How do you lock your bikes up?

M

MrBoots

100 W
Joined
Dec 22, 2009
Messages
109
I hate the feeling of having a bike pinched. Nothing worse than taking a long hike home after coming out from a store and seeing your U-lock broken with a car-jack or your chain lock snipped with bolt cutters. After having two bikes taken in the past 5 years, I've now become a bit of a lock obsessive. Since employing a four-lock strategy - two mini U-locks and two decent cable locks - I've only had someone grab a rear V-brake. Now, I fill my hex screws with Loctite RTV and components haven't been stolen since. I've also made it a habit to check on my bike every 15 min or so if I'm at a shop.

Still, I know that if a thief was determined enough and with the proper tools, could still take the bike. Now that I'm adding hundreds of dollars worth of ebike gear, I'm mostly worried about those components being stolen. Just wondering what techniques folks here employ to secure battery packs, controllers or even the motors themselves to the bike? I thought about removable battery pack, but carrying around a bomb-looking device isn't such idea. So what do you guys do to thwart thieves from taking your high-dollar goodies?
 
My batteries and controllers are in my backpack. That's instant security for the most valuable parts of the vehicle. The only thing left on my ride is the cheapo motor, and all other things that make up the vehicle( The most someone could take would be the handle-bar, lol, or a ghetto-tastic cheap halogen headlight) and I use a simple u-bar. There are places I refuse to lock it up for long periods of time due to the risk of theft (Or being targeted in the future), so that's another strategy I use.
 
Grab a vinyl bike cover and carry it with you, use a motorcycle grade chain and wrap both wheels and the frame the few times I've had to leave the specialized out I have done this (in bad areas of the city) - suprisingly people don't tend to look under the cover (as in ever) - I guess they assume it's a project and doesn't run (why it's covered).

-Mike
 
I use Onguard 5018 Chain 14 mm thick. It's like the 2nd or 3rd thickest bike chain that you can buy. 5 ft long so you can wrap it around a telephone pole or a tree. This chain is extremely versatile. I have yet to find a place that I couldn't chain my bike.
413WY7PZ7DL._SS500_.jpg
 
:lol: morph... its just link chain with some rag around it, you can get it with links as thick as your arm mate LoL

I bought a cable stlye bike lock, cables about inch thick i guess covered in plastic, never used it though :-S Have you seen these morph, outside of the bedroom i mean :mrgreen:

bikecuffs_small.jpg


The are called bik cuffs i believe i saw someone here list them awhile back thought they were very cool...

KiM
 
I don't really know anything about chains. I bought it for $80. Before I bought it, I checked out the local hardware store and the biggest chain link that they had was like half of that thickness. Probably around 6 to 8 mm so I went with the onguard because I didn't know anywhere else to get a thick chain. I'm really happy with the chain. I definitely made the right buy I think. Only thing that worries me is the lock on it. It doesn't look like the toughest lock. The problem is that if you want the 5018 with the better lock which is a huge U-lock that also works with the chain, you have to buy the chain by itself and then buy the $35 U-lock. I could still buy the beefier U-lock. My area isn't really known for bike theft, though.

I'm liking Swbluto's idea more and more though about just packing the batteries and the controller in a bag. On my store runs, I could go down to 24v on my Thundersky so it'd only be about 13 lbs and take the batteries in a bag with me. I think I'd be devastated if my controller or my batteries got stolen. I can't wait until next week when it warms up. I haven't ridden my bike in about a month and a half.
 
morph999 said:
I'm liking Swbluto's idea more and more though about just packing the batteries and the controller in a bag.
Click to expand...

Makes more sense to secure it to the bike properly.. who wants to lug a bag around with batteries in it everywhere they go thats absurd IMO. My battery enclosure is bolted firmly to the bike, as is the lid. Long as the bikes secured the batteries won't be easily stolen without alot of work.

Doesn't need to be a custom enclosure a tool box from the hardware or Wallmart? should have something sturdy you can bolt too your rack and padlock your batteries in, better yet bolt the lid on withscrew lock fastners then a thief can't cut the padlock off and get into the box!

KiM
 
Shop early while lowlifes are asleep.
 
I think those massive Fuggetaboutit chains are great too. But there's a huge downside to them: they're absolutely massive. In fact, I tested one out but gave up on it because my four locks weighed slightly less than one. Sad to say, but I feel moderately safe about my bike because wherever it's locked, it's usually surrounded by a dozen or so poorly locked bikes ie thin cable locks, locks only on spokes on one wheel, etc. Just got an additionally Onguard kevlar lock that's very light but yet very sturdy. Only problem is I'll be locking/unlocking will take time with 5 locks! lol
 
My battery and controller are small and light, so carrying it around is pretty practical. However, there are some inconveniences associated with having a backpack (Including perceived social status and relevant economic discrimination) and I wouldn't do it if I had more than 15 or so pounds of battery.

