Latest lock suggestions please for new ebike owners

[Steamairy]

As posted in the new members section, we have just ordered two new Freego Hawk bikes.

Could you please help us with the choice / make of locks? .........D locks / chain / sold secure etc or a combination of locks.

Don't want to go mad and carry heavy items and spend ages locking and unlocking before we can go anywhere but want to be as secure as possible to protect our investment!

 

[eddieo]

Try the search function? a lot of past threads on the subject....

Best practise seems to be to use two different locks, as this slows down the theft as they need different tools. so a decent say......Abus D lock? and a decent chain and padlock

 

[Cyclezee]

Hi Steamairy,

I would use at least 2 reasonable quality locks and think very carefully about where you leave the bike unattended and what you secure it to.
If you leave it in the same place everyday, use a heavy duty motorcycle chain and leave the lock there.
On the pessimistic side, a villain with a cordless angle grinder can cut through most lock in seconds and some can be picked with the top of a Bic pen

 

[Mussels]

Many heavy duty motorcycle chains are rubbish, two chains that look and feel identical can be very different. It doesn't make choosing easy.
I have a cheap and cheerful (£30) Halfords chain & padlock to carry on the bike for unplanned stops and a heavy 18mm D lock for work which stays locked to the railing. Don't forget it needs securing well at home.

 

[eddieo]

Mussels what make 18mm D lock do you use please?

 

[allen-uk]

I keep digging up these 2 sets of Test Reports on locks. (Admin: any chance of making them a Sticky or similar?)

They are now a few years old, but the tests are still valid, although the prices might be a bit out of date.

http://dl.dropbox.com/u/1503128/test...20part 1.pdf

http://dl.dropbox.com/u/1503128/test...20part 2.pdf

Two observations: first, the rule of thumb is to spend 10% of the price of your bike on a lock.
Second, read this report - some of the expensive locks aren't as good as their price would suggest.


A

 

[Mussels]

Mussels what make 18mm D lock do you use please?

I think it was this one but they make very similar locks with slightly different names. I use the motorbike lock as it's just big enough to go through the chainstays, back wheel and round a post. The pushbike one seems a bit short.

 

[Scottyf]

I just use one of these that I have for my motorbike.
Although to heavy to cart round with me all the time. So occasionally use an abus cable lock.
Its not that great but stops someone robbing off with the bike if I am only going to be 10mins.

Anything longer and I use the two...

 

[steveindenmark]

Steamairy, thanks for the link to Freego Hawk Bikes. That is another one for me to look at.

I have a £7000 Moto Guzzi California and I secure it with a 2m x 5mm stainless steel wire that I made myself. The end rings are pressed to 3 tons and although the wire can be cut with bolt croppers, wire cutters will not touch it.

Your average bike thief does not carry round bolt croppers or grinding gear. Has anyone on here ever lost a bike because of bolt croppers or grinding gear? I am sure it does happen but not often.

My stainless wire threads through the front wheel, frame and brookes saddle and then round something that will not move. It then coils up and goes in my jacket pocket when I am ready to go.

Steamairy if you are interested I am happy to send you a couple free of charge for you and your partner if you are interested. PM me your address.

Steve



The weak link in this set up is always the lock but I have never lost a bike or motorbike and have lived in Reading, Hull, Milton Keynes and Edinburgh.

 

[stokepa31_mk2]

When i had my ebike i used the newyork kryptonite D lock with a cable. lock went though frame and cable went though wheels and the top of the battery. very secure.

dont be put off by people who tell you it can be opened with a bic pen. that problem was a long time ago. i left my bike everywhere without problems

Kryptonite New York Lock 3000: Amazon.co.uk: Sports & Leisure

Kryptonite Kryptoflex 4 ft Cable Lock (10 mm x 120 cm): Amazon.co.uk: Sports & Leisure

search for best price. the lock is heavy but then so was i and so was the bike

 

[Mussels]

I just use one of these that I have for my motorbike.
Although to heavy to cart round with me all the time. So occasionally use an abus cable lock.
Its not that great but stops someone robbing off with the bike if I am only going to be 10mins.

