Lock picking lawyer has a good youtube channel. Hes picked some of the locks shown in under a minute nearly. Combination locks are good. Dont need to take house keys with me. Some cities will remove bikes from railing from you. Btw is that Bath or Dundee? Cant place it.
@@Ed.R some parts of the uk are still like this. I Dont bother locking the house sometimes, nor do my neighbours. One of my near neighbours still uses a well. It's got an electric pump now. (I am Welsh btw, born up the road, I've not moved here to avoid working or for a good life - like some)
One of the unwritten laws of cycling...” all bikes weigh the same, the lighter and more expensive the bike, the bigger and heavier the lock carried to keep it”
So with the weight of the bike & locks, the bike ends up being just as heavy or heavier than cheap bikes? 😐 10 pound bike+a 20 (or more) pound lock=a $70 walmart/target bike So you might as well just get the cheap bike (if you're going only by weight, not quality).
@@roshireu1219 23 & 12 equals to about the weight of a cheap walmart/target bike. 😐 So why not get the cheap bike with a tiny lock? (if you're only going by weight, that is)
Oh the endless snide "I know better because I watch LPL videos" remarks. So tiresome and lame. Thieves DO NOT PICK LOCKS! Ask LE and they'll tell you it's grinders all day long. If they did, bike theft would have been totally out of control for ever. Even though it has been bad, it's WAY WORSE now that cheap, powerful cordless grinders are everywhere. THIS is why storage units are being broken into and high-quality security chains cut. It's angle grinders. Not picking. LPL is doing a disservice by basically telling everyone the locks on the market are useless (some indeed are). But they are not. My Kryptonite NY Fugeddaboudit was a sure thing for the last fifteen years. Lock mechanism hasn't changed. They aren't being picked. The lock WAS unbreakable by common means, then it was hard to defeat (10 minutes to cut), but NOW it's less than a minute. This is solely because of powerful 18v brushless cordless angle grinders. Do not obsess about non-issues like picking.
Theives sometimes cut through those dedicated bike railings, like at 9:15, then hide the cut with duct tape or something. Then when someone locks their bike to it and leaves, they just rip the tape and bend the rail, and slide the bike off.
Stick a cable through the saddle rails as well. Saddles even cheap ones get stolen by people who just find it funny that you will have to ride home without one.
Just use a seat post clamp wich doesn't have quick release but requires an allen wrench. Most people who do it for fun don't carry tools around and you probably don't change your saddle height that much
Stick some old chain into an old piece of inner tube. Now thread thru saddle rail and seat stay and use a chain tool to connect it up. Voila! DIY lock 👍
@@Hunter_Bidens_Crackpipe_ I come from the so called "Third World", and not only you´re wrong, you're stupid. My bike was never stolen in my own country "Jordan", it only got stolen when I came to Germany, quite an Irony.
Got myself a new lock recently... So the one I had before was a shitty cable thing I felt like I could break by hand with enough effort. So, I did some Internet digging to find a good make and type of lock. Wound up ordering a very substantial propper chain and reasonably secure lock. Brilliant. Except in my infinite wisdom, I didn't pay much attention to the weight class of this chain 🤦♂️ When it arrived I realised I've ordered the world's heaviest chain (probably for a motorbike) that weighs nearly as much as my pushbike 😅 Needless to say, if I DO feel like lugging it about a thief would have better luck cutting up the bike frame itself than this beast. The things so weighty I might be better off weaponising it and fighting people off instead 😂
Ways to reduce bike theft, from most effective to least: 1) make less people want to steal bikes 2) make it less risk/reward effective to steal bikes (e.g. more likely to be caught and harsher punishment if caught) 3) better biking facilities (e.g. guarded public bike parks) 4) stronger locks
Ways to reduce YOUR bike beeing stolen, from most doable to least: 1) don't leave your bike alone 2) get multiple strong locks 3) make your bike less desirable by uglyfing it or altering it in an obnoxious way ... ... ... ... 875) change the whole socioeconomic situation
LockPickingLawyer uses an appropriate chain lock as they are more difficult to cut in the field with an angle grinder. Keeping a link steady is harder than cutting a D lock. There is a good chance a non diamond disc will slip and shatter firing shrapnel everywhere, hopefully some of the shards embed in the thief. 💀
There are even better chains available with hardness that makes them significantly more dangerous and difficult to angle grind, and impossible to bolt cut. Look up videos putting Pewag chains to the test. Connected to a high quality padlock with a shackled shroud, and with a motion activated screecher alarm ziptied to the bike, and a tracker, and replacing the pins on the seat clamp, saddle, and handlebar, you've about maxed out the available security measures at about 300 bucks all told.
