I hope that you’ve already read about how to choose the best bike lock. And that you’ve got a good idea which level of security you need, and the type of lock that’s right for you.
But it’s not just about the lock!…
You also need to know how to secure your bike properly. Because whichever lock you choose, if you don’t use it properly, your bike will be stolen.
So in this guide, I’ll show you several ways to lock your bike (and several ways you should never lock your bike!)
As ever, it’s about finding the right balance between practicality and security. You obviously need to use a method that prevents your bike from being stolen. But that method should also be easy to use, every day.
We will go through every possible way to lock your bike and rate each one for security and practicality, so you are fully informed.
The guide is divided into three parts based on the three places where you’ll likely be locking your bike: in the street, at home, and at work or college.
This is a long read, but stick with it, as there are tips and insights you won’t find in any other guide to locking your bike!
Part 1. How to lock your bike in the street
A badly locked bike in the street will disappear very quickly. Luckily, thinking carefully about where and how you lock your bike in the street can go a long way to prevent this happening…
Where should I lock my bike in the street?
Although the type of neighborhood you live in will affect this, there are some general tips which you should always try to follow…
Tip 1: Choose a busy place
Try to choose a busy location with lots of people walking past. If it’s an area well covered by CCTV, even better. Other people and CCTV make thieves nervous. They’d much prefer to be hidden away while they “work”.
Busy places are good!
Choose a place where lots of other bikes are already locked up. Ideally in the middle of a group of bikes rather than on the end. This serves three purposes:
Firstly, there’s bound to be badly locked bikes that are more tempting to a thief than your well-locked bike. Secondly, lots of bikes crammed together give a thief less room to maneuver and use their tools effectively.
And thirdly, the comings and goings of other cyclists may disturb them and if anyone is going to challenge a bike thief, (and let's face it: most people just walk on by), it's going to be other cyclists.
The middle of a busy bike rack is the place to be!
Tip 2: Secure your bike to an immovable object
A bike is only as secure as the object it is locked to. So make sure you always choose a fixed, immovable object that’s not easily broken.
These “Sheffield” stands are cemented into the ground and super secure!
Check the bike can’t be lifted over the top of whatever you’ve attached it to. Or that the object can’t be easily unscrewed or dismantled. Avoid trees, aluminum or wooden posts, sign posts, scaffolding and chain link fences.
If you choose metal railings, try to get the lock around as many railings as possible. But ideally, the immovable object would be a specially designed bike rack that’s cemented into the ground.
However, you even need to be careful with bike racks! Some sneaky thieves are cutting through the racks when they're empty and then covering up the cut with tape to hide what they've done…
Thieves are sawing through bike racks!
Once an unsuspecting cyclist has left their bike locked to the rack, the thief returns, prizes open the cut section and makes off with their bike! So check any rack you use hasn't been tampered with.
Tip 3: Don’t give thieves clues about where you are
If you’re going to the cinema, the leisure center or anywhere else where you might be away from your bike for a significant amount of time, consider locking your bike a couple of streets away.
Why? If a thief sees you locking your bike and then going into any of these places, they’ll know they’ve got a fair bit of time to work on your bike!
Tip 4: Take extra precautions in high risk areas
If you know an area is dangerous, avoid it. Or if you can’t avoid it, take an extra lock. And don’t leave your bike for too long!
A summary of where to lock your bike in the street:
- Choose a busy area with CCTV
- Lock your bike in the middle of lots of other bikes
- Always secure your bike to a fixed, immovable object, ideally a bike rack
- Don't lock your bike outside places that it’s obvious you’ll be at for a long time
- If you know it's a high theft risk area, take an extra lock
How should I lock my bike in the street?
This will vary depending on what sort of bike you’ve got, which lock you use and where you secure it. However, there are certain tips you should always follow…
Tip 1: Always secure your frame
Always make sure that you’ve locked your frame to the immovable object. If you only secure your bike through the wheel, a thief will simply remove your wheel and walk off with the rest of the bike.
This may sound obvious, but it happens all the time…
If you only lock your wheel, the rest of the bike will be stolen
This is a particularly easy mistake to make in a particular type of “toast holder” bike rack, where only the wheel is in contact with the rack. It’s almost impossible to lock anything but the wheel to these bike racks, so they should be avoided completely!
Tip 2: Keep your lock off the ground
Try to keep the lock away from the ground. If it’s on the ground, a thief can use a hammer to smash the lock against the hard floor, and this will break open cheaper and weaker bike locks.
But even if it is close to the ground, a thief can use the floor for added leverage in a bolt cutter attack. This enables them to use their weight to cut locks that they would ever have the strength to crop otherwise:
However, if you’re using a u-lock, you should also avoid the top tube. If the lock is around the top tube of the bike, a thief can use the bike frame itself to try to break the lock by lifting and twisting the whole bike.
Don't secure your u-lock around the top tube!
A good lock won’t succumb to this kind of attack, but it’s likely to severely damage your bike!
Since there’s generally more space left inside the lock when it's on the top tube, a thief could also insert a length of metal that can be used to twist and pop the lock open.
Or they could simply cut through the immovable object and ride off on your bike (if the lock was around a wheel too, they wouldn’t be able to ride away without cutting through the lock as well).
Keep your lock away from the ground. But off the top tube.
So, ideally the lock should go high up around the down tube, the seat tube, or the seat stays. And of course one of the wheels.
If you’re using a chain lock, then it’s even more important that you keep it far from the ground, as chains are much easier to cut with bolt croppers.
Around the top tube is far from the ground, but the wheel is not protected
And since they’re not vulnerable to leverage attacks, wrapping the chain around the top tube is OK (although the seat stays and a wheel would be better, if it also keeps the chain away from the ground).
Around the chain stays is far from the ground and protects the wheel
Tip 3: Prioritize protecting the rear wheel
After the frame, the rear wheel is usually the most expensive part of a bicycle. It therefore makes sense to prioritize protecting the rear wheel from thieves.
If you have to choose: secure the frame and rear wheel (rather than frame and front wheel)
So, if you only use one bike lock, secure it around the rear wheel and frame. If you have two locks, use the primary (more secure) lock on the rear wheel and frame, and the secondary (less secure lock) on the front wheel and frame.
Tip 4: Make the lock difficult to access
Try to make the lock as difficult to access as possible. Because if it's difficult to access, it will be difficult to attack.
And if you can position it so the keyhole is facing downwards, even better. This will make it more difficult to tamper with the locking mechanism...
This mechanism is difficult to access
Thieves may try to put superglue in the keyhole to prevent you unlocking your bike, forcing you to leave it in the street overnight, and giving them more time to steal it when the streets are quieter.
Bike thieves don’t generally pick locks. But if the keyhole is hard to access, all of these forms of attack become more difficult.
Tip 5: Always fill the inside of a u-lock
If you’re using a u-lock, try to fill as much of the space within the “U” with the bike and the thing it’s attached to. This is really important…
No room inside this u-lock for a bottle jack or pry bar!
The most common way that the better u-locks are broken is with leverage attacks. A length of metal or scaffolding pole is inserted into the space within the “U” and twisted until it pops open.
Hydraulic bottle jack attacks are less common but also depend on there being enough space inside the u-lock to insert the tool.
Attacking a u-lock with a bottle jack
However, if there’s no spare room inside the “U”, a thief can’t use either of these methods. So keep those u-locks full!
Tip 6: Don’t forget your components
Your general locking method should protect your bike frame and both your wheels. But don’t forget about your other components.
Thieves will rob anything that’s easy to get off your bike. So make sure you take any lights, bags, electronics etc. with you when you leave your bike. Things like gears and brakes are harder to remove, so you just have to hope a thief won’t bother!
But your saddle is particularly vulnerable. If it’s attached with a quick release lever, it will almost certainly be stolen if left. You could take it with you, or lock it with a cable, but both of those options are a hassle.
There are many ways to protect your set (here I'm using Hexlox)
Instead, I would recommend swapping the quick release lever for a regular bolt or, even better, a security bolt.
