http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ CityCyclingEdinburgh Forum » Topic: Bike lock habits & recommendations en Wed, 13 May 2026 02:07:14 +0000 http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=21731&page=2#post-379667 Wed, 14 May 2025 18:24:23 +0000 chdot 379667@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>“</p> <p>If you can’t keep expensive bikes in your house, then keep your garage or shed doors closed and locked at all times. Use high quality ‘Sold Secure’ locks and fixings to deter / slow down thieves</p> <p>“</p> <p><a href="https://theedinburghreporter.co.uk/2025/05/police-scotland-issue-advice-to-owners-of-high-value-mountain-bikes-and-motorbikes/" rel="nofollow">https://theedinburghreporter.co.uk/2025/05/police-scotland-issue-advice-to-owners-of-high-value-mountain-bikes-and-motorbikes/</a> </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=21731&page=2#post-379611 Sat, 10 May 2025 08:16:41 +0000 gembo 379611@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>Some might argue a folded Brompton looks more like a piece of modern furniture than a bike.</p> <p>Is another route to avoid theft.</p> <p>Since my bike was nicked whilst attached to a permanent railing on the steps to my mum’s house in Ayr in a twenty minute window. </p> <p>I take my new one into the kitchen at all times. </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=21731&page=2#post-379604 Fri, 09 May 2025 13:26:26 +0000 chdot 379604@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>Cycle thefts 2023</p> <p>“</p> <p>City of Edinburgh</p> <p>1190</p> <p>West Lothian</p> <p>59</p> <p>East Lothian</p> <p>59</p> <p>Midlothian</p> <p>22</p> <p>Scottish Borders</p> <p>30</p> <p>Fife</p> <p>124</p> <p>Glasgow City</p> <p>963</p> <p>“</p> <p><a href="https://www.scotland.police.uk/spa-media/5lanb10i/24-1260-dl-response.docx" rel="nofollow">https://www.scotland.police.uk/spa-media/5lanb10i/24-1260-dl-response.docx</a></p> <p>By comparison, these seem a bit low(?)</p> <p>“</p> <p>Between April 2022 and April 2023, Edinburgh experienced a significant number of theft-related crimes. Robbery cases numbered 153, highlighting a pressing need for vigilant security measures. Theft by shoplifting was notably high, with 1,340 incidents, pointing to the challenges faced by retail businesses</p> <p>in the city. Additionally, there were 523 cases of common theft and 134 instances of motor vehicle theft. These figures underscore the importance of comprehensive security strategies, not just for personal safety but also for the protection of property and assets.</p> <p>“</p> <p><a href="https://www.triton-security.com/security-in-sight/edinburgh-crime-statistics-22-23/" rel="nofollow">https://www.triton-security.com/security-in-sight/edinburgh-crime-statistics-22-23/</a> </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=21731&page=2#post-379561 Tue, 06 May 2025 17:17:11 +0000 chdot 379561@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>The rest is worth reading too -</p> <p>“</p> <p>I’ve also learned some other stuff which is really depressing. For example, up to half of cyclists will have their bike stolen at some point. </p> <p>And of those victims, 66% cycle less and 25% give up cycling altogether. So that’s loads of people, people that wanted to cycle, that actually bought bikes, but that never cycle again, essentially because they had the wrong lock. Usually a cable lock! </p> <p>“</p> <p><a href="https://thebestbikelock.com/about/" rel="nofollow">https://thebestbikelock.com/about/</a> </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=21731&page=2#post-379560 Tue, 06 May 2025 16:54:30 +0000 chdot 379560@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p><a href="https://thebestbikelock.com" rel="nofollow">https://thebestbikelock.com</a> </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=21731&page=2#post-379557 Tue, 06 May 2025 14:17:50 +0000 chdot 379557@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>Research</p> <p><img src="https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/54500914234_718de64220_c.jpg"></p> <p>Kryptonite about 2lb</p> <p>OnGuard about 3</p> <p>(I’m working on the basis that anyone who ‘cares’ about <em>bike</em> weight still uses pounds!)</p> <p>Weights in Kg on request. </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=21731&page=2#post-379544 Mon, 05 May 2025 08:28:03 +0000 chdot 379544@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>“BUT the drainpipe was on the bad list“</p> <p>As you’ll know, drainpipes are usually made of cast iron or plastic - both can shatter with a hammer blow. </p> <p>It’s why locking to bannisters in older tenements is not a good idea (and often why some stairs have broken or missing spindles). </p> <p>What else is on the insurance company’s list?