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Bicycle Locks

Bicycle locks are a key tool in your bike's safety. If you love your bike as I do and it is expensive too, you need to invest some serious time (researching what lock suits your needs) and money to buy the best of many good bicycle locks on the market. You should consider your pocket book and the risk where you ride. I have made a decision that I (almost) never lock my road bike. I take it inside or lock to the bike rack on my car.

Forget spoke locks, cable locks, combination locks, or simple chains. To lock your bicycle safely out on the street use two different types of locks, such as a U-lock plus a chain-and-padlock. That forces thieves to carry several tools--which means they'll look for easier prey than your bike. And having to use two tools will take the thief more than the magic 30 seconds that is the barrier for most thieves. A couple of products that come highly recommended are motorcycle locks by Abus or Trelock that consist of a steel cable protected by interlocking rings. I have tried to find them in the US. They do not seem to be widely available. The Trelock seems to be available easily in England. The Abus lock is available from abuslocks.com

You need to lock the bicycle to something that is at least as solid as the lock. Some bike racks I have seen are ridiculously easy to disassemble. The motorcycle locks mentioned above reach around most lampposts, and they can comfortably be worn around one's waist.

Some U-lock holders rattle which would make me crazy while riding. If you are going to use a U-lock, the keyhole of the lock should face down to make it harder to reach for people with drills. Never, never lay your lock flat on the ground. If you do a hammer and chisel can be used.

Content by Thomas Driemeyer, www.bitrot.deEdited by Reg Gupton, gupton@growthseminars.com

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