Bike locks Rant

[Hellcatz]

Back story.
So bike was recently stolen and was later listed on Kijiji (Canadian classified) for $200. The bike was a Kona Hoss and had a initial cost of around 700-1000 Canadian. Probably my fault for using a snowboard lock for such a expensive bike. Now on the the main point/rant.

What is the point of owning a expensive lock such as a kryptonite New York when the metal you lock you bike to is probably weaker then the lock itself (the one at work is made from 1 cm steel rods). On to kryptonite lock, their claim to fame is that they will reimburse you with a maximum of $3000 (depending on the lock you get) if you bike has been stolen. Sounds Great and worth every penny if that was the case. The catch is is that you must return the broken lock back to kryptonite in order for them to process the claim. Now who the  **** would steal the bike and leave a lock and potential evidence for the owner and the ****ing police. Thoughts on the matter anyone?
 

[KnivesM]

In my experience the bike thief usually doesn't take the broken lock with them, they usually just cut the chain/lock and leave the lock/chain laying on the ground. I know around here at least the police don't actually investigate bike thefts or dust for fingerprints or whatever on the lock so the evidence left by the bike thief doesn't matter really.

[Hellcatz]

The police don't really do anything about theft under 5000.

[tp4tissue]

The police don't really do anything about theft under 5000.

TIL to steal exactly $4999.99

[IvanIvanovich]

Basically, I look at bike locks as stopping theft of convenience type thief. It should be good enough to stop a bolt cutter or light hack saw without a long time of effort, and not too easy to pick like a good ulock. Nothings going to stop a 'professional' bike thief as they will just pull up with a portable angle grinder and be off in under a minute. Besides having a good lock, choosing what to lock it to is more important. I like to use a small u-lock so there is almost no room between the frame and I prefer to lock it up to parking meters in high traffic area. Lock it in such a way that the only 'good' place to cut is going to be against the frame, in which case risk of damage to the bike frame may be enough deterrent for them to keep moving.

[vivalarevolución]

I buy vintage bikes off Craigslist, clean them up and maybe add some new components, but still keep them crappy and unappealing enough that nobody wants to steal them.  That's my solution.

[JPG]

Basically, I look at bike locks as stopping theft of convenience type thief. It should be good enough to stop a bolt cutter or light hack saw without a long time of effort, and not too easy to pick like a good ulock. Nothings going to stop a 'professional' bike thief as they will just pull up with a portable angle grinder and be off in under a minute. Besides having a good lock, choosing what to lock it to is more important. I like to use a small u-lock so there is almost no room between the frame and I prefer to lock it up to parking meters in high traffic area. Lock it in such a way that the only 'good' place to cut is going to be against the frame, in which case risk of damage to the bike frame may be enough deterrent for them to keep moving.

I agree. The idea is to make it so that it looks like more trouble to steal you're bike than the next one. If you have a very high value bike, then just don't lock it outside and get a commuter/cheaper bike for these trip.


It's sad because when I was 12, I got my new bike stolen. For 20 years, I refused to get another bike because of that. This year, I decided it was time to get one again and realized I should have done so way before.

[IvanIvanovich]

Heh. Yeah junk bikes... but you will be surprised when someone DOES steal it. The only bike I had that was stolen was such a bike. An old fixie before they were hipster cool. It was also a bike I found ditched, so it was probably stolen once before I had it too. I suppose it could have been karma or whatever.

[tp4tissue]

Heh. Yeah junk bikes... but you will be surprised when someone DOES steal it. The only bike I had that was stolen was such a bike. An old fixie before they were hipster cool. It was also a bike I found ditched, so it was probably stolen once before I had it too. I suppose it could have been karma or whatever.

So you stole a stolen bike only to have it again be stolen from you, and now you're poopooing about it on the internet.

haahahhahahaha..  kids these days.

[IvanIvanovich]

It was when I was a kid... but I have not been a kid for a few decades now.
I said I FOUND a bike. Not that I stole a bike... and my guessing that it was stolen which was why it was ditched is wholly conjecture.

[JaccoW]

Had a single bike stolen once but that one was locked with a ringlock (as is usual around here) and a 1cm thick steel cable.
I wasn't the only one because there were many cut off locks that day. Anyway, my bike insurance paid me the whole amount and I got myself a new bike with a much sturdier Abus motorcycle chain lock.

I don't understand American cyclists and their insistence on U-locks. Those things are very impractical around here.

[tp4tissue]

It was when I was a kid... but I have not been a kid for a few decades now.
I said I FOUND a bike. Not that I stole a bike... and my guessing that it was stolen which was why it was ditched is wholly conjecture.

And now that kid who lives behind that ditch in a trash pile is somewhere without a bike, telling the story about how he left a bike in his nearby ditch which all things considered is his backyard only to have it stolen by some insensitive person..

hahahahah

[vivalarevolución]

Had a single bike stolen once but that one was locked with a ringlock (as is usual around here) and a 1cm thick steel cable.
I wasn't the only one because there were many cut off locks that day. Anyway, my bike insurance paid me the whole amount and I got myself a new bike with a much sturdier Abus motorcycle chain lock.

