Securing your bike

[sirtirithon]

I always carry one of those small cable locks that come with a new pistol. They are light weight, fairly robust for the size and I have a half dozen around by default. I keep the key in my wallet. It stows away unnoticed in my frame pack but readily available if needed. Still always keep your bike in sight!

[macr237]

I have just bought the Pacsafe cable safe 200 and a go travel tough lock. the lock is a little heavier, but is a 4 tumbler lock.
hopefully it will be ok for our bush and quick buys locked up out the front of a shop in Australia.

[MNGravel]

Perhaps a small u lock, just big enough to fit through both cainstays, or top tube and a pole. the idea is not to leave enough space for a bottle jack to be inserted. Also a cable about 6 feet long is enough to run through one seat rail like a dog collar then both wheels and the loose end into the u lock.

You don't need to run a U-lock around a maintube or stay, just lock the portion of the back wheel that is between the stays to a suitable post, rack, bench, etc. Since the wheel won't fit through the stays, the only way to steal the frame or rear wheel is to cut the tire and rim or a stay (not worth it for most thieves or most bikes). This allows you to use a lock with a shorter shackle which makes it harder for someone to use a jack or other device to pry the lock open.You still need some kind of cable for the front wheel and some way to secure the seat post.   Nothing reasonable will stop someone with a good cutoff wheel on a portable grinder, if they are that serious all you can do is chain your bike to a 6' 4" State Trooper.

[PeteStaehling]

I have done mostly road touring. I carry a really light cable lock on most tours, but don't use it a lot of the time.  I am mostly in really small rural towns and don't worry much there.  In larger cities/towns I am more careful. Where I get a bad vibe, I don't let the bike out of my sight.  I have taken it into grocery stores a few times and just rolled it up and down the aisles with me.

[Area54]

I have taken it into grocery stores a few times and just rolled it up and down the aisles with me.

This is pretty much what I do - take the bike in and ask the clerk if I can leave it near a checkout or enquiries desk, never been turned away yet. I know it breaches their OHS rules, but it's always great when they can see the humanity first and rules second. I passed through Corona, CA one afternoon, the clerk even wheeled my bike behind his counter while I stocked up.

[MNGravel]

I've only had one convenience store manager ask me to leave my bike outside. Other than that, the small grocery and c-stores have never had a problem with me walking in with my bike. When I do lock it outside, I look for areas clearly visible from the window, lots of passersby, and/or security camera coverage. I like to use restaurants with walk-up windows or table service and outdoor seating. One of my favorites doesn't allow me to bring my bike into the seating area but I can chain it to the railing near an empty table and take a seat literally an arm's length away while food and drink are brought to me. The bike is out of sight and reach for only about a minute while I walk in through the front door.

BTW, small towns being safer is a myth. I know of several people who have lost their bikes or had attempted thefts in rural communities. I caught an individual trying to get a bike off of my hitch rack at a gas station in a town with a population of about 1,200. He had the two straps undone and had lifted the bike out of the cradles. If it hadn't been for the cable lock to the truck frame, he'd have been gone with the bike. Stupid thing was that it wasn't even my bike, it was a donation I was taking to a bike co-op in a larger town about 15 miles away, where the would-be thief could have earned a bike legitimately with a couple evenings' work (the co-op asks for 5 volunteer hours to earn a bike and helps the patron put it back into good working order, usually taking about another evening or two).

[stephjo]

I use Pit Locks.

[Flounder]

I use a Knog Milkman

http://www.knog.com.au/gear-locks/milkman.phps

Little more than a means of keeping honest people honest. A respectable thief would laugh at it, but I'm just trying to thwart the opportunist.

[ascar_larkinyar]

I was just looking at those

[adamgnewman]

Yup. That's what I've got. It's just enough to keep the bike from rolling away.

http://usd.knog.com.au/cycling/locks/cable-locks/milkman.html

[worntreads]

I use a palmy after using one in Pittsburgh while on tour (my host lent me it) weighs nothing and looks like a real lock (professional bike thieves know, but it's a short term deterrent).

[sliggins]

i was looking at the abus folding locks but short on funds, i have a few u locks around and after thinking about it my bike is set up with the jones loop bar, so i mocked up 4 point attachment to the bars and feel this may work well as an aero bar as well as a secured lock for the extra weight but making it multi use. this set up would only work on a loop bar though and u locks are heavy. the u lock feels comfortable and sturdy as a aero bar but i haven't tested it out yet   

[intheways]

I'm not sold on the Abus locks.  I have a broken one sitting on my porch.  It took me about 10 minutes to break it with just my hands.  The pivots for the folding mechanism are weak.

[Adam Alphabet]

I've got an abus bordo lite and a kryptonite seat saver that I loop through the wheels. I use this set up bike touring. I bring my bike inside when I can and do my absolute best to choose places to eat that I am within eye sight of my bike at all times.
This lock gives me enough peace of mind to do that. I wouldn't leave my bike locked for extended periods out of eye sight with it...but then again I wouldn't do that with a U-lock, or any lock for that matter.

[rocbeer]

This looks interesting:

http://bikespike.com/

like lojack for your bike.  Rustle up a posse and give them a little U-lock justice (by that I mean beat them with U-locks) ; )

[stever121051]

Hey Gals/Guys,

check out www.skylock.com

It is coming out this summer

looks good bluetooth technology

Happy Trails
Steve

[Idahogre]

This isn't the most bike friendly security measure, but in a pinch you can simply release the rear QR.  First peddle stroke causes it to bind up and it would prevent the thief from getting away.  Just remember to tighten it when you get back.

[Flinch]

I used a cable lock on the TD. Tip is to lock the padlock through one of the holes in the rear disk rotor. That way at least they can't roll the bike away after cutting the cable.

Flinch

[THE LONG RANGER]

I have one of these in my tool bag when I forget my actual lock:

https://www.rei.com/product/807540/burton-cable-snowboard-lock

It's not branded as, "Burton" - I got it at the hardware store, but it's small, light, and cheap. I think you could break it open just by looking at it real hard (or using the tools also found in my toolbag!), but it's nice to have just in case.

[VermontGal]

I use 4 strategies:

1. Serfas Puck lock - about 18 oz, easy to stow away.  This is for trips where I need a real lock (including cities, civilization)

2. Gun lock.  Very light, this is for trips where I'll mostly not be near cities.

No lock strategies:

3. Helmet straps in spokes, make the bike hard to ride, derail the chain.  Take the front wheel with me.  Etc.

4. Overnight - Tie bike up with part of the tent, inconspicuously but so that the tent will shake if someone messes with the bike.