ULOCK or Cable Lock

[Sanjay Punjab]

I currently use a Specialized Cable lock to lock up my bike for an hour a so in mostly public areas.
I plan on going to school this fall and I may be locking my bike up for most of the day. I would
like to know which is better, a metal u-lock or cable lock? I know many would recommend both. The
problem with a Ulock is I remember owning one and finding it difficult to securely mount it to my
bike while I was riding. I would also appreciate recommendations for brands + models for locks that
have been proven effective.

 

[Kbh]

Sheldon "isn't it obvious" Brown has an article on his website where he ingeniously suggests leaving
the U-Lock at your destination, thus elimintaing the need to carry it on you bike. Just lock it to a
rack or inconspicuous pole and it's waiting for you when you arrive! This of course only works for a
regular commute.

It's here somewhere:

http://www.sheldonbrown.com/harris/index.html#articles

Kyle

"Sanjay Punjab" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> I currently use a Specialized Cable lock to lock up my bike for an hour a so in mostly public
> areas. I plan on going to school this fall and I may be locking my bike up for most of the day. I
> would like to know which is better, a metal u-lock or cable lock? I know many would recommend
> both. The problem with a Ulock is I remember owning one and finding it difficult to securely mount
> it to my bike while I was riding. I would also appreciate recommendations for brands + models for
> locks that have been proven effective.

 

[Andy M-S]

[email protected] (Sanjay Punjab) wrote in message
news:<[email protected]>...
> I currently use a Specialized Cable lock to lock up my bike for an hour a so in mostly public
> areas. I plan on going to school this fall and I may be locking my bike up for most of the day. I
> would like to know which is better, a metal u-lock or cable lock? I know many would recommend
> both. The problem with a Ulock is I remember owning one and finding it difficult to securely mount
> it to my bike while I was riding. I would also appreciate recommendations for brands + models for
> locks that have been proven effective.

A U-lock will be worlds more effective than a cable or chain. Back in grad school, I had a very
early Kryptonite. I remember coming out of the library to find my bike, but the bike beside it was
gone. All that was left was a cut chain.

These days, I keep a Kryptonite U-lock on the bike rack at work. I use it to lock the frame and
front wheel to the rack, and I have a cable that I pass through the rear wheel and secure with
the U-lock.

Since you'll be riding to school, I'd suggest putting the U-lock in your backpack, messenger back,
pannier, or whatever method you use for transporting your stuff. I agree, the brackets for hooking
U-locks to frames aren't really that good.

Alternatively, if you're allowed to do so, leaving your lock at the rack works very well. My Krypto
25th anniversary edition has spent the last three winters outside in Wisconsin weather, and it's
doing just fine...

 

[Timothy J. Lee]

In article <[email protected]>, Sanjay Punjab
<[email protected]> wrote:
>I currently use a Specialized Cable lock to lock up my bike for an hour a so in mostly public
>areas. I plan on going to school this fall and I may be locking my bike up for most of the day. I
>would like to know which is better, a metal u-lock or cable lock? I know many would recommend both.

Yes, because different tools and methods are used to break each kind, so a thief would need to bring
more tools to steal your bike than if you just had one kind of lock.

You may want to read http://www.sheldonbrown.com/lock-strategy.html and the articles it
has links to.

--
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Timothy J. Lee Unsolicited bulk or commercial email is not welcome. No warranty of any kind is
provided with this message.

 

[Gary Young]

[email protected] (Sanjay Punjab) wrote in message
news:<[email protected]>...
> I currently use a Specialized Cable lock to lock up my bike for an hour a so in mostly public
> areas. I plan on going to school this fall and I may be locking my bike up for most of the day. I
> would like to know which is better, a metal u-lock or cable lock? I know many would recommend
> both. The problem with a Ulock is I remember owning one and finding it difficult to securely mount
> it to my bike while I was riding. I would also appreciate recommendations for brands + models for
> locks that have been proven effective.

Kryptonite has a mounting system that's worked fine for me:

http://www.kryptonitelock.com/inetisscripts/abtinetis.exe/PublicArticleDetails@public?artid=2695&at-
f=products_item&pgrp=20

The lock rattles a little when I go over bumps, but it's quite secure. What problems did you
have before?

 

[Don Wiss]

On 4 Aug 2003 06:33:03 -0700, [email protected] (Andy M-S) wrote:

>A U-lock will be worlds more effective than a cable or chain. Back in grad school, I had a very
>early Kryptonite. I remember coming out of the library to find my bike, but the bike beside it was
>gone. All that was left was a cut chain.

Not so here in NYC. U-locks are easily broken with a long 2x4 used as a prier. Only the Kyrptonite
NY U-Lock is of any value here. Most people here use long, heavy, square chains. The one that
Kyrptonite will guarantee in NYC.

Don <donwiss at panix.com>.

 

[Werehatrack]

On 4 Aug 2003 13:07:22 -0700, [email protected] (Gary Young) may have said:

>Kryptonite has a mounting system that's worked fine for me:
>
>The lock rattles a little when I go over bumps, but it's quite secure. What problems did you
>have before?

He may have run into the dreaded "you can have a bottle clip or a u-lock in that frame, but not
both" effect.

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