Looking for recommendations for a lightweight lock that I can carry which will just deter the opportunists. Went and did the Borrowdale Bash on Saturday and riding back through Keswick I stopped at a garage before the hill back up to the van and had to just prop the bike near the door and literally keep staring at it. Seeing as I’m increasingly doing solo van trips I’d like to be able to carry something that is going to stop someone running off with it while I order my food and then return to the bike being in view or grab a drink and some crisps from a shop before returning to the bike.

Next I want to pick up an occasional tougher rear tyre. Been running a Minion SS for the last few weeks in this dry weather (purchased in Itlay and pinched the sidewall one ride in) and my normal trails aren’t particularly rocky and my favourite Scottish trails again aren’t particular rocky but occasionally (at the weekend for example) want to ride the Lakes, up and down Snowdon and ‘Ard Rock in a few weeks so want a back tyre I can put on when the riding will be necessary and not worry as much about pinches over drainage ditches etc.I’ve seen the Maxxis DD so I’m thinking maybe an Ardent but maybe there’s a better option (27.5 non huge tyres)?

I carry the Abus Combiflex 2503 with a retractable 120cm cable.  Not the most secure of locks, but it’s always there, in the bottom of my pack.

Minion SS exo and the correct tyre pressure not to pinch. They come in DD too but you pinched the sidewall because you were running it too soft.

I mostly ride steep woods trails and find EXO fine but just this last weekend did Antur Stiniog and Snowdon and have Ard rock coming up. So I spent a whole 10 pounds on a WTB Trail Boss in tough fast from PlanetX. Ran at my normal rear pressure of 26psi with no issues at all* despite my lack of finesse pinging off rocks.

* I did puncture on the the Marin trail (or whatever it’s called now) but that was on a fireroad climb and something sharp punctured straight through centre of the tread giving me a nice sealant catherine wheel till it sealed.

Will repair with a mushroom and run it for Ard Rock as I was generally happy with the tyre. Though it looks like it will clog easily in mud.

I ordered 3 or 4 P-X Jobsworth Cafe locks for all my bikes/backpacks. Dirt cheap and perfect for the job. Get a Chunky Monkey tyre too and job done!

https://www.hiplok.com/z-lok-zip-tie/

Hiplok combo is great. Very tough and quite cheap.

Like mine a lot

IMO exo is useless on the back even at ‘correct’ tyre pressure a good square hit at speed will pinch go DD and have peace of mind

the weight difference is negligible unless you’re a xc weight weenie

I wouldn’t go for an ardent either it would be alright for current conditions but as soon as it turns wet again is it pointless and scary

just my two pennies

Cafe lock – a kryptonite seatsaver cable, which is really light, and a small luggage combination padlock.

http://www.chainreactioncycles.com/mobile/kryptonite-kryptoflex-seatsaver/rp-prod9631

Decent padlock through the chainring

Plus one on the planetx trailboss in tough. All this exo/snakskin is way to thin to be of any use as a rear tyre.

Cafe locking; change into biggest gear as you roll up, loosen front and rear QR’s (and brake calipers if on a roady) and use one of the lightweight cable locks (aka ski locks) like the Abus above. If nothing else, if someone does try to make off with your bike they’ll be unlikely to be able to do it surreptitiously as it’ll make a right racket and they’ll probably end up on their arse

Agree EXO is not really up to rear tyre duties in the likes of the Lakes, whatever the pressure. I’ve had better results with tough/fast casing WTB trail boss, but more recently Spesh slaughter grid. Both good tyres, slaughter a wee bit quicker as it’s lighter and has a quicker centre tread, but still grips really well when you lean over into side knobs.

One wee suggestion is technique over drainage ditches, lots of folk thunder into them, doesn’t really matter which tyre you have if this is the case. However, lots of big rocky lakes-type descents have constant rocks which are effectively square edges, and once carrying a bit of speed, it’s a lot more difficult to weight/unweight.

I like TJ’s suggestion of a padlock, one through the front rotor would do, as long as it’s still in sight and only for a quick shop visit.

“Esme

I carry the Abus Combiflex 2503 with a retractable 120cm cable.  Not the most secure of locks, but it’s always there, in the bottom of my pack.”

another vote – small , no key to remember – sufficient to hopefully stop a jump on/ride off or pick up and into van whilst inside ordering food….determined pro thief will be armed to snip in seconds but hopefully my bikes aren’t worth the effort over easier and more attractive pickings

Ottolock – got two of them, stronger than most lightweight locks… and they come in a decent length.

I’ve seen the ottolock actually but the cost of them…. wow! I know people say it’s proportional to the cost of the bike and I’d agreed if I was planning on relying on it to deter a proper serious bike thief but I’m just trying to put off an opportunist who doesn’t know when and where I’m going to be.

RE. lakes drainage ditches I definitely agree and it’s not so much the drainage channels that bother me as I just hop them and unweight but I can’t possible unweight under the constant chattering bigger stuff and I found myself backing off for risk of a pinch rather than going full blast. I was thinking aggressor rather than ardent actually, the tyre will be used minimally and when it is it’ll be the drier months so don’t think anything too capable for mud will be an issue, especially for a rear tyre and where I’ll be.

Will check out the other lock recommendations, cheer chaps!

I guess it depends on what you mean by ‘non huge’, but the Rock Razor with the Super Gravity casing is reasonably tough and works well in the dry.

I have one of these and use it when going places on the road bike and mountain bike: https://www.designboom.com/design/water-bottle-bike-lock have had it for years now and really like it, being able to place it in the bottle cage and not worry about carrying makes it easier and more encouraging to use.

Until recently, I was running Maxxis Dual Ply on the rear, tubeless. This was fairly bombproof but heavy.

I’m now running Procore and have been able to drop the casing weight a bit without pinching. Currently running Spesh Slaughter grid on the back of the full sus and one of those £10 WTB trailboss fast/TCS tough on the hardtail. Both working well with the procore.

By non huge I just mean I’m on an original bronson so don’t have the clearance for anything above a 2.4! I’ve got a tyre and lock sitting in the planet x basket, just checking if anybody else needs anything.

Ah okay, the Rock Razor is 2.35, so should fit fine. It’s very quick, the SG version is decently tough and the big edge knobs give it surprising amounts of grip. It doesn’t brake as well as full-tread tyres on steep, loose stuff, but otherwise is deceptively good. The centre knobs are something like a Racing Ralph, the edge knobs are like something off a much beefier tyre.

I run one out back pretty much all year round in the Peak District and I’d say it’s much better than the Ardent or Ardent Race, though the Maxxis rubber compound – I think – is better and I’m generally a Maxxis fan. I’ve not used an Aggressor.

Schwalbe on the rear? naw! front only, learnt that lesson before!

I have a couple of those retractable abus locks (one for MTB/bikepacking trips and one in my brompton bag), plus a retractable knog one in my commuting bag

Get the abus, it’s plenty good enough for a quick stop and provides me with piece of mind. It’s not going to stop a proper thief but it will stop someone wondering off with it. It’s also more visible than a padlock through the disc

Schwalbe on the rear? naw! front only, learnt that lesson before!

Generally I’d agree with you, but the Rock Razor works for me. I wouldn’t put a Schwalbe on my front wheel though while Maxxis is still making tyres, learnt that lesson before…