how to carry my cable lock?

[fastdogs]

I don't normally go anywhere that I have to lock up my bike; I carry a cable lock on my bike rack on the car and lock it up when I carry it. But I'd like to have a cable with the bike just in case; for my hybrid I have a really light thin cable that is coiled and fits on the seat tube; it's small enough that I can't feel it.
I got a bigger one with the idea of keeping it on my mountain bike, but when I coiled it around the seat post I could feel it as I pedaled. I put it just below the handlebars, but wanted to make sure there's not some reason it shouldn't be carried there- it doesn't seem to interfere with the steering or anything.
I could get a real light one like the one on my hybrid, that one fits anywhere, but just wondering if I could make use of this one I just got. Where does everyone carry cable locks, or does everyone use u-locks?
vickie

[OakLeaf]

On my hybrid commuter, I have an inexpensive cable lock that lives on the handlebar. I just have to push the ends together and relax the coils a bit to get it over the brake lever. It rides fine on the flat of the handlebar.

But then where I ride/park isn't a high theft area. I don't know if a heftier cable would fit like that.

[Kano]

On occasion, I have carried my cable lock wrapped around my wrist. Not a favorite, but it works. Depends on which bike -- I have wraqpped it around the steering tube, or I drop it into one of the panniers on my shopping bike, or I put it in a pocket on my camelback when out on my road bike.

Karen in Boise

[wackyjacky1]

I always run mine through the rails on my saddle:

[singletrackmind]

Mine's pretty thick and long enough to lock up the tandem and front of the bob trailer and it either rides on the handlebar between the brakes or on my Camelback Rogue where the clip for the flap comes together. Works best on the Camelback.

[PscyclePath]

I carry and use a Kryptonite 3000 New York Lock for when I have to leave my commuter/utility bike locked up for awhile out of sight. Yeah it's heavy, but it's cheaper than replacing the bike ;-)

I also have a 3/8" cable lock that I carry in a handlebar bag or wrapped under the saddle as shown above, for short stops where I'm still somewhere nearby, as well as for those times where there's nothing that your U-lock will fit around. In combination with your U-Lock, the cable will let you secure both wheels and the frame around something like a tree or a lamp post, and a potential thief will have to have at least two kinds of tools to get thru both locks and get your bike.

Tom

[Flur]

+1 on what WackJacky does. I also sometimes put it in one of my bottle cages, using the velcro strap that came with it to secure it to the cage, if I'm on a short ride where I don't need two bottles.