Best Lock value

landotter said:

As my standard Krypto was stolen along with my last commuter...time for
a new lock.

Quoted message said:

I always used those basic Krypronite locks that cost 30 or so and never
had a bike stolen, even when leaving overnight in Chicago. Mine got
ripped as I just locked it to itself on the back deck for a "moment"
here in Nashville and left it overnight. Oops.

Lame. Sorry to hear that. When my car was stolen, I was really busy
dealing with all the insurance/police report [censored]. When I had to
explain to my friends why I was flaking out, I'd always here, "Oh my
God, I'm so sorry. I can't be believe your car was stolen!" My
response was always, "I'm just inconvenienced right now. At least they
didn't take my bike, 'cause then I'd be MAD!"

Quoted message said:

So I'm in Nashville, and I don't really need NYC lock quality. After
the Krypto/Bic scandal, I'm a bit wary. :P

Smiley-thingy noted, but I really don't think there's much to worry
about. As a company, I'm impressed with how that handled it and their
new locks with the new keys, IMO, are of the same quality as OnGuard
locks, but probably a bit lighter.

Quoted message said:

I'm ordering a rack from Nashbar, so if anything there's a good deal
and appropriate for a moderate crime city lemme know. I'll save on
shipping. Just going to use it to lock the bike for short shopping
trips. Something that bolt cutters won't touch would be nice.

90% of my buds and I in Atlanta have either the Krypto Minis(1) or the
OnGuard Mini Bulldogs(2), both of which are ~30 USD and my LBS's. They
are good b/c you can just barely get your frame and front tire in them,
which means no room for tools. Plus, they're smaller (lighter)...so
much so that they can fit in your back pocket (no need to dig through
your bag). No one I know who uses them and locks up for 3+ hours
regularly in Atlanta (about 10 people, maybe 11 or 12) has ever had a
problem. I also use a loopy-cabley-thingy to get my back wheel or both
wheels if whatever I'm locking to doesn't let me get both the frame and
front tire.
(1) Krypto Mini - http://tinyurl.com/34vy6
(2) OnGuard Bulldog - http://www.onguardlock.com/bulldog.html (bottom
right corner) Note: I really can't see how there's any difference
between the Pitbull and Bulldog.

hth and sorry I rambled
\\paul

In article <[email hidden]>,

landotter said:

As my standard Krypto was stolen along with my last commuter...time for
a new lock.

I always used those basic Krypronite locks that cost 30 or so and never
had a bike stolen, even when leaving overnight in Chicago. Mine got
ripped as I just locked it to itself on the back deck for a "moment"
here in Nashville and left it overnight. Oops.

So I'm in Nashville, and I don't really need NYC lock quality. After
the Krypto/Bic scandal, I'm a bit wary. :P

How are those *mart locks? I always see them when I shop at Target, and
one is tempted to write them off as just *mart [censored] along with the Next
bikes at Wally World. Then I thought, well I've not heard of one
failing. LOL--has anyone tryed popping one of the $10 *mart locks? I'm
tempted to buy one and see if I can pop it with my small car jack. 😄

Look, almost all locks are vulnerable to something. The gas-powered
angle grinder is basically the ultimate equalizer: given enough time,
one can cut through a wheel immobilizer; they make short work of locks.

A cheap lock will keep honest people honest, and sensibly secure
inexpensive, unattractive bicycles.

Quoted message said:

I'm ordering a rack from Nashbar, so if anything there's a good deal
and appropriate for a moderate crime city lemme know. I'll save on
shipping. Just going to use it to lock the bike for short shopping
trips. Something that bolt cutters won't touch would be nice.

What kind of bike are you locking up? Shiny stuff, even really cheap
shiny stuff, tends to attract theft. 15-year old Italian gorgeousness
with the decals peeling and a paint chip or two will attract nothing.

Even so, you seem to have lost your last bike to a combination of
opportunity and time. That wasn't a failure of the lock, it was a
failure to lock.

For my part, I live in and around Vancouver. I have a cheap but
impressive-looking giant cable lock which would give most boltcutters a
chore. I use it for all-day locking in a fairly secure area (inside a
community college, in a high-traffic, high-visibility area).

For chores and such, I have a simple three-part strategy: I use a
minimalist cable lock that is highly vulnerable to cutting, but which
will keep honest people honest. I ride my ugly bicycles on those
errands. And I tend not to leave the bike for more than an hour.

If I was doing regular locking-up in the downtown core, I would probably
have to reevaluate my strategy. My first attempt would be a reasonably
tough lock and a very crappy-looking bike. My current around-town ride
is a messy-looking Motobecane that is older than I am.

--
Ryan Cousineau [email hidden] http://www.wiredcola.com/
"I don't want kids who are thinking about going into mathematics
to think that they have to take drugs to succeed." -Paul Erdos

In article <[email hidden]>,

Ryan Cousineau said:

What kind of bike are you locking up?

A 2005 Brodie Energy :-)

cheers,
Tom

--
-- Nothing is safe from me.
Above address is just a spam midden.
I'm really at: tkeats [curlicue] vcn [point] bc [point] ca

Tom Keats said:

In article <[email hidden]>,

Ryan Cousineau said:

What kind of bike are you locking up?

