Author Topic: How Not To Lock Up Your Bike  (Read 38687 times)

How Not To Lock Up Your Bike
« on: 21 June, 2009, 10:00:10 am »
Came across this forlorn wheel.  The picture doesn't show that it's a really nice MTB wheel; the owner had 'locked' it by putting the D-Lock through 3 or 4 spokes, so the tealeaf just quick-released the rest of the bike.  Had he had wheelbuilding skillz, he could have cut those few spokes and replaced them, and had a whole bike to sell on! :-\

rogerzilla

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RichForrest

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Re: How Not To Lock Up Your Bike
« Reply #2 on: 21 June, 2009, 03:36:52 pm »
I watched my son padlock his new bike at school once.
I walked over to it after he went in, unthreaded the lock from the handlebars and took the bike home again  :demon:.

His mum said his face was a picture when he came out that afternoon to find it gone.
He's not going to do that again in a hurry ;D

clarion

  • Tyke
Re: How Not To Lock Up Your Bike
« Reply #3 on: 21 June, 2009, 04:09:09 pm »
At Millwall for a conference, I was annoyed not to be able to find bike parking of any kind.  Fortunately, my lock was - just - long enough to go round one of the huge lampposts and the frame & front wheel.  Of course, any thieves could have just lifted the bike over the top ;D
Getting there...

Rhys W

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Re: How Not To Lock Up Your Bike
« Reply #4 on: 21 June, 2009, 06:35:37 pm »
I've seen one locked through... the bottle cage!

Basil

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Re: How Not To Lock Up Your Bike
« Reply #5 on: 21 June, 2009, 07:03:50 pm »
Admission.  I'm actually not that fussed about cake.

Re: How Not To Lock Up Your Bike
« Reply #6 on: 21 June, 2009, 09:36:40 pm »
But however carefully locked- never forget the power of a hacksaw. Once saw (sic)an expensive mtb well secured, front and rear, but the entire front end had been simply removed with a couple of neat cuts. Forks and shifters worth a few bob!
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Re: How Not To Lock Up Your Bike
« Reply #7 on: 22 June, 2009, 12:21:16 pm »


Lift up bike.  Now place bike a few bollards up or down either way.

Perplexed look on his/her face when returning. Priceless.  ;D
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Woofage

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Re: How Not To Lock Up Your Bike
« Reply #8 on: 22 June, 2009, 12:35:28 pm »
Alternatively, lock up your bike in a hurry so you don't realise you've also locked someone else's:



BTW, the grey one is mine >:(. Fortunately the other guy had gone a couple of hours later.
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rower40

  • Not my boat. Now sold.
Re: How Not To Lock Up Your Bike
« Reply #9 on: 22 June, 2009, 01:58:29 pm »
Alternatively, lock up your bike in a hurry so you don't realise you've also locked someone else's:
The frustrating/annoying thing is that he hasn't locked his OWN (green) bike.  Remove stem, headset, drop forks out, slide head tube of frame out from lock, thread handlebars & cables through lock, re-assemble.  Not that that bike would be worth that expenditure of effort... ;D
Be Naughty; save Santa a trip

Re: How Not To Lock Up Your Bike
« Reply #10 on: 22 June, 2009, 02:11:47 pm »
When I worked on the Haymarket I'd sometimes have no option but to lock my bike to a parking meter outside MacD's.  With a small shackle lock it was reasonably secure and was in the direct line of sight of our security guard's desk.

Once day, after I had done this in the morning, a bunch of contractors came to shift the parking meters around.  At the end of the so-called "working" day, I wnet downstairs to get on my bike and ride home.  After my initial bafflement on not seeing my bike where i had left it, I was delighted that the contractors had gone to the trouble of making sure my bike was still locked to a meter a little way down the road.

rogerzilla

  • When n+1 gets out of hand
Re: How Not To Lock Up Your Bike
« Reply #11 on: 22 June, 2009, 08:37:54 pm »
Alternatively, lock up your bike in a hurry so you don't realise you've also locked someone else's:
The frustrating/annoying thing is that he hasn't locked his OWN (green) bike.  Remove stem, headset, drop forks out, slide head tube of frame out from lock, thread handlebars & cables through lock, re-assemble.  Not that that bike would be worth that expenditure of effort... ;D
But...but...it's a "Professional"!
Hard work sometimes pays off in the end, but laziness ALWAYS pays off NOW.

CommuteTooFar

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Re: How Not To Lock Up Your Bike
« Reply #12 on: 23 June, 2009, 03:14:49 pm »
Some years ago Cardiff Ajax arived at Cafe on Cowbridge common. Lock up their bikes securely to one of those composite table and benchs that are common out side pubs  Go inside for tea.  A flat back lorry pulls up.  Lifts table complete with bikes on to truck and make their getaway. I expect they were looking for motorbikes but got a good second prize.

