Looking for something to help secure a bunch of bikes in the back of my car. Old car had a nice loop of steel in the floor that made a perfect lock point, this one doesn’t so it looks like the best way is to loop under the back seats and over the bikes… Which means, a chain/cable longer than most on the market.

Not wanting to spend an awful lot here, and realistic about the fact that anyone who really wants to cut it will- more about raising the level of difficulty/time involved… Best I’ve found so far is a Kryptonite 4 metre steel-o-flex 10mm cable which is pretty pathetic tbh! A wrapped chain would be perfect but haven’t found the right one… Obviously bare chain is easy enough but most welded chains are pretty effortless to cut and security-type chain isn’t so easy to buy off the roll…

So. Any advice? Kind of struggling to choose between what look like OK, but ultimately pretty bad options!

Why not got for 2 x shorter loops? Put one through the seat rails and then loop the one through the bikes and through that. Far easier than dealing with 1 long cable or chain length.

+1 for that, I used to use 1 lock as a base in the shed/van and another 1 or 2 to do the bikes. Just make sure you don’t loose the keys.

As above. One long cable or chain in a single loop only needs to be cut one time to free all of the bikes. Several chains/cables mean several cuts are needed, which takes more time.

You could use a real heavy chain in a loop on the floor around/through the seats, and it wouldn’t need to be vinyl covered or anything. Then run a second chain through that one as well as the bikes. Add a U lock or two (even if it just locks a couple of bikes to each other) to further complicate things. Ideally, the thieving scrote wouldn’t be able to reach them all from one spot, so would have to open a second door or whatever…

Take a look at Pragmasis. They do custom lengths in various guages and are UK based – great company to deal with.

I got a 4m chain, padlock and shed shackle from them not so long ago and it is cracking kit.

go on fleabay and search for for 4m cable, possibly windsurf as well (ie I use a 4m windsurfer security cable – metal – and they were on fleabay a while ago, plastic coated wire, small loop at one end and hole in other for padlock – *NOTE* that you won’t get a big padlock to fit and it might not be secure enough for your reqts though, it’s less than bomb proof but they’d need tools and they’re fairly cheap
(*sorry at work and tinternet restrictions)

this MIGHT be it – http://www.ebay.co.uk/sch/i.html?_nkw=windsurfing+lock

but I can’t open link at work, sorry

see here middle right, also STP lockable tiedowns look quite bike handy
http://www.windsurfer.co.uk/Security.htm

http://www.wiggle.co.uk/saris-locking-cable/

I use one of these for my Saris Bones rack and it happily wraps around a couple of bikes. It’s 8′ long.

1 or 2 Masterlock Pythons, it’s a cable lock and the cable just slides into the head so you could combine 2 easily, to make one massive one.

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Master-Lock-Python-1800x10mm-adjustable/dp/B0015R4H3S/ref=sr_1_1/279-0317926-7345535?ie=UTF8&qid=1395736088&sr=8-1&keywords=master+lock+python

Have a look on B&Q/Homebase or similar for a patio furniture lock. I’ve got one like the below around the bikes in the garage:

http://www.homebase.co.uk/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/ProductDisplay?langId=110&storeId=10151&partNumber=716629

If it’s just going in the back of the car you don’t need weatherproofing and the like, and you can use rags or similar to stop any problems with rubbing – I’d just use chain+padlock, as others have suggested you could use more than one section. Chain is probably more visible than a matt black bike lock, which is definitely an advantage here.

Usually I’d do smaller locks but here it’s got to be one section (or at least one big loop) as the only thing it can wrap round is the whole rear bench seat. I could do a smaller loop round the seats then attach more locks to that but that’d end up fiddlier I think and more expensive.

Some good links here, thanks folks! That’ll sort it I’m sure.

depends on the cars age etc but can’t you just bolt a ground anchor to the floor?

http://securityforbikes.com/proddetail.php?prod=P11-x.x

Available in lengths up to 6m

wwaswas – Member

depends on the cars age etc but can’t you just bolt a ground anchor to the floor?

That’s a good thought actually… Might be a bit extreme (this is only the second time I’ve wanted to lock things inside it) but certainly teh most effective. Cheers!

I think the Pragmasis chain is the best option security-wise but a bit more than I’m planning to spend.

I use a length of stainless wire rope as used for yacht rigging with an eye swaged in each end and covered in old road bike inner tube. Its a bugger to cut unless you have a big pair of croppers, not impenetrable but it will delay scrotes!

+1 for welding/bolting an eyelet to the boot floor.