Firstly I would never leave a bike out of eyesight full stop. So its literally just to stop someone running past and flinging a leg over.

So cafe stop, cash point etc use. All within eyesight/can see it through the glass/shop window.

Recommendations from experience?

Helmet straps – round down tube and between spokes of front wheel.
Thin bike locks are really only a visual deterrent.

I’ve got a very small Abus retractable bike lock that has an alarm on it. The alarm goes off if cable is cut and you can set it so the alarm goes off if someone moves it. To be honest the batteries wore out ages ago but there’s a big sticker saying there’s an alarm and it works well if I’m just in a cafe etc. bit more piece of mind than helmet strap, but that’s what I do when I forget it!

On my mountain bike I remove the axle and kink the wheel slightly. That’d be new teeth/jaw wired time 😯

Abus one here. Probably cut it with scissors but the visible deterrent was what I was after.

you’d have to be carrying something sharp to cut so it’d stop the casual/opportunist wouldn’t it?

pull up to shop in biggest gear.

shift into the opposite gear but dont actually pedal.

having seen the aftermath of a thief who tried to steal a bike set up like this – i pretty much always do it even if the bikes in sight just to see the comedy aftermath again.

I’ll be honest, I take my bike into cafes with me on long road rides. Nowhere is that busy they can’t accommodate and if they tell me no, I get one of the staff to hang onto it while I use the loo. Course, cafes around here all do table service so if you don’t need the toilet you can sit outside with your bike quite happily.

I have an abus one, like this. I doubt it would survive an attack with pliers, let alone anything more. But it weighs so little I just leave it in my camelbak and forget it’s there.

I’ve got a very small Abus retractable bike lock that has an alarm on it.

Linky? Sounds like a good idea..

This will be what you are after:

Comes in various lengths, nice and light and about as likely to deter a thief as a “Thin cable lock”.

was thinking about getting one of these

http://bbbcycling.com/accessories/locks/BBL-51

not seen in person though, i’m sure it’s as string like as the rest of them.

there’s a couple of even flimsier ones they do too