Carrying a lock

[LadyinWhite]

I'm wondering how you guys carry a lock with you when you ride into areas where a lock is necessary? In the city, folks wear these enormous chains around their bodies like a sash and use them to lock the bikes to trees, street signs, etc.

But here in the burbs, such a gigantic chain isn't necessary. So I have just a regular chain w/ lock. When I wrap it under the seat, it annoys my thighs. If I try to wrap it on the cross bar, it slides around.

I feel like maybe I have the wrong kind of lock or maybe I'm just experiencing a total brain failure regarding how to carry this dern thing comfortably.

[mimitabby]

I'm wondering how you guys carry a lock with you when you ride into areas where a lock is necessary? In the city, folks wear these enormous chains around their bodies like a sash and use them to lock the bikes to trees, street signs, etc.

But here in the burbs, such a gigantic chain isn't necessary. So I have just a regular chain w/ lock. When I wrap it under the seat, it annoys my thighs. If I try to wrap it on the cross bar, it slides around.

I feel like maybe I have the wrong kind of lock or maybe I'm just experiencing a total brain failure regarding how to carry this dern thing comfortably.

I always carry a small "latte lock" in the pack behind my seat. I have a bike that has no place for a rear rack so i am very limited as to what i can carry.
I have already seen how easy it is to cut these cable locks, so i would never leave my bike anywhere for more than a few minutes using it.
If I am staying somewhere longer (like for example last sunday i rode to a park and did a 2 1/2 mile walk there) i left my bike for an hour, i took my latte lock and another very heavy cable lock (I carried it in my camel back) and locked my bike with both of those locks.

so, rear rack bag, seat post bag, camel back (water holding backpack) all those are good places to put your lock.

[KnottedYet]

I have a u-lock/cable lock combo. Very heavy. I carry it in my pannier on my commuter bike.

Haven't figured out yet how to carry it on my go-fast bike. Probably wrap my belt-pack straps around it and carry it (the u-lock only) on my waist.

You can buy brackets to hold a u-lock in the front triangle of your bike frame. They take up the space of one of your water bottles, though.

[Grog]

City bike: Inexpensive, heavy, bulky hybrid (but pretty). I have a u-lock (the new type, not the one with a circular keyhole you can open with a bic pen) that's pretty good quality, however I have no illusions: if someone wants the bike, it will be stolen, lock or not. Most u-locks take only seconds to break with the proper tools. I'm fairly sure chains are the same. The bike is pink. Maybe not too popular with male thieves, but I know there are female thieves. It's also unique (the company made only one of that color) and maybe a good bike thieves would realize that and not steal it to avoid problems. But I don't "expect" the bike to be there when I walk out. Some day, it will be gone. I heard from friends working in downtown Montreal that older road bikes of good quality were much less likely to get stolen than a brand new $100 Canadian Tire (think: Target) bike. Harder to resell, I guess...

I carry the lock in a back pack if going for a long distance or slipped between the rear rack and the wheel if just for a few kilometers. The thingie to attach it to my bike didn't work, my tubes are too big.

Road bike: Nothing fancy but very good components and wheels. Has never been locked (except when camping over night during a bike tour, on a guarded camping lot). I only stop if I'm with other people and one person will be watching for it while I go order inside the café (or the other way around), or I leave it outside at cafes that are organized for cyclists, but again, with a group. We will tangle bikes and helmet straps together just to make it impossible to just lift a bike and go, and sit accross the window, close to the door.

If I'm on my own, with my road bike, I'm unlikely to stop anywhere I need to leave my bike outside... Even in the suburbs.

[Triskeliongirl]

It depends where I am gong. At work, I just leave a kryptonite NYC lock on the bike rack, and lock it when I arrive. Those suckers are heavy, but after my last bike was stolen I was told also the most thief proof. I was told cable locks are next to useless, as they can be cut so easily. So, unless I am willing to carry a NYC kryptonite U-lock (say in a handlebar bag), I just don't leave it unattended. At rest stops on club rides we take turns wathcing the bikes. If we stop for lunch after, we eat at an outdoor cafe next to the bikes, stuff like that.

[Eden]

Someone did a video study where in they locked up their own bike and then "stole" it, by cutting off the various types of locks that they used to lock it up with. They cut off or othewise opened every type of lock out there with out being stopped or caught..... They even opened a light pole, plugged a saw into an outlet in there and chopped off one of those big chain locks and no one said boo. Soooo I figure that I may as well only carry an honest person lock - all it does is keep those teetering on the edge honest. (this was after I saw a one homeless guy walk up with a bike to another homeless guy downtown - Guy one - I didn't know you had a bike, Guy two - startled look- Where did I get this??). I would never leave my racing bike alone anywere - locked up or not, but my rain bike and my Marin get locked up with a cable lock and I tend to not leave them anywhere for too long. If I were a commuter and regularly had to leave the bike somewhere all day I think I wouldn't feel safe unless I were able to bring the bike inside - like at the animal shelter I volunteer at they let me put it in the mail room.