Re: How Not To Lock Up Your Bike
« Reply #13 on: 23 June, 2009, 07:53:22 pm »
Alternatively, lock up your bike in a hurry so you don't realise you've also locked someone else's:...
I did that once, at Reading station. Got back to find a rather annoyed bloke trying  to find out if the station staff would break my lock for him. Profuse apologies later, he was free.
"A woman on a bicycle has all the world before her where to choose; she can go where she will, no man hindering." The Type-Writer Girl, 1897

rower40

  • Not my boat. Now sold.
Re: How Not To Lock Up Your Bike
« Reply #14 on: 23 June, 2009, 08:06:06 pm »
But...but...it's a "Professional"!
Off-topic:  I have a 10mm Combination Spanner, embossed with the legend "Halfords Professional".  I often wonder how bad it would have to be if it were to earn the name "Halfords Amateur".
Be Naughty; save Santa a trip

Kim

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Re: How Not To Lock Up Your Bike
« Reply #15 on: 05 December, 2017, 04:15:12 pm »
Today's instalment in our irregular series Badly Locked Bikes of Birmingham:



For clarity: All that lies between a thief and a clean getaway is a single piece of fencing wire and the 4pm campus car exodus gridlock.

I suppose they get some points for using a proper lock.

quixoticgeek

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Re: How Not To Lock Up Your Bike
« Reply #16 on: 06 December, 2017, 09:06:10 am »

This one here was spotted in Amsterdam...



The lock is going round the brake cable...

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Cudzoziemiec

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Re: How Not To Lock Up Your Bike
« Reply #17 on: 06 December, 2017, 09:22:40 am »
Of another bike! Holding it to ransom?
Riding a concrete path through the nebulous and chaotic future.

Re: How Not To Lock Up Your Bike
« Reply #18 on: 06 December, 2017, 12:04:35 pm »
To be fair, they do have nurse's locks as well.
I'd guess the lock belongs to the brake cable bike. If the rack bike's owner comes back first, he's likely to just undo or cut the brake cable and ride off with the other rider's lock.

Alternatively, lock up your bike in a hurry so you don't realise you've also locked someone else's:...
I remember on one club run, locking my bike to a ring bolt in the cafe wall. As I was about to go in, one of the other riders parked his bike against mine, so I told him to lock to my lock, not my bike. "Yes", he said, and I went in. When we came out, I found that he'd locked to my bike, and also hadn't brought his key with him. Words were had, and a pair of side cutters located to chop the cable lock with.

Re: How Not To Lock Up Your Bike
« Reply #19 on: 06 December, 2017, 12:25:31 pm »
But...but...it's a "Professional"!
Off-topic:  I have a 10mm Combination Spanner, embossed with the legend "Halfords Professional".  I often wonder how bad it would have to be if it were to earn the name "Halfords Amateur".
Halfords Professional tools are well regarded in the car community and come with a lifetime warranty. Break it (if you can) and take it into any Halfords and they will replace immediately for free.

Re: How Not To Lock Up Your Bike
« Reply #20 on: 13 December, 2017, 02:45:50 pm »
Also, the standard 15mm Halfords Professional spanner is narrow enough to be used as a pedal removing spanner - I have one in my tool box for just that purpose.
Duct tape is magic and should be worshipped

Kim

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Re: How Not To Lock Up Your Bike
« Reply #21 on: 21 February, 2018, 07:48:41 pm »
Today's instalment in our irregular series Badly Locked Bikes of Birmingham:



I predict this one's owner wouldn't do well as a contestant on The Krypton Factor.

Bonus points for the state of that chain.

Re: How Not To Lock Up Your Bike
« Reply #22 on: 25 February, 2018, 08:50:38 am »
This was in central London, it's not clear from the poor framing, but the post ends at the top of the picture

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Kim

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Re: How Not To Lock Up Your Bike
« Reply #23 on: 25 February, 2018, 01:20:17 pm »
This was in central London, it's not clear from the poor framing, but the post ends at the top of the picture

Ah, the David Cameron technique.

Kim

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Re: How Not To Lock Up Your Bike
« Reply #24 on: 12 March, 2018, 05:07:04 pm »
Today's Badly Locked Bike of Birmingham:



Okay, not so bad, as you'd have to put a bit of effort in to drop the fork and do something about all those cables, but you do get an electric folding bike for your trouble.

But perhaps more interesting is the creative solution to making beam racks Not Shit:  Simply install them over an existing rack to help keep things lined up.