Security Tips

I like to add this little "stinger" to my bike after I've done locking it up.
It's a Master Lock Model # 1548DCMGRN.

http://www.hpionline.com/Lock_Images/Master_thumb/1547DCM.jpg.

In reality, it's a combination lock caribiner that fits THROUGH the links in your bike chain, rendering the bike unridable. When it's not disabling your drive, it hangs under the saddle where I use it for things like holding my keys while I ride, or hanging my camelbak from it for a minute while I rummage through it looking for my protein bar. The lock itself was designed as a backpack lock and it works fine in that role as well, securing my pannier's zipper slides together. Retail price: about $5.00 US

Message: 2
Date: Sun, 14 Aug 2005 22:05:47 -0700 (PDT)
From: charles voigtsberger
Subject: [Yak] Kryptonite locks
To: Yak@bikefriday.com
Message-ID:
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=iso-8859-1

I discussed the situation with the Kryptonite rep at
Interbike last year when the big brouhaha was going on
about their locks. He advised me that it was not only
their lock, but any lock with a circular key. The
advice on another website was that you didn't even
have to use an expensive Bic pen to open the lock, the
cheapest one would do. If you have a gun safe with
circular locks you need to think about another
security system. If you are worried that Joe Burglar
will hit your freezer and clean out all those steaks
you have stashed, again, the circular lock will fall
to a cheap Bic. I don't use a really expensive lock on
my commutes around town but Ventura is a relatively
low crime town. I would not leave my bike out in front
of a store unlocked however, that is almost an open
invitation. A friend of mine left his bike unlocked
out in front of a restaurant while he went in for
breakfast and got to call his wife to come pick him up
after breakfast because someone decided that they
needed the bike worse than he did. A braided steel
cable and a fairly decent lock will keep the honest
folk from "borrowing" your bike. If I lived in a high
crime/bike theft area like New York City or some other
place with a similar reputation for large numbers of
bike thefts, I would certainly approach the problem
with more deterrence. The trick is to make your bike
look like it is going to be more trouble to take than
it is worth. Bear in mind, most crooks are basicaly
lazy, otherwise they would be in another line of work.
If stealing what you have looks like a lot of bother,
they will go some place that is easier. I have my
bikes registered with that bike registry company in
the San Francisco area, but they only provide you with
a decal which can easily be scraped off. The theory is
if the cops see the decall they will call the 800
number and find out who the bike belongs to. My
commute bike was stolen over two years ago and other
than a false alarm from a local bike shop, I haven't
heard anything from anybody about the bike being
recovered. If you have expensive accessories on your
bike you need to take them with you, especially if you
have a quick disconnect on, say, an expensive seat,
othewise one of these days you will be riding home
standing up all the way. Don't forget front wheels
with quick disconnect and rear wheels with same. It
take less than a minute for a thief to take seat and
both wheels if they are not secured. He doesn't even
need any tools. At least with nuts and bolts he has to
remember to bring a wrench.
Chuck Voigtsberger
Ventura CA