If you have a thief ready to use an angle grinder, nothing you use will protect it. More so if you're dealing with 2. I've personally cut chains when I made something for my yard, its damn easy. All you have to do is make sure there is tension on the chain, it can be achieved multiple ways. Mind you, this was my first time cutting anything, imagine someone with experience. I've also seen videos of people texting this and how easy it is to cut different locks. If you are interested in how long they can protect your bike, U locks are better because you have to cut them twice (both ends) to remove them. I don't use them since its hard to carry around and the opening is not big enough to fit most objects I plan to tie it to. I use a folding lock since its so easy to carry and store on a special device on my bike (it came with the lock). My bike is also not that expensive, something like 1600 euros (well it is fine for me, but compared to really expensive bikes, its nothing).
@@xxan84 I saw there are a new type of D-locks designed with angle grinders in mind. They feature an abrasive filling with hard, tungsten carbide pellets embedded within. When cut with an angle grinder, the disk will wear down very quickly, and have a high chance of shattering.
A simple alarm with these locks can help very much. I dont know how much it may cost but i dont see people not buying such additional tech to protect the expensive bikes.
A couple of years ago, i locked my bike up with a cheap cable lock (not the cheapest), in the centre of town on a saturday afternoon (100ish people walking by every minute), it was 2-3 meters from a police car, with the officer standing right by the car. I know i was only going to be gone for 20 mins top, so wasn't concerned. I came back to the lock left, it had been cut through, police office still next to where my bike was, and wasn't interested in helping me at all, and told me to ring 101. Bike or thief was never found. Since this day, i don't let by bike leave my vision, and I never locked it up (decent bike locks weigh too much and damage my nice new bike frame).
@@FdPros happens all the time in NYC. Watched a video yesterday where the guyʻs doorman taped the theft while verbally confronting the guy and he still made it out there with the bike.
@@davidlynch9049 any hard object will damage a nice bike frame. It if would hurt for you to get hit with it or trapped by it, it will damage most bike frames as well.
Great video, thanks for the tips! Another point I always make to people is to remove anything that can be removed easily such as lights, or a bike pump that clips onto the frame. Most of these unclip easily and fit in a bag. If someone can't nick your bike, they'll still take everything attached to it. Had my light nicked from the front of my bike when I popped in the shop for about 5 mins! The light was only worth like £10/$15 so no major loss but I had to make a long trip home in the dark because of it 🤦♂️ (You're usually alright leaving the mounts themselves on, if you're only leaving the bike for a short time) Fortunately it was a super cheap light, but it taught me a valuable lesson that should've been common sense on my part to be honest 😅
Use 3 locks with 3 separate keys 🔑 1. I use a top tier abus d lock for back wheel and frame. 2. I Use a thick chain with solid padlock for front wheel and frame. 3. I Use a thick abus cable not attached to d lock for bike seat and front or back frame depending on what i am locking my bike to. I also use a handle bar lock that needs a key so thief's can't steal my handle bars & gears, I also use a different type of tool to put through my front and back wheels instead of a quick release skewers 😅 Takes me 30 seconds to lock everything up 🔐
just paint your bike or cover it in stickers. works surprisingly well, however having an old/cheap beater bike for situations that you'll be locking your bike is probably the best way to go (and can be done for less money than some of these locks lol)
I've got two bikes no one wants to steal. Old 26" rockhopper I keep in the bed of my truck I lock the front wheel to the frame sometimes with a chain. My old Schwinn road bike I hardly lock it up, paid a case of beer for it 10 years ago. It'll be a good excuse for me to upgrade when it gets stolen
I'll share a funny bike theft experience here: fifteen years ago I lived in a horrible part of Dublin in a shared house, when one night the garage door was forced open and someone managed to cycle off with a house mate's bike chain-locked to a steel bed frame. Incidentally the bike and bed frame were found a mile away, the thief had however stolen the saddle. Fun fact: my own bicycle, which was much nicer, had been parked in the garage right next to the bed frame and not locked - and remained there, inspite of the break-in. So, that thief must have been extremely stupid (or high on drugs...).
