Locks again: Bike chains get the chop...

[Sergeant Pluck]

I'm considering investing in another lock. I was considering the Kryptonite New York Fahgettaboudit Mini Lock, but if you can't get a decent chain...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VC3hFr8p2ck

I'm beginning to favour this instead (I know D-lcoks are the recommended choice), but I've been considering the chain + the above option as it seems more flexible - I was wondering the (necessarily) restricted size of the D might render it difficult to make use of on occasions:

http://www.parker-international.co.uk/6771/Kryptonite-New-York-M18-Lock.html

[ed_o_brain]

What does the video show?
Unfortunately my temporary excuse for an internet connection has flicr barred.

[andrew_s]

It shows Captain Cropper using his whacking great big bolt croppers to chop assorted Abus Granit, Kryptonite New York, Oxford etc chains.
It's advertising for Almax chains, which broke the bolt croppers on another video.

Bear in mind that anything strong enough to fend off big bolt croppers will be heavy enough to put you off carrying it much, and that you can get through anything with a grinder in due course. A relatively small good D-lock is probably the most portable reasonable option, but you may have to hunt around for something to attach it to.

The most important part of bike security is where and when you leave the bike.

[Polar Bear]

It's a fatally flawed test in my opinion in that the cropping attempts are unhindered.  The chain is free and loose.  They can use as much of it as they like.

When I deploy my fahgettaboudit chain, I wrap it round frame(s) and stand / post to ensure that there is the absolute minimum amount of access for croppers, saws etc.    

That's a fuck off large cropper being used too - not the sort that your average scrote carries under his jacket.   Granted a van gang might have one in the vehicle, and granted that, given unhindered access they would be able to crop a chain.  

I like that mini fahgettaboudit lock.   Might get myself one.  

[vorsprung]

Weight: 2.09 Kg

That puts me off

I want a lock I can carry everywhere without thinking "that weights a ton, leave it at home".  A lock I actually use is better security than one I can't be bothered bringing with me

I have a "Kryptonite Evolution Mini Lock" which is half the weight
Kryptonite Evolution Mini Lock - Only £27.50 - Worldwide Cycling Mail Order Specialists and Consultants - Parker International
It is "silver" rated rather than gold.  It only has a 13mm shackle rather than a 18mm one on the mini FAHGETTABOUDIT

I also have a "Kryptonite New York Lock" which is also gold rated like the mini FAHGETTABOUDIT
Kryptonite New York 3000 Lock  - Only £49.10 - Worldwide Cycling Mail Order Specialists and Consultants - Parker International
However, this also weighs over 2Kg so I have tended to leave it at home

[mrcharly-YHT]

I've said it lots of times; the lock you need is the lock that your insurance company will accept.

Bitter experience has taught me that thieves will nick anything no matter how crappy it looks, or how well it is locked up. Just make sure you can replace it, and that means ensuring that you are covered by insurance.

[Jurek]

I was considering the Kryptonite New York Fahgettaboudit Mini Lock,

I have one of these SP - the one with 80mm x 150mm capacity.

On occasions I've had to look around a little, but I've never found myself in a situation where I can't find something sufficiently small (whilst sufficiently robust) to put the lock around, and have adequate capacity left in the lock to accommodate the front wheel (removed) and the radian of the rear wheel which sits within the rear triangle (which is all you need - no need to lock the frame itself - as you doubtless know).

The 2kg weight is *managable* in a courier bag. At least so on commute type rides.

I also have an On-Guard Thatcham Sold Secure chain & lock. Between them, they tip the scales at nearly 4.5kg.
I think they've been out with me on a ride just once.

HTH

[Greenbank]

I've said it lots of times; the lock you need is the lock that your insurance company will accept.

Bitter experience has taught me that thieves will nick anything no matter how crappy it looks, or how well it is locked up. Just make sure you can replace it, and that means ensuring that you are covered by insurance.

(I know this isn't quite what you were saying, but it could be read this way...)

The problem with going for the minimum that your insurance company will accept (i.e. not getting the best lock right from the start) is that you may lose out by repeated claims/replacements on one or more of:-
a) Having to pay an excess each time
b) Having to pay for other forms of transport before replacement
c) Losing other small annoying to replace items along with the bike (light brackets, pumps, etc) that you may not get the money for from the insurance company
d) Having larger insurance payments (especially as you now have to own up to having claimed on insurance in the past n] years).
e) Time/hassle/bile

The determined thief will still be able to nick your bike even with the top-end locks in use, but they might ward off the not-so-determined thief that would have got your bike if locked up with an average, but acceptable to the insurance company, lock.

[Sergeant Pluck]

I have one of these SP - the one with 80mm x 150mm capacity

I got one. Despite checking it out by looking at them in shops prior to ordering (I chose it as I thought it might be a better daily carry than one of the larger New Yorks. In fact, due to 18 mm bar vs 16 mm, there is not much to choose weight wise) - now that I have one in front of me, I too wonder just how often I'll bring it with me   My notion of carrying it using a Zefal doo-dad or 2 on the under the top tube does not appear to be feasible.

