I am always amazed at the number of very high end road bikes, say 8k that are left unlocked around he cafes at Hampton court whilst the guys sit inside having a coffee.

I use a cheap abus cable lock, my thinking is less about it being nicked but more about it being insured if it is nicked. Thankfully I have never had to put it to the test.

Bit like disc brake locks for motorbikes, this- they do **** all to prevent a real thief but they can slow an opportunist.

Sounds like finally a good reason for road discs!

A padlock the right size to hold the brake lever to the bar (mtb) would be good.

Although I use a cable tie instead as I always carry them anyway.

Won’t stop anyone for long, but if I’m not far away it makes me feel better.

Take the chain off using the quicklink and thread it through wheel and frame?

Use a better class of Cafe.

I have a nice small retractable cable lock with an alarm on it. I’d never leave my road bike out of sight for more than a few mins but this always makes me feel a bit less nervous as I order my coffee 😉

I send my bike in to get the drinks while I lie on the pavement

Single use cable ties are not very environmentally friendly. They are the co2 canister of bike security.

The thin cable locks are fine. You can’t break them with your hands and they will easily withstand normal pliers, such as those found on a Leatherman. That accounts for opportunists, which is all you really need.

If somebody is out to steal bikes ‘professionally’ they will probably be carrying something more substantial than a pair of pliers, but then again they aren’t going to start hacking away at bikes outside a busy cafe expecting not to be noticed. They’ll be hiding in dark alleyways.

Rid with friends?
That way someone can stay with bikes while you order. Or get a very small cable lock that fits in pocket.

Small cable locks are better than nothing, but they can be snipped in a second with a pair of small cable cutters – which doesn’t buy you any time at all while you are paying for a hot beverage of choice and slice of something nice in a busy cafe pitstop. A smaller D lock is probably a better proposition as it buys more time but it’s a hassle to carry.

When I’m on my own I don’t bother to take a bike lock of any type and the bike stays with me at all times. When riding with others the bikes are attended while someone goes in to get the refreshments.

Who is walking around carrying cable cutters though?

This guy he hides in dark alleys.

http://hiplok.com/index.php?route=common/home

I have tried one of the original ones. Bit big for a club ride but the weight really does disappear when its on your body.

@busta

Opportunist bike thieves looking for an easy, lightly secured target. Small one handed cable cutters make easy work of light cable locks.

As theft protection I use an elaborate system of lenses and mirrors to make the wheels appear to be 26″ in diameter

My Abus 1200 sits at the top of my Elite tool bottle. So very easy 😉

Opportunist bike thieves looking for an easy, lightly secured target. Small one handed cable cutters make easy work of light cable locks.

The kind of person wandering round with cable cutters, bolt croppers, angle grinders and bottle jacks isn’t an opportunists. An opportunist is someone with slightly fewer morals than average poping into the garden center for a bag or two of ready mix tarmac repair and walking off with an unsecured bike.

Also after spending £8k on a bike you’re hardly likley to want to weigh it down with it’s own weight in ABUS chain are you?