@@DogeTrump yes, unbelievably so. But my Spanish house mate, whose bike, along with the bed frame had been displaced by the thief, kept on suspecting me of being behind the ordeal. It sure was an interesting experience... it also took for ever for the Gardaí (Irish Police) to arrive. So there goes that (hi)story...
For my £350 MTB I bought a kryptonite 1090 chain (nearly new £40 on gumtree) for the front wheel to frame and a new loklite X1 for the rear wheel/frame to immovable object. I also bought a security nut & bolt from USA to replace the seatpost release. I live in South London so the more security the better.
I had a bike knicked out of my shed once. I hadn't locked it up. I have since bought a lock that has been attempted to be broken into twice now at work. A good lock is worth every penny!
Tip 1: don’t ride a bike that you’ll miss *when* it gets nicked 😞 Tip 2: if tip #1 is not possible, park next to a bike that’s more attractive for theft (read: poorly locked and/or is more valuable than yours, whether perceived or real.
After back surgery, years ago, I couldn't lift my leg over the bike. So, I found a woman's bike frame & put my wheels, seat, etc on it. And I had an old style wire basket on it. Thinking no one would want to steal it, I never locked it. Last week, it got stolen, less than 10 minutes after my grandkids left,(5:10pm) & I went inside. Got it on camera, but the guy had a hood over his head. While driving around the neighborhood, looking for it, I found one that came up missing last week. There has been a lot of bike thefts, lately, in this small town. One kid had his bike stolen, when he went in the house for a minute, to get a drink.
I remember years ago when the most expensive D lock could be opened with the plastic cap from a bic pen. Just place it into the key slot, jiggle it a bit and the lock would fly open. Lots of red faces in the board room at Kryptonite (or whoever made that bad boy).
Had my bike nicked from a locked garage! It was secured to a frame with a Kryptonite D lock, but the garage door lock was easily picked. So presumably thief just picked open the garage door, closed it again and then took his time angle grinding through the D lock. The garage was provided by landlords, so I did not have any control over the garage door lock used. I now keep the replacement bike in my apartment.
Actually, if you attach a lock to your rear wheel inside the rear triangle, it's fine. This is the Sheldon Brown lock strategy. The frame cannot be removed if you do this, despite the fact that the lock is not attached directly to the frame.
I’d avoid leaving your lock on the railing because regular thieves scope out areas and, if they see a decent lock, they’ll know to come back at a later date with some heavy duty cutting equipment.
Some thieves will fill the lock with glue in the hope you leave it unlocked or use a lessor backup lock. Also heard of them cutting the lock, particular cover chain lock, in a way you don't notice.
Robert Smith I have a cheap mountain bike with a scratched sit, for the city and then a Canyon road bike that I never leave anywhere, it’s either at home or I’m riding it - harder to steal it when I’m sitting on it :D
I notice that this video was filmed in Bath. I also live in Bath, and one day I parked my bike up in the tunnel under the train station with a steel bike lock and when I got back I saw the people who had just broken my bike lock ride off with my bike. So just a piece of advice don’t park your bike under the train station if you live in Bath, It is a hotspot for bike theft.
Have had 4 bikes stolen over the years. the answer for me is never to commute on my nice bikes, only on my 'town bike' that no one wants to steal, which I lock up with a kryptonite u lock. In the 9 years I've been doing this, I have had a front wheel stolen (since then do not use quick release on town bike) but otherwise no bike thefts. I've left it all day in really dodgy parts of town, near bus and train stations and it hasn't been touched. Basically, don't commute on your nice bike. It's not worth it.
