public places, then just face the reality that it will be a target, and even if it's not nicked it may well be stripped.

Course it's not nice, but it's the reality. I use a scabby old hybrid skip rescue bike, to buzz about on. If it does get nicked, I'm not crying too much cos it's only cost me £50 or so. Actually the lock probbly cost more. 😮

Is there REALLY an increase of bike-jacking incidents??

Sadly, there have been spates of such crime in certain areas, but limited to the roughest parts of London really. Being aware of your surroundings and potential dangers can reduce risk of getting robbed, but the same with anything; iPhones, laptops etc. Stick to busy streets and avoid rough areas. Again, if your bike is scabby, then you're far less likely to attract such attention.

Ah, Elfin. I'm only joking mate, sorry about all that footy stuff the other day, you seem like a nice fellow really.

GG; I don't take any of it seriously, I just like a good argue now and then. 😀

Bradford you say? One of me favourite places outside London, innit? Is one most beautiful place in World....

in London ( West) I use 3 or 4 d locks and a cable for the wheels. D locks are rated Gold or max. Plus a cable for the saddle, and seatpost.I also use an additional large armoured cable to look menacing.

Park it underground in a secure basement like I do and then use a Kryptonite lock & cable

I use a Kryptonite KryptoLok plus cable - since moving to our new office we no longer have bike storage, so I have to use the public ones.

If you want to ride a blingy bike, then I'd say get it insured - it's what, £70 a year?

If you want the best lock/chain then go for Almax. One of the few that can't be done by croppers, but it's probably stupid heavy, and it's expensive.

Then again, lots of people (incl. me) keep their locks locked to the rails over night to save carrying them home.

For cycle specific locks, the Kryptonite new york is probably the bestest.

Having said all of the above, it does seem London is full of blingy bikes lately (ride to work scheme perhaps?), so the changes of getting yours nicked might be reduced 😉

look for something that is about the same length as your waist so your can wear it like a belt (like the couriers!), as it is easier to carry the weight like that.

Locks for London? There's a place that sells nothing but.

Camden Lock Market.

I supposse if you wrap your frame in duck tape the theif might think that is not worth the hassle to strip it all off?

Locks for London? There's a place that sells nothing but.

Camden Lock Market.

What a stupid thing to say. 😐

Everyone knows it's where they sell [i]canal[/i] locks.

[img] [/img]

See?

Now don't be so silly in future. 🙄

The link that normally trotted out by now.... http://www.lfgss.com/thread17938.html

(not being sarcastic, just surprised it's not been posted)

other options:

if local to where you need to lock up
http://www.h2bikerun.co.uk/

http://www.onyourbike.com/stylesheet.asp?file=7_1_1_cycle_park

One at Finsbury Park as well..

or badger your employer to get secure cycle parking - TFL can help with costs

or get a fold up bike an take it into work/places

-double post

Thanks for the advice.

I'll doible up and buy gold. Just bought an Alfine hub hybrid as a commuter. The commute will be a round trip of 34 miles + so I don't fancy a crappy tesco special however I also have no intention of using the bling bike.

Where do you get cycle insurance at £70 per year. I bombed mine as I realized I was spending £200+