Best U Lock - in the €50 to €90 range

DirkVoodoo

Hey all,

Anyway, just brought my bike back into my office in college, where its been kept for the last 2 weeks, and some chump told me to take it outside because its not covered by the insurance and someone might trip over it. Fair enough, I'm not going to argue, he doesn't want someone tripping over my bike while I wheel it through the corridors.

Anyway, its a good bike and I want to buy a decent D/U-Lock, whichever term you prefer, but aside from the kryptonite new york lock (which i cant find in dublin!), I don't know which other locks are suitable to leave it outside. It has to be parked in UCD, so aside from locking it somewhere visible, i need a good strong lock.

Oh, and no mention of UCD having a shambolic bike rack system. All my friends who cycles in college seemed to have one bike, if not more, nicked at some point.

Any suggestions welcome.

ruprect

You can get the NY lock on ebay and I think at www.chainreactioncycles.com

I got a mid range kryptonite there and a hacksaw did nothing to it. I was able to cut through a more expensive motorbike lock.

Those racks are crap, you can easily cut through a rack and walk off with the locked bike.

I have no faith in locks at all now. I have a decent lock but the biggest deterrent is the fact I brush painted my bike to look totally crap, you would be lucky to get €20 for my bike, and I would imagine it would be hard to find a buyer even at that. It looks really, really bad
EDIT
25% off at the moment
http://www.chainreactioncycles.com/SearchResults.aspx?Search=new+york

they are really heavy though so you might want to leave it there in UCD

DirkVoodoo

cool, thanks ruprect.

I heard some guy on amazon somewhere complaining that the keys for these are crap and snap off in the tumbler, can I get a fageddaboutit anywhere? Will this lock do just fine? I had a magnum D-lock from halfords before this, never took a hacksaw to it though.

Ghost Rider

I got an Abus Granit-X Plus 54 for €95 from Commuting Solutions in Rathmines. it seems to get pretty good reviews:

http://www.abus.de/us/main.asp?ScreenLang=us&sid=60432070516130421052007837118842&select=0104b01&artikel=4003318229756

DirkVoodoo

Crap, thanks Ghost Rider, it does look nice. I placed the order on that kryptonite jobbie.

I'm really angry, I have loads of room in my office, the 2 other ppl here don't mind, a few other postgrads also park bikes in their rooms. I have yet to see someone trip up over a freestanding bike, especially in the engineering building where there are far more dangerous things about. What a litigious society we have become, but at least "accident lawyers direct" and other chumps are kept in business.

Anyway, fingers crossed my bike doesn't now get nicked!

tywy

I park my bike (specialized sirrus) outside Eng everyday, hasn't got nicked yet... touch wood! As long as you don't leave it over night you should be fine. I just use 2 locks, a U lock and a thick cable one.

About the key breaking in the lock, if you oil the lock mechanism that shouldn't happen.

Morgan

How about hanging the bike on the wall of your office - that should reduce the chances of someone tripping over it...

Ghost Rider

I'm amazed how infrequently people seem to hang their bikes up in this country. If I owned the house I live in, I'd have hooks up all over the gaff.

Morgan wrote:

How about hanging the bike on the wall of your office - that should reduce the chances of someone tripping over it...

DirkVoodoo

Yeah I park outisde eng too, its grand for the most part.

I have yet to see someone trip over my bike as I wheel it in. I'm not going to argue with them, but it just seemed ridiculous to me. Also, its now the summer and the place is empty, so unless someone purposely runs into me in the wide open hallways of UCD, i cant envisage a problem.

cunnins4

I've one kinda like these guys:

http://www.chainreactioncycles.com/Models.aspx?ModelID=8481

As does my brother. Locks both wheels (just about) and i've never had any trouble with it. I *think* it's too wide for a bolt cutters to get around unless you've one of the mamoth ones. It cost me 30 quid in cycleogical. I either throw it over my shoulder, or wrap it around the handle bar. It's perfect. Don't even notice it there at all.

My brother had another one a few years ago and he broke a key in it. Took him 30 mins and a couple of hack saw blades i believe to get it off.

daymobrew

I recommend getting your bike covered under house contents insurance.
If a thief/scumbag does nick your bike, you'll be able to afford a replacement and get yourself back on the road quickly.

he doesn't want someone tripping over my bike while I wheel it through the corridors.

While you walk it through the corridors? :rolleyes:

DirkVoodoo

Corridors of the engineering building in UCD. Good advice daymobrew.

Titiritero

I also have the Abus Granite. Very good reviews, maximum security rating, etc. I had some Kryptonite in my hands, and in comparison I felt they´re quite heavy!

Got mine in Germany, only 68 euros, I love the E.U. Common Market!

mallet head

Titiritero wrote:

I also have the Abus Granite. Very good reviews, maximum security rating, etc. I had some Kryptonite in my hands, and in comparison I felt they´re quite heavy!