I’ve taken same approach. I’ve had 4 bikes stolen in 11 years in London. I buy bikes under £200 now and unsurprisingly no thief can be bothered cutting off the lock presumably cos risk doesn’t match reward.
And I've had ZERO bikes stolen in the last 30 years. I commute on a custom-painted bike that's $3k. I live in the SF bay area where theft if epidemic. I went to college that battled with NY City as the worst bike theft place in the nation. Yet somehow I avoided theft. The way you avoid theft is being smart. Make your lock better than average. Thieves are opportunists. Sure, they'd LIKE my bike, but ultimately they want something to quickly steal and unload even faster for quick cash. $500 or $3k, it doesn't really matter; it's getting sold for $100 as quickly as possible. So you have to use better than average security. You have to choose you locking places well. Stay a step or two ahead of thieves and you'll GREATLY reduce the chance of theft. Do not lock your bike outside overnight. Uglify your ride so it isn't eye-catching. I don't do this because visual appeal is important to me. If you're locking at the same place regularly, up your game. Use two different types of quality locks. Perhaps an extra $80 on a lock is worth it to make your bike less inviting to steal. Or beg the boss to bring your bike into work - and STILL lock it inside!!! Obviously, there are no guarantees. But if you tip the scales in your favor, there's a good chance you'll keep your nice bike. And then there's always insurance so if the worst comes to pass, you have some recourse.
I now live in the Highlands of Scotland, not many are stolen there, I can leave my bike safely outside whilst I order coffee and food, no need to carry a lock anymore, after having 3 stolen in the London area, with 3/4 locks that where broken in next to no time outside my offices, best decision I ever made was to leave the city behind and relocate
Yea, Chain lock is has slight advantage against angle grinder compares to other lock due to its flexibility. The lock needs to be secured to be grind or saw away. The flexibility of a chain makes some brute force solutions less optimum. I personally rate chain lock over d-lock.
Tip: Avoid bike stands that are bolted to the pavement. Bike thieves here in Cambridge unbolt the bike stands and take the bike with the lock still attached to it. These not-for-purpose stands have made Cambridge North station a mecca for bike thieves. Source: Experience - someone stole my bike when I was working out by unbolting the stand.
It’s a real problem! They ought to have police units in every city that uses bait bikes and catch the locals and professional bike thieves that just ride around the city stealing bikes for a living. They are really slick and fast they know their business and usually have partners and a van. The cops could catch a fair amount of them if they get pressured to do so. Bike people need to consider this. Lock companies are making a killing!
Superb! Always invest in a good lock if you're riding in a huge metro city. GCN should do a video where they demonstrate how thieves actually break these locks and eventually steal bikes and their components.
Chain locks are more theft-resistant than D-locks of comparable thickness. D-Locks are easier to cut through with an angle grinder because they don't flop around as much as chains do. With D-locks, you also have to cut through only 1 side of the lock, whereas with chain locks, you have to cut through 2 sides of a chain link. But it is true that, for a given weight, D-locks are harder to cut through, because chain locks of the same weight are thinner. So if weight is an issue, a D-lock is probably the better bet of the two, but otherwise, you're better off with a nice heavy motorcycle chain.
Having done some research a while back I came to realise that even the most expensive locks take about 2 minutes to get through. 16mm chains are home are fairly hard to get through but cost a fortune and weigh a tonne. Cables are just chopped through in seconds. Double shackled D locks means they have to cut through both sides which makes it harder. Combination locks are useless as you can hear when you get the correct combination. As he says a mall strong d longs are harder to get leverage and put thieves off. Another option is an alarmed d lock, not sure kryptonite sell those though 😂
I use an Abus Granit extreme 59 (frame and rear wheel to an object) an Abus Granit x-plus 540 (front wheel to frame), and an Abus Bordo Granit X-plus to connect the saddle to the frame. If they get my bike, they definitely earned it.
