Further to the recent attempts by scrotes trying to nick my bike, I’ve been looking at other deterrents, especially highly visible ones.
My disk lock survived, although damaged, the attempt at being smashed off the disk. Interestingly, I read elsewhere that you should always position the disk lock as close to the fork leg as possible to stop the attempt at smashing it. Any thoughts? Any suggestions as to the best one?
I’ve been reading about Grip-Locks, that lock around the throttle and front brake lever. They’re comparatively cheap, obviously not a first line of defence, but easy to carry round along with a disk lock. Trouble is there seems to be a considerable variation in quality. Anyone used one?
Lastly, yes of course I know the only real defence is all the above, a ground anchor and a f**k off lock and chain. But I’m talking about portable and obvious for when you’re out and about and anything that takes too much time for the lazy scrotes to bother with.
Never used one, but holding the break on can be disabled by cutting (or undoing) the break line.
Id have thought they are less secure then a disk lock, but can’t see it being much harm in addition.
I’ve heard advice that your disk lock is better only the rear, it’s harder to get to, and harder to move a bike with a disabled rear too, this is anecdotal though.
A bit left field but if you have room to carry it a cover like an Oxford stormex locked to a wheel spoke using a disk lock will be a pain in the arse to get off. The cover has locking loops and is awkward enough even when it’s not locked in place. If you lock it to the front and rear wheels using Oxford Boss locks (for example) the thieving element will have a mare getting it off. The material will get in the way of angle grinders too.
Similarly you could break the brake lever but it still renders the throttle inoperative. In nicking a bike their first and quickest object is to break the steering lock then any other lock, once they’ve done that they drive it off. If the throttle’s locked they can’t. And it all takes a lot of extra time especially if they’ve made a noise breaking the locks.
Yes the rear disk is much harder to reach both to put it on and take it off. It’s also much dirtier! Looking for relatively quick and easy solutions… and ideas!
I’ve got a great cover (JCM, way better than Oxford IMHO) which I use outside the house. It has loops, which I’ve never used so that’s quite a good idea in that regard, I just thought it was a faff to lock through the loops I hadn’t thought about it as security, only to stop it from blowing away. Can’t carry it around though, it’s very bulky.
They are often nicked by making it mobile, and pushing it with a ped, or bundled into a van.
At the end of the day all you need to do is make it harder then other bike, so that yours isn’t worth the time, and the grip lock will probably do that