Find load more info on the best way to protect your bike components (including wheels, saddles, headsets, and everything else).
A summary of how to lock your bike in the street:
- Always lock the frame (not just the wheel!) to the immovable object
- Keep the lock as far from the ground as possible
- Don’t use u-locks around the top tube
- Make the lock difficult to access
- Fill as much of the internal space in a u-lock as possible
- Take all easy to remove components with you
5 ways to lock your bike in the street
Making use of those general tips, here are five popular ways to lock your bike on the street. Which one suits you best will depend on how expensive your bike is and which locks you have.
1. Secure your bike with one lock and a cable
Using a cable and a u-lock
This is probably the most common way to lock a bike in the street. And it usually combines a u-lock and a cable lasso.
It could also work with a chain or folding lock in place of the u-lock. But since many u-locks are sold with supplementary cable lassos, this is the set-up you’ll usually see.
When done correctly, the u-lock should secure the frame and the rear wheel to the bike rack. While the cable loops around the front wheel as a lasso, with the free end attaching to the u-lock.
To protect the frame, the lock can go through the seat tube, the seat stays, or the chain stays. However, if you’re using a thinner u-lock, I would advise against the chain stays as it positions the lock very close to the ground where it’s more vulnerable to bolt croppers.
And if you're using a chain or a folding lock (which are much more vulnerable to bolt cutters than u-locks), I would try to keep them high up around the seat stays, if possible.
This method provides lightweight protection for both wheels and your frame
The advantage of this method is that it’s a very lightweight way of protecting the frame and both wheels (as the cable weighs next to nothing).
But the problem with this method is that the cable is the only thing securing the front wheel. And since all cables can be snipped through in no time using a pair of tiny, handheld cable cutters, it’s not very secure.
Cable lassos:very lightweight but very NOT secure
Because of this, in the past, I would recommend that you didn’t lock your bike like this. However, after surveying thousands of cyclists, it seems that the visual, psychological deterrent of the cable is enough to stop your wheels being stolen in the majority of cases.
I’m still not a big fan of this method, though, and I never use it personally.
It’s not just the security aspect. I also find threading the cable through the bike in a tight, busy spot to be a hassle. And although they’re lightweight, the cables are quite bulky and not so easy to carry around.
I don't find this combination the most convenient carry
However, if you’re not riding a super expensive bike, it can work quite well as a lightweight and low-cost way to protect your frame and both wheels.
I wouldn’t recommend it for wheels that are attached with quick release skewers though (even for low value bikes).
And the truth is, there are much better ways to project your wheels. Security skewers are lighter, no hassle to carry around, and make locking your bike much easier. Yes, they cost a bit more, but for me, it’s a worthy investment.
One lock and Cable Lasso Summary:
- Security: 7/10
- Practicality: 8/10
- Money saving: 9/10
2. Secure your bike with one lock and security skewers or nuts
Using a u-lock and a security skewer
This method of locking your bike in the street is more secure than using a supplementary cable, and is also far more convenient. You essentially exchange the cable lasso for security skewers (or nuts) for your wheels.
Many modern bicycles come with quick release skewers on the front and back wheels. These allow you to quickly remove your wheels without the use of tools (you simply flip the lever and unscrew the skewer).
Quick release skewer = easy to steal wheel
These are obviously a dream come true for bike thieves. However, even those bikes with wheels that are attached with regular nuts are easy prey for a thief with a spanner! Which is why we should always protect our wheel when locking up in the street.
Replace the quick release skewers on your bike for security skewers
This method involves replacing the quick release skewers or regular nuts with ones that are more difficult to remove. There are too many different versions of these to go into details here (I have a whole article about them).
But they usually require a special tool (which a thief won’t have) in order to loosen them and remove the wheels.
Once they are installed, your wheels are protected to a much higher level than any cable. And locking your bike becomes much easier, as generally you only have to worry about locking your frame.
You could even use a smaller lock, as you don’t need to worry about it going through the wheel as well as the frame (although I would always recommend locking the wheel and frame where you can).
These security skewers and nuts are not infallible: they can be defeated. And when my bike is left for long periods (e.g. overnight in the street), I use two proper locks as well. But I have been using this method for general street security for years, and have never had a single wheel theft!
One lock and Security Skewers/Nuts Summary:
- Security: 8/10
- Practicality: 10/10
- Money saving: 8/10
3. Secure your bike with two locks
Using two u-locks
This is the most secure way to lock your bike. Ideally, each lock should secure the frame and one wheel to the bike rack.
However, two locks that are big enough to go around the frame and one of the wheels, would usually be a heavy and bulky combination.
So in many cases, a more secure (primary) lock goes around the frame and the back wheel. While a less secure (secondary) lock, either secures the front wheel to the frame, or secures the front wheel to the bike rack.
Securing the secondary lock around the wheel and the frame is the least secure of those two options, as it allow the thief to carry the bike away after defeating the primary lock. While they would have to at least to unattach the wheel if it was locked to the rack, and then they would be stealing a bike with a missing wheel.
Using two different types of lock provides an additional layer of security, since different tools and methods are needed to defeat different locks.
For example, chains aren’t vulnerable to the leverage attacks with poles that defeat many u-locks. And the thicker u-locks aren’t as vulnerable to the medium-sized bolt cutters that will cut many chains.
Using a chain and a u-lock
Although angle grinders will cut through all locks, they’re a bit more difficult to use on chains than u-locks, owing to the links moving about as they are being cut.
So the best combination is a u-lock and a chain. But two chains, two u-locks, two folding locks or any combination of the aforementioned can work well, as long as they are all secure enough.
Since I leave my bike in the street, overnight, I like to use a heavy chain and a smaller u-lock. I leave the chain lock permanently attached to the bike rack, so I don’t have to carry it around with me.
And then I depend solely on the u-lock (and security skewers for the wheels) in the day. But if I know I’m going somewhere risky or to a place where it might be left overnight, I can always take the chain lock with me.
However, it’s worth mentioning that if you choose to leave a heavy lock in a public place, a thief might sabotage the big lock while you’re away, forcing you to use only the other, smaller lock when you return. Whereupon, he will pounce on your compromised security. So be careful!
Two locks Summary:
- Security: 10/10
- Practicality: 7/10
- Money saving: 7/10
4. Secure your bike with one lock and a removed front wheel
Removing a wheel to use one U-lock
You don’t tend to see this method of locking a bike in the street as much anymore. And there are good reasons: it’s fiddly, time-consuming, and can lead to your forks and your wheel being damaged!
But if you find yourself stuck with just one lock and two quick release wheels on your bike, it’s a viable way to protect the whole bicycle.
How does it work? You remove your front wheel, place it next to the rear wheel, and then attach your bike lock around both wheels, the frame and the bike rack.
This ensures that both wheels and the frame are secured with one lock. And if you’re using a u-lock it’s going to be full of more stuff and therefore less susceptible to a leverage or bottle jack attack.
However, bear in mind that this method requires a standard or larger sized u-lock. And using a chain or folding lock instead would be very fiddly.
You’ll also need quick release wheels, which means you’ll have to do it everywhere you go to prevent the front wheel being stolen!
For me, this is more of an emergency method. There are much better ways to protect your whole bike.
One lock and Removed Front Wheel Summary:
- Security: 9/10
- Practicality: 5/10
- Money saving: 9/10
5. Secure your bike with the “Sheldon” method
Using the “Sheldon” method
This is simply another (unusual) way to protect your frame and your rear wheel. For full bike protection that includes the front wheel, you would need to combine it with a cable, security skewers/nuts or a secondary lock.
Sheldon Brown, the renowned bicycle expert, advocated securing just the rear wheel to the bike rack, using a u-lock somewhere within the rear triangle of the frame.
He maintained that by using this method, you don’t need to secure the frame to the bike rack as well because the wheel can’t be pulled through the rear triangle.
