# how does one lock up a recumbent trike?



## jeffoi (4 Sep 2018)

I'll be commuting on my new trike (11 miles each way).

Thing is our bike shed is laughable at best, and tbh until I ride in on Thursday I'm not really sure if my front wheels will fit between the n thingies. 

The bike shed is one of those one sided scoop things which appears to be designed to channel the wind, rain etc. Into it. I'm already aware on rainy days I'll be starting my ride home on a wet seat.

But how does one actually lock it up? At the moment I'm popping a D-lock round the cruciform, then using loops to catch the wheels and seat. Is this the best way?

Being on an engineering park there are a lot of people about on the search for scrap to nick, so even non QR wheels need to be locked up.

Any thoughts? And is is normal to fear for the bike? (My Dawes never got bothered)


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## flake99please (4 Sep 2018)

I don’t commute to my workplace as there are inadequate facilities to securely lock my trike up.

What trike do you own?

Is the seat removable?

Does your trike fold?

Ideally the loops should be replaced with some heavy duty chain. Another D-lock to secure the rear wheel to the trike frame also.


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## voyager (4 Sep 2018)

If someone wants it enough it will go missing , with a battery grinder in the wrong hands nothing is safe , 
about 3 locks a tracker and a gsm burglar alarm, and a sentry standing guard MIGHT help deter thieves .


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## numbnuts (4 Sep 2018)

When I go shopping by trike I use a heavy chain and padlock and a alarm disc lock so far so good
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/FD-MOTO-...562213&hash=item543181c893:g:UBcAAOSwqVdauu-t


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## jeffoi (4 Sep 2018)

flake99please said:


> I don’t commute to my workplace as there are inadequate facilities to securely lock my trike up.
> 
> What trike do you own?
> 
> ...



Sorry, yes ice QNT from 2006.

No loops in the frame at all for locking, hence putting the lock around the cruciform. Seat removable, not a folder unless you're now the rack, seat and wheel, then the back end might fold under.

I cannot (physically) commute on my Dawes galaxy anymore, and commuting by train (using northern trains) isn't massively viable unless one wants to suffer a rage apoplexy.

And I know there's not a lot to be done 'if someone really wants it'. I just wondered if there was a best way?

Front wheels aren't QR, back wheel is. Seat is (but it's harder to notice). Heck even the rack is!

Thank you, numbnuts, I shall investigate this


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## jowwy (4 Sep 2018)

jeffoi said:


> Sorry, yes ice QNT from 2006.
> 
> No loops in the frame at all for locking, hence putting the lock around the cruciform. Seat removable, not a folder unless you're now the rack, seat and wheel, then the back end might fold under.
> 
> ...


whats the reason that your unable to commute on the dawes? would an ebike help the situation?


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## jeffoi (4 Sep 2018)

jowwy said:


> whats the reason that your unable to commute on the dawes? would an ebike help the situation?



Bad knee makes setting off very difficult, combined with a serious lack of confidence (since start of pregnancy I'm too afraid I'll fall off - and since my daughter is almost 2, I'm not sure that's solvable).

I borrowed my dad's ebike for a trial, but I was just made uncomfortable by the fact that it just went with half a pedal revolution. 

I have felt immensely more confident in the trike. I have never felt so confident riding in the rain as I did on the one ride in torrential rain I did on my trike.


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## cosmicbike (4 Sep 2018)

Since it's a 2006, I presume it has the aluminium 'elephant tusk' rear end? Mine is a Q from (I think) 2008, and has a handy hole through the rear frame mount that a decent sized lock fits through Just about visible in this pic. That said, I don't use it for commuting, nowhere suitable to lock up at the other end.


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## jeffoi (4 Sep 2018)

cosmicbike said:


> Since it's a 2006, I presume it has the aluminium 'elephant tusk' rear end? Mine is a Q from (I think) 2008, and has a handy hole through the rear frame mount that a decent sized lock fits through Just about visible in this pic. That said, I don't use it for commuting, nowhere suitable to lock up at the other end.
> View attachment 428510


 So you mean beside the suspension polymer? I may be able to get a curly lock through there.

Thanks for the pointer


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## cosmicbike (4 Sep 2018)

jeffoi said:


> So you mean beside the suspension polymer? I may be able to get a curly lock through there.
> 
> Thanks for the pointer



Yep, that's the place.


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## BilboSmeggins (5 Sep 2018)

numbnuts said:


> When I go shopping by trike I use a heavy chain and padlock and a alarm disc lock so far so good
> https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/FD-MOTO-...562213&hash=item543181c893:g:UBcAAOSwqVdauu-t




Do you know of any alarm options if you haven’t got disc brakes? Sturmey Archer drums here...


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## Nigelnightmare (6 Sep 2018)

I use a 4' motorbike cable lock through the back wheel & rack and the seat frame and round a bike rail or lamp post. ICE Trice Qnt 2007. The rack is unique to that bike so the likelihood of it getting nicked is less (No market).
You can get longer one's up to 6' (2m).
I've found it to be effective against opportunist thieves, Hard core ones WILL take it no matter what you do!

A good thing is the rarity of them (niche market) and it's 12 years old so most thieves won't look twice there are newer more up to date bikes out there that are far easier to get rid of.
HTH


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## jeffoi (7 Sep 2018)

Well I did the commute yesterday. 25 mile round trip taking my miles on the trike up to 85...

The bike remained unmolested. 

It's a much better ride on the trike (other than having to get off for all of the cycle gates, but I was expecting that... At least I didn't have to lift the whole thing at any point).


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## m6mal (24 Sep 2018)

i use 2 steel plastic covered 3m long shackles with loops and i have one end to metal banister stairs and through front wheels and 2nd on banister and through frame and back wheel and both alarmed with alarmed padlocks


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## jeffoi (25 Sep 2018)

I've settled to one D-lock with 3 loops... One for each wheel, catching the steel n I'm locking to twice.

The rear wheel loop also gets my rack and seat and the d catches the frame around the cruciform.

Done the commute 3 times now, and the trike is fine. Been working away a lot (and will be for the next month) so my legs just aren't getting used to it.


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