Parking in London - how to use chain

Hey there :slight_smile:

Noob here, got my A2 license earlier today, woo! - Anyway, I was wondering, I have a 2009 Kawasaki Ninja 250R and I want to order the Almax Series 3 chain that’s very hyped up on youtube and review sites.

However, driving past solo motorcycle bays in London, it just seems like a space with nothing anywhere near to wrap the chain around. Am I missing something?

How would I effectively use the chain?

If there is nothing solid or otherwise to wrap the chain around, what’s the point of the chain?

yeah exactly…security is a massive issue in most of the bays.

Look for posts by the ‘NO TO BIKE PARKING FEES’ brigade and ask them about it…

oh yeah welcome to LB :slight_smile:

I used a bike bay on Great Russel St (off Tottenham court road) and they had ground anchors there.

I think that area comes under Westminster council so might be worth checking their site to see if they have pinpointed any other bays with ground anchors.

Kensington & Chelsea have Hardie anchors in lots of their bays. Islington and others tend to use stands on the pavement side of the bay with a horizontal bar just above ground level that you can lock to. They’re not everywhere though.

Else assuming you can park in other types of bay (it varies between boroughs - look here: http://www.motorcycleparking.com/parking_london.shtml ) you can often find a road sign pole next to the kerb, park next to it and loop a chain around that.

Thanks for your comments everyone - if say I try to park next to the sign, what length chain would you say would be enough? - 0.7m? 1.5m?

In photos of motorcycle bays I can find, the pole seems to be pretty far away from the bay itself if at all?

e.g. http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/e/ee/Scooter_parking_london.jpg

doesnt seem to be a pole in this picture, everyones just got a chain through their wheel.you could always join this lot http://www.lock2lock.co.uk/ but ive never seen a bike with a sticker on it but i dont park in bays

This is a real problem issue. There are no security measures in the bays near where i work, so its either a long walk from one that does (which makes the benefits of the bike in terms of getting in early pointless) or risk it.

Chaining to street furniture is ok if your chain reaches (and doesn’t pose a tripping hazard), but think about that it is. If its a small pole with the parking reg’s on, they can be cut easily and makes the Almax a bit pointless. If someones a bike thief, I doubt a touch of vandalism to get the bike they want will be a problem.

Weakest link and all that.

ID GET YOUR SELF A GOOD DISC LOCK,

AND CHAIN THE REAR WHEEL TO THE FRAME OF YOUR BIKE

NOW IT HAS TO BE PICKED UP, AND PUT IN A VAN OF SORTS

IF THEY WANT YOUR BIKE THEY WILL GET IT, IM SORRY TO SAY,

BTW CONGRATS AND WELCOME:D

Heh, thanks :slight_smile:

Can only afford third party only insurance so want to do everything possible to avoid it being stolen!

I thought that’s what the steering lock did? - Maybe I’ll fit a tracker :slight_smile:

isn’t that what they love to do anyway.

a quick lift up and it’s chucked in to a van…

saves all that trying to break the steering lock malarkey

Yeh, that’s what I thought. So in that case, what does the chain and steering lock and disk break lock and all those other measures do if all they do is lift it up and stick it in a van anyway?

[quote]
hackeron (26/08/2010)

Hopefully it puts them off just enough to go looking for an easier target…

You can always chain your chain to someone else’s bike chain.

It will be a struggle for theifs to lift two bikes together so that will make the other bike more secure too.

When the other bike wants to leave he just unhoops his chain from yours.
It’s certainly better than chaining it to nothing. :smiley:

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Chaining the rear wheel to nothing just stops little toe rags wheeling it away. Doesn’t stop people lifting it into a van

Chaining to another chain is a good idea, no reason they’d mind as its safer for both of you. There is a scheme for this, lock2lock maybe?

I have a 2m lock, was in two minds about the 1.5m or 2m. the 1.5m was out of stock so that was it. it is ridiculously heavy and is a pain in the arse, but it does mean I can reach lamp posts situated on the kerb when i’ve parked on the road, a 1.5m often wouldn’t reach unfortunately

Opps, forgot to add, congrats on passing as well. Get along to one of the meets and say Hello.

Mate,after getting a £80 fine where I work(savoy,wan*minster council),just check every sign and bay where u park in london,they’re sneeky fuc^ers mate

Don’t ever wear your chain around your body. In the event of an off it can rip your spine in half which takes a while to heal.

Heh, thanks :slight_smile: - What meets with those be? - the Wednesday ones organised by notobikeparkingtax.com?

Also, how do you guys carry your chains? - doesn’t look like it would fit in the under seat storage of the 250r anyway.

Don’t waste your money on a tracker - you’re better off spending the 500 odd quid on fire and theft on your insurance. Bike thieves will just rip it out and throw it away. The only thing it will help with is your piece of mind.

To be honest, locks chains etc are just a deterrent and no more. All you are doing it making it harder for them to steal the bike - and that’s the main thing. Thieves are looking for the quickest steal possible - so locking it to another bike, a signpost or railings are obviously much better.

The sad thing is if someone wants it, they’ll have it.Why don’t you check out an NCP - I bet there are a few you could park in for free that would be more secure.