Coffee break and bike security

Four of a kind

I plan to head to nearby towns for spins soon and would really like to stop off somewhere for a snack/coffee.

However, I'd need a lock obviously in order to do this.

First question is what kind of lock(s) should I go for,

and secondly, how to ye carry them with ye?

It would seem to me that this would be a little cumbersome during a long spin??

Lumen

No one locks their bikes on group rides. Just pick somewhere where you can keep the bike in view.

ROK ON

Lumen wrote: »

No one locks their bikes on group rides. Just pick somewhere where you can keep the bike in view.

I've seen Blorg lock his bike on group rides/coffee stops. (But maybe he just doesnt trust me?)

Four of a kind

Lumen wrote: »

No one locks their bikes on group rides. Just pick somewhere where you can keep the bike in view.

I won't be with a group most days I to though. I suppose I just have to find a spot where I can keep an eye on it.

buffalo

OP didn't actually mention a group. Maybe bring a small lock to deter opportunists (while you're distracted at the register), and leave it where you can see it from your seat.

Lumen

buffalo wrote: »

OP didn't actually mention a group.

Sure, I suppose it helps if there are more than one set of eyeballs.

I guess my implied point was that if a group of people are prepared to leave tens of thousands of euros worth of carbon fibre thief magnets unlocked whilst they get coffee then it's possible to organise a ride with a stop in such a way that you don't need to carry a lock.

ednwireland

buffalo wrote: »

OP didn't actually mention a group. Maybe bring a small lock to deter opportunists (while you're distracted at the register), and leave it where you can see it from your seat.

pretty much what i do, youd probably get through the lock with a pair of scissors got a small free with a magazine years ago (and another one at lap the lough)

Morgan

There's an old trick they use in Italy when the group stops off for an espresso. Just find some dog poo on the ground and smear it all over the saddle, handlebars and shifters. This will deter opportunists and also means you don't need to carry any additional security apparatus with you. You'd still be advised to park it where you can see it though.

Beasty

Morgan wrote: »

There's an old trick they use in Italy when the group stops off for an espresso. Just find some dog poo on the ground and smear it all over the saddle, handlebars and shifters. This will deter opportunists and also means you don't need to carry any additional security apparatus with you. You'd still be advised to park it where you can see it though.

So do they take it in turns, or just have one "crap" bike between them?;)

buffalo

Lumen wrote: »

Sure, I suppose it helps if there are more than one set of eyeballs.

I guess my implied point was that if a group of people are prepared to leave tens of thousands of euros worth of carbon fibre thief magnets unlocked whilst they get coffee then it's possible to organise a ride with a stop in such a way that you don't need to carry a lock.

But all you need is one person to be keeping half an eye on the mass of bikes at any one time. If there's two people, easy. If there's only one, and I was that one, I'd bring a lock.

Or ask someone else with a (more expensive) road bike to keep an eye on it.

Lumen

buffalo wrote: »

But all you need is one person to be keeping half an eye on the mass of bikes at any one time

Right, but does that happen in reality?

Normally everyone just leans their bikes against the wall and piles in.

Highway_To_Hell

There is a guy I see most weekends stopping in Dalkey for coffee break (not too sure how far he has cycled) but he has two large locks that he leaves locked to the bicycle stand and only uses them while having his coffee, I use the same principle in work where I leave a decent lock on the bicycle rack and just carry the key with me.

TheBlaaMan

Be careful is the by-word. Remember you'll stand out like a sore thumb in cycling gear, so some scrote who is watching your bike will be easily able to pick his moment.....:mad:

Wishbone Ash

I use a small heavy duty Kryptonite U Lock. When riding I place the U part under the saddle from the front and attach it to the locking bar which rests on my saddle bag. It's fairly neat and out of the way and saves fitting the lock holder (which won't fit anyway with 2 water bottles). I can't lock the wheels though unless I carry a cable also but it suffices for short stops.

Lumen

There's no way I'm spending ****loads of euro weight-weenie-ing my road bikes and then bolting over a kilo of Kryptonite lock on them every time I want to go for a ride.

buffalo

Lumen wrote: »

Right, but does that happen in reality?

