Which "Mechanical Device" (lock/chain) to get?

Just been on the vespa web site may be poss to get the lock though the rear wheel and over the end can so it can not be moved off it whould have to see it up close and personal to make sure

ah yes i forget thats why i left london, there used to be disc locks for sale with alarms built in maybe that would be a good option, not the best locks ever but most theifs dont want something screaming at them whislt they work, that and the chain over seat from m9 is about the best you can do by the sounds of it

I’m not convinced by alarms, I hear them all the time here and just ignore them, same as everybody else. Can’t find a cover for the scoot (it’s got the mother of all top boxes as well as a full height wind screen!), but will definitely get one for the proper bike, rolled in mud as well a few times to make it look more tatty. Underneath, I’ll stow away the pitbull…

The almax lock is in MCN this week, advertised at £124.95 for a 1 metre chain rising to £179.95 for a 2 metre one (page 17 in New Products). Details on 01912-642748 or www.almax-security-chains.co.uk

I got the two metre one for £150 at the NEC and it is a big, heavy and awkward swine. The links are sooo big it is hard to get it around the frame or through the little gaps I used to put the Oxford chain.

Not complaining, I still use it, but it has limited the places I can thread it and so I am real glad I bought the longest one.

Ah, I might be struggling then with the scoot, as there really isn’t much space in the rear wheel! It’s just big enough for the U-lock.

Ya still need something to lock it to, and certainly a cover for it. It’s the old problem of having something ‘too nice’ for the area.

Wish I could help girl, but I use my ‘cloak of invisibility’ all the time so cannot spare it. Helps me move unseen around the girl’s changing rooms at the local pool.

I would have a cheeky go at installing a ground ancor right next to where the kerb stone starts on the road. It wont take too long, as long as it’s one that uses the bolts to fix it instead of cementing it in.
There’s no police walking about anymore, and once it’s there and your using it nobody can prove you installed it.

As much as that sounds an ace idea I would be ultra careful. The council could sue you for damaging the tarmac if they found it was you, that would be very expensive. Even if they didn’t, chances are that they would remove it and then you have lost it. It may be that someone else sees it and starts using it as well.

I was actually thinking it might be worth my while paying the extra £80 for the ground anchor, even if it’ll be out of bounds occasionally (cars parking on top or another biker locking his bike to it - not that I’ve actually ever seen another bike anywhere near mine), but you raised a valid point: they’d probably use it as an excuse to get me to pay for the resurfacing of the entire road due to the ‘extensive damage’ I would have caused.

Point for you to note, anchor bolts dont take too well to tarmac as tis too soft. Chemical anchors are slightly better but once again suffer poor adhesion in tarmac. Can pull out relatively easily.

You need concrete to get the best results, am talkin from experience here.

If you want help help affixing an anchor system let me know, have all the tools required and could possibly get the anchor bolts for you FOC.

Like new look Puppy.

Just stop squirming next time someone points a camera at you.

Well, had a good look at my bike today, and there is absolutely no way to get a chain through the rear wheel! The gap is just wide enough for a U-lock, i.e., a medium-size finger fits through, but no chain will. Even the front wheel would be pushing it. So, forget about protecting my bike any more than it already is! But for my next bike, at least now I know which chain to get.

Dobermann it is, then. Woof woof!

defo get a 2m chain - i had a 1.7m and it was always just to short to reach the lamposts/anything solid. With a long chain you can twist it up to make it shorter and the almax ones i’m pretty sure you can lock anywhere along its length (oo-er)

i got the almax too - its not actually that bad weight-wise - looks hefty as you like and makes the abus ones feel pathetically small.

if you can fit a u-lock through the rear you could always get a really strong one of those and use it to attach to a chain at that end. would be the weakest point but should be enough to put off scooter theives.

Well, BabyJ thought I should be able to squeeze a chain through the rear wheel, but it would involve getting down and dirty. Will need to take more scientific measurements. If I get the Monster, I’ll defo be getting chains, locks, ground anchors, dobermanns, grizzlies, you name it, the bike’ll have it!

As others have said, if you can, DO use the Almax chain, it’s the best out there, as shown by their recent demonstration at the NEC bike show where they broke competitors chains in seconds, with common bolt-croppers. You get what you pay for, so £150 or whatever is a worthwhile investment to protect your other investment.

Well, the Almax Immobiliser is not an option for my scoot, as it’s 56mm thick (!), and the space in my rear wheel is less than 30mm! So, any good chains out there at this thickness, or might I just as well stick to my U-lock? Are there any secure U-locks you might want to recommend?

For the past two years I’ve been using the lock that the bike came with, the Luma Proscoot. Could somebody please have a look at their site to see if any of the other shackle locks would be more secure, as I have no idea about the terminology regarding materials & lock mechanism used.

http://www.luma.es/ingles/home.htm Go for “Catalogue”, then “Motorcycle”, then “Shackle locks” (mine’s listed under “Scooter special”).

Without evidence to the contrary, I’d always go for Squire locks. Go have a look in the latest RIDE mag in WH Smiths, they always carry a ‘Best of’ section for gear. Or trawl the net if you’ve the energy.

just lost a really long reply to this:

i have the almax 2m series III - very good. will reduce insurance too

have alarm, bike cover, and disc lock for riding around town

also have tracker monitor system (on all the time) which some of the larger insurance companies will not charge you an excess for should something happen… but you have to have the tracker on it.

put the chain through the sub frame and wheel of the bike to add piece of mind. they have to cut the chain which is almost impossible, to take apart the bike which more than likely is too muhc hassle and they will move on - touch wood!

mine goes throguh the wheel, subframe and ground anchor literally outside my front door and outside my flat mates bedroom so its out of sight and mind and locked down pretty tight! even with the key it still takes me a good few minutes to unlock the bike and get ready to head off!

defintely get the best then when u find a good place to park ur bike ur sorted. !

C

The two Almax chains I have came with a Squire lock per the one rated in Ride magazine. I think I have teh best of both worlds here.