Disclocks or chains?

[jamo]

Im looking for some security for my bike when its left unattended.

I got a ground anchor and stuff at home, but im on about in and around town.

I hear all these stories of bikes being pushed away, so what would YOU invest in to stop this?

Disclocks, personally, i can see a lot of ways of getting around these. Lifting up front wheel etc.

Chains and padlocks also have there flaws. But a chain can act as many things: just put through back wheel, attach to railings, etc.

Discuss, im looking for opinions

[Korben]

Everything has it's flaws....

I have a Thatcham approved disc lock... Just a visible deterrant puts off 99.9% of theiving scum...

Also some disc locks come with alarms fitted... Any movement and 120db siren sounds.

Chains are good if you always have something to fasten them too, although a really good worthwhile chain will be difficult to carry around...

[Bill_on_a_bike]

The bugger with bikes is that most bikes, it'd only take a few blokes to lift it clean in to the back of a transit van, and worry about the disk lock later.

General advice is to chain it to something as solid as possible, wind the chain round enough times so that none of the chain, or the padlock are on the floor, this makes them vulnerable to chain cutters and hammers.

[Guest]

Like Bill said - they both have Pro's and Con's.

A disc lock does not stop someone lifting the front of the bike up and taking it away, it will only stop opportunists. Alarms are good, but how many people take any notice of them these days? Disc locks fit nicely under seats when not in use, or in your pocket if it's big enough.

If you get a cheap chain, someone can cut through it quicker than butter. If you spend the money and buy a decent one (Almax for example) then it weighs a ton with a padlock, and you have to ride with it either in a bag, or on your person somewhere. A chain however can attach to the surroundings, or another bike (see the Lock2Lock scheme) which then makes your bike harder to steal. The problem with this however is when you hook up your bike with an expensive chain to someone with a cheap B&Q chain. The thief comes along, 'snip', and lifts your bike away in to the back of a van anyway, expensive chain still attached.

Something like 80% of bikes get stolen from home, and no matter what you do, if a thief has targeted your bike, and is a pro - they will have it no matter what you do. The key is where you park your bike. Make sure it's well lit and visible. Look around for CCTV camera's; either Police ones, or those on shops and banks. If you travel to the same place regularly, either get to know someone close by who will recognise you and your bike, or vary the places where you park so that anyone watching will not see a pattern in your routine.

Horness

EDIT: Just noticed - there is not "Buying Guide" for bike security. Want me to write one up? Will be next week though, I'm working all weekend.

[stevie16v]

I use both, Aswell as several other security features. Can't be too careful. As everyone has said, if someone is intent on stealing your bike, theyre having it. I went to take a report from a guy who had a 6month old R6 stolen. He had one of the almax chains that was mentioned. Chained to a railing. F***ers cut the railing!

[rollazuki]

I prefer u locks to fasten the bike to itself, or something. Find somewhere that you only just have space to get the lock in, then its harder to cut, or jack apart. If its accesible, or theres a loop of chain coiled up on the floor, its easy to cut. If its taught with hardly any chain/locl visible, its hard to get to.

[stevie16v]

if its a struggle, chain the rear wheel to the frame

[Guest]

Both

[Ingah]

+1 to Almax.

But only if you can secure your bike to something equally secure.

Alarm and chain attached to bike frame and secure street furniture - is probably the most cost-effective solution.

Obviously the ideal solution (in order of priority imo) is:

Big+heavy Chain with minimum 16mm links (e.g. Almax, Series IV ideally), attached through the frame of the bike, with no slack, to something very secure (maybe like a good ground anchor).

Bike cover / garage.

"Talking" alarm (people are more likely to respond to a human voice).

Tagging system (e.g. Datatag/Alpha-Dot).

Immobiliser.

Alarmed disc-lock (just for good measure).

Random linky: http://www.maxmoto.co.uk/motorcycle_security.shtml

80% is indeed the figure bandied about for % of home thefts.

[Guest]

To hell with disklocks!! Thats why my hire bike got stolen! they smashed the disk lock up with a brick!!

[GARYJL]

I would go for a good visible disc lock for easy transport and storage.

At the end of the day if the scum want your bike it doesnt really matter

how you protect it. I think where you leave your bike is also important.

[Guest]

As posted in another thread (by me);

Best thing really would be a really high quality chain, and disklock and an alarm.

But as alarms and big chains are expensive, i recommend an alarmed disklock, such as this;

Xena Alarmed Disklock <-- Really good because its a loud, movement-sensor-activated alarm, and its yellow and easily visible, therefore putting off oppurtunist thieves.

The best chains to buy are Almax - I'd recomment the Almax Series 3 chain with the Squire lock, its uncuttable! Only thing that could cut it would be one of those electric disk blade cutter things.

[imghttp://www.almax-security-chains.co.uk/ofcmje75/All-Products/c-1-73/]Almax shop here[/img]

The 1.5m i find is long enough to attach the bike through the frame to something (always chain through the frame, wheels can be removed...)

I can't afford the almax though, i just use one of these;

Oxford HD chain and lock

the lock "can" be used as a disklock, but its awkward and a lot of messing around.

Hope this helps...

As its better than nothing and a nice visual deterrent.

If you're worried about the weight of the chain, just find somewhere u can attach it to the bike whilst riding, maybe wrap around the pillion seat or something... Tis what i did/will do with my chain.

[Guest]

ALMAX!!! You can't buy a better security chain in this country, probably the world. And they're not the most expensive either. Just check out their website and look at the videos of them cropping other brands of chains http://www.almax-security-chains.co.uk .

I have 5 Almax chains. Yup, really! Different link sizes and different lengths. The Series IV has 19mm links and the chain goes through my rear wheel and the triangulated section of the swingarm whislt being secured to the ground achor in my garage. When I goes abroad, I take the Series II chains, 2m & 1.5m. As none of the Almax chains can be bolt cropped without destroying the teeth/jaws of the cropper, the Series II chains are lighter and more managable for touring.

I'm going to keep what's mine. Almax helps make that possible.