A 2005 Brodie Energy :-)

You betcha! :-P

A big problem is the disc brakes--they just scream "steal me!"

I do miss the stealth of my '98 Marin San Anselmo with the Nexus 7 hub.
It was the perfect commuter and the stolen bike I mentioned in the
original post. I let the aluminum fenders get bent to all feck, 'lectro
taped the frame, and locked it overnight in some shady Chicago
neighborhoods without any problem. Never any pry marks, tho I had a
tail light ripped and a computer--not too bad considering the
environment. Always using the cheap $30 kryptos as I lost a couple on
bumpy late nite winter, them falling off the mount/rack and me not
hearing them do the deed.

I'm curious about the le cheap Krypto chain that Nashbar has. It's
hardened steel which is a start,but the links seem to not be squared
off, another bolt cutter deterrent.

Again, ain't looking for NYC protection, just something immune to
regular bolt cutters.

Ryan Cousineau said:

Look, almost all locks are vulnerable to something. The gas-powered
angle grinder is basically the ultimate equalizer: given enough time,
one can cut through a wheel immobilizer; they make short work of locks.

that's how I got the stolen bike back the first time. A former shop
employee spied my bike in a strange part of Chicago locked for months
to the same pole. He called the shop, found that it was stolen, and
ground the u-lock to pieces.

Quoted message said:

A cheap lock will keep honest people honest, and sensibly secure
inexpensive, unattractive bicycles.

Quoted message said:

I'm ordering a rack from Nashbar, so if anything there's a good deal
and appropriate for a moderate crime city lemme know. I'll save on
shipping. Just going to use it to lock the bike for short shopping
trips. Something that bolt cutters won't touch would be nice.

What kind of bike are you locking up? Shiny stuff, even really cheap
shiny stuff, tends to attract theft. 15-year old Italian gorgeousness
with the decals peeling and a paint chip or two will attract nothing.

Even so, you seem to have lost your last bike to a combination of
opportunity and time. That wasn't a failure of the lock, it was a
failure to lock.

yeah, I lost it due to a flake out moment. Still, having a bike locked
to itself stolen in a secluded back yard in Nashville is fairly
freakish. Shame as it was a Nexus bike, and I doubt the crackheads
involved knew what to make of it. Probably on some junk pile now.

landotter said:

As my standard Krypto was stolen along with my last commuter...time for
a new lock.

Did you make a decision or come to any conclusions?
\\paul

I'm probably get that krypto hardened chain, as it seems more useful
round here where everything's not a meter or bike rack like Chicago. If
it looks too gimpy, it'll get relegated to other use. Then I might get
the OnGuard w/cables for $30. I figure if a cheap Krypto kept my very
expensive Nexus 7 bike safe in Chicago, often late at night, for three
years, I should be fine with similar in Nashville.

Only thing that's a worry is that the new ride has discs, which scream
"steal me"!! The fenders and rigid suspension do take the edge off of
that disadvantage tho.

On the good end of things, I've most likely sourced a kiddie trailer on
Craig's List so I can drag my two twenty pound dogs to the dog park.
*g*

Hope the weather's as good in Atlanta as it's been here. Thank goodness
for them greenhouse gasses, eh? :P

Rode my single down to the liquor store and to the post office
tonight--Blundstone boots are actually fairly comfy on spd pedals, and
boy was it a sweet ride. So simple and quiet in the Victorian 'hood's
darkness. Such a bike just disappears under you, soaking up the bricked
crosswalk's buzz with the thin steel tubes. Riding to the liquor store
around here is a hoot as well, folks just assume you got a DUI, not
that you're riding by choice. LOL Getting a beefy alu framed 16spd bike
should prove interesting as a counterpoint, especially compared to the
Viscount, which is about as whippy and compliant a steel ride as you'll
ever find. As long as it can carry 50# of groceries, I'll be happy.

landotter said:

Hope the weather's as good in Atlanta as it's been here. Thank goodness
for them greenhouse gasses, eh? :P

OMG, my roommates, who don't really care about bikes, rode to work
today. The campus gym was closed due to "an unforeseen incident
involving the sprinkler system," so I spent 2 hours of my 3 hour break
between classes riding around town - got covered in sweat! So beautiful.

I had a test at 8 am this morning. The ride home felt just like those
cool spring mornings waiting for the elementary school bus - you know,
the ones where to morning glories are out and it's the first time you
don't need a coat and that [censored] kid from Pittsburg is wearing shorts
already...
\\paul

Paul Hobson said:

landotter said:

As my standard Krypto was stolen along with my last commuter...time for
a new lock.

Did you make a decision or come to any conclusions?
\\paul

I ended up getting the OnGuard Bulldog Mini-u lock and a fat cable, so
I have a few ways to lock up.

The mini's not the most uber lock, but will thwart all but NYC thieves.
It looks quite serious. Pretty decent price at REI, got both with a
discount for about $30.

http://www.rei.com/online/store/ProductDisplay?storeId=8000&catalogId=40000008000&productId=47893895&parent_category_rn=4500826