Road bikers - do you carry a lock?

[markwill]

So, I've paid too-much-money to get a nice light bike (at least for a newbie who thinks $1,000 is a decent amount!!!), I am eager to protect my investment - but don't want to carry around a lock that is as heavy as my bike When I get out on the road I like to stop off any buy a drink but find myself being paranoid about leaving my bike outside.

What have you guys done in terms of bike locks?

Mark

 

[NJ Hewitt]

It's a necessary evil.
I the smallest rigid D-lock I could find, just big enough to get around a railing and my frame. I live out in the countryside so if I can get away with just leaving my bike in a field while I go for some drinks in a petrol station, the lock stays at home, but I always use it if I'm in any towns. My insurance company actually asked me if I always lock my bike and keep in indoors, so this may have helped my premium.

 

[Jeffonyourleft]

Locks?? The bike does not leave my eyesight. As for buying drinks, take an extra water bottle, or even a hydration pack, like a camelback, but I do not, and would not lock my bike up to go into a store. There are too many idiots who will want the bike. If you have to leave it, take the front wheel with you, and makd sure you dont stay inside too long

So, I've paid too-much-money to get a nice light bike (at least for a newbie who thinks $1,000 is a decent amount!!!), I am eager to protect my investment - but don't want to carry around a lock that is as heavy as my bike When I get out on the road I like to stop off any buy a drink but find myself being paranoid about leaving my bike outside.

What have you guys done in terms of bike locks?

Mark

 

[flyingsquid]

Mine never leaves my sight either....leans right next to me in the urinal as well.

 

[hippy]

My good road bike doesn't often need to be left anywhere. I carry two
bottles and everything else with me. If I need a refill, I'll be holding the
bike.

My other cheaper bikes will often be left unlocked at the store. My other
more expensive bikes might be cable locked..

Basically I am VERY lax with my bike security. Most suggestions I've
heard involve spending 10% of the bike's cost on bike security. If I were
you I'd save the shopping and stopping for a cheaper bike

hippy

 

[gdiza]

i dont carry a lock with me (i am anti weight, any extra weight that can come off, comes off)

having said that...

my bike is always next to me, since i do live in cape town, things to do get stolen often enuf.

actually, my bicycle after a session goes straigh in the lounge! haha.
i'm not leaving a R5000 bicycle outside!
not a f'ing chance!

cause, my mom hates having the bike inside, but shes adapted to it... because the bike is always clean (i always clean it)

 

[izzodesh]

Mine never leaves my sight either....leans right next to me in the urinal as well.

never leaves my sight...
no matter what lock you get...even the nyc chain one from kyrptonite which is 150$ they can still jack ur bike..
best bet is to take it inside..
hell i bring it in restaurants..

 

[KakenBetaal]

No lock on training rides. If I just pop down to the shops, then a cable lock, and if I park my bike at work then it's a cable lock and a D-shackle both. That thanks to Sheldon Brown's site:

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

But then my bike isn't worth very much and I'm generally in sight of it at least every 10 minutes or so.

 

[jdc2000]

I have used 3 different options, depending on the level of security needed.

Option 1: Top level of security.

The bike never leaves my sight. If I am on a group ride, one person watches the bikes while the others are gone. Otherwise, the bike goes where I go.

Option 2: Areas where thieves are extremely unlikely to be found.
(Example: Deserted trailheads miles from the nearest town.)

No lock needed. There is no one around to steal anything.

Option 3: Small rural towns where no professional thieves are likely to be found.

For these areas I have a small diameter cable lock that is usually used to secure a laptop PC to a desk. This is small enough to fit into a seat bag, and long enough to secure the frame and wheels to a fixed object. It is used to prevent any local ne'er-do-wells from grabbing the bike and disappearing in seconds. The cable could be cut, but it is not used in areas where someone could actually get away with this without being stopped by someone.

 

[concord]

The bike never leaves my sight! I do lock it to my bike rack with a Kriponite lock if I really have to leave it and than just for a moment or two, although that's all the freaking theives needs is a moment or two. But I never carry the lock with me while riding, I don't leave my bike alone and like I said it never leaves my sight!

 

[plb655]

If you're willing to leave your bike out of your sight for the length of time it takes for someone to steal it, buy a bike you're willing to lose or can afford to insure.

 

[gntlmn]

So, I've paid too-much-money to get a nice light bike (at least for a newbie who thinks $1,000 is a decent amount!!!), I am eager to protect my investment - but don't want to carry around a lock that is as heavy as my bike When I get out on the road I like to stop off any buy a drink but find myself being paranoid about leaving my bike outside.

What have you guys done in terms of bike locks?

Mark

The problem is not in securing your bike but having to leave it unattended. If you never have to leave it unattended, you won't need to carry a lock.

Here's what you do. Place water or other drinks at hidden places along your route when you're fresh, like if you're driving in a car or riding but not training. Then you will never have to leave your bike. Just pick up the hidden liquids. Start thinking more like a squirrel. You'll enjoy not having to carry that lock. I even hate the thoughts of carrying more weight than I have to.

 

[mjw_byrne]

I personally never carry a lock when out on my road bike. It would detract too much from the fun, IMHO.

If I do want to stop and get a drink or something, I ask the person in the shop if I can bring my bike in with me. If not, I don't go in, simple as that. If I stop for a drink at a pub, the bike has to be at the table with me (i.e. the table pretty much has to be outside).

A note to those who do lock their bikes up and leave them unattended: never underestimate how low thieves will go. I was recently unable to ride my (hybrid) bike home after leaving it locked somewhere because some total d**khead loser stole the quick-release skewer from the front wheel. It would almost be worth the expense/prison sentence to buy a sniper rifle and a nice bike, leave the bike unlocked somewhere and then retreat to a distance of 200 yards and hide behind a bush....

 

[ElPerro]

I live in New York City and, as they say, "this ain't Kansas."

Bike lock? Yeah, right....

If they can't steal it, they'll strip it or destroy it. I see lots of bikes chained-up at the subway station, but they're all functional junkers. Once in a while, however, I do see the REMAINS of good bike securely locked.

If I need to stop for a cold drink or something, I always bring the bike inside with me; it never leaves my sight and nobody has ever complained.