Author Topic: Do I take a lock on a world tour??  (Read 36996 times)

JimK

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Re: Do I take a lock on a world tour??
« Reply #30 on: April 06, 2012, 11:58:09 pm »
If I can get some solid dimensions, I am toying with the idea of attaching a rear wheel ring-lock to Sherpa's chainstays.

The lock I ordered is en-route from Germany... did they stick it on a boat? I find the DHL tracking updates a bit cryptic!

I did get the matching auxiliary cable in today's mail, though. Bike24 didn't have it but somebody over here did. Strange. Anyway the cable looks really nice - substantial, and woven rather than just twisted. I gather the woven cables are tougher to cut.

When I get the lock I will be sure to take some photos & measurement etc. and post them here.

Andre Jute

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Re: Do I take a lock on a world tour??
« Reply #31 on: April 08, 2012, 12:20:47 am »
Reference earlier posts here, with which I've just caught up, about ringlocks, the kind that attach permanently to the seatstays around about the brake mountings. I have two of those on continental bikes that fall into the "Dutch comfort/commuter" class, and I suspect both (ali) frames have custom fittings to allow their easy fitment.  Both have no problem with 37mm Marathon Plus and suitably sized mudguards. I therefore expect that the aftermarket models, though made to fit differently to the bike (by hidden clamps rather than threaded bike-side fittings. I will check and photograph if necessary after Jim's lock arrives; if I'm right about the OEM models differing in their fixings from the consumer aftermarket models, there is no point in confusing the issue with information of limited utility until no other information is available.

I have a third bike on which a front wheel ringlock is an orderable standard fitting, but I don't have the ringlock as it was out of stock when my bike was built. This is a Basta lock, also sold under the Mighty brand, and it works differently to the rear one, is in fact called a "ring" lock only by courtesy, as it consists of a U that fits upside down to the brake sockets (almost always Magure hydraulics on this particular brand of bike, Utopia), with a swinging arm that swivels through the spokes to the other side and locks in; it doubles up as a brake brace. I've not handled it, but from the photographs it doesn't seem to be as sturdy as the standard AXA/Basta rear ring locks, especially the more expensive models I have on my Gazelle Toulouse and Trek Cyber Nexus. On the other hand, Utopia is famed for testing everything three times before fitting it to their precious bikes, so I expect the lock works satisfactorily. The Utopia version is scaled and specially made by Basta to fit 60mm Big Apples with SKS P65 mudguards over them; the standard aftermarket version won't fit a "normal" Utopia but I expect the standard aftermarket version will fit 38mm tyres with mudguards, because that's just about a minimum fitting for a Continental commuter. Utopia designed this lock to suit their own purposes, but I've never understood why they prefer a front wheel ringlock to a rear one, and when I asked why was told there was no space at the back, which is a bullshit brush-off answer (a manufacturer finding no space redesigns until there is space!), so don't ask me to justify it. I merely mention that it's available, and can be found on the net if your look hard enough.

My own opinion, off the top of my head, is that rear ring lock can be fitted at the front as well, and that ringlock at each end, with a relatively lightweight (not that monster Abus cable that Gazelle used to give away! -- that thing must have weighted five pounds!) but longish cable, will secure the bike in all but the most fraught circumstances. I like ringlocks for their low weight for the security they offer, and for the logic of the key staying in when they are unlocked; it's a failsafe design. (On the other hand, the factory fitted ones, when they come to the end of their service life, take the frame with them to the grave. I inspected one of my bikes with the idea of using the ringlock elsewhere, and concluded the lock couldn't be removed, even when open, without severely damaging and very likely weakening the frame, pretty likely destroying it.)

Andre Jute

Andre Jute

JimK

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Re: Do I take a lock on a world tour??
« Reply #32 on: April 08, 2012, 12:57:00 am »
Lifting some text from Bike24:

Mount:
LH for simple mount on seatstays
SP for simple mount on multi-wall
CL for mount on seatstays with included universal clamps

Note: With the KR version the key cannot be removed when lock is open. Use the NKR version to remove the key when lock is open.


CL only comes with NKR, and that's what I ordered.

Look too at il padrone's post:
http://www.thorncycles.co.uk/forums/index.php?topic=1944.msg17314#msg17314


Danneaux

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Re: Do I take a lock on a world tour??
« Reply #33 on: April 08, 2012, 04:08:37 am »
Thanks so much, Andre and Jim; information like this surely aids in selecting the best lock for a need, and the more I examine ring-locks (in whatever form they take), the more I think they might be very worthwhile for the world tourist.