Normally everyone just leans their bikes against the wall and piles in.

oh. Well I always keep an eye on them until someone sits down with a vantage point. Maybe that's just me then.

edit: I also tend to devise a buddy system in my head when doing anything with a group, to make sure nobody gets left behind. It's the scout leader in me.

Captain Havoc

Coffee break in petrol stations, loads of cameras are a deterent. Leave bike in highest gear, unless Chris Hoy is stealing it they won't be able to accelerate too quickly. Leave your brakes open. Take off your front wheel. I just keep an eye on my bike, though.

CramCycle

Mini evo in your jersey pocket?

clod71

bring it into the coffee shop with you man...

Wishbone Ash

Lumen wrote: »

There's no way I'm spending ****loads of euro weight-weenie-ing my road bikes and then bolting over a kilo of Kryptonite lock on them every time I want to go for a ride.

Think of the extra effort you'll have to make carting it around. Then, when you enter a race minus the lock you'll have one up on the rest!

Malari

Open the skewers so the wheels fall off if the bike is lifted.

Or click the gears down so if someone gets on the bike the chain slips and they nut themselves :cool:

Remember to undo these security measures before you ride away :pac:

deandean

Suggest you bring a Kryptonite Granite Gold U-lock, with a 2 metre chain with 12mm links to go through the front wheel;)

Esroh

OP
You live in ROS. We West of the Shannon hae less of a 'Opportunist Thief' population than in the Pale.
I would think your bike will be grand up against the shop wall. And lets be honest most of your coffe stops will be in the local Statoil.

Keep_Her_Lit

Four of a kind wrote: »

I plan to head to nearby towns for spins soon and would really like to stop off somewhere for a snack/coffee.

Stopping is for wimps. Don't stop. Problem solved.

Captain Havoc wrote: »

Leave bike in highest gear, unless Chris Hoy is stealing it they won't be able to accelerate too quickly. Leave your brakes open. Take off your front wheel.

And then, if the thief still manages to wheelie your bike away in top gear and without brakes, well dammit, he's earned it!

Esroh wrote: »

OP
You live in ROS. We West of the Shannon hae less of a 'Opportunist Thief' population than in the Pale.
I would think your bike will be grand up against the shop wall. And lets be honest most of your coffe stops will be in the local Statoil.

I didn't think you could get coffee west of the Shannon.

MediaMan

As a last resort if you need to stop and have no lock, you can delay the thief an extra couple of seconds by clipping the straps of your helmet through the back wheel. You'll need that time when you are chasing after your bike in your cleats.

Or per previous posts, take your front wheel with you. Then the thief will have to carry the bike, and you can use the wheel as a weapon.

AstraMonti

Lumen wrote: »

There's no way I'm spending ****loads of euro weight-weenie-ing my road bikes and then bolting over a kilo of Kryptonite lock on them every time I want to go for a ride.

^^ that

CramCycle wrote: »

Mini evo in your jersey pocket?

really really bad idea in case of a crash. You can end 10 times worse.

CramCycle

AstraMonti wrote: »

really really bad idea in case of a crash. You can end 10 times worse.

Someone else suggested looping it in under or over their saddle bag which would be ideal for a lock that small.

nilhg

What about garmins/Cycle computers?

There would be some nice pickings there for an opportunist thief and much easier to getaway with.

CramCycle

nilhg wrote: »

What about garmins/Cycle computers?

There would be some nice pickings there for an opportunist thief and much easier to getaway with.

They click off quite easily, I'd never leave it on the bike.

Lumen

nilhg wrote: »

What about garmins/Cycle computers?

There would be some nice pickings there for an opportunist thief and much easier to getaway with.

Scumbags don't know what a bike computer is.

johnk123

You deserve to have it stolen if you leave it on your bike..... I was out with a group a few weekends ago and we stopped for a coffee... I ran back out to get my bottle, saw 3 edge 500's on bikes... took them and when the lads came out I wound them up for a while... gave them back and to be fair to them they all said they never thought of it... it takes two seconds to slip it off and put it in your pocket!

Mycroft H

Lumen wrote: »

Scumbags don't know what a bike computer is.

They will know thats its expensive piece of gadgetry and they may make a quick buck out of it. Or just take it out of sheer badness too.

Whats the problem with carrying a small lightweight cable lock?