One mistake in his technique/description of his to place the D-lock: place the straight part of the D-lock (the part where the key goes into) so that it goes against your bike frame and NOT the metal that you're locking your bike onto. In his example he's assuming you've got the best D-lock. But if you don't, thieves can "pop" some of the lesser ones with a good pry bar by wedging it against the hard metal of the bike rack and pop off the straight part of the lock. If it's against the frame, the frame would generally give in before the lock would, so it's not worth it for a theif because it will mangle the frame and not be very usable to ride and worse to sell.
I'll take feeling awkward over getting my bike stolen anytime. Just ask if you can leave your bike inside, at a secure place, whether at your workplace or wherever else you need to go. Put bike in hardest gear.
Hey Ollie: while the tip of leaving a lock at your usual “parking spot” would provide convenience, I’d be wary, particularly as this gives those thieves that are lock “pickers” vs brute force lock breakers time to practice picking the mechanism at their own leisure. I’d suggest rotating lock-up locations at the very least if people are going to leave a lock at their place of work overnight.
This is simply not happening. Sure, LPL talks about lock picking and how easy it is. But ask a cop or police dept. It's angle grinders all day long. Picking is NOT the method. Leave your lock; it's fine. And picking a lock doesn't give a thief the combo or key code or anything. They'd have to re-pick it to put it back on and then re-pick it again to open it after you've left your bike. This is a one in a billion occurrence. Use a beefy lock. Altor SAF lock is the one to beat right now. Let's hope the new material Proteus hits the market soon so we can thwart thieves with angle grinders.
@@dudeonbike800 what is happening though is planned thefts. If you use a sheathed chain lock make sure you check the rivets securing the sheath haven't been tampered with. Few years ago we had a spate of motorbike thefts outside where I worked where the chains had been pre-cut, with a link replaced with a zip tie and the sheath pulled back down over it.
Nope. Why do people seriously think thiefs would actually pick locks? Some may do, but NOT for bikes. Why? Cheap locks are easy to pick. However, they are even easier to cut trough. If a Bolt Cutter does make short work out of your lock, it is pointless to even try to pick it. And those heavy duty locks.... Yes, in Theory, picking would be better, as it is noiseless. However, LPL might look it easy. BUT ITS NOT. You will need YEARS of practice. In any event, you will NOT practice on a fucking public bike rack, are you out of your Mind? I mean forget about the fact, that bike thefts are basically never planned - if someone wanted to train to pick your lock. He'd just buy that lock, try at home in safety. If he can open that, he can open any other of those locks. And trust me: If you are as good as LPL in picking locks, you will propably make more money legally by working as a locksmith. Because with that Skill Level, you'll easily be the very best in 200km+ reach. So no, don't worry about picking to much. That requires more Skill, then any common Bike Thief will EVER have. Bike thiefs use Bolt Cutters and Angle Grinders. Not lock picking tools.
I had three occasions where cable locks were opened. One bike went lost, another time the thief probably was disturbed and left the bike and a nearly cut-through cable lock behind and one time when a bike was stolen at night and just relocated a few meters without the lock. I suspect the thief realized what "special" kind of wildly thrown together (but well functioning and lightweight) junk he just brought into his possession and left it standing there. Loved that bike even more bought a D-Lock for it and rode it until the frame broke, some parts beeing over 22 years old by that time. D-Locks: Never had a single case of an attack on those even overnight at the university. D is for deterrent!
Dont commute on expensive bikes , put racks mudguards a bell and cover the decals with tape , make it look a dog of a bike and use a good lock. I made up a commuter bike out of all my old racing parts. Result , used up a load of parts that are not good enough for the club ride a bike that rides well , fits but looks a bit tired , it all helps. Smart water pens help with detection .
I simply don't leave my e-bike unattended at all. Yes I have Kryptonite locks, however, I also have that much equipment on my bike that removing the panniers, camera, computer, lights, remote controller etc etc is a royal pain in the arse not to mention having to put all the gear back on the bike once I'm ready to leave.