One of the advantages of this method is that because you’re only securing the wheel, you can usually get away with a smaller, lighter u-lock. Check out my best lightweight bike lock page for some good examples!
However, I’m not sure about this technique, especially for more expensive bikes. With some effort, a dedicated thief can saw through the rear wheel to remove the lock.
I can also imagine an opportunist thief not realizing the bike was properly secured and causing significant damage to your bike while they tried to remove it.
However, if for whatever reason you can’t maneuver your bike into a position where you can lock the frame as well, I think this technique is OK for short periods. I wouldn’t leave a bike locked like this for longer periods though.
Part 2. How to lock your bike at home
It’s worth remembering that while street theft gets all the attention, over 50% of stolen bikes are taken from the owner’s home. That means from the front or back garden, from a shed or garage on the property, or from inside the house or flat itself.
What can you do to prevent this? Well, although bike security at home is often more difficult than bike security in the street, there’s still plenty you can do to protect your ride.
Let’s look at each of these areas of the home in more detail…
Keeping your bike inside your house/flat
Inside your house or flat is definitely the safest place to keep your bike. However, many people are either unable or unwilling to share their living space with bicycles.
Maybe they (or more often other family members!) don’t like the idea of big, wet, dirty machines cluttering up their home. Maybe they don’t like the hassle of dragging a bike into the building. Or maybe there just isn’t enough space.
If space is the issue, there are plenty of companies now offering storage solutions for bikes inside the home.
Such contraptions vary hugely in design and price. But at the end of the day, they all amount to something you attach to the wall or ceiling to hang your bike from.
The fantasy
They look great in the adverts, but the stylish bikes in the adverts are never covered in 3 months of London street grime...
The reality!
However, if you can fit your bike in your house and there are no problems with it being there, this is definitely the safest place to keep it.
Keeping your bike in communal spaces
If you live in a flat with shared communal space inside the building, it can be tempting to leave your bike there (often in the hallway, just inside the front door). But this is a very unsafe place to store anything.
Bikes in a communal hallway
Usually there’s nothing to secure your bike to, and because it’s not your space, little opportunity to install something.
So in the end, your unprotected bike sits in the hallway waiting for someone to forget to close or lock the door and someone else to stroll in and off with it!
Because one thing's for sure: no one else in the building is thinking about keeping your bike safe.
One DIY solution is to fill a large bucket with cement and stick a ground anchor or an old u-lock in the wet cement to set. Voilà, you have a pretty heavy anchor you can leave in the hallway to secure your bike to.
I have a friend who added some plastic flowers to the top of the bucket to make it look less intrusive to the other residents of the building!
Now theoretically this will only slow down, rather than stop a committed thief. But in reality, it will foil most opportunists.
Keeping your bike in a shed or garage
If you’re lucky, maybe you have a garage or a bike shed at home. And if you can’t keep your bike inside your house, then this is the next safest alternative.
Usually, garages are more secure than sheds. However, you should never, ever leave your bike unlocked in either one (even if it's on your bike stand, and you're still working on it).
Remember, over 50% of stolen bikes are taken from the owner's home, so no matter how safe it feels, this is where your bike is most at risk.
Finding something suitable you can lock your bike to in a garage or shed can be a challenge though…
Bikes in garages
Garages have the advantage of concrete floors and brick walls. This makes it relatively easy to install a ground anchor, which you can use with a heavy chain to secure your bike.
Garages are not as secure as they look!
Just like locks, anchors vary widely in levels of security and price. Luckily, they’re also rated by Sold Secure and ART, so it’s pretty easy to find a good one.
And since they will probably provide the biggest improvement to your security set up, I've written a complete guide to choosing and installing a good ground or wall anchor to help you find one!
Ground anchors can usually be attached to the floor or walls of a garage and are best used with chain locks.
Since you don’t need to worry about carrying these chains around, get the thickest chain you can afford. But make sure the chain is not so thick it won’t fit through the shackle of whichever anchor you choose!
Bikes in sheds
Wooden sheds don’t usually have concrete floors, which makes installing a normal ground anchor difficult.
Wooden sheds are easily broached (Superior shed by Crane Garden Buildings)
You could rip up a section of the floor, dig a hole into the earth below, fill it with concrete and then add an anchor such as the Oxford Terra Force to set in the wet concrete. However, this is a lot of work and may be completely unpractical.
Luckily, Pragmasis now offer a “shed shackle” specifically designed to give you something secure to lock your bike to in a wooden or metal shed or bike store. I think these are great.
They’re relatively cheap, practical and easy to install. What's more, if you couple one with a good chain, a thief would have to virtually demolish your shed to steal your bike.
There's loads of things you can do to make your shed more secure. From simple DIY tweaks like blocking the windows to more technological solutions like installing a shed alarm.
See my tips for boosting your shed security for lots of useful ideas!
Keeping your bike in the garden or yard
If you don’t have a garage or a shed but do have space in your garden or yard, consider buying a specially designed bike storage unit. The best (and most expensive) are made by Asgard.
Asgard bike storage. Very secure. Very expensive.
If there’s no space for a storage unit, then you’ll have to just keep your bike under a bike cover. In this case, if you’re able to install a ground anchor somewhere in your garden, then do it.
Maybe there’s a patch of concrete to attach an anchor to. Or you could dig a hole in the earth, fill it with wet concrete and add an Oxford Terra Force to set firm. Or you could use the bucket trick I suggest for communal spaces.
One very elegant solution, which unlike the other options, requires no installation and will actually make your outside space greener and more attractive, is a PlantLock.
These are giant (90 x 40 x 52 cm), steel troughs, in which you can grow all sorts of shrubs, herbs and flowers. And on each side, there's a 19 mm thick, boron steel handle that you can lock a bike to. So each PlantLock can secure two bikes in all.
PlantLock: super secure, super attractive
Once the PlantLock is full of earth and plants, it will weigh around 75 kg (or even more after rainfall or watering), which certainly qualifies it as an “immovable object”. And for extra security, there are even holes in the base, so you can bolt it into the ground.
The 19 mm handles are impossible to bolt crop, case-hardened to resist sawing and tempered to repel any kind of brute force attack. The only way the PlantLock is likely to be defeated is with an angle grinder.
But in reality, a thief is far more likely to attack your bike lock instead (unless you're using an angle grinder resistant lock like the Litelok X1 or the Hiplok D1000).
Whichever of these methods you choose, the most important thing is that don’t leave your bike unsecured in your garden, no matter how private or out of the way it might seem. If you do, your bike will eventually be stolen.
Part 3. How to lock your bike at work
Many workplaces now offer private spaces where you can leave your bike if you’re commuting. This is great news!
Obviously the security levels in these places will vary. But the most important thing to remember is that if anyone other than you has access to the space, you should lock your bike as if you were locking it on the street.
You still need to lock your bike in here!
It doesn’t matter how small your office is or how secure the space seems. If other people have access to it, there’s a very real chance of it being compromised at some point.
While I was living in London, I lost count of how many times bikes were stolen from office lock-ups that seemed impregnable.
Wrapping up
Buying the best bike lock is only the first step. You need to know how to lock your bike properly too. And you need to lock your bike properly everywhere: in the street, at home and at work or college.
In the street, locking your bike to a strong, immovable object in a busy area with lots of other bikes and CCTV cameras is a great start.
But make sure you lock it in the right way too: locking the frame and the wheels, keeping the lock off the ground, and making sure you fill as much of the space inside a U-lock as you can.
If possible, use the same techniques you use in the street to lock your bike at home or at work. It doesn’t matter how secure your home or work environments seem, never leave your bike unlocked.
At home, often there is nothing really secure to lock your bike to. If this is the case, it is certainly worth investing in ground or a shed anchor.
Of course, none of these precautions will protect your bike if you use them with poor quality locks.
The latest bike theft statistics in the UK and the US are particularly worrying, so it's important not to skimp here.
In the street you’ll need a good u-lock or a portable chain lock. At home, you should use the thickest, strongest chain you can afford.
