Anyone ever heard of damage being done to a wheel in this way?
Uhh...no, not
yet.
Hi Matt!
To be candid, this is the only remaining reservation I have about using a ring-lock.
I have set up test rigs with old wheels, queried my Dutch friends (ring-locks are
extremely popular in the NL), and...
I have yet to induce damage by attempting to wheel-away a ring-locked bike. I really tried, too.
In theory, the spoke-nipple connection should break. Tensile strength of the spoke is sufficient it can't be torn in two by the (relatively) low forces used to roll a bicycle. I worried a heavily loaded touring bike
and an attempt to take off in low gear might do the job, but so far -- on the test rig, 'cos I'm *not* going to imperil one of my Real Bikes, even for Science -- the answer is "no".
At a certain point, the weakest link in the system is the coefficient of friction between the tire and the ground. In every one of my tests, the tire skidded along at levels well below what would break a spoke and, apparently, a nipple. Standing on the pedals in lowest gear might do it, but that exceeded the capacity of my test rig (an old frame fitted with wheels and a drivetrain with a piece of angle-iron u-bolted across the seat stays standing in for the ring-lock).
Even if a spoke or two were damaged in an attempt, I would consider it a smaller price to pay than a complete loss due to outright theft.
Playing further, I found a poorly tensioned spoke could be bent ever so slightly, but not parted as a result of the spoke or nipple yielding. A properly tensioned wheel showed no damage at all in my tests.
The results sure surprised me, and I'm still uneasy about saying there would be
no damage in
every circumstance, but all was well on the test rig and on the few occasions when I first installed the lock and tried to push the bike forward a few inches. When the ring-lock is engaged, it becomes immediately apparent the bike won't roll.
As far as deterrence...I count the stealthy or largely unseen nature of a ring-lock as a bonus. Better to surprise a thief with stealth security than to count on them being bright enough to avoid attempting to defeat something visible. For me, the ring-lock really shines when I have t be momentarily a meter or two apart from the bike and could not prevent a snatch-and-grab theft, say while I peeled off my tights or zipped on my jacket. On a ride I took the other day, the park restroom I stopped to use was large enough to being the bike inside the Men's Room, but not the stall. I felt a lot better with the ring-lock set while I took care of things and later washed my hands. Others have had their steeds stolen from that facility in similar circumstances, and I worried less this time around.
Remember, a ring-lock's greatest advantage is it is fairly lightweight (as these things go), and always on the bike, awaiting use. However, it is not the ultimate in theft deterrence. Unless fitted with a plug-in or add-on chain or cable, the bicycle can still be lifted and carried away (more difficult with a heavily loaded touring bike). I rarely leave my bike for any time alone, but will also pack the additional weight of a u-lock when I anticipate the need.
Best,
Dan.
