Lock Advice?

[mlvenan]

Hey everyone. I'm wondering if someone could give me some advice as to what kind of lock to buy. I have read that the minis are better, but then I worry I might not be able to get it around a pole or something. Also, I don't really plan to lock it up more than a few minutes if I'm running errands, etc; but I would like something that could work should I decide to leave it longer. Also, do the mounts that come with the lock actually work? I have a trek 7.2 WSD, and i can't imagine where I would even put the mount so the lock wouldn't interfere (especially on the standard U-Locks).

Thanks!
Michelle

[Blueberry]

I'm paranoid about having my bike stolen. There are a couple of places (high foot traffic) that I will leave it for a short time with a cable lock (e.g. the farmer's market), but for most stores I use a mini U-lock around the rear wheel inside the rear triangle locked to a rack and then lock the front wheel and frame to the rack with a cable lock. A regular U-lock would go around some railings that the mini might not, but they won't fit around poles, etc). Theory is that most thieves don't carry both kinds of tools (or at least it would be a major pain in the you know what to steal). Not sure about mounting - I usually throw the locks in a rear pannier (which you may want anyway if you are running many errands and will need to carry things).

If a store doesn't have an appropriate rack, the bike comes inside with me.

CA

[BleeckerSt_Girl]

Bike racks? What are those?
Seriously though, in the rural towns in my area there are literally NO racks, and we must just lock to odd things like trees , lamp posts, and stair railings, etc. So we need a 6' cable to go around stuff like that. I have a 3/8" cable with integrated lock. It does take up some space in my saddle bag but what the heck.
If I lived in a big city like NYC or Chicago though, I'd have WAY more major locks than that.
Campuses are another stealing hot spot.

Better safe than sorry- better a bigger lock than you need than a smaller lock than you need.

[F8th637]

Hi Michelle,

I see you live in Arlington. It's pretty bike-friendly up there but I know I'd be concerned about my bike being stolen regardless of where I left it. I have 2 U-locks but haven't felt the need to use them both at the same time. I keep a shorter U-lock with a combo on the rack at the back of my bike. I asked people how they mounted their locks on TE and tried the ones that came with the lock but no luck. The rack I have has a spring-loaded thing that keeps the lock in place. I have a longer U-lock with a key that I use for times when my husband and I are both out together on the bikes. I also use this lock for locking the bikes to our hitch rack. I recently bought a 6' Kryptonite cable too because I was concerned but have yet to use this as well.

They say the key to U-locks is to not get one that leaves a lot of space so that people can't pry lock a 2 by 4 or something in there to break the lock so that's why I got the shorter one without the key. A few years ago the keyed ones from Kryptonite were able to be defeated by a ballpoint pen. I don't think that is the case anymore. Get yourself a good-sized U-lock or one of those steel cables and a real bike lock not something that you can buy at a hardware store and you should be good to go.