If you’re not sure which is best for you, check out my simple guide to choosing the right bike lock. And don't forget: if you don't want a jammed bike lock, you need to clean and lubricate it every 6 months or so!
Exactly what I thought when I first read about that method.
Yes, I do think that if someone other than Sheldon had suggested this method it would be criticized much more.
Just wanted to say thanks for the most informative, common sense bike security website I have ever come across! Brilliantly done; hats off to you sir, I will recommend this site to everyone I know who has an interest in bike security. Thanks again for all your hard work!
Thanks Chris! I’m really glad you’ve found it useful.
I am very impressed, I just happened to run into it, and will bookmark it.
Very good information, I read everything, and learned a lot.
Very comprehensive. You did your homework
Thank you
I felt the same way! Great stuff.
Almost 43 and bought the first bike I intend to ride a lot. I say first bike, because I have an old Bianchi Mountain bike in the garage with enough dust to choke a herd of cats…ah well, best laid plans from 20 years ago. Your site has been a godsend. I intend to use your advice for purchasing a lock and for the method by which I lock my bike. Keep the articles coming!
That’s really great to hear Sway. Positive comments like this will keep me writing!
Sway, your comment “…enough dust to choke a herd of cats…” was hilarious! LOL!
Thank you really much! I had my bike stolen about 3 months ago, and now I finally got a new one recently. After realizing the mistakes I’ve made back then, and reading your articles one more time, I feel much better prepared and protected than before. Thanks!
sadly, i’ve seen so many new and nice bikes locked using #3 where the front wheel was removed and U-locked by a few spokes. good intention but not done right. I also don’t like using #4 because i think there’s a good chance of getting the back rim trashed by someone trying to remove the bike or even accidentally falling/leaning against it.
I have a question regarding the best way to secure my bikes. I have two bikes that I secure to a wall using an OnGuard 8019 Chain (as recommended by your good self). I’m able to pass the chain through the wall mount and through both frames and rather than have the shackle hang loose at the front, I attach it to either the top tube or seat tube of the rearmost bike. I think this keeps the shackle in an awkward position (behind one bike) and fills it too – is this a good way of securing both bikes?
Cracking site, keep up the good work.
Hi Wayneski
Yes I think that’s a great tactic! Anything to keep it inaccessible and as far from the floor as possible is good. And as you say, filling the shackle is a great extra precaution.
Cheers!
Great post bud, I’m about to get a bike and I’m probably going to get the kryptonite forgetaboutit lock for peace of mind. I’m also thinking of either spray painting the entire bike black (its a specialized) or using electric tape to cover the brand
Good stuff Andrew!
Hi, I have a question regarding securing a Fully MTB.
The bike racks at work here are very low (like this one: https://media.ziegler-metall.de/images_sh/620×465.png/.img/KAT0/026/390/originalf.png), so I use to park my bike with the rear wheel parallel to the bike rack, then I use an U-lock to secure the tail and the rear wheel to the bike rack, additionally I use a Onguard cable to secure the front wheel and the saddle.
So far, so good, but at is a Fully MTB, the tail of the bike is screwed to the frame, and given enough time, a thief could remove the tail and steal just the front of the bike (which would be a good bargain for him because it is a Pedelec).
What do you think, is this a realistic scenario? The place is only accessible by workmates and is CCTVed (but no recording, only real-time-monitoring).
Yeah those bike racks are rubbish!
To be honest, I would recommend 2 locks. Is there a way to secure the tail to the front with a mini u-lock?
I’ve seen loads of bikes stolen from places that are “only accessible to workmates”. If a thief wants to get in they will. And they know that bikes locked in these places are likely to be locked less carefully (if at all).
I will check this out, maybe a good idea. At the moment I simply use an additional chain lock (Abus level 8) that came with the bike to secure the frame to the bike rack, but of course I would feel better if I could properly secure the frame with the more robust U-lock.
I just bought my boys new bikes and got Kryptonite series 2 mini-7 with 4′ Flex Cable. We live in the suburbs and they will have to get creative at times with where to lock their bikes when going to the stores, etc. Do you have any experience with the mini’s vs. a standard sized u-lock and how difficult it is to lock up your bike? Just wondering if the mini will be big enough to fit around stuff. Thanks.
Hi Stacey,
It really depends on what sort of street furniture you have in your area. Mini u-locks work best in places where there’s plenty of bike stands like these.
They’ll also work well with thinner street signs and possibly street railings and some trash bin legs. But obviously they are much smaller and your boys options will be more limited with mini u-locks. Street lamps for example are a no-no.
The Kryptonite Series 2 Mini-7 is a good lock for low risk areas. So you’ll probably be OK if the bikes aren’t too fancy. I would recommend giving them ago and then if your boys struggle to find places to lock their bikes, sell them and get the bigger Kryptonite Kryptolok Series 2 Standard.
What they definitely should not do is be tempted to pass the cable around the bike and an immovable object with the mini u-lock merely holding the two ends of the cable together. I’ve seen people doing this before and it’s a sure fire way to get your bike stolen.
I would also recommend replacing any quick release skewers on the wheels and seats with skewers that have hex nuts. I talk about this more here. It’s just an easy thing you can do to discourage casual theft.
I hope that’s helpful!
Carl
Wow and thanks. Very thorough analysis and rich in detail. I wondered why I had read prior about not locking by the top tube and have now learned why from your article. Much learned here and enjoyed reading it. Cool.
hmmmm…just noticed that wheel locked in the photo is still worth stealing. that’s probably a $200+ deal there — a radially spoked wheel and what looks like a kevlar armadillo tire. And it’s all locked with a fairly cheap, single side locking kryptonite lock.
I made a trip to Toronto not long ago to visit someone. When i first got there, i was on my way down a major street with 50 yards of sidewalk bike racks where a fairly well built/pricey single speed bike caught my eye. On my way home, just hours later, I saw a front wheel where that bike had been locked. what a shame. Well, it obviously caught the interest of a thief the same way it caught my eye.
After reading through this great site, I pay a lot more attention about locking my own bike, but also about other bikes. And it is shocking to see how many people do not pay attention how to properly lock their bike.
First of all, the majority still uses cable locks. Second, they do not secure their frame, but only one wheel (preferably the front wheel which is so easy to remove) to a fixed object. And third, even those guys who got themselves a good lock just put it around the front wheel and their own frame so you can just carry it away.
The funniest thing I saw lately was a $2000 Scott MTB “locked” with a Abus GRANIT X Plus 540 to a pole which was only 3 ft high. So bike thiefs are still happy around here…
Haha yes it’s shocking how some people lock their bikes. I saw a nice single speed bike this weekend locked to a thin tree with a u-lock and cable combination.
Locking it to a tree was a bit dubious in the first place. But even more so was using the u-lock to lock the front wheel to the frame while the cable locked the bike to the tree. Those cables can be snipped in a second and while the bike couldn’t be riden away, it could easily be carried off.
I got a photo. I’m thinking of starting a rogues gallery of badly locked bikes on the site!
Yeah, i’ve seen bikes “locked” over short posts too. I saw a bike downtown a few weeks ago locked around the seat post…and a QR seat clamp. LOL. and last weekend I watched a girl unlocking her bike which was secured by the threadless stem only so you could slide off the stem with a 4/5mm in 5 seconds and ride away with the whole bike.
You sort of confirm what I’ve been thinking: My bike needn’d be locked perfectly – just better than equally desirable bikes around it.
Brings to mind, when your in the Jungle with a friend and you see an approaching hungry lion you do not have to do not have to try out run the lion. Yet be dam’d your you can out run for frien. (Ok, may be previous friend).
I really would love such a gallery, and I think I could get enough contributions 😉
A gallery would be good. It would be so easy to find a bike that’s barely locked. It’s one thing to see a bike with a crappy lock, but it’s really bad when you see a bike with a good/expensive lock that’s not used right. One thing i see all the time is a big Ulock+cable combo where the U lock is functionally nothing more than a padlock on the cable.