Best stolen bike situation I ever saw in a city: at the beginning of the rack there was a front wheel only + 3 meters further on there was a frame with rear wheel only. Since then, when going to a concert or any event in a city, I carry at least 2 locks to secure the whole deal (even on an old bike) to make sure I get home
Shortly after getting my super bike and my Kryptonite lock, I dida café stop for a nature break and when I came out I noticed I didn’t wrap my chain around anything.
I've done the same at the local pool. Locked my sturdy D-lock to the bike rack, but not my bike, and went for a swim. Fortunately my bike was still there when I was done swimming. :)
I bought a single speed bike off a guy in my office - his son's roommate had abandoned it when moving out of NYC. It had a Kryptonite Evolution locked around the top tube with the key long gone. It was depressingly easy to cut off with a $15 Harbor Freight grinder. I didn't time it but I would guess between 15 and 30 seconds.
If you lock your bike up on the same rack day after day and its the only place you stop, leave a lock locked to that rack. That way, you won't have to carry the heavy lock with you.
wow GCN good on ya for covering everything in depth when it comes to a bike I'm jsut loving you guys more and more there is like no channel on youtube that goes into depth into bikes as much as you awesome lot at GCN you guys are lifesavers
Lets be honest we all love cycling videos this is just what I need to get it going the blood I love it. I always watch these before I go out and get my body moving. I love when I always watch one of these, and then put up my heavy playlist I love like Delta Parole and then I just go haaaaard!!!! Tactic hasnt let me down yet.
Thanks for your valuable recommendations. Tons of info we don't necessarily think about at first that can make a real difference when choosing the most suitable lock for our bikes. I have a better idea of what I need and specially how to lock my bike when in a public space. Thumbs up!!
I wouldn't recommend using the d-lock as a padlock for a chain or cable. The idea behind using multiple locks _should_ be to make it so a thief would have to go through, but the way you showed means that they just have to get through a single lock. You can get heavy duty padlocks that would be good for this kind of thing.
Surface rusted bike(less appealing to thieves)does the trick together with a fairly big chain (that can be shiny)with rusted surface padlock(harder to pick) as well...
Ollie is the hero Gotham deserves, but not the one it needs right now... Because he's not a hero. He's a silent guardian, a watchful protector... A GCN presenter... I had to do it, especially after your reference to Gotham city and Bane at the beginning of the video ;)
The most effective deterrence against public bike theft is dedicated human monitoring. Given the number of people who draw free money from governments, it makes sense that some of these people could be "asked" to serve and be made accountable in this role in exchange for the money they are already receiving.
Meh, Winterthur is quit a hot spot for bike theft, but yeah definitely better than many other places in Europe. I still made sure my bike is insured for theft so at least I would get the money back.
I had a disc brake lock on my motorbike which can work on a pedal bike just as well. A simple steel pin goes thru one of the disc brake holes and so any movement to the bike itself will result in a 100db alarm sound. Annoying as hell, but a great deterrent.
I use the hiplok dxc dlock with a cable lock and also use the hiplock zlok too to lock my bike up and never had my bike nicked and I use my bike to commute to college
Make bike less desirable to thief: 1) Ride cheaper bike 2) D Lock is best, cable lock ok 3) Lock both frame and back wheel to: 4) A strong, immovable object nearby foot traffic, security cameras 5) Try and steal your bike, repeat steps if successful
Until I was left without 2 bikes I didn't pay attention to leave my bike as safe as possible but nowadays I always double check the location where I leave it. Some locations are known for bike theft and one must leave bike as short as possible. Otherwise...😢
I used to have the ultimate security system for my bike. I dragged it out of a river and no thief with an ounce of self respect would have wanted it. It got me around for a while till even I couldnt stand it any more. Still the most secure bike I ever had.
I think what really matters is if the insurance company accepts the lock that you are using (they usually accept Kryptonite and some Abus models). So it is optimal just to have an insurance that will give you the reimbursement in case of theft, so that you are not worrying every time you leave your bike locked somewhere in public
I saw a video once where a chap was having a coffee nearby but didn’t have a bike lock. He suggested parking your bike upside down to slow down or deter an opportunist thief. I thought that was quite a good (and amusing) idea.
