How to keep your bike from being stolen

Step 2 Protection

Buy yourself a lock or two. U-locks provide the best protection. One that can't be opened by a bic is nice, one that can fit in your pocket is damn cool, but its up to you.
In general, the more you pay, the better it is, a wonder that free market system of ours.
For the most part, a u-lock is enough, but if you want to be really safe, a separate cable lock provides the most protection when combined with a U-lock. Then again, if theft in your area is so high that you need to do this, consider taking your bike inside.

Comments

[Napole]

Two words of wisdom: Presa Canario.

[jarrelb]

i actually had to google Presa Canario. and i agree.

[jimboburgess]

Many people who steal bikes aren't in it to make several hundred dollars parting it out or even selling the whole thing. They want to make $20 bucks to get high or they are kids that do it cause they don't know any better.

My strategy is the same as if I was running from a bear I just have to be faster than my slowest friend.

In the case of bikes, I make my bike more complecated to steal than other bikes i park around. I take the front wheel off, lock that to the back wheel/frame and to something cemented to the ground with a U-lock. I also use a cable lock that is largely superficial but it loops around my seat, frame, wheels and whatever i locked it too also. It takes me about 2/3 minutes to do it all but I have peace of mind. I live in NYC commute to work but store my bike inside at night.

[matthewloney]

fake single speed awesome

[drewscreen]

When I lived in metro NYC and worked in Manhattan, I had to frequently lock up on the street, sometimes overnight. As NO bike lock company at that time would guarantee a lock used in Manhattan, I sprung ($125) for the excellent 6-ft Cobra Links motorcycle lock. Though hefty at 14 lbs, it has never let me down. There are a few chinks in the armor from over 16 years of use (3 bikes), and I have had to improvise quiet carrying brackets after I tired of slinging it bandoleer-style across my chest, but it has always protected my trusty steeds.

[Hycro]

I lock both front and rear wheels together, lock them to the frame, and lock the frame to something solid that would be tricky to move, such as a large tree, or a lamp post.

[ljacts]

I always lock my mini u directly into the frame. I hadn't thought about just locking into the wheel in the rear triangle. I live in downtown Atlanta where bike theft is an issue, and one of the tactics I use is urban camo. If you spray painted that fancy bike in step eight the bike thieves would see it as unsellable and thus not worth the time to cut the lock. Granted I guess that you loose out on resale that way but it's super effective. My bike has hundreds of dollars of nice parts but a pawn shop wouldn't even think about buying it. Anyone who looks at it knows that.

[Fuzz2050]

I don't think thats an effective method, spray painted bikes go on craigslist all the time, I should know, I just sold one. It was my own bike, no theft involved, but there was no visible make, model or serial number. The person had no issue buying it. As well, even if you somehow made your frame unsellable, there is nothing to stop the thief from keeping the cool bike frame for himself and just selling the hundreds of dollars in parts. Bike thieves can tell a good bike from a bad bike, and a good bike made to look bad from a real bad bike.

[fantastic.poison]

this is bad advice. most U-locks can be broken in under 10 minutes with a simple scissor jack (the kind that comes with every car or truck). bolt cutters eat cable locks no problem. additionally, the limited reach of a U-lock means 1) you can't secure frame and wheel and 2) you're probably locking up to something even easier to cut open than the lock, like a rusty old decorative bannister or chain link fence. do yourself the favor and spend the $75 on a hardened, square-link bike chain- the kind designed specifically for bikes & motorcycles. it's expensive, but it will last longer than the bike, or for that matter, you. pass the chain around something thick enough that it can't be snapped or cut down with an angle grinder in under 10 minutes, and through your front wheel.

[Fuzz2050]

Thats bad advice, If you just lock around the rear wheel inside of the rear triangle of the bike, and lock it to something, as I instructed, then both the frame and the rear wheel are secured. As for the durability of a U-lock, well, if someone is going around with a scissor jack, you just shouldn't leave your bike outside. No lock is unbreakable, even those fancy square link chains.

[TheMadTinker]

Agreed, nothing is totally indestructible, and people who think otherwise are fooling themselves.