> Remember, over 50% of stolen bikes are taken from the owners home, so no matter how safe it feels, this is where you bike is most at risk.
I suppose that this number is always going to be very high because:
a) many bikes stay in the owner’s home for very long periods of time, for instance during the winter months or simply because the owner bought it and then proceeded to not use it very much.
b) most bikes stay in the owner’s home during high-risk periods, such as during the night.
So though I think your statement is technically correct, I think the risk is not necessarily related to the owner’s home being an inherently more risky place to put your bike. It’s just that most bikes spend most time there.
Other than that, I have read most of your articles over the last few days as I am buying the nicest and most expensive bike I’ve ever owned and would like to keep it for as long as possible. Thanks to your fantastic site, I’ve made my choice in locks and feel confident it’s a good choice. Thank you so much!
Yep I think you’re right Kjetil. But don’t forget “home” also includes the garden and the shed/garage where people are often a little less careful than they are in the street.
Indeed!
Hi there, I have been reading and reading and reading on your website and have to say a huge THANK YOU for compiling all of this information. I had my bike stolen a few weeks ago from the front railing of my house, with a Kryptonite Evolution 9 lock, and the light was on too! So, in my search for answers, I was so grateful to come across your page. I know what I should have done differently now, but am thinking about the future. To keep my new bike out of site I am planning on leaving it in the garage, but can’t decide what kind of system to lock it to. You recommended a number of floor-mounted options, which use a chain to secure the bike. I would be happy to get a heavy-duty chain to do the job, but you also recommended not having the chain too close to the ground…so what’s a guy to do? I am also considering getting a full-on bike rack like those on the streets, and mounting it to the concrete floor, so that I could use 2 different U-locks to secure it, but it’s a pricey option. What are your thoughts? Any advice would be appreciated!
Sorry to hear about your bike Paul. Any idea how they defeated the Evolution? It’s a really good lock. Was it left overnight?
Regarding the floor-mounted options, you make a good point. It’s impossible to keep the chain away from the floor if your attaching it to a floor mounted ground anchor!
However, in case you were thinking about attaching something to the wall instead: generally I still think it’s better to use the ground as it’s likely to be more solid and will therefore hold the anchor more securely.
There’s a big difference between a chain that’s secured with loads of slack trailing all over the floor and a tightly secured chain where only the links that connect with the anchor are close to the floor.
If you keep the chain nice and tight through the anchor and round the bike, it will still be very difficult for a thief to get it in a favorable position for bolt cropping. And impossible for them to attack it with a hammer.
If you’re really worried about bolt croppers, go for a 16 mm chain like those from Pragmasis and Almax. If these are unavailable then the Kryptonite New York Legend is another great chain. It’s not guaranteed to be bolt cropper proof but I’ve never heard of it being cropped.
If you can afford and can be bothered to get a full on bike rack, then that would work well. But I’d be more inclined to spend the money on a really good ground anchor and chain. You could always add an alarmed disk lock too.
Hope that helps!
Carl
Paul, if you are going to keep in a locked garage bolted to the floor you might as well get a chepo night vision cctv pointing at it – door. Should anyone break in, they should be greeted by a sign – Gotcha! Police on the way. Everything is expected to act as a deterrent…
Consider adding alarms, I have a $12,00 dollar custom e-Bike built on a Cannondale Scalpel frame all top racing components. Surely I lock it up every time I get off the seat, yet most all locks can be cut. Heck if it is garage you are providing the poser for an angle grinder and a good thief knows what blade to use
My solution was to place an audible alarm on the lock then senses all vibration and screams with the typical car alarm sounds.
OK that was stage 1, stage 2 activates my IP security cameras and and immediately feeds video feeds to my cell phone.
By the way, more and more public places offer WiFi, so even while I shopping of dining my android phone and tablet receive the alert
That is great advice Carl, thanks again. In terms of how they beat the lock, I think it may have been sawed. There was no clean break or burn marks, so I guess really big bolt cutters could also have done it. You were right though that Kryptonite has great customer service, because I got a 3-yr guarantee on the lock and it looks like they may compensate me for the theft! I am in the process of filing a claim with them. We’ll see how it goes.
Thanks, Paul
Good stuff Paul. Let us know how you get on with the compensation. I think some people think the never pay out. So it would be good to hear that they do…
I have one of those cheapy rubber looking u locks, and I have only been locking my front wheel to a secured object. DUH! Thank you for letting me know to lock the wheel and frame to something, to place the lock up, and to GET A STRONGER U LOCK!
Having bought a very expensive bike today I found your site to be highly informative in helping me decide on best security in locking it. Well done.
Thanks Alexander!
Regarding ‘3. With one lock and a removed front wheel’, would the Abus 230mm standard work in most situations binding both wheels to a pole or do I have to go with the 300 which seems huge. I can’t test in shop as its all packaged together, though a rough fit the 230 seems close, but what’s peoples real world experience?
Hi Rusty,
I’ve used a 230 mm lock in the photo. It’s tight but it will usually work with a Sheffield stand like the one in the photo. And a tight fit makes it more secure.
However, it can be tricky if there’s another bike locked to the the other side of the stand. So it’s often best to look for an empty stand!
Carl
Is it ok to put it on the Balcony and then secure it with a Ground Anchor?
For the other ways, it is alright, but I just got one problem – where do I lock it at school? The problem is that, yes there is a place where people lock bikes there just in front, but I heard a lot of students complaining that their bikes have been stolen.
The other option is to take it in the school entrance, since there are cameras…but then i got no where to lock it. Idk if it OK to actually HIDE it in the back garden or should I lock it close to the street to a fat metal rack? Thing is, that whole place is quite a challenge for bikers…and quite a lot of thieves lurk around there i was told… it is a freaking $1000 bike and it really falls on the eyes of people especially with its colors. It is not gonna be easy to protect it…that is for sure.
Hi,
It’s hard to answer some of these questions without more details!
I think a private balcony is usually a pretty safe place to leave your bike especially if it’s secured to a ground anchor! Be careful installing the ground anchor though. Usually, locking the bike to the blacony railing with a chain would be enough.
I would never depend on hiding a bike to keep it safe. It’s almost always better to secure it in the open with a really good lock than to hide it somewhere without any lock. So if you can’t find anywhere to lock it in the school, you’d be better off in the street. But are you sure there’s nowhere to lock it on the school premises?
If you have to lock it in the street and you know a lot of bikes have been stolen from the area, make sure you buy a really good lock. Sold Secure Gold. ART 3 Stars. Or consider buying a cheap beater bike to use at school!
Hope that helps,
Carl
I have just purchased a Tebco Transporter electric trike. What/how would you recommend locking?
Thanks for a great site! I’m in Australia and secure cages for bikes are becoming popular around our city.
Hi Ozzie,
Nice bike! They’re pretty expensive no? If you’ll be using the electric motor most of the time you could probably get away with a heavier chain which you could carry in the back. And then slip the chain through the triangle at the bottom of the frame.
Cheers
Carl
Hi,
Thanks for sharing an amazing content to secure my bicycle. You explained each and every step in a very detailed way so that any of your viewer needs to go to some other blog for searching some other information related to bike security. Very well done the job, and you rocks, dude. Great work. I will be very grateful if you could also tell me about what kind of locks will suit my need. Thanks in advance.
Great Site & Outstanding advice. Living in New York City, I will likely save a nice chunk of change — not to mention, grief — by virtue of finding you.
Now to my question:
What are your thoughts on the burgeoning ‘Newtech’ gadgets hitting the marketplace, such as ‘Smartlocks’, ‘Bike Alarms’, and those hideable ‘GPS Stickers’, among others?
Thank you for all you do!
Thanks Darren!
I’m suppose I’m instinctively skeptical about the “Newtech” gadgets. I generally feel that they’re adding layers of complexity that don’t solve the fundamental issues of weight, portability and security.
