Hello! Daisaku here.
Out of the blue, but what do you all do about locking your bike?
We talk bikes with customers in the shop almost every day, and one of the topics that comes up most often is “locks.”
And no wonder. Few things are sadder than having a favorite bike, one you've put time and money into building, suddenly vanish one day from where you parked it.
I clearly remember the blood literally draining from my face the one time mine disappeared from where I'd left it… (It turned out a friend was just riding it around. Ha.)
I imagine plenty of people want a bike but can't quite take the plunge because they're afraid of theft.
That was a slightly negative way to open, but this article is about how to choose and use a lock so you can protect your beloved bike and walk away from it with peace of mind.
If you have even a hint of worry, please give it a read!
There are many kinds of “locks”
Locks are something every bike shop stocks. Broadly speaking, they fall into five types.
- Chain type
- Cable type
- Folding (blade) type
- U-lock
- GPS lock with alarm
Each has its own characteristics, so let me go through them in turn.
Chain type
First up is the classic chain type. It's the most popular choice at our shop, too.
It's a metal chain covered in fabric or the like, and because it can be shaped fairly freely, it's easy to lock the bike together with a fence, pole or similar. (Some are covered with a resin or metal shell in addition to fabric.)
The thicker the chain, the more resistant to cutting it tends to be, but the weight goes up accordingly.
Some of the sturdier ones are “a bit heavy to carry around in a bag every day……,” so I recommend choosing according to how long and where you park.
Many have length to spare, and another big advantage is that they make the “earth lock” I'll introduce later easy to do.
For what it's worth, when I ride around town I use a 110cm ABUS chain lock. It makes earth-locking easy.
Cable type
This type uses a cable made of thin metal strands bundled together.
They're light and flexible, and many pack down small, so I especially recommend them for rides and touring.
They're very portable, whether tucked in a saddle bag or wrapped around the frame, which makes them handy when you step away from the bike briefly at a convenience store or café.
On the other hand, while thin cable locks are highly portable, some are easier to cut than thick chains or U-locks.
For long stops or places with few people around, rather than relying on this one lock alone, I'd also suggest using it as the secondary lock in the two-lock setup described below.
On my recent Shimane tour I left the chain lock at home and took only this cable type.
Folding (blade) type
This type links several metal plates together so that the lock can be folded up.
It folds down compactly when not in use, yet opens out to a decent length, so it's an easy lock to live with for anyone who thinks, “I want something sturdy, but carrying a big chain around is a bit much……”
Some models can be mounted on the frame with a dedicated holder, and I recommend them for commuter and everyday bikes as well.
That said, it doesn't bend as freely as a chain, so it can be a little awkward to fit around thick poles or in places with complicated shapes.
Picture the kinds of places you usually park when making your choice.
Personally, this is the type that gives me peace of mind for riding around town.
U-lock
As the name suggests, a metal lock in the shape of a U.
Many models use thick, hard metal, and although they're heavy, they're a reassuring option for anyone who puts security first.
On the other hand, because the shape is fixed, with a short model you can end up with “I want to get it around the frame and the pole together, but it won't reach!”
When buying one, look at the inner dimensions as well as the toughness.
A combination that also works well is to secure the frame with a U-lock and use a cable lock (I recommend the KRYPTONITE Krypto Flex Cable) to tie the bike, the wheels and a fence or the like together.
If you're stuck for somewhere to carry it, it's sized to slip neatly into the back pocket of your pants, so don't hesitate to shove it in.
If you run a basket or rack, I recommend lashing it on with a SIMWORKS Thunder Strap. It holds securely, so the lock won't rattle around or fall off while you ride.
Alarms and GPS are options, too
These days there are also alarms that sound loudly when they detect vibration and the like, and items that let you check where your bike is using GPS or other location data.
However, their role is a little different from that of a lock that physically secures the bike, so I recommend using them strictly alongside a physical lock.
It's easiest to think of an alarm as a deterrent that makes a thief hesitate, and of a location tracker as something that helps you trace the bike should it ever be stolen.
When you lock up, use the “earth lock”!
I've introduced all sorts of types so far, but what matters most of all is
the “earth lock”
In other words, how you lock up.
An earth lock means not just locking the bike to itself, but locking the frame together with a fence, pole or other object that is fixed to the ground and can't easily be moved.
After all, if the bike is tied to something fixed to the ground, simply carrying it off becomes difficult.
If you have the length, it's even better to loop in the front wheel as well, like this.
Do be careful, though: you can't just lock up anywhere you please. Avoid no-parking areas, private property and places where you'd block the way, and lock up where bicycle parking is permitted.
Lock as high as you can, with no slack
One more thing I'd like you to remember is where on the bike you put the lock.
The key is to lock as far off the ground as you can, keeping the lock snug along the bike.
Rather than letting a long chain droop down to the ground, leave no more slack than necessary and keep things as tight as possible between the bike and the fixed object.
The reason is that large tools like bolt cutters become easier to put force into when they can be braced against the ground.
If the lock is off the ground, the tool is harder to handle, which raises the bar for cutting it.
What's more, if the lock is somewhere easy to see, such as near the saddle or top tube, it's obvious at a glance that “this bike is properly locked,” with the added benefit that your bike is easier to spot in a parking area.
It's a small difference in how you lock up, but it needs no special equipment and is a security measure you can start today.
Do give it a try!
A paid bike park doesn't mean you're safe
You often see them near stations: paid bike parks where you roll the front wheel into a rack that locks it.
Take one extra step here, too.
Push the front wheel all the way into the rack and check that it has locked.
And rather than relying on the bike park's lock alone, I recommend also using the lock you normally carry.
Also, if it's the kind of bike park where you can set a PIN, don't forget to set one.
They're small things, but they matter when it comes to protecting a bike you care about.
Because your bike matters, choose the lock with care, too
No lock, however sturdy, can bring the chance of theft all the way down to zero.
That's exactly why what matters is
what kind of lock you choose.
Where you park.
And how you lock up.
The bike you took your time choosing, the bike you've made your own by swapping parts little by little, the trusty bike you ride nearly every day.
To protect a bike that precious, put as much thought into choosing a lock that fits the way you ride as you did into choosing the bike.
If you find yourself wondering, “How much lock do I need for the way I use my bike?”, please come and ask us in the shop!
We'll ask where you usually park and for how long, and pick out just the right lock together.
