Bike Security

[vickster]

At my age that's probably not all that long! I might only be cycling for ~5 years - fingers crossed!
Louise

So works out at £15 a year say and if it’s well maintained, you could sell it on when you hang up your pedals. You don’t look 80+ from your photo

 

[Loueese]

So works out at £15 a year say and if it’s well maintained, you could sell it on when you hang up your pedals. You don’t look 80+ from your photo

Well I'm my 70's... My mum didn't make 81.. Nobody knows how long they have but when I reached three score and ten I decided I was on borrowed time! Even if I have it, 10 years will go very quick now!

Louise

 

[ColinJ]

I've thought of an alternative... Bike hire! If you are only going to ride about 30 times a year then why not just hire a bike for the day when you fancy it?

 

[Loueese]

I've thought of an alternative... Bike hire! If you are only going to ride about 30 times a year then why not just hire a bike for the day when you fancy it?

I want my own bike that I've chosen and that's there and ready to use as and when I want it. I haven't exactly committed to it but it should be at the shop by next weekend and if the frame size is ok I'll have it. In truth, when I had the previous one stolen in 2018 it was rather traumatic for me. I've never had anything stolen from me before or since. I'm on my own and it made me very upset and insecure in my flat, and I started getting paranoid. Of course, the police were of no help, nor FindMyBike. But I've just about got over it now. Had it been stolen from outside I wouldn't have been affected so badly. But there you go.
Louise

 

[ColinJ]

I want my own bike that I've chosen and that's there and ready to use as and when I want it. I haven't exactly committed to it but it should be at the shop by next weekend and if the frame size is ok I'll have it. In truth, when I had the previous one stolen in 2018 it was rather traumatic for me. I've never had anything stolen from me before or since. I'm on my own and it made me very upset and insecure in my flat, and I started getting paranoid. Of course, the police were of no help, nor FindMyBike. But I've just about got over it now. Had it been stolen from outside I wouldn't have been affected so badly. But there you go.
Louise

I understand why you want your own. I also understand why it upset you - I had my bike stolen from the bike shed at school when I was a teenager and that really upset me. I just worry that whichever scumbag stole your other bike will come back and nab this one.

That video you posted was by the famous 'lock picking lawyer'. I have watched lots of his videos - he is extremely skilled at lock picking so I'm not surprised that he could get that lock off so quickly. I doubt that your average bike thief could though. At least, not that way - maybe by using a battery powered angle grinder to cut it off they could, but that would be very noisy and attract attention to them!

 

[Loueese]

I understand why you want your own. I also understand why it upset you - I had my bike stolen from the bike shed at school when I was a teenager and that really upset me. I just worry that whichever scumbag stole your other bike will come back and nab this one.

That video you posted was by the famous 'lock picking lawyer'. I have watched lots of his videos - he is extremely skilled at lock picking so I'm not surprised that he could get that lock off so quickly. I doubt that your average bike thief could though. At least, not that way - maybe by using a battery powered angle grinder to cut it off they could, but that would be very noisy and attract attention to them!

Well, as I said it wasn't the theft of the bike per se that upset me. It was that they'd come through the security door and up to my flat so it was targetted and was more like a burglary. Yes, the lock picking lawyer has the right tools. But anyone who watches it can see how it's done! I might put a small sign up - 'cctv in operation'! I was thinking two looks and a loud alarm would probably deter most people - I hope!
Louise

 

[Spiderweb]

Even if your new bike gets in the way a bit I’d try and make space in your flat.

 

[Loueese]

Even if your new bike gets in the way a bit I’d try and make space in your flat.

It can't be in the hall, as I mentioned, it would be a hazard in case of fire. I could potentially put it in the kitchen, though it would be in the way. It might be ok temporarily whilst I sort out some decent security. I'm not sure whether I'd be able to easily get it into the kitchen. I'll give it a try when I get it. If it's light enough maybe I'll be able to (wo)manhandle it
Louise

 

[Sharky]

Well I'm my 70's... My mum didn't make 81.. Nobody knows how long they have but when I reached three score and ten I decided I was on borrowed time! Even if I have it, 10 years will go very quick now!

Louise

Sobering thoughts. I too wonder.
I am 72 and my dad, a life long cyclist, rode to a better place when he was 73.

 

[Loueese]

It can't be in the hall, as I mentioned, it would be a hazard in case of fire. I could potentially put it in the kitchen, though it would be in the way. It might be ok temporarily whilst I sort out some decent security. I'm not sure whether I'd be able to easily get it into the kitchen. I'll give it a try when I get it. If it's light enough maybe I'll be able to (wo)manhandle it
Louise

Here is pic of the Cobalt when I first got it and before I'd even got a lock for it. I felt quite secure initially...

 

[Loueese]

Sobering thoughts. I too wonder.
I am 72 and my dad, a life long cyclist, rode to a better place when he was 73.

Yeah, you just never know. I don't believe in any kind of afterlife... My nearly 73 yr old brother has just been diagnosed with colon cancer. Life is precarious and always temporary.

Louise

ps getting off topic - sorry.

 

[si_c]

Doesn't look unreasonable to d-lock the bike to those railings, I'd get a couple of d-locks, they don't have to be expensive, they just have to look expensive. For my bike I use a Kryptonite Evolution Mini 5 lock (about £50 when on offer) which I put through the frame - it's big enough to lock through the bike and most bike stands with a little wiggle room, but not so big that it leaves lots of space to get a tool through.

A very good tip for using a d-lock in spaces like that is to fit it so the lock component is on the "wrong" side of the railings, so that anyone who doesn't have the key needs to access it from the stair side, which makes it inconvenient at best. I'd use a good lock like that or an Abus, and add a second d-lock at a later date, which need not be so expensive. The more locks the better.

The objective here is to make it enough of a hassle that stealing somebody else's bike is more appealing.

Edit to add: Sigma Sports have the Kryptonite Mini 5 on offer at £44 now, which I think is a very good deal.

 

[ColinJ]

I use the OnGuard Brute. It is a bit hefty for carting around but would be fine for use on those railings.

Here is what the Lockpicking Lawyer made of it...



If you look at the railings then you can see that the lock wouldn't be the weakest link - the railings themselves and the wooden top rail would be easier to cut than a decent lock.

 

[Littgull]

Revise your choice and buy a folding bike within your stated price range that can be kept inside your flat without causing an obstruction. Such as one from Decathlon.

 

[DaveReading]

Yes, the lock picking lawyer has the right tools. But anyone who watches it can see how it's done!

Well yes, in the sense that anyone who watches an Olympic athlete can see how it's done - just run faster than everybody else ...