Bike theft in MCR / Lock help

Just a quick one,

I have bought a Kryptonite New York 3000 lock from Evans (£41 with price match, nearly half price!) and I am concerned it is a little heavy...

I was thinking of returning it for the model down (evolution?) which can be price matched to £35. It weighs a lot less and I have seen a lot nicer bikes than my Fuji Track locked up with it - do you think this is adequate protection for the University and City Centre area?

The London based folk seem to think people only steal bikes in the capital but a stripped down frame on Oldham street I saw the other day (lock still attatched) suggests otherwise!!

Many Thanks

stripped down frame on Oldham street I saw the other day (lock still attatched) suggests otherwise!!

don't leave bike locked overnight. your lock is fine.

la lanterne rouge: Thanks for replying. Leaving a bike overnight on the lash is a bad idea anywhere I guess! Do you/anyone think the Evolution model is 'safe' enough though? Would obivously like to get the lightest lock that will provide enough protection...

my thinking has always been go kryptonite and go as heavy as you possibly can - you'll only be pissed at ypourself if it got knicked.

fwiw - always go over the top on bike security

use common sense when locking your bike... lock it up where its visible!!!

somewhere with a lot of passing foot traffic is advisable - ie, the bike racks just off market street are a nono...

when i lock up on street railings i always put the lock barrel on the outside, so if anyone screwing around with the lock, they'll need to be standing in the road...

if you can take you bike indoors then do that... thats why sandbar is a good place to drink - we take our bikes indoors...

i've been using kryto mini evo's for years, theyre a great lock but i never left my bike unattended for more than 15minutes when messing... unless i could physically see it when waiting on a pickup/drop

if i leave my bike unattended for longer, i use two locks... it might be a ballache to schlep around two heavy locks, but i prefer to protect my investment...

i used a newyork u AND chain lock when racing in nyc... and messengers there were saying i should have beefier locks...

from experience, it takes about 20/30 minutes to cut thru a evolution with a hacksaw - according to buffalo bill... 10-15 seconds with decent bolt croppers - thats from bb's jamie... hydraulic bolt croppers will go thru any lock like a hot knife thru butter...

unfortunately, and from my experience of losing a few bikes over the years, all locks act as a deterrent - if they really want your bike, they'll have it :(

amen t that - on the subject of which, anyone heard anymore about that landrover that was going round knicking bikes?

see

http://www.sheldonbrown.com/lock-strategy.html

1. Never leave your bike totally unlocked, not even for a minute.

2. Do not leave your bike outside overnight.

3. Lock your bike to something secure. Make sure a potential thief
   can't lift your bike over a pole, for example, or break the object (e.g.
   thin wood pole)

4. Use a lock that takes some time and tools to break. Note that thin
   cable locks can be snipped in a few seconds with a wire cutter, and even
   thick cables can be cut quite readily. Although there are no locks that
   can never be broken, you can make things difficult for the would-be
   thief. U-locks are good, but lately thieves have discovered that it is
   possible to break them by prying off the protruding end. You can thwart
   this attempt by placing either a red cuff (available at bike shops) or a
   plumber's tee over the locking end. If buying
   a new lock, consider buying one of the latest models which do not have a
   protruding end. Another method of breaking a U-lock is by inserting a
   lever in the middle of the lock. Although this method has not yet been
   observed in Cambridge, you can thwart it by buying a smaller U-lock or
   things called "bad bones" which take up space in the middle of your
   lock.

5. Use two locks. The potential thief will have to use two kinds of
   tools. A U-lock and a heavy cable lock make a good combination. You
   can use the cable to lock a wheel or seat.

6. Lock your quick-release seat and wheels. A quick-release rear wheel
   can be removed in less than 30 seconds and could cost loads
   to replace. Many, many quick-release seats have been stolen. Instead
   of carrying your seat with you, you can lock it with a cable lock, old
   bike chain, or seat locks which are now on the market. Take easily
   removable accessories of the bike and carry them with you. You can
   lock your helmet to the bike, however (there is no resale value for used
   helmets with broken straps).

Yeah not apparently a landrover, was gonna update the thread, the Reg i was given was WRONG, the correct reg is MM07YDY, a Vauxhall Zafira Club (MPV)... not checked to see if it's stolen....

amen t that - on the subject of which, anyone heard anymore about that landrover that was going round knicking bikes?

oh no, here's me giving the evil eye to all the landrovers I see!

Think I will stick with the New York Lock. The extra weight isnt that much when its on the frame or in a bag... rather depressing the lengths needed to go to to keep a bike safe!

do you lock somewhere regularly? I know it's expensive but I've got a cable lock and kryptonite left where I stick my bike for work - it's worth it just to not have that weight on the ride home after a long day!

Careful Rory, if you leave your locks in a public place overnight, it's not unheard of for thieves to superglue the locks and render them useless.

This is under the Arndale - i'm not sure i even need the locks t be honest but cant be too careful! I'd not heard that tactic though...

"adequate protection for the University and City Centre area?"

If you're a student register for the bike sheds dotted around campus. They are as secure as can be: brick sheds, swipe card entry, sheffield stands, CCTV! and the security guards desk is 15ft away!!
For MMU - you need to activate your student ID card, l think its 2/F Cavendish North Bldg, not sure if MU run the shed scheme.
ps, to the guy who has (dolan?) track w/ spork locked to the railings opp Holden Gallery, l would feel better locking in the bike shed.

to the guy who has (dolan?) track w/ spork locked to the railings opp Holden Gallery, l would feel better locking in the bike shed.

Richard... Volume Cutter.... and it probably be more secure, but then no one would see the 'spok... and that's the point of having 'spok.....

Richard... Volume Cutter.... and it probably be more secure, but then no one would see the 'spok... and that's the point of having 'spok.....

I don't know... who would want to see this ;)
http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2608/3726220677_ffa3273705.jpg

I was talking to one of the security guards in the uni a while ago, after 3 of them closed to jumped me for bike theft (I was tensioning my rear wheel, looks pretty sketch to the uninitiated), and bikes have been going from the sheds. I think this is more to do with inadequate locking and careless door-skills. Obviously sheds are better, but locks are still the no. 1 priority.

I don't know... who would want to see this ;)
http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2608/3726220677_ffa3273705.jpg

that's not 'spok, that's spork....

Will be at MMU from September. Saw a shiny charge plug in the MMU cycle lockup (there was also a poster for a bike stolen from their though) thinking of getting a Evo Mini Kryptonite as my New York 3000 is too big for my bike frame!! Cant even bracket it on the seat post :(

awww... l thought the spok was funny.

re: nicked bikes from shed. Really? There's CCTV so l hope they caught the ****. My shed even has a guard cat! Sorry to hear you got jumped on, a case of mistaken identity but shows the SG's were alert. Agree, you still have to use beefy locks and common sense.

Crackajack, welcome to MCR / MMU! What are you studying if you don't mind me asking?

I am doing law at mmu. Have lived in manchester for a while though! I see you all go Sandbar - used to love that place when I was in halls.

la lantern rouge - guard cat - I use that lock up - I use that when down in manchester, and have pushed for that door release button cover - let's say I've managed to 'break in' to it when the lock has stuck shut....

Look out for a bright red fixed.

l accept it isn't fort knox but l still think its the most secure place there is on campus. The average bike thief would pass the shed without noticing and the cctv/sg is reassuring. l used to be able to lock up inside the office before Cav North Bldg was redeveloped.

I think there's a couple of bike stands inside the courtyard of the Chatham building, makes a pretty safe place to leave your bike. Just gotta make sure you get back to it before they lock up at 8pm!