All,
Have we got a single thread anywhere which lists all the tactics to reduce the chance of your bike getting nicked ?
I had a brief search, but, well, you know ....
Anyhow, this is for starters, what else can you add ?
D locks are better than cable locks. I regard a cable lock as simply a deterrent, it can be snipped quicker than it can be unlocked. I don't any more, but if I were to leave a bike secured with a cable I wouldn't let it out of my sight.
General recommendation is that you spend a tenth of the bike's new cost on a D lock.
When you lock your bike up with a D lock make sure that as much of the space in the D is occupied by either bike or the strong point you are locking to. This stops the thief getting a hydraulic ram in the lock to bust it.
Use two different types of lock. A thief will typically go out with one tool to defeat one type of lock. Having two types of lock should overcome that.
Park your bike somewhere really obvious.
Park your bike next to a much more desirable bike (and ideally one that has a weaker lock than yours).
Make your bike look less desirable.
Don't park it in the same place at the same time every day.
Make sure you record the frame number of your bike (typically it's stamped into the frame under the bottom bracket - the bit that the pedals are linked through).
Register it with one of the existing bike tracing websites.
Remove the bar end plugs and pop a piece of paper with your name and address into the bar ends, then put the plugs back in. Should your bike be recovered it's then much easier to prove it's yours.
Photograph your bike in detail, making sure that anything that is non-standard is covered. This will help to identify it should it be recovered.
Leave your bike in top gear. Anyone trying a hasty get away won't be able to speed off quite as quick as they might like.
Take the wheels off and lock them to the bike if you're leaving it for any length of time. That makes it a less attractive thing to steal, because they have to spend longer getting it ready to cycle away.
Remove anything easily removable, eg lights, bottles, saddlebags, computers etc. and take it all with you.
Consider pitlock skewers for the wheels and saddle.
D-lock the frame then use a cable leash to secure both wheels and possibly loop through a saddle rail.