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What do you do to keep your bike safely locked up? (lemmy.world)
submitted 1 year ago by to c/micromobility@lemmy.world
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I like to bike when I can, but I'm still nervous to leave it even with a U-lock around the frame. I've also had a seat stolen before (not even a good one), but I'm not sure if there's anything reasonable to do about that.

What do you do to lock up your bike for commuting?

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[–] 3 points 1 year ago* (4 children)

I just pulled up this community with the intention of posting this exact same question but specifying in a city.

So far, I've only really seen one comment that has addressed that. I see people around town riding these multi-thousand-dollar bikes, but I don't know what they're doing to keep them from getting stolen because bike theft is a huge problem here. Fancy bike, cheap bike, doesn't matter.

I would really benefit from an e-bike or, even better, an e-trike, but I'm pretty sure it would get stolen right away even with good locks. This thread very much discourages me from even trying, and maybe that's for the best. I don't know.

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  • [–] 3 points 1 year ago* (3 children)

    There are two ways you can approach this:

    1. Get an entry level bike and decent locks like a uLock like the Litelock X1 or X3 (or Skunklock Chemical if you're vindictive lol) and maybe supplement it with a secondary chain or folding like (Hiplok Gold or Foldylock Forever are good supplementary locks). The locks should deter most thieves and the Litelock X3 takes mutiple cutting wheels to get through (the Skunklock Chemical has an active defense of skunking anyone who tries to cut it).

    2. Get a nice bike with the above locks as well as insurance, trackers, an alarm, and maybe even another lock.

    If you opt for 1, I'd recommend checking out your local bike shop for brands like Lectric, Ride1up, etc. and getting whatever makes the most sense for you. Since you mentioned trikes, I want to point out that they are prone to tipping so ride slowly around corners or you'll crash. I prefer 2 wheels over 3 for this reason (though I do have a recumbent trike that's fun to ride but trickier to corner than a bicycle).

    Ideally, in either case, it's best to bring your bike inside: Even if you lock a bike up, people can do things like put glue in the lock, vandalize the bike, steal parts, etc. Try to limit the amount of time you leave it exposed, especially if you live in high theft areas.

    Personally, I just ride cheap bikes and keep them in good repair. If they get destroyed or stolen, that sucks, but even if I never get compensated for it, I can replace it sooner rather than later.

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  • [–] 3 points 11 months ago (2 children)

    That is some very helpful information and points to think about, thank you.

    Unfortunately, the reason I would so benefit from an e-bike or trike is disability which impacts my muscles. So I would struggle with the heavy duty locks and chains, and even moreso with having to bring my bike with me everywhere.

    There is a nearby light rail station which has a few bike lockers. I don't think they're usually taken up, but I know they are narrow. I'm thinking of renting a couple of e-bikes and seeing if that could be a good option.

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  • [–] 3 points 11 months ago* (1 child)

    Rentals could work or maybe a decent folding scooter. If you can get by at all without power, it might be worth looking at Bromptons/Brompnots or perhaps something like a Strida. There's also folding kick scooters as well as powered ones.

    The Litelock X1 sounds like it would be the Ulock for you though, it's not super heavy, fairly compact, but still very cut resistant.

    All that said, if everywhere you need to go is covered by rental bikes or scooters, I'd say at least start out using them to get a sense of what works best for you. There's something to be said for not worrying about maintenance, theft, or storage too.

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