</p> <p>Damaged Sheffield Racks are rare (more likely flattened by vehicles than attacked by would-be thieves). </p> <p>Racks ‘secured’ to the ground with ordinary bolts are perhaps more common! (Have the bolted one on Leith Walk been replaced?) </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=21731&page=2#post-379543 Mon, 05 May 2025 07:29:59 +0000 gembo 379543@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>My bike was padlocked to my mum’s hand rail on her steps, a sort of Sheffield stand. Insurance company 0aid out. THough my premium now high with a new company. Had I used the drainpipe Then the computer would have said No. I would have thought both objects were immovable BUT the drainpipe was on the bad list…. </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=21731#post-379542 Sun, 04 May 2025 22:41:08 +0000 pringlis 379542@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>The "immovable object" phrase has been on my mind recently as we're going to lose our garage for a period of time and will need to find somewhere else to lock up the GSD. My wife is keen on <a href="https://www.frontyardcompany.co.uk/products/plantlock">Plantlock</a>, which is a 75KG planter which they say counts as an immovable object but I'm not sure my insurance company would agree. They have a video showing how the steel is pretty strong, but no video of it tested against an angle grinder. Likely as good as a Sheffield Stand though...? Alternative I think is a ground anchor on the patio. Or just install an actual Sheffield Stand! </p> <p><img src="https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/587cb93303596eda8ac9ef9b/1518701592184-TW28QWWO14Q5G2HM4DOC/2+++PlantLock+and+cafe+customers.lg_2+2.jpg"> </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=21731#post-379538 Sun, 04 May 2025 13:28:52 +0000 Greenroofer 379538@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>@bakky - very good point that it's easy(ish) to lift a cargo bike into a van and the importance of complying with insurance requirements. I suppose I've been thinking that bike thieves don't cruise round Edinburgh in a van looking for bikes to lift: I've (rightly or wrongly) been assuming that most ad-hoc bike theft is done by crooks with battery-powered angle grinders on push bikes or motorcycles. The vans would be used on steal-to-order raids on known rich pickings (where nothing will stop them, as they are in a van with all the gear).</p> <p>I 'self-insure' my expensivest bikes (off the scale of being in scope for home insurance), particularly once I realised that the Ti audax bike I take on the train would never be insured on the train because it can't be locked to an immovable object while on there, and a lock that was valid for insurance was so heavy that there was no way I was riding 400km with it on board, and the insurance was <em>how much!?</em> and at that point I decided it just wasn't worth paying. If someone else writes it off in a crash (and I'm not dead) then I'll use their insurance. Other than that, I just have to make sure it doesn't get nicked. </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=21731#post-379531 Sat, 03 May 2025 22:31:20 +0000 bakky 379531@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>@acsimpson I think I was grasping for 'immovable' and couldn't recall policy wording off the top of my head - more likely than 'permanent'. </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=21731#post-379529 Sat, 03 May 2025 22:11:49 +0000 acsimpson 379529@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>I generally take the line that mostly a lock just validates my insurance policy. But I rarely lock up in what I consider high risk areas. It's interesting reading about having to lock to a permanent object rather than an immovable one. Is a tree permanent vs a car? If a Sheffield stand was cut could the insurance company argue that it wasn't permanent. (I hope I'm playing devil's advocate on that question.)</p> <p>On a related note if you think you'll need to change an inner tube without removing your wheel you can have one in place but attached to your fork with a cable tie. Very useful in some situations but possibly not the level of planning available should you leave home without the security skewer. </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=21731#post-379520 Sat, 03 May 2025 11:55:13 +0000 chdot 379520@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>Thanks for all replies - interesting and useful comments/conversation. </p> <p>Hadn’t realised how much you <em>could</em> pay (then I looked at motorcycle security…) </p> <p>One related issue is insurance. </p> <p>I have my most expensive bike on household insurance, don’t think there was even an extra premium. Think there was a line about ‘must be locked to something’, but don’t think there was any mention of lock quality. </p> <p>There must come a point (for some people) where an expensive lock is ‘better value’ than an annual insurance premium. </p> <p>Others may pay on the basis that in the unfortunate event of theft, at least there’d be money for a <em>new</em> bike. </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=21731#post-379518 Fri, 02 May 2025 22:37:36 +0000 gembo 379518@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>Just been pretending to buy a beautiful OMNIUM racer on-line build a bike As I was chatting to a tall bearded gent on a yellow one this morning. I could have added a Bordo Granit folding lock for 80 euro </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=21731#post-379517 Fri, 02 May 2025 22:04:27 +0000 bakky 379517@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>@Greenroofer a fair point about the weight of cargo bikes, however two counterpoints; I can lift one into a van solo, so for anyone of a mind to nick (they tend to travel together) and transport, that’s not a difficult job; secondly, insurance says ‘lock it to something permanent’, or void any claim for theft. </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=21731#post-379516 Fri, 02 May 2025 21:08:30 +0000 chdot 379516@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>One of the classics -</p> <p><a href="https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=eKtr-lWxzZg" rel="nofollow">https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=eKtr-lWxzZg</a></p> <p>.