Carrying a lock

[Duck on Wheels]

I always have a backpack, at the very least a camelback with a bit of storage space. That's where the lock goes when I'm on the bike and in motion. I never trust the thieves to skip my bike because it's grungy or cheap or the neighborhood where I'm riding is safe. You would not believe how grungy and peculiar my first bike was when it got stolen -- rusty old 50's Schwinn one-speed, painted shrieking green with orange pasted-on flowers. And this was in a town with about twice as many bikes as inhabitants, so there were tens of thousands of better bikes to steal and pretty much nobody ever locked back then (1969). Still ... it got stolen, never to be recovered. My very first bike that I bought with my own savings at age 9.

[Geonz]

Even in Madison County I *might* lock things up just to take temptation away from those Jenkins boys or MOselys or whoever [I'm remembering names... *not* making statements about families!! There are so many Jenkins' and Moseleys ... some of them must be 12 year old kiddos who might be tempted...) Around here when we ride out to the little towns we just lean, tho' a few folks have locks and use 'em. I tend to use my kickstand and put my big old bike in front of a newer one.
IN town, as in campus... well, I try not to park on campus. Bikes get swiped, stuff gets swiped off bikes, etc. Out at teh community college it's not so bad - twice I have forgotten to lock the bike at all. ONce (in four years) I've had a computer swiped off my bike.
I carry my lock in my big fat saddle bags or backpack. Of course, on the Gazelle the lock is built in... you can't ride it without the "key in the ignition."