These discussions bring to mind another aspect of security measures -- what is familiar to thieves and easily compromised in one geographic area is strange and leaves them unprepared in another. Ring-locks are not generally common here in the States compared to, say, The Netherlands, and I have a feeling their relative scarcity might well work in one's favor. Yes, Andre, a ring-lock with a cable might well prove a very handy solution and possibly ideal.
 
Mu Dutch friend's ring-lock alone proved sufficient for his round-trip tour from Rotterdam to Santiago de Compestela without a cable. I would prefer adding the cable so the bike could at least be secured to something as well as locked itself. I'm drawn ever more to the Atomic22 Infiniti 3D security bolts and these, coupled with a ring-lock and cable would be a straightforward solution to keeping the steerer and Plug 2 intact as well as the SON28 up front -- to the point where no cable would be required there. The cable could then be employed solely to secure the bike to a stationary object via the ringlock. Small padlocks on the Ortlieb security tethers would be sufficient to prevent a quick snatch-and-grab of the bags, so long as one took the HB bag along when leaving the bike.

Lots to think about, but I feel I am closing in on a solution for myself that is a bit lighter and more convenient than my present approach, and likely just as secure. So looking forward to the reports, Jim. Godspede to FedEx in hopes for faster delivery to you!

Best,

Dan.

jul

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Re: Do I take a lock on a world tour??
« Reply #34 on: March 01, 2018, 01:28:35 pm »
Hi,

It's crazy to have to wear a heavy lock for touring but it's fine for to be reassured  :-\

So it was a difficult choice but i did it, i bought a lock for my Nomad  8)  hope it will not be too small or weak..

https://www.kryptonitelock.com/content/kryt-us-2/en/products/product-information/current-key/002093.html?type=bicycle

And i will combine certainly with a cable, to have more flexibility ? i mean more places to tie it

https://www.kryptonitelock.com/content/kryt-us-2/en/products/product-information/current-key/210818.html?type=bicycle

JimK

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Re: Do I take a lock on a world tour??
« Reply #35 on: March 01, 2018, 03:03:55 pm »
I've got an ABUS Granit 640 which looks like a very similar lock to that Kryptonite Mini-6. For around town I have a Bordo 6500 which weighs about twice as much. I think a cable is smart ... how thick, how long.... I have a very old and quite skinny cable that I might use. It's about half a pound weight.

Probably it depends a lot on what sorts of towns you might pass through. Big cities, people steal bikes a lot!

mickeg

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Re: Do I take a lock on a world tour??
« Reply #36 on: March 01, 2018, 05:14:10 pm »
I have a cable very much like that, possibly the same one.  A friend of mine that works as a bike mechanic told me that he saw a demonstration where someone took the cable cutters that bike mechanics use to cut brake cables and outer housing and managed to gnaw through similar cables in less than a minute.  I still use cables, but situational awareness is the best defense, are you in a place where you should be nervous or not?  Do you have to put your bike there or is some other place better?

For a quick run in a store, I use a lock like skiers use, photo attached.  The cable could easily be cut but if I plan to be in the store more than 5 minutes I do not use the skier lock.

That friend of mine that works as a bike mechanic, we did a bike tour a year ago.  He really did not want someone to steal his Titanium bike, the second photo shows the lock he used.  I told him that the weight of the lock and chain more than made up for his lightweight bike weight savings.


DAntrim

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Re: Do I take a lock on a world tour??
« Reply #37 on: March 01, 2018, 08:09:38 pm »
I use the Abus Ampro frame lock on a daily basis to lock the bike up while in work along with a combination lock which I leave at work. When I'm away I use the additional cable for a quick store stop and when camp is set for the night




jul

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Re: Do I take a lock on a world tour??
« Reply #38 on: March 01, 2018, 08:50:37 pm »
Yes it is also my idea to use the cable at night around a tree for bivouac, and use the Kryptonite U lock attached from my frame to a steel pole something like that when i stop for a quick store.
I can also use the cable to attach my wheels..

Mickeg, my plan will be to travel with the Nomad, so all days it will be next to me.

John Saxby

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Re: Do I take a lock on a world tour??
« Reply #39 on: March 02, 2018, 04:41:27 am »
I use a TiGr Mini, and there is the Mini+, which is slightly larger: https://www.tigrlock.com/tigr-mini-plus/

These are easily stored, and reasonably light and compact. They're not cheap, but I think they're good value.

