Comments on: Locking up through the rear triangle

By: Terry B

Terry B — Mon, 03 Oct 2011 02:03:10 +0000

A few years late on this one. Always carry two U-locks.

By: thuglifecrunk187

thuglifecrunk187 — Mon, 08 Aug 2011 23:25:58 +0000

yes, yes it was

By: Justino

Justino — Sat, 06 Aug 2011 00:01:53 +0000

Nobody’s mentioned locking the back rim simultaneously with the seatstays? this securely locks frame and rear wheel and doesn’t give the illusion that they can be separated. then i take off the front wheel and lock it in there, too. and usually my helmet. by the time this is all done there’s virtually no room for a jack or anything else to be fit in there (obviously i can’t get all of this with the short U-lock).
of course, some of the meters sleeved with the thicker pipe make it harder to angle the U-lock enough, or to get the helmet in there at the end, but by and large i’m able to do this nearly every time. it takes a little extra time, but it sure LOOKS secure, and, as was pointed out above, perception is huge.

By: Soledad Dolores

Soledad Dolores — Thu, 04 Aug 2011 21:20:18 +0000

locks only keep the honest people from stealing your bicycles. I tear when I see the kids and women today on the new styles of bicycles knowing they will feel the sadness of loss one wet night near the willow trees.

By: Soledad Dolores

Soledad Dolores — Thu, 04 Aug 2011 21:17:28 +0000

I feel your double sadness and weep some tears with you.

By: Ben S

Ben S — Thu, 04 Aug 2011 18:38:30 +0000

The youtube video definitely gives me pause about only locking through the wheel, but I think it’s probably still alright most of the time.

I’m a huge fan of using locking wheel skewers to secure my wheels. I used to carry an additional cable lock just for looping through the wheels, but I’ve found it a lot more pleasant only needing to worry about one lock. Just gotta make sure you always have the key with you (keyring++) or else you may be walking home in the event of a flat. Most bike shops around here seem to carry them.

Example:
http://www.amazon.com/OnGuard-2-Piece-Locking-Skewers/dp/B0029LBQPQ

By: Ben S

Ben S — Thu, 04 Aug 2011 18:34:07 +0000

Consider me convinced. I always try to lock through the rim and the frame whenever possible, but I’ll think twice about this technique in the situations where I can’t.

By: dave

dave — Thu, 04 Aug 2011 17:42:13 +0000

The truth is you only have have to lock you shit better than the sucker next to you on the bike rack. By the way, I have come back to my ride to see that some genius has taken of my wheel without noticing it was cabled to the frame. If you’re not traveling around with a 5mm wrench then could be walking. This method seems like it might invite such fuckery.

By: beau d

beau d — Thu, 04 Aug 2011 10:18:02 +0000

what is the concept? (not an investor – just curious)

By: beau d

beau d — Thu, 04 Aug 2011 10:16:10 +0000

DIY reflectors

By: beau d

beau d — Thu, 04 Aug 2011 10:14:06 +0000

the lock can’t pass through because it’s locked to the pole. (at least this is my best guess at solving this puzzle.)

By: waldito

waldito — Thu, 04 Aug 2011 09:02:47 +0000

hmmm. I read Bruce Schneier frequently, and yet I don’t see how this method of locking is an outright fail.

One thing I take away from Mr Schneier is that there’s no such thing as total security. You make strategies based on the value of the thing you’re securing, and the difficulty and cost of the security methods.

I wouldn’t lock a road frame with full dura-ace at 16th & mission with the rear wheel thru frame only. But I would lock a fixie in front of Arizmendi that way.

I maintain some DBs that need very strong security, and some others where ‘security thru obscurity’ is enough. When the latter got hacked it was not fatal or surprising, but dealing with that cost me less time than a full SQL lockdown would have.

There’s a right job for every tool. The dumb handlebars and front brake on that bike make it just right for the security tool deployed.

By: Jack Walker

Jack Walker — Thu, 04 Aug 2011 04:14:48 +0000

I’m saddened to see poorly locked bikes. I’m doubly saddened to see bike professionals recommend a seriously flawed method. As the video points out, get over trying to wrap you mind around not locking the frame and only the wheel as a magical idea and instead focus on the no-account meth head and the attack vectors at his disposal. Low-life fuck-face could easily have at his disposal any one of the following tools, hack saw, bottle jack, lever, felony pliers, allen wrench, crescent wrench, vise grips. He’ll attack the bike susceptible to the tool he has.

I’ve seen some folks lock only the frame. Guess what, if you have expensive components, I would snap the thin double butted frame in half like a pop can and take it away. Similarly I’ve seen folks lock the spokes and frame. Same thing, cut the spokes and frame and take it away.

I suggest you read Bruce Schneier’s security blog. I don’t think he’s ever written about bikes but the principles of attack and defend and the mindset needed to understand security are richly described.

By: Dizerker

Dizerker — Thu, 04 Aug 2011 02:04:16 +0000

I like to use two U-locks, and a cable through both, all connected to my girlfriend’s bike. Hexnuts on the seatpost work well too, and I never leave them out overnight.

By: The_Audacity

The_Audacity — Thu, 04 Aug 2011 00:37:56 +0000

I don’t understand why people don’t get this. This is not new info.

This method + a lasso cable around front wheel and in u-lock = best possible theft DETERRENT. I say deterrent because there is no theft PREVENTION in this goddamn city.