This is really discouraging. I was going to buy a nice electric bike, but then I looked at the theft stats and how unfazed thieves are by expensive U-locks, and now I'm questioning whether I should go for it.
I went ahead got one, just picked it up today in fact! So I'm definitely worried about this too, but I've got a pair of decent locks, and I'm going to be insuring it too, as well as taking the battery with me whenever I lock it up so it's useless as an ebike and is just a 22kg bike unless they happen to have a £300/£400 battery on hand that is compatible xD
Good content. My biggest concern (after locking up my bike like normal) was my seatpost. Taking it with me was always a pain, but my seat was quite expensive.
Thieves are ever more sophisticated. My Brompton recently got stolen from very public place with high grade lock. Remnants of lock left at scene. Looks like whatever they used went through like a knife through butter. Apparently these guys now use hand cutting tools that are incredibly powerful. Pretty sure they would have thrown bike in back of van and zip off. Need to use multiple locks people but even that im not sure will make a difference
I will sometimes run a bungee (I carry for strapping down my speaker or whatever) from a front wheel spoke to rear wheel spoke ( or any other combo) in order to give me just a little bit mote time to catch a thief if I catch them in the act because the bungee is likely get tangled and make thief crash ( hopefully into a train lol).
If after you purchase your "D" lock you notice that the shackle is rather loose fitting, get yourself a piece of thick dense foam and cut a piece small enough to fit in the bottom of the lock shaft. By Stuffing a small piece of this çlose cell foam into the very bottom of the locks - locking device - right where the very end of the shackle tips rest in . By doing this simple adjustment, will probably keep the D part tight without any jiggling making the lock assembly seem tight fitting.
I've wrapped my bike in black tape in the past when I've had to leave it in more public areas and used electrical tape to cover up the logos on cranks etc. Makes an expensive bike look a little less conspicuous.
I'd like to see a video where you talk about what gears you use from start of ride, on a flat, transition up hill, top of hill, down hill, and when might you might change many gears quickly or gradually. Thanks
If you were using a different lock for the cable opposed to the same one locking up the rear wheel and frame it would be an actual secondary defense… With this setup, as featured, a thief still only needs to overcome the single D-lock, in order to unfasten the cable, as well. The only additional security that it adds, is that someone isn’t able to steal your front wheel, by just picking it up and skipping down the lane with it. I suppose it could be argued that it is an additional deterrent because a casual or novice thief might just see a D and a cable, and assume that this means there are 2 locks(=more time=more risk,) and look for easier pickings. On the other hand, an experienced, and/or professional, thief will (easily!) grok that the cable is actually just attached with the D-lock. A ruse, that won’t present, even the slimmest of additional obstacles, to purloining the pedal-powered prizes, for which they predatorily prowl.
I’ve always called the “D locks” “U locks”. A cable lock shouldn’t have a rating higher than 2 or 3. They can easily be cut with a pair of small nippers-no need for a pair of bolt cutters. I prefer the folding lock since it will fit on my frame and leave room for a water bottle.
there are many brute force tactics like angle grinders that will defeat fantastic locks quickly. best solution is keeping bike in sight instead of locking up and walking away
A common fail is for people to lock their bike to the street sign, like a stop sign, and not check to see whether the sign can be removed from the pavement. A lot of street signs, parking signs, etc. can simply be lifted out of the pavement and put back into the hole without any effort.
![[1242] NYT Wirecutter Says These Are The Best Bike Locks](/img/n.gif)
How do you lock your bikes up when you leave them? Do you have any security tips? Share them in the comments below 🔒
Can you donate me a bicycle
Lock picking lawyer has a good youtube channel. Hes picked some of the locks shown in under a minute nearly.
Combination locks are good. Dont need to take house keys with me.
Some cities will remove bikes from railing from you.
Btw is that Bath or Dundee? Cant place it.
Fortunate to live in a place where a lock is not required.
don't use a multi-thousand ££ bike to commute / leisure
@@Ed.R some parts of the uk are still like this. I Dont bother locking the house sometimes, nor do my neighbours. One of my near neighbours still uses a well. It's got an electric pump now.