(And for Smartlocks, I won’t review and recommend them until their security has been tested by the independent experts)
However, I’m trying to keep an open mind. Just because they don’t appeal to me, doesn’t mean they won’t appeal to others. And I’ll definitely be reviewing them in detail in the future.
Hello there,
A few months ago I had mentioned that I had a claim pending with Kryptonite as my bike had been stolen from the front of my house. Well, a few weeks ago I got a cheque in the mail from them for the value of my bike! So, if you ever wondered if it was true, YES, THEY DO PAY. Granted, I did have to jump through many many hoops to submit my claim, but I think with their new sign-up system they are trying to make it easier. Just thought I would let you know the good news.
That’s great news Paul! Thanks for letting us know, I think many people will find that reassuring.
Were you able to provide them with the compromised lock?
What a great site & congratulations. I’m about to get Forgetaboutit / Kryptonite bike lock & a computer for one of my daughters for Christmas. So glad I came across this site as none of the others I saw showed where to place a bike lock that will render the bike relatively secure.
2.6kg is a fair weight to carry but what the heck.
I’m going to have to get another for my use so will spread out the cost.
Will the weight of the lock have any affect on the rim / spokes or am I over-thinking this.
Thanks Jim K
Hi Jim,
Yes you’re right: 2.06 Kg is a heavy weight to be carrying about every day!
Make sure you’ve thought about how your daughter will carry the Fahgettaboudit around, because it doesn’t come with a frame mount and if she puts it in her back pack she’ll definitely feel it. Remember, it’s the same as carrying 5.5 cans of Coke around.
Having said that, the weight shouldn’t affect the rim or the spokes since it usually secures with a tight fit and the weight tends to be spread across all the other things its touching.
I hope that makes sense!
Carl
A really interesting read with much good advice. Thank you for the site.
Peter
How can I properly secure a trike when pole attachments are too big for a chain?
Plus, what other recommendations do you have for protecting my trike.
Sure Monette! Can you post a link to a photo of what your trike looks like?
Thanks,
Carl
Sorry, I can’t. I have not yet purchased it. I plan on purchasing the 20″ Trifecta Adult Size Single Speed Folding Tricycle from walmart.com. I live in a high crime area and wanted to get ahead of the game by purchasing all things related. There are no bike racks where I go, only large square poles.
Mmm sounds like you might need a chain then. And if you’re in a high crime area you should look for Sold Secure Gold level of security.
The Abus CityChain 1010 (85 cm) is a good choice if you’re concerned about weight. But the links are only 9 mm thick. The Abus Granit CityChain
X-Plus 1060 (85 cm) has 10 mm thick links and is a fair bit more secure. Both of these are available in longer lengths if 85 cm isn’t quite enough for your trike.
Abus locks can be expensive though. So a cheaper alternative would be the Kryptonite Evolution Series 4 1090 which is also a little longer at 90 cm. It’s also available at 160 cm!
My favorite high security portable chain in the Kryptonite New York Noose. It’s super secure because it’s 12 mm thick. But because of the noose design it can be quite short (75 cm) but still long enough to get around your bike and a pole. Check out my review here for more details.
If you’re worried that that’s not enough protection then you could pair the chain with a mini U-lock that could just lock the trike wheel to the frame so that even if they cropped the chain they couldn’t cycle off with the bike. In which case the OnGuard Pitbull (14 mm) or Brute (16.8 mm) would be a good, economical choice.
I hope that helps!
Sorry, I can’t. I have not yet purchased it. I plan on purchasing the 20″ Trifecta Adult Size Single Speed Folding Tricycle from walmart.com. I live in a high crime area and wanted to get ahead of the game by purchasing all things related.
in Chicago I used to use the street lights to lock my bike needed a 3.5 foot chain it was a grade 8 hardened chain from the hardware store and an american 700 padlock worked well cables no go as a primary but I always have something called a seat leash installed on my bikes I had that happen bike seat getting stolen the cost of replacing it was not the issue it was the pleasure of riding it without a seat so I spend 10 dollars to secure a 15 dollar seat
It seems like the “anchor disguised as a pot of flowers” could be made very classy – and even heavier – by using a nice large terra cotta pot, and filling it most of the way with cement. If you left the top few inches free, you could plant real plants – something sturdy and unkillable like spider plants indoors, or cheap annuals like marigolds or alyssum for outside.
Great idea Joan!
Really helpful site, thanks. Just bought a Kryptonite forgetabouit to start commuting to the local station. Fingers crossed !
Another good tip is to lock your bike in front of window. At my gym, it is nice to have the bike rack in front of the large window. Robbers are much lesser willing to take the chance and you get to scope out your bike. Also bicycle alarms are a good deterrent. You can connect a cheap padlock alarm to your u-lock or chain lock so when it is moved, it will sound off a 100-110 decibel alarm. I would consider that more of secondary deterrent. There is also a bully pager alarm u-lock which is more a primary lock. The u-lock isn’t as strong as a kryptonite but when touched or tampered with, the alarm sounds off and you get paged to a remote.
I got a kryptonite combination cable lock, onguard bulldog u-lock, kryptonite new york standard u-lock, kryptonite new york noose chain lock and a bully pager alarm u-lock. I don’t use them all at once. I also crazy glue ball bearings into some of my bolts so a thief can’t just use an allen wrench to steal my seat or handlebar and I use hose clamps on my quick release wheels.
Good tips William, thanks!
Wow, simply amazing tips. Surely I discovered many of them on the internet yet had I found this post earlier it would have saved me hours.
My hat is off to you in honor and respect.
Thanks again. Happy Peddling to You!
Hi Carl
I’m really struggling to find a U Lock that will fit any Carerra mountain bike, the width of them is too small to go around a post, the frame and back wheel. It looks like it needs an internal measurement of about 15/16cm, but the U locks I have looked at with this width are not rated high enough for my peace of mind!
Has anyone else posed this problem, or do you know which lock would be best for this type of bike. I’m going to use the Abus skewer locks for the quick release wheels, and wondered if doing this meant we could remove the need to put the lock through the back wheel as well?
Many thanks for any help in advance.
Neill
Are you sure it needs to be so wide Neil? Which model is your bike?
I know mountain bikes can be a bit tricky. If you’re sure your measurements are correct and you can’t find a suitable lock, then you have 2 options.
1. Use the Sheldon technique, where you just lock the back wheel to the post, but going through the rear triangle.
2. Use secure skewers (like the Abus ones you mention).
I’m increasingly enthusiastic about secure skewers. No, they’re not as secure as a U-lock around your wheel. But in 95% of cases they provide adequate security.
And because they mean you only have to worry about the frame you can use a much smaller (and therefore lighter and easy to carry) lock.
So as long as you’re not leaving your bike for very long periods of time and your wheels are not super expensive I’d say secure skewers like the Abus ones are a good choice.
I hope that helps!
Hi Carl
Thanks for this, I had been thinking about just locking the frame, as we are using wheel locks.
The bikes are a Carerra Vulcan, Vengeance and kids Luna. Even the Luna needs a really wide lock, in fact it’s a bigger gap than the adult bikes.
The other thought I had was something like the LiteLok, although I’m not 100% convince of its durability and practicality.
Let me know if you have any other thoughts now you know the bike type. We are not likely to be leaving them for extended periods of time but do live in a high risk area, or at centre parcs, again could be high risk!
Thanks again
Neill
Looking at the pictures of the Carerra Vulcan online, I would have thought that if you came in at an angle (rather than straight on) you’d be able to get a standard sized U-lock around the rear wheel, the frame and a bike rack?
The Litelok is good choice. I’ve used it for a few months and found it pretty durable and practical. Bear in mind though that it doesn’t provide much more internal space than a standard sized U-lock.
But if you can afford the extra cost, I would say secure wheel skewers and a smaller U-lock just for the frame would be the best option. And that should provide enough security for your circumstances.
Hi Carl
Thanks for the article.
