What type of bike lock is the most effective at deterring a potential bike thief?
64My method or deterring bike thieves...
After having five bikes stolen as a child, I began to figure out that any bike lock is better than none...
But my lock of choice when I am locking a nice Road Racing bike up in-town, or a perhaps one of my favorite mountain bikes, is a Kryptonite 7 foot cable (about eleven dollars), and a Master combination padlock. I wear it around my shoulders and chest like an ammo belt while riding and that way it helps me to remember to lock my bike when I get off it... (its hard not to forget it that way when walking into a restaurant or other establishment...everyone will let you know...) And of course I also try to keep my eye on the bike as well since I try to park it in plain view whenever I am in town.
So far these methods have resulted in Zero bikes stolen from me in the last 39 years... Even while living near downtown Los Angeles for a few years while teaching in the 4th grade at L.B. Weemes Elementary School and using my bike as my only means of transportation all over the downtown LA area and on nights and weekends to Culver City to hear live music at "The Cinema" and of course to the beach at Santa Monica and Venice Beach on sunny weekends.
Best of luck to you in securing, and keeping your bike safe.
All my best,
Miles Cobbett Author, Champion... ISBN 0741444186
Email: alaskamiles@yahoo.com
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Comments
I hope that the new armoured cable bike locks are not like my old one. I found that removing the plastic cover will allow you to seprate the armoured plates and exspose the cable.
Cable locks are very easy to cut off.
Consider an onguard U-bar lock.
But I found that Master locks are bad too.
I baught one of their best locks the magnum 6/16", octagonal, boron-carbide shackle, key lock.
To my supprise I found I can pick the lock in 1 sec.
It should not take you more then 20 sec. to pick a master magnum key lock.
I have seen the master spin dial combination lock hacked on youtube.
I can almost hack the master solid brass combination lock.
I can get the 4 number, 10,000 comination lock just short from opening. Being one or two numbers off the combination.
The master magnum 6/16", octagonal, boron-carbide shackle key locks are a little hard to cut but are very easy to pick. But their combination locks are hard to pick but easy to cut off.
shawna.wilson says:
16 months ago
Thanks for the helpful information, Miles!