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For the odd gas station stop or 15 min tanning bed session, what would be deemed adequate?
Abus Bordo mini lite folding lock: 420 gram, too chonkey for the jersey? Not easy to cut. Is the bracket quick to mount on a seatpost?
Ottolock hexband: nice and light, fits the jersey, can be cut like swiss cheese.
Gotta get those tan lines sharp.
Make one. Kevlar rope with stainless wire rope and small Abus padlock. Should easily come under 100g.
I would just use a ski lock (I use Safeman ones, but there’s no shortage of alternatives).
Anything that fits in your pocket isn’t going to fend off a proper bike thief; you’re only going to stop an opportunist riding off on it, so I wouldn’t overthink it.
Pointless nothing you can carry will work.
Take the skewers out? Only ride in nice areas ? Learn to go longer without needing to stop for supplies/carry the right food and drink ?
I carry a small cable lock, but purely as a deterrent - lock the frame to something, use my helmet strap to secure the front wheel to the downtube for extra minor annoyance, but leave it where I can see it.
No lock you can carry will stop a determined thief, or satisfy the requirements of your insurers. Just make your bike more annoying to walk off with than the next one.
You could carry a small sachet of jam with you. Smear on your bike, then the resulting swarm of wasps will deter theives
Good idea, but Nutella would provide a visual deterrent too.
I think the only benefit is to make yours less attractive than the unlocked one. I wouldn't leave mine out of sight (even cafe locked) to any length of time unless there's a scapegoat nearby.
On the rare occasion I Ieave it unlocked to grab a bottle of water from a garage or similar I either drop the chain off so it can't be pedalled, or put it into top gear so any thief hopping on will struggle to get the wheels turning, maybe giving me a couple of seconds to react. I have on occasion even taken the front wheel into the shop with me.
Probably not great against a determined scallywag, but sufficient against the casual 'walk off' and fits in your back pocket.
I picked up one of these years ago, its a water bottle bike lock for nipping around I chuck it in the bottle cage and then lock the bike up, very handy.
I've found the solution, light folding lock + quick release strap mount:
Just mount it onto your downtube and off you go for rides where you want to make short stops.
Should also work with other (smaller) ABUS folding locks (with some modification), so you could get the smallest one that requires an angle grinder to open. Bracket alone is £15 here.
Not what i'd call lightweight, but they are compact. I like mine.
I take a Hiplok Z-Lock combo out with me on the road bike and think I might stop at a cafe. Hardly weighs anything and fits in jersey pocket:
We all know it won't stop anybody with some cable cutters or whatever but its literally only to prevent an opportunist or passing scally running away with my bike for the 5 minutes I'm ordering a coffee inside a cafe before going back to sit outside again.
If nothing else, it stops my heart hitting 180bpm if I go in and realise there's a queue of more than 3 people at the counter.
Not what i’d call lightweight, but they are compact. I like mine.
Yeah, weight is not a consideration for me though if I can frame mount it (with a quick release). You'd need an angle grinder to break into the abus folding locks.
Update: see the bordo can be cut by a big bolt cutter
I work on the basis that if you can break it open with no tools you would be as well not wasting your money. Those hip locks and glorified laptop locks are nothing but landfill fodder and can be rather easily broken open. Either mtfu and get a better lock or get some friends would be my advice.
Even the Bordo 6500 Granit Xplus can be cut with bolt cutters if you can leverage the ground
Either mtfu and get a better lock or get some friends would be my advice.
Lolz at the bizarrely passive aggressive advice relating to bike locks
Wouldn't expect less from ST 😂
For nipping into shops/pubs, I use a skilock, plus, depending on perceived risk, any combination of one or all of:
- loosen (or even remove) QRs
- open up brake calipers
- shift to top of cassette/big ring then drop all the tension out of the cables
...to make for maximum clatteriness should anyone try to make off with the bike.
Lolz at the bizarrely passive aggressive advice relating to bike locks
It was a bit, wasn't it? Wasn't supposed to come across that way, sorry!
Hiplok Z-Lock combo for me too. I figure this scenario is much more about having something vs nothing than it is about stopping the determined thief. And these are ultra convenient even if they probably aren't very secure at all. I'm not going to leave the bike locked with this out of my sight for an hour, its application is for short times in pretty safe places, so for me it's ideal and finding it was a bit of a revelation.
I use the Hiplok Cable tie thing; it’s only going to stop a complete opportunist but it is better than nothing.
As a note, they work a lot better if you take the key with you.
I use the Hiplok Cable tie thing; it’s only going to stop a complete opportunist but it is better than nothing.
As a note, they work a lot better if you take the key with you.
from what I've read, all the 'keys' are the same, so borrow one of your mates (or the oik who carries one for that reason, would be unlikely but easier to explain that boltcutters!)
or use a paperclip...
I think in bright colours they probably stop a passerby being tempted but doubt a regular bike thief would be put off.
for village life, I either take the front wheel into the shop with me, or stick a small padlock through a disc or chain.
Padlock wont stop them taking it, but they can't ride it...
I use an Ottolock. Certainly wouldn't stop someone with actual tools, but again will stop someone from just grabbing the bike as they walk by! I wouldn't trust it for any longer than to pop in to a shop to grab some food though obviously.
i use the hiplock cable ties or a cable lock.
dont leave it out of sight.
I work on the principal that if anyone wants it and has a set of those big bolt croppers they are going to have it no matter what. infact if they waived them at me id probably just hand it over.
your only going to stop the passing scrote who will ride it away imo