Got mine in Germany, only 68 euros, I love the E.U. Common Market!

Sadly I wouldn't put much stock in any lock with the advent of the cordless Grinder. On a similar note if you find your bike lifted in town report it to the cops regardless of value as the corpo are now going around with these cordless grinders taking any bikes which are locked to traffic poles and storing them in one of there yards awaiting collection from there owners.

Ghost Rider

What's a traffic pole? A pole traffic lights are mounted on? Or any pole with a traffic sign on it? I use those babies all the time.

mallet head wrote:

Sadly I wouldn't put much stock in any lock with the advent of the cordless Grinder. On a similar note if you find your bike lifted in town report it to the cops regardless of value as the corpo are now going around with these cordless grinders taking any bikes which are locked to traffic poles and storing them in one of there yards awaiting collection from there owners.

mallet head

Ghost Rider wrote:

What's a traffic pole? A pole traffic lights are mounted on? Or any pole with a traffic sign on it? I use those babies all the time.

Mate of mine is in charge of all street furniture on the north side of the liffey and they call any pole that has traffic info (including lights) a traffic pole.The new DCC policy is basically the only place a bike can be parked is on a bike rack. Anywhere else and they'll have it and they are employing new guys from next monday to enforce it. Its to do with their insurance, people are walking into the bikes and claiming the city council.

Civilian_Target

But the bike racks are ****!
Do they re-imburse you for the lock?

mallet head

Civilian_Target wrote:

Do they re-imburse you for the lock?

Nope because you are Illegally parked.I dont know the exact ins and outs of it but I will be talking to him in the next few days and I will post up any new info.

Turbulent Bill

DirkVoodoo wrote:

Yeah I park outisde eng too, its grand for the most part.

I have yet to see someone trip over my bike as I wheel it in. I'm not going to argue with them, but it just seemed ridiculous to me. Also, its now the summer and the place is empty, so unless someone purposely runs into me in the wide open hallways of UCD, i cant envisage a problem.

I think it's a fire safety issue: I've had similar problems in TCD. The thinking is that bikes can block up corridors, fire doors etc. which could hinder escape in an emergency. It doesn't add up, but them's the rules. The chances of you causing life-threatening injury by bumping into someone at 3km/h are probably fairly slim :rolleyes: .

Ghost Rider

If that's true, it's f*cking outrageous. How dare they start penalising cyclists for protecting their bikes when it's as plain as day they haven't come close to providing enough posts for locking them.

mallet head wrote:

Mate of mine is in charge of all street furniture on the north side of the liffey and they call any pole that has traffic info (including lights) a traffic pole.The new DCC policy is basically the only place a bike can be parked is on a bike rack. Anywhere else and they'll have it and they are employing new guys from next monday to enforce it. Its to do with their insurance, people are walking into the bikes and claiming the city council.

rubadub

Typical, the "traffic poles" are nice strong sturdy poles, so strong that they probably cause a lot more injury/deaths when a car hits them due to the strength and hence higher force on impact. But the tubing on the "official" bike racks whose main purpose is supposedly to secure a bike could be got through with a €1 hacksaw in a 2 minutes.

Ghost Rider

Damn straight. I'll be using "traffic poles" until I'm satisfied that the law has changed and that DCC has made an effort to publicise that fact.

rubadub wrote:

Typical, the "traffic poles" are nice strong sturdy poles, so strong that they probably cause a lot more injury/deaths when a car hits them due to the strength and hence higher force on impact. But the tubing on the "official" bike racks whose main purpose is supposedly to secure a bike could be got through with a €1 hacksaw in a 2 minutes.

IU

DavyD_83

mallet head wrote:

if you find your bike lifted in town report it to the cops regardless of value as the corpo are now going around with these cordless grinders taking any bikes which are locked to traffic poles and storing them in one of there yards awaiting collection from there owners.

Where is this yard, and how do i try claim my bike back.
Locked my bike somewhere (not even sure where, and yes i am an idiot ) while completely hammered one night, and haven't seen it since. Assumed it had been stolen by now, but sounds like this would be worth a look just in case.

Sniipe

I have a sweet bike and I only bring it into town with a NY Kryptonite lock. Got it in Kearney Cycles in Galway.

dalk

This guys on the right track but he should really use 2 different types of locks, rather than all U-locks... :rolleyes:

mallet head

Ghost Rider wrote:

Damn straight. I'll be using "traffic poles" until I'm satisfied that the law has changed and that DCC has made an effort to publicise that fact.


IU

Sorry for taking so long to get back. The policy of the corpo is they are putting no bike signs on some of the poles on OConnell st and if you bike is on another pole you can lock it ok but if sombody reports it as a nuisance the corpo are obliged to take it away. Also if a bike is damaged they can take it away.

Capt'n Midnight

if you have the space could you get a trolley or box on wheels, put the bike on it and wheel to the room - no trip hazard