The bike thieve’s weapon of choice is the long handled bolt cropper. Nearly silent untill they bite through, then the it’s a sharp crack.If you want a chain that cannot be cropped by this attack method then the Almax series 4 is well worth the money.
I have a 2m series 4 and the yellow ground anchor that chemically bonds into the garage floor. Last week I was chatting to another superduke owner and he told me he’d chased aways 3 scrotes who had cropped through his Oxford “sold secure” chain. I told him to phone Almax and get himself a proper chain - I believe he went straight home and sorted it.
I have a 2m Almax 3 chain and the Squire lock they do and so far so good, no-one’s pinched me bike yet… of course Sod’ Law dictates that it’s bound to go walkies now I’ve posted this…
I’m too lazy this morning but see my comments in this thread re your question… http://londonbikers.com/forums/Topic521532-22-1.aspx[/quote]Ok less lazy now… FURQALL (29/03/2009) couldnt you wear the chain over your shoulder ive seen quiet a few people do thisYou could, but then again you wouldn’t want to if you came off would you?. It’s one sure way of breaking your collar bone or worse.
An interesting thread. Personally my RR is a leisure tool. If it’s not being ridden it’s secure in a small vault inside an abandoned nuclear silo. When I’m out on it it’s rarely out of sight.
As for commuting, it’s a tricky one. Almax S3/S4 are all good and great (I use them) but it takes less than 10 seconds to remove the nut and spindle and rear wheel and carry the bike off. If your serious about your chains protection you might want to look at having a custom eye loop welded/bolted to your frame for the chain to run through. If your not, then you might as well use a lighter chain or disklock it’s offering just as much protection in reality.
On the note of disklocks they are overrated and more a tool of visual self re-assurance to the owner. There’s not a dislock on the market that can’t be defeated with a electric torque driver and a 5mm hex bit in less than 10secs. Disklocks are more about preventing joy riders than shifters (gangs who use a van to remove the bike from it’s location). With modern day immobilizers and alarms you don’t need to worry about joyriders. There desire is to ride off on your bike at that moment in time. They can’t do that without the keys. Shifters only want to move your bike to there van, a distance of around two meters, in the quickest means possible. Disklocks do not prevent this from happening when the bike is lifted in the air by four guys and to halves of scaffolding tube through the wheel spokes or swingarm. You can use Almax chains if you want but the bike it’s self becomes the weak link in this chain assuming the object your chaining you bike to is ‘secure’.
Want my humble advice from some 7years in the game?. Get a Tracker, get an Alarm, get theft insurance cover but most importantly of all, get a ragged looking second hand bike cover for a fiver.
Agree with pretty much everything Charley said, but instead of chaining the bike through the rear wheel, I chain it through the gap in the swing arm…I know this isn’t possible on all bikes though.
Another option rather than extra welding on the swing arm is to get a custom bolt done for the rear… rather than a nut on the end of the thread you have a conical (hence cant grab with a vice/pliers) which has aholes in it for a tool that matches - that your truly is the only one in possession of… few lads in notts had it done by a tools factory worker for £20…Just an option.