I live in an apartment block with a bike storage area. I had my Cannondale SuperSix frame locked to a wall mount with a £70 Kryptonite New York Lock LS. The thieves came in the middle of the night and sawed through the wall mount (after breaking through the door and garage gate!). I’ve got a new bike now but keeping it in the flat is hazardous (1 yo boy!).
Do you suggest I used the cement in a flower pot or maybe a floor anchor? I presume I’d have to get permission.
Thanks
James
Oh that sucks James! It sounds like you love in a high risk area. Neither a flower pot nor a ground anchor might be enough! I’d recommend that you take out an insurance policy and speak to them about where you can or can’t store the bike so you don’t void the cover.
Thanks Carl. That’s good advice.
James
Brilliant post. Thanks so much.
Thanks for the in-depth article. I wish you had covered small, light cables for situations where a bike will be unattended for only a few minutes or so to use the men’s room, or go inside a fast-food place for water, coffee, donuts and so forth. And therefore I wouldn’t have to carry a big, heavy U-lock.
When I’m by myself, I can almost always take my bicycle inside a rest room. When I’m with others, we take turns watching the bikes at a pit stop. When we stop for “brunch” however, especially in busy places, it’s unlikely anyone will think twice about somebody walking over to a bike and wheeling it away. I’ve been riding with my group for a long time, and would still find it difficult to distinguish between my friends’ bikes and bikes that belong to another group.
With a small cable, I could lock my bike to a friend’s bike, making it impossible for a thief to roll the bikes away, and unlikely a thief could carry both of them away without arousing suspicion from friends and strangers alike. With a small cable, I could even lock my bike to one of those “picnic” type tables some restaurants have in their outside areas.
Your thoughts and suggestions would be appreciated. Most of the cables I’ve seen on the Internet are light enough to be carried on my bike or even in my jersey, but most are only about a foot or so long, so I’m going to have to pay closer attention to some of the places I ride to see how long a cable I’d need.
Hi Billy,
Yes I’ve been thinking about covering these “cafe stop” locks. There are a whole load of interesting options, with some innovative new locks being developed or released shortly.
Keep checking back, in the next couple of months I will definitely be writing about them!
Thanks
Carl
Loving the site.
I just bought a bike rack for my car (1up-USA). I purchased 1up’s bar locks that secure the rack to the car, however I’m wondering if you have advice for locking bike(s) to car racks/cars. You mention that cable locks offer little security, but because of the distance between the bike frame/wheels and the rack/car, cables seem the only way to do the job.
Any suggestions for securing a bike to a car rack?
Thanks!
Joe
Hi Joe
I would recommend a thin chain over a cable any day. You can get some pretty long 9 mm chains. But even a 8 or 7 mm chain from a goof brand will be better than a cable.
Thanks,
Carl
A thick chain is probably too big to carry on your bike, but if you’re only talking about securing it to your bike rack, I’d go with a “thick” rather than a “thin” chain. And make sure it’s a hex-shaped chain. The hexagonal shape makes it very difficult for a bolt cutter to get a good enough bite to cut the chain.
In the ten years that I rode dual sports and stayed at a motel or hotel the night before, I’d estimate that at least a dozen times there was a bike stolen overnight and bolt cutters were used to cut through the lock more often than they were used to cut through a cable or chain. One night in Barstow, CA., my friend had one of those hex-shaped chains around his 450 Yamaha, but thieves cut through his 5/8″ Brinks locks.
So even a large-diameter, hex-shaped chain won’t keep your bike from being stolen unless you also use a hidden-shackle lock.
Yes good point Billy. Any security system is only as strong as its weakest link. It’s no point having a strong chain if it’s fastened with a weak padlock!
@Billy Dean
I just purchased two Ottolocks for the purpose you described. We mountain bike from home often so a heavy lock is out of the question and the 160g cable lock I normally carry for food stops/errands en route does not make for peace of mind when the bikes are worth $9k, despite living in a ‘low crime area’.
https://ottodesignworks.com/shop/ottolock?field_product_type_value=ottolock
Thanks Adrian. Wow! What an innovative idea. And better in my opinion than those folding locks. Can’t find it at Amazon but most places have it for around $60. Several YouTube videos but I like this one best…
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GiVGho83Rf8
Hi Carl,
Great site! Thanks for the information 🙂
I just bought a 300 euros bike and I live in Paris which is a very high risk zone. It’s hollandais style, very big, heavy and brand new and I really don’t want anyone steeling it nor my front wheel. I understand you say is better to buy two U-locks, one for the frame and another for the frontal wheel, I know the New York Fahgettaboudit Mini is the most secure but my bike is pretty big and I fear it will be too small for it, there is the Kryptonite New York Standard which could work but like the mini is too expensive and If I buy it I won’t have the money to buy the second U-lock to secure my front wheel, so I was wondering .. should I buy instead of the Kryptonite, two Onguard Brute STD-8001? With the price of one kryptonite I can buy this two and secure both wheels. I understand is rated GOLD in sold secure score. Should I just buy those two? Thanks for your help!
Hi Laure,
Yes the Brute is good lock. But two standard sized Brutes will be very heavy. Maybe go for one Brute for the frame and the back wheel and then a Sold Secure Silver Kryptonite for the front wheel?
You’ve got two choices for the front wheel:
1. Just lock the front wheel to the frame: in which case you can get a smaller u-lock
2. Lock the front wheel to the frame and the bike rack: in which case you’ll need a bigger u-lock
Option 1 will obviously be less secure than Option 2. But it might be acceptable. You’ll need to make that judgement based on your risk level.
As you say: Dutch bikes can be pretty big so you’ll also need to make sure the locks fit.
I hope that helps,
Carl
What a great blog – learned a lot, thank you!! Reading all the way from Gothenburg, Sweden. Just got an electric bike since I live in a hilly part of town, and am googling around for a good lock. I’ve so far just used a simple cable lock for my other bike, and now realize what a bad idea that is… But I love the flexibility on town that gives me, as I can always tread the cable through a bunch of stuff, and sometimes both wheels and the frame. But after reading up I am now looking at U locks from either Abus or Kryptonite. My problem is which length to choose, since I think the long ones gives me more flexibility which I need, while the mini ones might be safer because the space can be filled. And also mounting it since my frame is quite thick. Any advice on that, and should I think of anything in particular because it’s an electric bike? (besides it being more of a thief magnet than regular bikes, maybe…) Thanks!
Hi Susanne,
Yes, you definitely need to ditch the cable lock! However I know that u-locks (especially small ones) can be tricky with thick framed electric bikes.
Have you thought about a chain? A decent length chain should give you almost as much flexibility as a cable. And you can generally wrap them around your seat post so you won’t have the mounting problems you might get with a u-lock.
The problem with chains is that when they’re thick enough to provide sufficient security, they tend to be quite heavy. But if you’ve got an electric bike maybe that’s not so much of a problem?
Depending on your risk level there are 8 mm and 9 mm Sold Secure Silver chains or 10 mm Sold Secure Gold chains. As long as you keep the chain well off the ground you’ll probably be OK.
I hope that helps, let me know if you have any more questions…
Carl
Thanks Carl! Yes, I’ve thought about chains and that was really my preference. Until I walked into a bike shop today and ended up with the Bordo 6500! Basically because of the lighter weight and neat storage in its rubber case, and also there is not much room under my seat to wrap a chain, because the big battery sits on top of the rear wheel. I’ve just come home and am learning to use it – I do find it a bit tricky to wrap around stuff – just as you say in your review! Also just realized that the motor to my bike (a Giant) is on the front wheel and is probably the most desirable piece of the bike – so will need to always lock my front wheel (and frame) to something immovable (I have a regular simple lock on the back wheel). Which becomes a challenge since the inner space of the Bordo really isn’t that large… But I guess I’ll just have to figure it out 🙂
Thanks again – great stuff on this web site!!
No worries Susanne. The Bordo 6500 is a good lock so you should be OK!
If you lock your back wheel through the triangle to a post with a U no you can not just take it off. Yes, you can cut the wheel it but then the bike is unrideable IF you can still get the lock through the cut.
