What locks you using

Waynetta

E*POWAH Master
Feb 11, 2020
189
177
Plymouth Devon
If you are going to use the locks in the garage, don't just lock them to the bike. The bastards will just chuck the lot in a van to sort later. You would really need to lock the bike to a floor anchor for extra security.
Forget about anything connected to the wall if its a light block construction. Almost any fixings will be out in seconds.
iv got six bikes including a tandem all chained and two Abus D locks linking them all together. Be interesting to see them try lift that lot into a van. :). But your right a ground anchor would be a great idea.
 

speedkills

Member
May 17, 2020
230
221
Boulder, CO
Is Kryptonite the only lock maker that will pay out if the thieves defeat the lock and get your bike?

Homeowners insurance around here has a huge deductible that is a percentage of the policy value.

Most, including Kyrptonite won't pay out without the lock. I had my last bike stolen while it was locked with a Kryptonite New York lock, inside a locked bike room, inside a locked car garage. Thieves went in, took an angle grinder to the lock and stole it, and for some reason, took the lock too, meaning I couldn't get the insurance payout. Next time I need to put a sign on it: Dear thieves, if you leave the lock, I can buy another bike for you to steal in the future.
 

Levo-Lon

Active member
Jan 21, 2020
173
199
Uk
To insure the levo is ridiculous
Home insurance only cover to 2.5k per bike Barclays, we have really good home insurance
Separate bike specific cover is around £800 £900 a yr ..

So it's a tough call.

Incidentally our 2020 new kia xceed car costing 25k with fully comp at £270 for 12 months and £240 one off for 3 yrs gap makes the bike insurance cost just a joke.

Don't people steal cars anymore ?
 

Intermtb

Member
Jan 5, 2020
87
74
USA
in addition to lock , or ground anchor in the garage, you can also add small wifi camera facing your bike, and watch it live on your phone when you're in the office. not really preventing thief to steal the bike, but at least you get the footage.. :)
 

simonk

SLayer ?
Jan 27, 2020
337
423
Exeter
I refuse to pay the ridiculous insurance premiums on bikes.

Ground anchors, Kryptonite level 8 heavy bastard chains, security lighting and several ninjas on healthy retainers offer some peace of mind despite there being some local thefts recently. I’m thinking of adding a small PIR keypad type alarm although I worry spiders will set it off and annoy the neighbours.



I made the ninjas bit up...
 

Cisco

Active member
May 1, 2018
186
182
Elderslie
Most, including Kyrptonite won't pay out without the lock. I had my last bike stolen while it was locked with a Kryptonite New York lock, inside a locked bike room, inside a locked car garage. Thieves went in, took an angle grinder to the lock and stole it, and for some reason, took the lock too, meaning I couldn't get the insurance payout. Next time I need to put a sign on it: Dear thieves, if you leave the lock, I can buy another bike for you to steal in the future.
Those low life fucks can't read.
 

Kiwibloke

Well-known member
Feb 27, 2021
111
195
Kent
I don't leave it, years ago I use to lock my MTB with a pair of police handcuffs, the old ones with the chain, only when I had go into a shop etc, they were great and easy to carry.
 

Darren

Active member
Sep 25, 2019
191
245
Warwick
For "Insurance" get the cheapest Gold lock you can find, break it and take a photo of the broken lock on your garage floor and anywhere else you intend to leave the bike.
If it ever gets stolen you have the required evidence to make a claim. You may need to edit the metadata in the photo to reflect the date.
 

steve-a

Member
Jan 19, 2021
24
9
Hornchurch, Essex
I use a Pragmasis D lock through the rear wheel for my motorbikes with an Abus Granit disc lock up front, won't stop anyone lifting it up and throwing it into a van, but hopefully will deter the casual / opportunist thief. The Pragmasis is not light and not sure i would like to ride around with one in my backpack! As the comments above, don't leave it un-occupied, locked or not is the best advice.
I have a ground anchor with Almax 19mm in the garage, but still melt like butter with an oxy torch.
Worth watching some of these videos for a reality check on locks :)
(188) [958] Pragmasis Dib Series U-Lock Picked - YouTube
 

steve_sordy

Wedding Crasher
Nov 5, 2018
8,361
8,587
Lincolnshire, UK
Just for the information of anyone buying a ground anchor. I bought a Kryptonite Stronghold anchor and it works really well. In theory it should be dead easy to fit, just drill three 5/8" diameter holes in your garage floor and fit the steel Rawlbolt type fittings, job done!