</p> <p>Also</p> <p><a href="https://road.cc/content/news/48011-video-hal-grades-your-locks-site-gives-scores-f-bristol-cyclists" rel="nofollow">https://road.cc/content/news/48011-video-hal-grades-your-locks-site-gives-scores-f-bristol-cyclists</a></p> <p><a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20160209220243if_/https://www.youtube.com/embed/IR8jdnsP4Tc" rel="nofollow">https://web.archive.org/web/20160209220243if_/https://www.youtube.com/embed/IR8jdnsP4Tc</a> </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=21731#post-379514 Fri, 02 May 2025 20:48:22 +0000 Greenroofer 379514@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>I have Abus frame locks on every bike that I leave anywhere unsupervised. For the Tern GSD, there's also an Abus Granit Bordo folding lock, which sits on a bottle cage mount and which is OK for locking to Sheffield stands if I'm lucky (don't watch Lockpicking Lawyer break into one with a nut splitter). TBH, for cargo bikes, they are so big and heavy that I'm not convinced there's any point locking them <em>to</em> anything in public.</p> <p>My fanciest bike is never left out of sight away from home. If out of reach it's secured with a very cheap café lock.</p> <p>At home there's a Pragmasis Shed Shackle, Pragmasis 13mm chain, Squire padlock and an alarm on the shed.<br /> <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8_J6jopvC98" rel="nofollow">https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8_J6jopvC98</a></p> <p> If they want the bikes, they will take them, but it will make a lot of noise and take them a while.</p> <p>I should say that our bike shed is right outside the front door, directly below our bedroom window, and anyone accessing it is visible from the street. We came down one morning to find that someone had had a go at it in the middle of the night and unscrewed one of the doors at the hinge (rather than cut the lock). Since then I've secured all the hinges and locks with round-headed coach bolts and put an alarm inside the shed that starts shrieking at the least disturbance.</p> <p>Also, I have a very large tiger in the shed, which I often forget to feed... </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=21731#post-379513 Fri, 02 May 2025 19:54:04 +0000 chdot 379513@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>Mike Burrows had an answer for that -</p> <p><img src="https://live.staticflickr.com/3215/2735493626_f1de206bbe_z.jpg//"> </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=21731#post-379511 Fri, 02 May 2025 19:46:47 +0000 chdot 379511@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>“no use if you're swapping the tube rather than patching it?”</p> <p>True. </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=21731#post-379509 Fri, 02 May 2025 19:19:52 +0000 fergus 379509@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>[quote=neddie]There is still my favourite puncture technique, which is to leave the wheel on, and feed the tube out between the stays. Then use a regular puncture kit. Essential for 2 of my bikes which have hub gears and bolted-on wheels [/quote]</p> <p>I stand corrected, but this sounds like a right hassle (and presumably no use if you're swapping the tube rather than patching it?) </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=21731#post-379506 Fri, 02 May 2025 18:22:07 +0000 LaidBack 379506@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>@pringlis <blockquote>Big fan of the Abus frame lock, key stays in while you're riding so it's really easy to use and you always have the key with you. I suspect even most thieves around Edinburgh even if they got through my chain lock would likely either not notice or forget about the wheel lock which would buy a little more time if they wanted to ride it away.</blockquote></p> <p>My thoughts exactly. On the occasions when someone has attempted on a customer's bike they only succeeded in making the task of using an angle grinder harder as the lock detached from frame was loose around back wheel. I had to cut it off with someone holding the horseshoe lock steady with a mole wrench. Took me 10 mins to avoid cutting into frame and spokes. This bike also had failed attempt to steal battery which just mangled battery lock. </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=21731#post-379504 Fri, 02 May 2025 16:34:17 +0000 pringlis 379504@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>I have a sliding scale of locking approaches for my Tern GSD depending on where I'm parking and for how long.</p> <p>1) Abus frame lock on the front wheel only - if I'm popping in somewhere where I'll only be away for a couple of minutes, or where the bike will still be visible to me<br /> 2) Wheel lock + a hefty Kryptonite Chain Lock from the frame to an immovable object, if I'm leaving the bike during the day in a reasonably safe area which is busy<br /> 3) Wheel lock + Chain Lock + D-Lock on ground through wheels if I'm leaving it somewhere "a bit dodgy" or at night. If leaving overnight I'll also take the battery out.