[kiwi girl]

I'm pretty much with Eden on this one - I figure there really isn't much I could do to stop somebody stealing my bike if they really wanted to. I use a cable lock on my commuter/errands bike (when leaving it outside shops and stuff - I am allowed to keep it in my office at work). But I do so in the knowledge that it will only stop the really opportunistic thief who would see an unlocked bike and run off with it.

I try to avoid leaving my good bikes (my mountain bike or my road bike) unattended. When BF and I ride together one of us will mind the bikes if we need to go into a shop or whatever - and we will try and eat at outdoor cafes where we can have the bikes next to us. Sometimes when I am riding alone I leave my bike unlocked if I need to stop at a restroom - but I try to avoid it (and I make it quick )

[Eden]

.... Sometimes when I am riding alone I leave my bike unlocked if I need to stop at a restroom - but I try to avoid it (and I make it quick )

a week or two after I got my race bike I was out alone and I really, really needed to pee - I actually took the bike in with me..... (at least there wasn't anyone else in there to wonder what the heck I was up to)

[LadyinWhite]

I teach at a Univ and when I ride to campus, I bring my bike into my office or into the classroom. Was thinking of locking it outside but looks like there is no good solution except perhaps leaving the lock attached to the rack itself. I'm going to give that some thought. (thanks for that tip, the more I think about it, it may be exactly the solution)

Like Eden, I have taken my bike right into the restroom with me. I felt a little silly but I knew coming out and finding my bike gone would have felt a lot worse.

Other times I need to lock are for quick errands into town. I decided to solve that problem by moving the rack off my bike (it looked a little silly there anyway) and put it on the princess' MTB bike. Now I can just take her bike into town and not worry about locking it. It's a nice little raleigh but not really anything to sweat losing.

T.

[KSH]

I carried one in my jersey pocket today. Worked just fine.

[Triskeliongirl]

I teach at a Univ and when I ride to campus, I bring my bike into my office or into the classroom. Was thinking of locking it outside but looks like there is no good solution except perhaps leaving the lock attached to the rack itself. I'm going to give that some thought. (thanks for that tip, the more I think about it, it may be exactly the solution)
.

If you are allowed to bring it indoors and store it in your office, that is always the safest best. Mine was stolen while locked to a bike rack at the university I teach at, but they have a no bikes indoor rule even though I have a private office I could store it in....... I also bring it into the restroom with me if I am out riding alone......... Also, be aware, lleaving a locked bike overnight also increases probablity of theft (my daughter lost one this way at school...).

[light_sabe_r]

I keep a heavy chain lock at work in the bike lock up. Works great. Unless I forget my keys... Besides there are a hell of a lot nicer bikes than my roadie (including a Full Carbon Issac) and they are still there in the afternoons. I have no quams placing either the road bike or the hybrid in there. (the fact it's hospital staff key coded area makes me feel safer too)

As for the rest of the time I don't really need to lock up my bike. I take a quick spin down to the post office where it's all glass and can see my baby from the counter or line up. And both pools closest to me have Tri racks so there's no need to lock em up. The cafeterias I go to after group rides have plenty of spots to store bikes so I'm not too concerned.

[RoadRaven]

I never carry a lock, I will not leave my bike in a rack.

However, if I did carry a lock, I would put it in my seat bag, in my back pocket, or in a back pack.
The thought of a lock rubbing on the purty paint work and arring or marking it is too much for my cycling 'vanity'.

[spokewench]

If I'm riding my good expensive bikes; I do not lock them. I either make sure I can take them inside with me; or I do not ride them. If I'm running errands, etc., commuting, etc., where I need to leave my bike somewhere, I take my older less nice bike and a cable lock with a regular keyed lock. I usually leave this lock set up at work on the bike rack so I don't have to carry the weight in, but if I'm carrying it, i.e. forgot to leave it at work; used it to go somewhere else after work, etc., I carry it in my backpack. Usually, when I'm on these commute, errand trips, I am out for something other than just riding my bike - so I have the backpack for carrying groceries, clothes to work, etc., etc.

I could in pinch probably fit the cable lock and lock in a jersey pocket if I had to; that is most jersey pockets - but not some of the wimpy jersey pockets sometimes found in women's jerseys (but that is another subject).

[IFjane]

I'm with you, Raven. I don't carry a lock and would hate to have to.

I live in a VERY rural area and our stopping spots are country stores dotted all around. We lean our bikes up against a picnic table or tree or whatever's available. One of us always keeps an eye on the bikes, but in all the years I have lived here I have not known anyone to have any trouble.

That said.....this guy was in my neighborhood last Friday.....

http://www.nbc29.com/Global/story.asp?S=6030695