Lumen

johnk123 wrote: »

You deserve to have it stolen if you leave it on your bike

Sure, and women who walk around in revealing clothing deserve to be assaulted.

Mycroft H

Lumen wrote: »

Sure, and women who walk around in revealing clothing deserve to be assaulted.

Thats an awful comparison. At least compare like with like. Would you leave your wallet unattended on a table in a restaurant while going to the toilet?

Lumen

BX 19 wrote: »

Whats the problem with carrying a small lightweight cable lock?

For utility cycling, fine. If I'm popping to the local Spar it would stop me from having to park my bike in the doorway and stare at it while I pay.

For fun cycling, training, whatever it is completely unnecessary, inconvenient, irritating, whatever to be carrying a lock around for 100km. Where am I supposed to stick it? Attached to the frame? In my jersey pocket?

As someone else posted, don't stop for coffee in scummy places or simply don't stop at all.

Lumen

BX 19 wrote: »

Thats an awful comparison. At least compare like with like. Would you leave your wallet unattended on a table in a restaurant while going to the toilet?

That's not the comparison I was making. If you want to be analogous, your question would be

"If I leave my wallet unattended on a table in a restaurant, do I deserve to have it stolen".

And the answer to that question is definitely no.

johnk123

Lumen wrote: »

Sure, and women who walk around in revealing clothing deserve to be assaulted.

That's not a great comparison there Lumen. Perhaps my statement would have been more suited to conversation! I didn't mean it in a bad way, all I meant was that if you leave it on your bike, you're asking for trouble. Especially considering it takes such little effort to pop them off.

johnk123

Lumen wrote: »

That's not the comparison I was making. If you want to be analogous, your question would be

"If I leave my wallet unattended on a table in a restaurant, do I deserve to have it stolen".

And the answer to that question is definitely no.

OK agreed, bad choice of words on my part... hopefully you understand what I was getting at!

Mycroft H

Ahh yea I understand where your coming from but all it takes is one scumbag to ruin your day. Why give them the chance. While you may not deserve it, your still asking for trouble.

Lumen

BX 19 wrote: »

Ahh yea I understand where your coming from but all it takes is one scumbag to ruin your day. Why give them the chance. While you may not deserve it, your still asking for trouble.

Agreed, but it's all about context.

When I park my bike outside Hartstown Spar, I practically strip the thing down to the frame.

When I park my bike outside a cafe in the Wicklow Mountains or in arse end of Ballyboggery I relax and enjoy being somewhere where the bikestealingscumbag density has approached zero.

DirkVoodoo

Is it that hard to find a coffee stop with a window?

Last time I was in Howth I sat facing the window with my bike outside.

Either that, or undo your front quick release. Thief takes bike. Hilarity ensues. Yadda yadda. Mental note: redo quick release.

Going on historical data, I have never locked my bike on a spin:

No. of bikes or computers stolen: 0
Weight saved: 300g
Not looking like a complete Fred: priceless

Mycroft H

Lumen wrote: »

Agreed, but it's all about context.

When I park my bike outside Hartstown Spar, I practically strip the thing down to the frame.

When I park my bike outside a cafe in the Wicklow Mountains or in arse end of Ballyboggery I relax and enjoy being somewhere where the bikestealingscumbag density has approached zero.

I was actually going to post something like that except I was going to use the texaco in Lucan along the N4. I'd honestly be afraid to leave my bike unattended there without a burly U lock.

Context has to be taken into account :pac:

sled driver

Once outside the city centre and built up areas, I think the potential for problems dissipates exponentially. I've cycled, in groups, solo, (mostly Wicklow direction) and always just leave the bike up against the wall outside coffee shop, computer on and never had a problem and no-one I know ever has had a problem either. Go have a look outside any of the cafes in Wicklow any Saturday, Sunday mornings.

The fear of bike theft may be out there, but actual thefts?? How many people here have had bikes, computers etc. stolen/tampered with outside of the "bikestealingscumbag" comfort zone while out on a spin.

BostonB

Do you need a big lock. I'd have thought a small cable lock, enough to stop the bike being grabbed and cycled would be enough, and the bike in open view. I have a heavy lock at work but have a light cable lock in my bag when commuting.