How To Lock Your Bike

Tell the fucker with a folding bike to fold his bike and use that space.

yeah, I think you're right, that is the best way. I'll get hold of a second large U lock then.

Thanks for the help!

Someone parked up a ratty looking town bike next to the wife's crosscheck and slung their cable lock through both frames' top tubes, trapping the wife's bike. This was outside the Royal Albert Hall (don't you know).

I was ready to pop home for the hacksaw but it turned out the cable lock was shit, and we snapped it simply by bending it in half. Doubly curious was that a proper d-lock was slung over the rat-bike's handle bars. Anyhoo wife's bike freed we carried on. Left a note for the rat-bike owner.

All quite strange.

I'd be wary of relying on any type of lock just going through the bent bars of the bike rack as they look easy to bolt-crop or hacksaw. I'd certainly put something around one of the more structural horizontals of the stand. The lower horizontal may be impractical because of the woodwork behind it so there may not be enough room to get anything worthwhile around that.

Beware that large D-locks are most vulnerable to twisting and jacking attacks.

For me, a decent chain would be the best solution here by far as you can go through even the upper horizontal if you have to and then the same chain goes through the frame and potentially one or more wheel(s) as well. It's much easier to lock a bike the right way up in those frame, IMHO, too. However, I'd still be wary of clearance behind those horizontals as a chain that will provide a good deterrent will be quite bulky.

I hope that helps.

Some advice and ideas needed please!

How do you lock your bike and trailer? I have a Thule Cheetah so the wheels and towing bar are easily removable without tools but only if you know how.

Cheers!

I'm still not sure either.

But, if anyone needs a new lock, there's a Kryptonite sale on at Fat Birds:

http://www.fatbirds.co.uk/advancedsearch.aspx?Term=kryptonite

wtf?

https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/673350631/bike-mine-the-ultimate-alarm-to-protect-your-preci

What's best to clean gunpowder scorches off your frame with?

These are simply shed alarms being flogged at a huge markup:
http://www.bushwear.co.uk/bisley-alarm-mine-312741.html - £17.99
http://www.bushwear.co.uk/bisley-alarm-mine-12g-black-powder-blanks-12pk-322799.html 12Pk of shells £9.99
And you've saved yourself £12 and it's actually going to show up instead of your money going into a black hole.

I'm amazed they're legal to use as a vehicle alarm. I'd not feel comfortable at all strapping explosive devices to my bike, even if it is 'only dangerous at point blank'.

"Strap explosives between your legs for peace of mind".

Needs more Claymore.

Feels pretty post-apocalyptic. Maybe if i rode this i'd consider it

Forget it's on and shoot yourself in the foot?

Chemically?

I'm not sure if this is the right spot, but what is the bike lock of choice these days? I am fed up of Kryptonites ... the key mechanism always gets buggered and I'm often spending 5m just trying to get in and out. Try greasing, it might help for a bit but then it reaches a point of no return. Currently on the fahgettaboudit ...

Am I using my lock wrong?

Does anyone have a better lock suggestion? Hiplock?

this?

this?

What are you using to lubricate the lock barrel?

This is usually the go-to thread:

https://www.lfgss.com/conversations/144109/

I had a cheap Kryptonite once and I managed to break the key in the lock on that one. Since then, I've had a mini Evo (I think, the writing's rubbed off) and I've had absolutely no issue with that for ten years. I don't know if it's still made or still forum approved, but it's served me well.

Graphite powder for locks, not grease.

interesting.

this stuff?
https://www.amazon.co.uk/Kasp-K30050-Graphite-Powder/dp/B00BTOBHH6

I’ve been really impressed with my Hiplok DX.

The key way cover is really minimal/easy to use so I actually use it unlike the ones on the krypto and magnum d locks I had before.

Admittedly I don’t really lock up outdoors for prolonged periods but given that my lock spent an overnight in the road being driven over when it came off my belt during a road rage incident, it’s still in pretty good shape!

Obviously depends on where you're locking and how secure you need but I like the Pitbull Mini https://www.amazon.co.uk/Guard-Pitbull-DT-8008-Keyed-Shackle/dp/B00AQ0NRZ4/

Although if you're using grease on your lock then it's probably to get all kinds of crap stuck in it, as others have said graphite powder is the best option.

The cheap Kryptonites have cheapo locking mechanisms/poor key tolerances. It’s annoying as heck and I think bad for their rep, but it is what it is.

My mini Evo and mini fahg have been great for years! Still work smoothly. Just need a bit of lithium grease every once in a while. (I have no idea why lithium grease, I just read on lufguss years ago that that was the best stuff for the job so it must be true)

I've got the more expensive yellow NYC one and that has become a pain now.

its this problem: https://kryptonite.zendesk.com/hc/en-us/articles/231010947-ULock-key-Jamming-or-Stuck

where i can't get get the bits aligned. It's my 3rd kryptonite ... :(

@ltc
@aggi
@Brun
what's the diff between graphite powder, dry teflon lube (as suggested by kryptonite) and teflon grease?

fucked if I know!