Anything longer and I use the two...

I'm not sure if you have an updated version but the lock in your picture is the type that can be opened in 30 seconds with a biro.
The average bike thief is an opportunist but plenty do carry bolt croppers.

 

[Scottyf]

Different type without the round key. I know the pen trick. It works better with a berol pen though. The softer plastic works better and there the correct diameter.

 

[IOM]

I bought one of these recently. Seems ok, good thick cable and the choice to alarm or not.

Alarm Cable Lock, Cable Lock Alarm, siren alarm lock, Alarm Cable Lock-XL707 - Kabrus

Amazon are selling it for approx £26

 

[eddieo]

new camper having rear door mounted bike rack fitted next week. I did intend to get the Almax chain and padlock to pass through bikes and racks and through a loop I was going to get welded on chassis under bumper.......But a 2 -3 metre chain will be incredibly heavy (2.5 m almax weighs 11kg!)

any other bright ideas please?

 

[Steamairy]

Thanks so much to all of you for so many helpful suggestions. Two locks seems the way to go.

We're now visiting shops to have a look (and feel!) of a few. We want heavyweight but not so much that its difficult to carry around.

Will let you all know what we end up with which will fit all our requirements i.e.

locking individual bikes
locking the two bikes together
locking the bikes to the motorhome cycle rack

We don't ask much - do we?!

 

[eTim]

new camper having rear door mounted bike rack fitted next week. I did intend to get the Almax chain and padlock to pass through bikes and racks and through a loop I was going to get welded on chassis under bumper.......But a 2 -3 metre chain will be incredibly heavy (2.5 m almax weighs 11kg!)

any other bright ideas please?

Buy a thinner Almax to reduce weight !!!

 

[eTim]

Thanks so much to all of you for so many helpful suggestions. Two locks seems the way to go.

We're now visiting shops to have a look (and feel!) of a few. We want heavyweight but not so much that its difficult to carry around.

Will let you all know what we end up with which will fit all our requirements i.e.

locking individual bikes
locking the two bikes together
locking the bikes to the motorhome cycle rack

We don't ask much - do we?!

I'm sure someone posted this on here recently, from Sheldon..

Lock Strategy

I think it's a good strategy as it means you can carry a lightweight U-lock and then you could also use a secondary lock elswhere on the bike. There is further discussion on this method here....

Sheldon Brown - U-Lock Technique [Archive] - Bike Forums

and here...

Sheldon Brown Locking Method « Lock Your Bike

Edit: but then you watch this video and wonder if the Sheldon method is secure enough ...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H9fLtdZyX-A

 

[NRG]

No method will ever be 'secure enough'. The above vid shows the weakness of the SB method but the thief has destroyed the rear wheel; an expensive part of the bike, that in itself would deter most opportunistic thieves. The advise for two types of locks is a good one though

 

[Mussels]

Buy a thinner Almax to reduce weight !!!

A thinner Almax is not as secure and you get into cheap lock territory, however a thinner/cheaper lock may be adequate. How do you know?

 

[eTim]

A thinner Almax is not as secure and you get into cheap lock territory, however a thinner/cheaper lock may be adequate. How do you know?

You have to base it on your own risk assessment, only you know where you will be keeping the bikes. Also don't lock a more desirable bike to a cheaper bike as they will just cut the frame of the cheaper bike to remove the more expensive one (if they can't do the chain/lock).

Why won't your rear rack take a 11Kg Almax? Can you use a shorter Almax or two short Almax's and keep the link size the same. I don't think Almax do anything thinner than 16mm anyway.

I think the next step down from the Almax is possibly the Pragmasis range where they make thinner than 16mm, but looking at their weights, they equal the Almax at 16 & 19mm, here:

Protector and Squire Chains from Pragmasis