[Karla]

I have the evolution mini D, like vorsprung linked.  Lamp posts are generally out unless you lock your bike 4' in the air and sometimes not even then, but Sheffield stands and railings are fine.  Is yours  few mm narrower than mine, due to the larger diameter shackle?

[TimO]

I've got one of the Kryptonite New York Fahgettaboudit Mini Locks, which is my normal carry about with me lock, and the Fahgettaboudit Chain which is what I leave at work, and use in conjunction with the Mini D-Lock.  This is in a secured area, which needs swipe card access, and has closed circuit TV cameras.

It's also about doing things like not making sure that you have the best locks available, just ones that are better than other bikes locked up in the same area.

If a thief wants you bike, they'll get it.  It doesn't matter how you lock it up, or whatever you use, a large pair of bolt croppers and/or angle grinder will get through most things eventually.

Of course, most of the time it's not that sort of thief, it's some sort of scrote with a pair of wire cutters or a hacksaw, who will be thwarted in his attempts to nick your bike, but will be quite happy with the BSO locked up next to it.

[Sergeant Pluck]

I'll see how I get on with it. I bought it in the knowledge that there could be a possibility that it might turn out  to be impractical as a daily carry - I am also in need of another decent lock for the bikes I leave at home so it'll do for that if all else fails.

Thank the Gods I can bring my bike into the office...

[oncemore]

Busters (m'cycle stuff) current sale incls some locks etc. Tend to the heavy side, but for at-home security BIG *^"* -off m'bike stuff is good.

Second best to "This bike is the property of (town deleted!) Satans Slaves. F*** with it and find out."

[woollypigs]

If they want it they will get it no matter how many locks you put on your bike. Since it is impossible to make it impossible to nick. So I make it as hard as I can with what I got and hope for the best.

[Zoidburg]

I hate to be the one to point out the logic of this but even if you have a super duper indestructable chain, so impervious and perfect that it actually contains a sliver of the one true cross inside to ensure victory against all enemies...an organised gang of really determined oiks with a van are just going to Stihl saw through the street furniture and chuck the bike in a van.

[woollypigs]

yup, I have seen it in Denmark, flat bed truck with a crane and some angle grinders cut the bicycle rack and lift the lot onto the lorry. To do all the wanted to do when they got back to the garage.

So make it hard for the thief with making your bike ugly, luck it up proper e.g. filling the whole D in the D-lock with bicycle and what every you are locking it too etc and at a place where you can see it or others can.

[Greenbank]

And they can also cut the frame leaving the lock in place.

Two average £300 Trek hybrids locked to a railing in Wimbledon Village. Came back 24 hours later to pick up the bikes to find no bikes and a scattering of frame colour filings on the ground, one cable lock cut probably with bolt croppers, my good quality Abus D-Lock was still locked to the railing.

[CrinklyLion]

I left the new Valencia locked up outside when I went to the pub the other day.  This meant that I had a choice of locking up points including a sheffield stand a couple of minutes away on a fairly busy and rowdy street,  a big iron gate visible from just outside the pub door, but not visible from inside the pub, or a gas pipe right outside.  I went for the sheffield stand.  And 4 separate locks.  Since there was at least two pubs with bouncers within about 10 yards, I figured that somone chopping/sawing through each of those in turn would probably be quite obvious and there was a vague possibility they might be put off from trying.  And was ever so glad to see she was still there when I went back

[perpetual dan]

or a gas pipe right outside

Which would at least make cutting through the street furniture suitably interesting. 

[TimO]

...and may see evolution in action, like the scrotes who after nicking all the copper cabling inside a disused office building a few years back, came back and tried to steal the cabling on the other side of the substation.  The side that was stlll live.  I think some of them survived.

[CrinklyLion]

See, I always look at the very convenient gas pipe, and think 'would they be stupid enough to cut through a pretty lightweight gas pipe?  But if they were indeed that dim a) I'd probably lose my bike and b) it could quite  possibly result in the pub closing, so I wouldn't even be able to go and sob into my pint about the loss of the lovely Valencia.  Oh, and a major gas leak in a highly populated area, which I suppose you'd want to avoid too...

[Zoidburg]

Gas is not under a great deal of pressure, you could cut the pipe and just light the end. Leave it to burn.

[mattc]

So ... if a 'friend' had a bike hanging in their garage for years, with a D-lock through the back wheel, and err... mislaid the key; what's the best/affordable way to "dis-engage" the lock from the bicycle?

[Hopefully any answers will also shed light on the original topic!]

[TimO]

It depends on how good the D-Lock is.

One of my colleagues managed to fail the lock mechanism on his, and he borrowed a lump hammer from me.  A handful of thwacks with that against the brick wall it was next to, and the lock fell off.

This shouldn't work with a decent D-Lock, but a Halfords special, such as he had, may be amenable to it.

[Jurek]

what's the best/affordable way to "dis-engage" the lock from the bicycle?

Car jack or angle grinder.

As I understand it.