Okay so I'm now venturing out from my country upbringing into the big city….albeit only Bath! Have never had a bike nicked but seem to be becoming a bit paranoid about getting one stolen, so it's come down to this: a good bike, and pray, or a shit bike and dont care?

Surely it can't be nicked with 3 locks….?

Surely it can't be nicked with 3 locks….?

If someone went through the hassle of getting three decent locks off my bike then they can have it 😉

If the thief wants your bike then he'll have it no matter how many locks you have. If he has the right tools it takes about five seconds to break an average D lock. So you'll be slowing him down by about ten seconds. Depends on how bling your bike is. I would invest in a nail of a bike for commuting duties/ riding around town and save the good bike for when you want to do some serious riding. Unless of course you have secure bike parking.

Or consider insurance.

Are we talking leaving a ike around town or in the garage.

In a garage the best thing you can do is be descrete. Try not to flash your bikes by washing them on the street. Keep the garage dor shut and/or the bikes covered when you are in there.

For leaving about town, get a hack. As tatty and cheap as possible while still being ok to ride. Mine is an old on-one v brake singlespeed. Logos covered in electrical tap, full mudguards and rack hardly cleaned (except for the drivechain and braking surfaces. Looks very tatty but is still fun to ride about town on.

As above though, if they want it badly enough they will get it. So make sure you insure it.

Hmmm could just insure it I guess, havent really got the space for a hack and nice bike!

Maybe get a folder and take it in your workplace – it will improve your general biking options (public transport, thrown in the back of the car etc) as well as being more secure.

To be insured it must be locked against soemthing secure and imovable.

My lad had his bike nicked. It was locked with two locks but not against anything secure – so insurance didn't pay up. A friend has just had two bikes nicked of the back of his car. Again it was lock onto the cycle carrier, but as that was nicked too, the insurance didn't pay up.

I go with the simple formula of the following

6 – Use a descent lock
– I've never had an issue with the kryptonite stuff

5 – Lock it to something permanent
– wooden fence posts are a no no same as road signs [unbolt the sign and lift the bike and lock off – walk away!]

4 – Remember to lock everything
– Normally lock through the frame, forks and wheels

3 – Take removable stuff with you
– Seat / Seat Post, lights, computer etc

2 – Dont lock it in the same place every day

And top tip Number 1…

…find the most expensive looking bike you can find, that's been locked up by a retard! Tea leaf's generally aren't that bright, they will be looking for something easy to steal, if you put your bike next to something they can steal in 2 seconds where as it may take 30 to steal yours, they have an easy choice!

Hope it helps
Ben

havent really got the space for a hack and nice bike!

Youll have plenty of space for the hack bike… when your nice one IS stolen. Seriously tho, if youve got somewhere, anywhere, where you could put a cheaper hack bike then id do that. Dosnt exactly have to be secure either as that the main point! as long as its kept out of sight then it should be fine being left locked outside at night, in a back-yard or somewhere like that would be perfect.

thieves are like magpies, they are attracted to shiny stuff
so get a cheap hack, matt black aerosol it,peel off stickers and badges,(i dont really go with the electrical tape way as to me it say "theres a nice brand name hidden under here!")paint over your derailer branding etc.fit mudguards and dont really wash it etc

still ended up having my hack nicked when my son didnt lock it and that was amazing as the bike genuinely had no redeaming features whatsoever and was barely ridable, i half expected to find it 50 yrds down the road.

Get a hack, you can even keep it outside under a plastic cover if you have to. A hack bike will also save wear and tear on your nice bike, and you can put a rack and mudguards on it.

If you're locking your MTB up in town for whatever reason, have a look here for some tips:

http://www.bikeradar.com/mtb/fitness/article/buyers-guide-to-bike-locks-20408

Personally I don't have a car, and resent the chavs making me ride around on a POS!

I went for insurance to give me peace of mind when I go shopping etc. Luckily not had to try claiming yet.

ditto getting a hack, mine costs me about £10 a month to run, mainly because i buy knackered old road bikes for £30 off gumtree then detroy them on average in 3 months.

Just bought a touring bike for commuting on as work has a proper bike cage, but still use the hack for gettign into town etc. It just lives in the garden.