</p> <p>Big fan of the Abus frame lock, key stays in while you're riding so it's really easy to use and you always have the key with you. I suspect even most thieves around Edinburgh even if they got through my chain lock would likely either not notice or forget about the wheel lock which would buy a little more time if they wanted to ride it away. </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=21731#post-379503 Fri, 02 May 2025 16:26:52 +0000 chdot 379503@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>“The price is a kick in the danglies“</p> <p>Ah, yes (just looked it up!)</p> <p><a href="https://www.litelok.com/products/litelok-x3" rel="nofollow">https://www.litelok.com/products/litelok-x3</a></p> <p>Most of my bikes are worth less than that - not that I want any stolen. </p> <p>Apart from ‘value’ - monetary and ‘sentiment’, the inconvenience of losing a bike can be huge - even if people have a spare one - or the cash to replace a stolen one. </p> <p>But it’s undoubtedly a problem ‘balancing’ cost/convenience (particularly weight)/peace of mind etc. </p> <p>Cheap/scruffy bike with a D lock less likely to get stolen, but that’s hardly the point. </p> <p>There’s no doubt that electric bikes are being targeted. I intend to get figures on numbers/types of bikes <em>reported</em> stolen in Edinburgh. </p> <p>I’m not entirely confident that adequately accurate figures are collated. </p> <p>We’ll see. </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=21731#post-379502 Fri, 02 May 2025 15:51:20 +0000 Yodhrin 379502@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>Another vote for the Litelok X3. The price is a kick in the danglies, especially as it was my second expensive lock(got a D1000 and the XChain combo for my first ebike but when I got my second more posh one the frame is so thick you can't get the D1000 around anything - sold the lock on at a loss and kept the chain for situations that merit extra paranoia), but that plus an integral cafe lock is enough that I feel safe leaving it for short periods of time unattended in populated areas(eg, if I decide to go in to the supermarket myself and shop rather than arranging a click &amp; collect order). I should note that the bike is also on BikeRegister using the marking kit, and the bike itself should, if I understand the marketing bumpf correctly, refuse to function properly if the head unit is detached(which is a quick release) so that's additional peace of mind. And it's insured of course.</p> <p>But yeah, it's definitely a barrier, though more to the kinds of trips I'm willing to take with it than an absolute. For example I wouldn't leave it locked up and go to the cinema or go out for a social meal, anything like that I'd want access to secure and ideally physically-monitored parking, but we don't do that sort of thing here. </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=21731#post-379500 Fri, 02 May 2025 13:06:00 +0000 chdot 379500@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>“When d-locks we're broken by force rather than cutting.“</p> <p>Ah yes the bottle jack method. </p> <p>Advice always ‘leave as little space as possible’ - so lock frame + wheel to something. </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=21731#post-379499 Fri, 02 May 2025 13:02:24 +0000 chdot 379499@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>“With hindsight the tyres must have been quite a loose fit.“</p> <p>I still have no ‘understanding’ of why some rim/tyre combinations are a REAL pain. </p> <p>Some (tyre) brands/models are notorious, but others seem so ‘loose’ you half expect them to not stay on - or at least seat properly. </p> <p>I’m sure for some cheap tyres ‘manufacturing tolerances’ is an issue, but for ‘big brands it really shouldn’t be a problem . </p> <p>Yes, puncture fixing with the wheel on can be straightforward, but not always… </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=21731#post-379496 Fri, 02 May 2025 11:40:24 +0000 acsimpson 379496@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>My technique probably predates portable angle grinders. When d-locks we're broken by force rather than cutting.</p> <p>@Neddie, that's a good technique. I once had to do it with cutlery as I had neither a spanner nor tyre levers. With hindsight the tyres must have been quite a loose fit. </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=21731#post-379495 Fri, 02 May 2025 11:29:40 +0000 neddie 379495@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p><blockquote>there's no way of dealing with a puncture</blockquote></p> <p>There is still my favourite puncture technique, which is to leave the wheel on, and feed the tube out between the stays. Then use a regular puncture kit. Essential for 2 of my bikes which have hub gears and bolted-on wheels </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=21731#post-379493 Fri, 02 May 2025 10:33:24 +0000 chdot 379493@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>Yes!</p> <p>I just use ordinary Allen key ones. </p> <p>Like the idea of ‘special’ ones, but -</p> <p>Remembering/not losing special keys… </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=21731#post-379492 Fri, 02 May 2025 10:29:47 +0000 fergus 379492@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>Posting a reminder that if you use security skewers, remember to take your key with you! If you can't get the wheel off, there's no way of dealing with a puncture and you'll have to walk home. </p>