You can lock your bike to a pole or a rack with one of these. There's still the cable question--if, for example, you want to hook your bike to a tree.

sd

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Re: Do I take a lock on a world tour??
« Reply #40 on: March 02, 2018, 10:49:36 am »
A Dutch/nurses lock and a good quality cable. You can put the lock through the cable ends and then through the front wheel or round the immovable object or even both. At the very least the dutch lock will stop them riding the bike away. The key can't be removed from the Dutch lock unless you lock the bike. I think there brill alas my thorn has the hole for the brakes coming down so can't use one on the Thorn but my Dutch Travelmaster has one on. Very important in my opinion if you have a Rohloff. You could use one on the front which would immobilize both wheels but it wouldn't stop them taking the front wheel off.

mickeg

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Re: Do I take a lock on a world tour??
« Reply #41 on: March 02, 2018, 04:08:56 pm »
I showed the skier lock I use above, the more heavy duty cable lock I sometimes use is in the photo, although bad lighting for the photo.


jul

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Re: Do I take a lock on a world tour??
« Reply #42 on: March 04, 2018, 06:37:59 pm »
I received my lock..



i weighed it for 690 gr.

Now i need a cable to secure my rear wheel, i think 120 cm length will be fine. But if i want to secure also my front wheel i need 180 cm ..

StuntPilot

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Re: Do I take a lock on a world tour??
« Reply #43 on: March 05, 2018, 11:13:39 am »
I would definitely recommend a wheel/frame/ring lock. The AXA Solid Plus is good for up to 2 inch tyres ...

https://www.axasecurity.com/bike-security/en-gb/products/locks/framelocks/axa-solid-plus-black/#product-info

Previously I had the Axa Defender but upgraded as the Solid Plus allows for a larger tyre.

Great thing about both is that you can use either a cable (lighter for touring) or chain that couples with the lock.

In high risk areas I also use the Abus Granit X-Plus 54 U-Lock. A bit too heavy and a bit of over-kill for touring. Best to keep your bike in sight at all times on tour.

mickeg

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Re: Do I take a lock on a world tour??
« Reply #44 on: March 12, 2018, 05:20:58 pm »
Two days ago I bought an Abus Bordo 6100, 90cm lock.  I went to a bike sale that was big enough they had some manufacturer reps there, and there was someone representing Abus.  They are very rare in USA, the concept of a link type lock had interested me but I wanted to see one before buying it.  This was the first time I had seen one for sale.
https://www.abus.com/eng/Mobile-Security/Bike-Safety-and-Security/Locks/Folding-locks/BORDO-Combo-6100

I have been resisting getting a U lock, but have been wanting to get a good lock for my Titanium bike.  I wanted combination so I did not have to worry about forgetting or losing a key.  This looked like the best combination non-U-lock that was available.  At 1050 grams without the bracket, a bit heavy.  But if your lock is supposed to be proportional in weight to the reciprocal of the bike weight, it makes sense to get a heavy lock for a lighter bike. And I had been carrying around a 620 gram cable with padlock.  Thus, the Bordo only added 430 grams to what I was already carrying.

My Titanium bike is probably comparable in value to my Nomad.  But in my community nobody knows what a Rohloff is, so my Nomad is not seen as a highly desirable bike by potential thieves.  But you can't hide a Titanium bike, I suspect that even when I used a lot of older technology on it (square taper crank, 8 speed, bar end shifters), it still has that most-desirable look to a potential thief.  Thus, it needs a good lock.

I know there are better locks out there but I wanted to consider convenience and did not want to give up a water bottle cage mount for it.  The Bordo looks like it will be quick to use, much faster than my cable locks that had to be re-coiled (which is time consuming) after each use.  And it had a convenient bracket I could mount on the frame.

For a bike tour I will probably still have to carry a cable, as campgrounds often offer trees but little else for bike locking.  And 90 cm is a bit short for wrapping around most campsite trees.  But I will worry about that later.

Touring, I usually use bolt on skewers (Halo XL) that use any 5mm allen wrench.  Abus had an interesting skewer that was more secure, but I chose to stick with what I already had.  If anyone wants a more secure skewer but does not want to risk losing a special key like a pitlock, the Abus looked interesting.  Bike has to be on its side to access the flats for an 8mm (or was it 10 mm?) open end wrench.
https://www.abus.com/eng/Mobile-Security/Bike-Safety-and-Security/Locks/NutFix

If I was going somewhere where I would worry more about loss of my dynohub or Rohloff, I might consider that Abus skewer.  But I mostly am worried about an opportunist thief and I assume they are not carrying around a 5 mm wrench for my bolt on skewers.