Source
r/bicycling•
cfq

Shed's got front-wheel-only locks, what to do?

Hello r/bicycling,

I've just bought a bike and got myself a standard 10% Kryptonite lock with it's cable. I rode it back home and was going to lock it at the shed in the back.

Unfortunately, the shed only had front-wheel locks that look a bit flimsy. And there were a couple of horror scenes.

Anyway, it's not easy to get in the back of the building but not too hard either - as you can see from the nicked bike parts.

What's the best strategy to lock your bike in this shed? I'm keeping it in my hallway today because I'm not getting my new fucking bicycle on the day I bought it.

Thanks for the advice!

Posted May 15, 2015, 6:44 PM UTC

317
velodev•

The craziest thing here is that the bolts holding the brackets in the wall look easily defeated by a wrench (spanner for the uk). Don't lock up to that nonsense. Keep your bike indoors and make a fuss about how lame it is.

5
cfqOPUnited Kingdom (Trek 7.2 FX, 2015)•

Exactly what I was thinking. There are CCTV cameras everywhere and you can only access it through a garage gate though, but it takes a while for the door to close.

I'll be talking to the building management about it and see what happens.

1
robertj180•

Why can't you put your bike in rear-wheel first?

At least then you could lock your rear tire and frame.

4
tworac'14 Cannondale Synapse Disc | '14 Raleigh Furley•

I agree that's a better option, but you're still screaming "COME STEAL MY FRONT TIRE!!!" to anyone walking by, especially if its the odd one out facing the opposite direction.

EDIT: I guess you could throw a cable lock to the front too, but that's easy to cut.

3
cfqOPUnited Kingdom (Trek 7.2 FX, 2015)•

Zackly. It's just too odd.

1
cstheory•

I'd get some heavy chain, run it through two or three of those flimsy locks, around one of the wooden posts, and lock the chain to itself with a heavy padlock. Then lock my bike to the chain.

3
cfqOPUnited Kingdom (Trek 7.2 FX, 2015)•

Sounds a bit over the top but why not. Getting a heavier chain is definitely in the cards now.

1
ParasiticBrainSlug•

You could U-Lock it to the shed and chain the components. Hypothetically, a thief could cut the cable remove the wheel and take the rest of the bike.

or

You could chain the bike and components to the shed and U lock the rear tire to the frame... now your thief can cut the cable and steal the bike, but the bike is now completely useless.

I honestly don't know what I would do if I were you...

2
cfqOPUnited Kingdom (Trek 7.2 FX, 2015)•

Thanks a lot for the responses everyone. I've been thinking about this hard. I'll probably get a big heavy chain that runs through the front wheel and the frame and lock it to the bracket.

Or maybe invest in one of these: http://cycloc.com/cycloc-features.html

1
HexreadyDenmark (<-- jelly?)•

I wear two of these around my chest when i ride and plan on locking up, nothing of mine has ever been stolen. If you do get one of those and wear them around your chest, Falling sucks. A lot.

1
PriceZombieRobocop's bike i_am_a_robot•

Kryptonite 999522 Black 12mm x 66" (1217) New York Chain and Evolution...

Current$99.64Amazon (New)
High$128.60Amazon (New)
Low$98.59Amazon (New)

Price History Chart | FAQ

1
imjusthereforab•

Just store it in your apartment.

1
cfqOPUnited Kingdom (Trek 7.2 FX, 2015)•

I've thought about it, but it's not really convenient. I've got high ceilings but not at the hallway. It's a one-bedroom flat, the hallway is a bit tight on space.

Outside my flat there's a bit of space but nothing to chain the bike to. I wouldn't want to be taking the piss either.

I was looking at the Cycloc products to see if I can hang my bicycle anywhere, but I wouldn't want to keep in the living room or the bedroom either. Specially when I come back from a ride on a rainy day.

1
Cedex•

Why not? Doesn't your bike deserve to be warm and dry?

Are we SAVAGES?!

2
Mishellie30Jamis Quest Sport Femme •

Eh. Just clean it off before you come in. I kept my bike in the living room of my apartment for 2 years, and now I moved home and my bike sleeps in an honored spot at the foot of my bed.

1
chanchiki•

How much is your bike worth mate? For me, mine is worth quite a bit, so I think of it as a stack of money and many work hours. I'd rather be slightly inconvenienced by walking around a stack of money in my hallway than have it tied up outside. I have had one bike stolen. It was cheap as chips but the violation of it still dictates my actions today. I'd keep it inside and deal with the inconvenience of less space in the house.

1
cfqOPUnited Kingdom (Trek 7.2 FX, 2015)•

Thanks for the advice mate. Mine's just under £500 with all the bit and bobs, but the violation you've mentioned is what's keeping me paranoid. I just don't want my bike stolen.

Went to the bike shop again in Stokey again, the guy says, go to the locksmiths down the road and buy the longest and thickest chain you can buy. Exactly what I did. It's a 20kg beast. Love everything about it.

1