I do it largely because there really is no place to secure the battery to my ride!(Yeah, a small scooter, go ahead and laugh. :) )

Even so, in my last bike build, I did put the battery inside a canvas bag that I then put into the panniers or an ammo can on the bike, so that the battery(-ies) is easily and quickly removable and it furthermore had the advantage of being rechargeable wherever I went. Not necessarily a good idea for stores, but excellent for work, school and/or libraries and/or sketchy areas.
 
I have a short Bell brand U-lock that came with a cable. If possible I lock it up to a solid object with the U-lock around the frame. If not then I use the cable around an object with the U-lock around the down tube and over a crank arm like this:

U-lock pedal.jpg
That way if they do cut the cable they can't pedal away on it and they can't get a jack in to break the U-lock. Would slow them down a bit.

When front and rear wheels were quick release I would run the cable through them if possible.

I plan on getting a pair of better U-locks with cables soon as the value of the bike almost tripled with the electric conversion. I am lucky at work though as I can take the bike with me into the building and its a secure area that has key card access only.
 
I guess the back pack idea is the safest for securing the batteries, BMS and controller of the bike. The bike it's self and motor unless it's a floding bike are a bigger problem though. Of course those of us with a large/heavy pack would have a problem using a backpack. I personally don't use my Ebike in a manner that requires me to leave it alone. If do make a stop it's at a place to eat and it's in my site so even a small chain or cable works fine. As for those large.heavy packs I wonder if anyone has used a case on wheels. I used to travel for a living and carried my laptop and a ton of crap in a rolling briefcase. It would be great for a larger pack and could be mounted the a bike rack with a quick release. Now all you have to worry about it the bike and motor you left behnd.
 
dogman said:
Shop early while lowlifes are asleep.
Click to expand...
But I'm still sleeping off my drugs too!

My main strategy is taking batteries with me when necessary. My main pack is 30lbs, but I have a small pack composed of 2 fatpacks. I usually know someone that lives close enough to where I wanna go that I can stash the main pack and use the small pack in when I have to leave the bike unattended.
 
Here's a technique that has proven quite effective for a number of photographers and could easily protect your battery and controller: keep them inside a well-used diaper bag, the rectangular type used for travel. For added security, leave the zipper slightly open and the corner of a diaper peeking out. I suggested this to a friend traveling in Asia and she said it actually repelled passersby. But, sadly, for those of us males over 65 the technique is more likely to result in unwanted attention from the Vice Squad.
 
When Grocery shopping, I chain my bike up by the employee break area, they know its my bike and I goof around with them. that area is also under video monitoring. Even so, I have a quick release battery; i put it and my helmet in the grocery cart that I am shopping with.

in odd areas that I dont know, i just wheel the bike around with me shopping. If approached, I tell the manager that I did not see an area that I felt safe about not getting my bike stolen. Never got a guarantee that it was safe. just kept bike with me.

Had this issue with one Safeway in an odd part of town; requested a bike rack and video monitoring with a sign. No response yet except for the bike rack.

Seems if cyclists would band together, frequent the stores with decent security and video monitoring with signage, things might get bettter.

The chain I use is nothing special, the ebike doenst look special either.

my two watts worth.


d
 
greykard that looks like the type of lock that you can open with a pen lid. correct me if im wrong, its too small to see.
 
The Onguard U-Locks have proven to be the best locks on the market. They did a test and this lock took 60 minutes to cut through beating the entire competition.

It's 16.8 mm of steel. That's thicker than the immobiliser chain.

5046 Boxer Disc lock. It's not really a U-lock but it's more for use in conjunction with a thick chain.

http://www.onguardlock.com/?page_id=329

5046.jpg


Here is their U-lock which also uses 16.8mm of steel

http://www.onguardlock.com/?page_id=329

The Kryptonite Evolution U-locks have 14 mm thick steel.
 
That's what I'm currently using - an Onguard pitbull mini. These ulocks are no joke. I once locked up my rear wheel to the frame, lost the key and spent a good 15 minutes trying to cut it with a powersaw. It took so long the entire U part of the lock was too hot too hold.
 
^^ hahaha BRILLIANT Some of the so called security locks in cars you can
work with a dipstick, lost count of the number of cars i installed car alarms into
when working for Identi-mark Security with the dip sticks still hanging out of the ignition of the car

KiM
 
I second the onguard pitbull mini ulock. I have left my bike in many areas and... I still have it.
Mini ulocks are better since they are too small to be jacked open. I have had 2 bikes stolen when using a cable lock.
 
monster said:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o-LWGJzglho
Click to expand...


:shock: After viewing the video above I was curious and worried as I use a Master Lock 9-Link Cuff lock which uses a cylindrical key. I found a typical BIC pen and removed the end. Then I went and got my Master Lock Cuff. Luckily the pen would NOT fit into the locks cylinder because it's ID and OD are smaller than the key and cylinder as you can see in the pic.
 

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Onguard U-locks use flat key design so the pen trick won't work on those. I think Kryptonite U-locks were also susceptible to the pen trick but in 2007 or 2008, they changed the design of them so that no longer works on the new ones.
 
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