I don't understand American cyclists and their insistence on U-locks. Those things are very impractical around here.

Can you provide a picture of what is more common where you are from?  Just wondering.

[iri]

An old fixie before they were hipster cool.

do you mean a track bike?

I don't understand American cyclists and their insistence on U-locks.

That's also the British thing. A copper here recommended me to use a U-lock. I prefer to call them D-locks though.

[IvanIvanovich]

Yeah, like a track bike but with thicker touring type tires... or as it was called back then a grampa bike, as generally you used to only see old men riding them.
Why U-locks? Because you can't cut them generally with a easy to conceal small bolt cutters like you can cable or chains. Whenever I see cut locks, its usually cables or chains. Seeing cut u-lock is pretty rare. I can't see how they are impractical? It's pretty rare when I find myself someplace where there is nothing I can fit one around to lock my bike to.

[JaccoW]

Had a single bike stolen once but that one was locked with a ringlock (as is usual around here) and a 1cm thick steel cable.
I wasn't the only one because there were many cut off locks that day. Anyway, my bike insurance paid me the whole amount and I got myself a new bike with a much sturdier Abus motorcycle chain lock.

I don't understand American cyclists and their insistence on U-locks. Those things are very impractical around here.

Can you provide a picture of what is more common where you are from?  Just wondering.

Pretty much any bike that gets used for transportation has a ringlock in combination with a chain lock.

Here is my bike for example:

That's a 120 cm (I think) long 1cm thick hardened metal chain around the seat post and a ring lock on the rear.

Yeah, like a track bike but with thicker touring type tires... or as it was called back then a grampa bike, as generally you used to only see old men riding them.
Why U-locks? Because you can't cut them generally with a easy to conceal small bolt cutters like you can cable or chains. Whenever I see cut locks, its usually cables or chains. Seeing cut u-lock is pretty rare. I can't see how they are impractical? It's pretty rare when I find myself someplace where there is nothing I can fit one around to lock my bike to.

I get what you are saying. But keep in mind that a $20 5 mm shackle chain is no comparison to a $60 13 mm U-lock. Cables are even worse in that regard. That was the only time a bike of mine got stolen.

Because a chain gives you much more flexibility in regards to locking options at a slight weight penalty.
(But let's be honest here. If 500 grams of extra weight on a bike bothers someone, they either need to get some more muscles or lose some weight. )

It is quite easy to carry a 120+ cm long chain but it looks ridiculous and is impractical/impossible to carry a 60 cm long (~2 foot long) U-lock

For example; Let's say I want to lock my frame to a lightpost but also want to prevent my front wheel from being taken?
No problem with a chain but very tricky in most cases with a U-lock.

[Hellcatz]

I buy vintage bikes off Craigslist, clean them up and maybe add some new components, but still keep them crappy and unappealing enough that nobody wants to steal them.  That's my solution.

I like to keep my bikes nice and fresh. Just got a new purefix  fixie, don't want to beat it up just yet. Probably going ng to get my ass run over if I don't learn how to stop soon.

[rm-rf]

i feel your pain, im sorry that happened.
i once had my bike stolen from me, when i was 15, i mowed lawns for a few years saving up for nice components.
built up my frame with a bunch of campy stuff i got from a local shop. and then when i was 17 it was stolen.
and the worst part is i was with a bunch of friends and we didn't lock up out bikes.
we had rode down to the beach and stashed out bikes under a railroad bridge.
i put mine on the bottom because i didn't want it to get stolen incase someone saw all the bikes. haha

but someone did see it, they stole it. probably because they knew about bike components.
but the funny part of the story is. when i was 19, i saw some dude riding that exact frame.
and i had filed a police report when it was stolen. i gave them photographs, and told them about the scratches on the frame from when i accidentally dropped a metal grinder on it.
so i called the cops, and followed the guy. the cops eventually showed up as i was following him down the street, about 20 minutes of riding.
busted the guy, and got my bike back...
the sad part is... all the campagnolo stuff was removed. but... i got my bike back!

but i never leave a bike outside anymore.
that's just not good.

and i am sorry that your bike was stolen :\
maybe you will find the bastard that took it?

[Hellcatz]

Probably not there are no camaras outside and no witnesses

[GL1TCH3D]

Having stuff stolen in general is a pretty ****ty feeling (lost my MP3 player last week on public transit).

But to the point, locks are a deterrent. The better the lock and the better the way it's locked (frame / to what it's secured to) the less likely it is to be stolen.
However, expensive bikes will always be targeted regardless of deterrent.

One thing my friend brought back from Japan is a tire lock that is installed on the back wheel and just forces the brakes until unlocked. He uses that along with a bike lock.

Meanwhile my bike is such a piece of crap people wouldn't steal it. I've left it unlocked for 10+ hours. If you don't change the gears just right, the back tire locks up then breaks off.