Except none of my 1/2" chuck hammer drills had enough grunt to drive a 5/8" drill into the concrete floor of my garage. None of my neighbours had one either. I was ending up with holes that were 5/8" diameter all the way down, but the holes were not parallel so that the Rawlbolt would not slide in! It was all the pebbles in the concrete mix that were causing the drill to deflect off course. Then one of the Rawlbolts fell apart and jammed in the hole! The Rawlbolt is made of three steel pieces (like your first three fingers grouped together) held together with two (maybe three) wires, a spacer and an expander nut. Once collapsed in the hole, the bolt would not withdraw. (See the end for how to get them out).

Eventually I used my wider network and managed to borrow a proper drill, a high power SDS chuck hammer drill. This one had a different type of chuck that absolutely would not slip. In addition to an in-&-out hammer action, it also had a rotary hammer action. Talk about chalk and cheese! That drill was bloody amazing! Don't even think about installing one of the ground anchors without one of these SDS drills.

How to retrieve a Rawlbolt that has collapsed in the hole. I used a piece of gear cable (inner wire) and bent the end 1/2" of it back on itself to an acute angle. Then with the aid of a torch, to light the way, I fished out the expander nut. Once the nut is out the rest of the pieces should come out easily, don't forget the circular wires holding the three fingers together. Your next job will be to re-assemble the Rawlbolt! Three hands are required. :ROFLMAO:
 

CBSTD

E*POWAH Master
Jun 15, 2020
289
871
thoK0north
If you are building a bike shed from the ground up I cast 16mm re-bar into the floor slab through a polystyrene pocket there are 3 in the floor one in the middle by the stand and one on either side of the shed near the walls
B16C4D01-8192-4F91-90DB-9E583AA7BAF7.jpeg
E30C1286-6C92-43CB-AD6D-59333D53B900.jpeg
 

Riotsloth

Member
Sep 16, 2018
66
13
Haywards Heath
We both have Litelok's, and I put mine through the main frame not the wheel (as I don't have quick release). I never leave it more than half hour anyway. If someone wants it they will take it generally - if you haven't seen lock picking lawyer on YouTube it's quite an eye-opener!
 

Mooree

New Member
Jan 18, 2022
11
0
USA
U-locks may be standard for bicycle locks, but it can get very complicated if you misplace the key or can't unlock it. You can learn how to break a U-lock with just a basic ballpoint pen. Make sure you have a basic 'bar' pen with a ballpoint pen tip. Using your fingernail to pry open the small cap at the end of the pen, it's a good idea to leave the pen with an open tube as this is the tube you'll use to unlock it. You can now insert the pen tube inside the u keyhole. Make sure the tube also fits into the keyhole. Apply enough force when pushing and twisting. Continue the movement until the lock opens. Continue turning until you hear a click that indicates the keyhole is unlocked.
 

2WheelsNot4

E*POWAH Master
Oct 17, 2021
889
686
Scotland
. if you have to keep your bike in a shed or other outbuilding consider a Shed Shackle, which is the only gold rated product I found for that kind of structure.
Make sure this isn't the same place you store your hacksaws/cordless grinder.

Lock wise im using a Bordo Granit Xplus 6500, which is a gold rating sold secure.
 
Last edited:

TQFreak

Active member
Dec 2, 2022
169
210
USA

LITELOK X3 is the strongest secure lock on the planet at the moment​


 

steve_sordy

Wedding Crasher
Nov 5, 2018
8,361
8,587
Lincolnshire, UK
I cycled up that on my way from Bristol to Newbury. It was 2005 before I even knew what MTB was. I was on a Trek Navigator that with the various racks and other attachments weighed 43lbs (19.5kg), and no it wasn't an ebike! In addition, it had been raining heavily and non-stop all the way from Bristol. I was soaked to the skin as all my clothing had long since wetted out. I should have stopped for a good look around, but I just wanted to get to Devizes where a warm pub was waiting. I regret missing out seeing the locks and the balancing pools because I have never been back since. I heard later that there were 16 locks, but it felt like a lot more than that at the time.
 

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