Good bike lock - ideally not too heavy

[katymac]

I bouht my bike & I loves it!!

I do not want it stolen (currently sitting in my very locked conservatory)

The bike locks at Halfords look very heavy - is there a more slimline but equally thief proof version I could buy - I am guessing not but I'd rather believe MN than Halfords

I am not very strong & the locks/chains were very heavy

[witchmountain]

Depends on what you want to lock it to and if your insurance policy (if you have one) requires a specific Sold Secure standard (gold/silver/bronze).

This lock thebestbikelock.com/best-u-lock/abus-granit-x-plus-540-review/ is weirdly light for a gold standard one. It's a U lock so less flexible than a chain, but it's quite long so reaches better than the mini ones. The tubes on your bike don't look too thick so I think you'd be ok with it - they are massive on my bike but that lock is fine. You may come across LiteLok - I've got two and they seem amazing but there has been a video of one being overcome in New York which I don't think the company has adequately responded to yet so I've stopped using mine.

There are comparison tables on that website too which include weight - in fact you can sort by weight to find the lightest one that meets your needs.

As well as being heavy decent locks are expensive - I'm in London so I use two of the good ones overnight, but it depends on risk.

Just a word of warning - on all the cycle specific insurance policies I've seen, a bike in a locked conservatory would itself need locking to an immovable object because it would be visible from the outside. Might be different if it's on your household insurance (or not insured). If you are looking for insurance I'd recommend ETA - you also get breakdown insurance and it's the only bike breakdown insurance that includes coming to get you if you've got a puncture!

[BarchesterFlowers]

Our bikes are covered on our home insurance and do have to be locked to an immovable object, even inside.

Our home insurance doesn't specify what lock type but we use Kryptonite New York locks here.

Not light but when we are touring losing a bike to theft would be a disaster and we have no idea where we will have to lock up until we get there.

We use two U locks and a cable to secure three bikes together/to something solid/and their wheels. Total weight is getting on for 4.5 lb .

DH has got a Litelok that he uses on his speedy bike witch, I will tell him that.

[BarchesterFlowers]

I have just remembered that the New York lock has double bolted crossbar locks both ends of the shackle which is what made us choose them - it was pretty unique at the time, not sure if it still is. But the lock would have to be cut twice.

[katymac]

Bugger - not visible in the conservatory & my household don't know I have it yet

OK I'l have a look at those but I need two different things I think - one to fix them to the motor home when on the bike rack - so they don't fall off, get stolen & they probably need a cover - that lock can be fairly heavy & DH can take it when we go out - museums/train stations etc

The other needs to be fairly light so if I go out by myself I can lock it up outside a shop

[katymac]

OK so bike locks cost the same as my last bike - hmm - decisions

[katymac]

this looks interesting maybe combined with something else?

[katymac]

this looks interesting maybe combined with something else?

[witchmountain]

So that's the one I meant. I have stopped using it because although it is amazingly light and appears to do well against most tests there is a video doing the rounds of a guy's bike getting nicked in NYC where the thief just levers it off. It turns out the threads aren't woven round the locking mechanism, they are just kind of clamped in there. I'll find the link, hang on.

[katymac]

Oh right, thanks

& someone told me about pinheads (whatever they are) to protect the seat & the wheels (or something)

[witchmountain]

Oh, it gets worse, LiteLok have had the video taken down from YouTube claiming defamation. If you look at their twitter feed you'll see someone has tweeted them about it and they just direct them to their marketing video.

You can see the pictures of the lock on this Reddit thread:

https://www.reddit.com/r/bicycling/comments/5f8s47/litelokbikeetheftinnjust177_seconds/

I had to have a second lock sent to me because the first one jammed and they insisted it was because I'd "damaged the lock" by allowing it pull on itself when it opens (impossible to explain without seeing one but they kind of spring apart unless you hold them in place as you open them). I took their slightly weird response as a one off but looks like it wasn't.

[katymac]

Wow

So not that one then Thanks!!

[witchmountain]

Wheel locks less needed if your wheels weren't quick release. The seat is worth doing, at least in high theft areas. My bike shop does it by looping a section of chain covered in an inner tube under the seat and round the bike frame, like the first option here: www.londoncyclist.co.uk/prevent-bicycle-saddle-theft/

[witchmountain]

Wheels aren't not weren't!

[witchmountain]

As long as you are attaching the lock to the bike to carry it, the weight isn't such an issue. Most of could put on a few pounds and still cycle, so I think of carrying a lock like that!

[GieryFas]

Following as it's a problem for me in terms of the kids' bikes - no point having a lovely light Islabike that's weighed down by a heavy lock, but they need to be secure for the whole school day. We've got the mini d-locks, but dd2 is noticeably slower when it's clipped on to her bike rather than in my bag (which isn't always possible).

[witchmountain]

Yes, my comment about putting on the pounds probably doesn't apply to small children! Have a look at the comparison tables if you haven't already: thebestbikelock.com/best-u-lock/u-lock-comparison/

You can sort by weight and they also express it in terms of cans of coke so you can imagine it!

[katymac]

If I put one bike on the bike rack facing one way & the othere facing the other way & use 2 D locks through each set of wheels - would that be more secure?

I think I will also need some sort of cover

[witchmountain]

I can't really visualise a motor home bike rack, but it is always more secure to lock the frame rather than the wheel because the wheel could be removed.

[witchmountain]

Other tips here: thebestbikelock.com/how-to-lock-your-bike/

I have no association with that site btw!

[katymac]

If I am right - & I may not be

Then I should get 2 wheels & a frame & the rack in each lock (if I buy the right size)

Maybe?

[witchmountain]

Yes, that would work! Will need a big u lock or a chain. Maybe do some measuring with string to work out size?

[witchmountain]

I'm a bit doubtful a u lock would come up large enough, but worth measuring.

[BarchesterFlowers]

You need a long shackle like this.

We lock two or three bikes up with these. A decent cable is good enough for the wheels generally, we have just spent £1000 on four new wheels for this summer and are happy running a kryptonite cable through them to the locks.

Alternatively you could replace the QR with these. It would make a puncture harder to fix roadside though.

[katymac]

I'm not sure we could do a roadside puncture anyway`!!

I'll go & look at locks - thanks

[BarchesterFlowers]

One of you should learn Katy - whilst I confess to leaving it all to DH when I am with him I can and have done it when I am on my own.

Only once though because I have only had to deal with two punctures in the last three years which I put down to my tyre choice on that bike Marathon Plus - zero punctures. My other bike has a slightly sleeker tyre Marathon Supreme = two punctures in a lot of miles.

I think Evans/Halfords do sessions on tyre changing etc.

I have done an advanced bike maintenance course this winter while I have been mostly off my bike , just the wheel building section left (I have no intention of ever building my own wheels).