A month ago I paid 650 euros to get a brand new bike. it was awesome. The huge idiot mistake I made was to use the U-lock that I already had from my previously shitty city bike that nobody wanted. That was an old ABUS lock. I parked the bike in the city center, at 2 PM, locked the frame and the back wheel by a bike rack, with thousands of people around and perhaps also CCTV cameras around. It looks pretty much like the first picture with the crowded place in your article on the top of the page. there were literally thousands of bikes around and hundreds of better bikes as well.
Guess what happened when I left it unguarded for half hour? yep, stolen. including the lock. Somebody must have picked the lock, which I don’t think was a challenge for an experienced thief… I got to enjoy the bike for a total of 4 days. Get a proper lock people!
Now I got an Abus granit 540x and its awesome! I hope it lives up to its reputation 🙂
Cool! I think the 540 is a good choice!
So just taken delivery of my third bike THIS YEAR! Twickenham is the bike theft epicentre of London, or feels like that anyway. I wish I had read this after the first two went.
So whilst I have been contemplating only riding by bike around my home, (around the kitchen island is fun fun fun)! I have settled on the Kryptonite NY legend and a wall anchor. And whilst I might look like a poor white girl imitation of Mr T, I’m really hoping it will do the trick, as I don’t want to have to take the polices advice, which is essentially, just get a cheep bike love, that no one wants to steal.
Thanks for a really informative piece!
You’re welcome! 😀
Your site was recommended to me by a member of the Fremont (California) Freewheelers, after I posted on my local Nextdoor site that I wanted to start running errands by bike, but didn’t want to risk having my old (24 years) but beloved bicycle stolen. Bicycle theft is distressingly common in Silicon Valley. After reading parts of your site I’m about ready to purchase a lock or two, a seat clamp and maybe some locking skewers. Thank you for the great service you are doing for the cycling community by having this website.
Thanks Virginia… positive feedback means a lot!
Hello Carl. Thank you for this amazing site. Would appreciate your comments on our specific issue. We travel a lot in our Toyota Tacoma with our two Giant mountain bikes secured to our Yakama bike rack. Although we secured our bikes with three thick cables, our bikes were recently stolen in broad daylight while parked in the front lot of a Pacific Grove, CA B&B. Now, we are desperate to protect our new bikes while traveling. To this end, we recently purchased two Kryptonite New York LS / MC locks with security rating 9/10. Now we are considering a Kroptonite chain lock of a similar rating but are unsure about the best way to lock everything up. Our challenge is the length of chain needed to encompass the two bike frames, the wheels, and the rack. Is there a configuration you would recommend? Thank you very much.
Hi Joyce!
I’m sorry to hear about your mountain bikes. It’s difficult to make any concrete suggestions about the new set up without seeing photos. And I’m affraid I don’t have alot of experience of the bike racks that go on the bak of cars.
But I’d suggest that 2 Kryptonite New York LS’s are a vast step up from the cable locks you were using previously and as long as they secure your frames to the rack (and the rack is secured to the car), they should be enough in themselves.
Why are you tihnking of a chain as well? Is it just to secure the wheels as well?
Thanks
Carl
Can someone explain why it’s customary to lock the back wheel and not the front? My back wheel has hub gears on it, which I would think would make it far harder to remove than the front one? Am I missing something super obvious here please?
Hi Lydia,
The back wheel is much more expensive than the front wheel and therefore more desirable to a thief. However you’re right: it’s much more difficult to remove!
Thanks
Carl
Thanks Carl! I just got my new bike (one of these https://www.electrabike.com/eu/bikes/townie-commute/townie-commute-7i?g=ladies), and it has an Abus Shield 565 lock that’s already mounted on the back tire, so looks like whatever lock I end up with, it makes sense to focus it on the front wheel and frame. Any tips for securely locking those please?! Also I’m not convinced a D or U lock is going to fit, which is going to make my life much harder!
Yes, the problem is that the wheel is quite big abd it’s quite a long way from the frame. You’ll need a full size u-lock at least.
Since it’s an expensive bike as well, I’d recommend the Abus X-Plus 540, or if that’s too expensive the Kryptonite Evolution 4 Standard. Both these locks come in longer versions if you feel you need the extra length for your e-bike.
Alternatively, a chain like the Kryptonite New York Noose could work well. Just make sure you keep it as far from the ground as possible.
You can find more info on all these locks on my Sold Secure Gold locks page.
I hope that helps!
Carl
Sorry for the late reply Lydia!
The first thing I would do is replace the quick release skewers in your wheels and seat post with security skewers. Having done that, you’ll generally only have to worru about locking the frame.
Depending on where you lock your bike you could get away with a mini u-lock. Or a chain, making sure you keep it well away from the ground (this is easier when you don’t have to secure your wheel as well).
I would recommend a Sold Secure Gold for such a nice bike.
The secure skewers aren’t super cheap but they’ll make your life so much easier.
I’ve written about them here.
I hope that helps!
Hi Carl,
Thanks for your replies! It’s not an e-bike, though the company makes an e-bike with a very similar name, and therefore it cost me closer to £700 than the £2000 for an e-bike!
I got the longer version of the NY noose for locking in my block of flat’s secure bike storage, but it’s way way too heavy to carry around with me, so I’m still searching for an option for that.
I’m fairly certain that I’m going to need to focus on locking up the front tyre and the frame, with the back wheel already having a lock plus being more difficult to remove, I’m not too worried about that. I’ve also fitted the bike with a Smart Halo, which, amongst other things, blasts an alarm if the bike is moved whilst parked, which I’m hoping will act as a deterrent.
However, I still cannot figure out what lock will work to carry around with me, a U lock would have to be at least 50 cm long to fit. I don’t really understand security skewers, and they seem like overkill for a £700 bike… So any advice is appreciated!
I appreciate your continuing forberence!
Yep I agree: the long NY Noose is a great lock but it’s far too heavy to carry around.
But if you think you need 50 cm length of u-lock to get round your frame and front wheel then I definitely think you should go with secure skewers.
They are definitely not overkill for a £700 bike and additionally they will make your life so much easier, as you’ll be able to use a much smaller, much lighter lock.
The system I like most is Hexlox.
You just buy 1 skewer for the front wheel:
https://hexlox.com/collections/protect-bikes-with-quick-release-wheels/products/hexlox-security-bike-skewer?variant=44912435786
This simply replaces the existing skewer. The difference is rather than the handle on the end of your existing skewer (that allows you (or a thief) to remove it by hand), there is an allen key hole.
So you tighten or loosen the skewer with an allen key.
In many instances just having an allen key based skewer might be enough security in itself.
But to make it really secure you then also buy a Hexlox:
https://hexlox.com/collections/ready-bike-security-sets/products/bike-wheel-security-set-protects-front-rear-wheel
Which obstructs the allen key hole. Only your special key can remove the obstruction, so your wheel is totally secure.
I skewer with 2 Hexlox (you can use the other one to lock your setpost) would be €46 (so around £40).
So it’s not super cheap. But for me the convenience is 100% worth it.
Your local bike shop may already sell them. If not they would definitely fit them for you (it’s a 5 min job and they probably won’t charge you), if you don’t want to do it yourself.
Alternatively the Abus GRANIT X Plus 540 300 is a very secure, longer u-lock but at 30 cm probably won’t be long enough if you’re sure you need 50 cm!
Or you’re looking at a chain, which to be secre is going to be very heavy.
Hi Carl, just found your site – really good, congrats. Just buying electric bikes for me and wife. Risk low to med but lots of advice in your article for me to absorb. One question for you – it it better to lock 2 bikes together and to strong point or separately?
Thanks, George
That’s a really good question George!
I would say that locking in the separately is more secure. Simply because two bikes locked together could theoretically be lifted into the back of a van/truck when the one once the lock securing them to an object is defeated.
some may consider getting a u lock with an in built alarm on one wheel then the thick chain lock on the other wheel!