(I am Welsh btw, born up the road, I've not moved here to avoid working or for a good life - like some)
One of the unwritten laws of cycling...” all bikes weigh the same, the lighter and more expensive the bike, the bigger and heavier the lock carried to keep it”
That is so true....
Or show me your bike lock and i show you how paranoid you are
sooooo ride the 80 pound carbon steel tandem to work and attach it to the bike rack with a bit of chain and a padlock.
My bike weighs 23lbs and my lock setup weighs 12lbs lol. But I'm 120lbs so I guess that makes up for it.
So with the weight of the bike & locks, the bike ends up being just as heavy or heavier than cheap bikes? 😐
10 pound bike+a 20 (or more) pound lock=a $70 walmart/target bike
So you might as well just get the cheap bike (if you're going only by weight, not quality).
@@roshireu1219 23 & 12 equals to about the weight of a cheap walmart/target bike. 😐 So why not get the cheap bike with a tiny lock? (if you're only going by weight, that is)
Those security ratings are the amount of seconds needed for TheLockpickingLawyer to open those locks
A man of culture
I was hoping someone would post this!
Oh the endless snide "I know better because I watch LPL videos" remarks. So tiresome and lame. Thieves DO NOT PICK LOCKS! Ask LE and they'll tell you it's grinders all day long.
If they did, bike theft would have been totally out of control for ever. Even though it has been bad, it's WAY WORSE now that cheap, powerful cordless grinders are everywhere. THIS is why storage units are being broken into and high-quality security chains cut. It's angle grinders. Not picking.
LPL is doing a disservice by basically telling everyone the locks on the market are useless (some indeed are). But they are not. My Kryptonite NY Fugeddaboudit was a sure thing for the last fifteen years. Lock mechanism hasn't changed. They aren't being picked. The lock WAS unbreakable by common means, then it was hard to defeat (10 minutes to cut), but NOW it's less than a minute. This is solely because of powerful 18v brushless cordless angle grinders.
Do not obsess about non-issues like picking.
@@dudeonbike800 LPL also explores destructive means, such as the 50cal that everyone in America carries.
@@dudeonbike800 it was joke lil bro
Theives sometimes cut through those dedicated bike railings, like at 9:15, then hide the cut with duct tape or something. Then when someone locks their bike to it and leaves, they just rip the tape and bend the rail, and slide the bike off.
that's actually something really good to look out for, thank you for the wisdom
Stick a cable through the saddle rails as well. Saddles even cheap ones get stolen by people who just find it funny that you will have to ride home without one.
Been thinking along these lines.
Just use a seat post clamp wich doesn't have quick release but requires an allen wrench. Most people who do it for fun don't carry tools around and you probably don't change your saddle height that much
This happened to some guy just before a race in the tour of ulster. I lend him mine off my own bike. True story.
Stick some old chain into an old piece of inner tube.
Now thread thru saddle rail and seat stay and use a chain tool to connect it up. Voila! DIY lock 👍
Chris P very true, I used to work for a resturant, one of the f-o-h staff had the saddle robbed, so one of the chefs sugested a crude alternative
So sad we need to worry about these things...
Invite the 3rd world, become the 3rd world.
@@Hunter_Bidens_Crackpipe_ I would bet you that most of the thieves are not "3rd world" citizens
@@Hunter_Bidens_Crackpipe_
I come from the so called "Third World", and not only you´re wrong, you're stupid.
My bike was never stolen in my own country "Jordan", it only got stolen when I came to Germany, quite an Irony.
@@nitrous390 the same happened to my mother's wallet lol. never been pickpocketed in Chile. got pickpocketed in her first month in washington DC
@@Hunter_Bidens_Crackpipe_ living up to the name!
Got myself a new lock recently...
So the one I had before was a shitty cable thing I felt like I could break by hand with enough effort. So, I did some Internet digging to find a good make and type of lock. Wound up ordering a very substantial propper chain and reasonably secure lock. Brilliant.
Except in my infinite wisdom, I didn't pay much attention to the weight class of this chain 🤦♂️ When it arrived I realised I've ordered the world's heaviest chain (probably for a motorbike) that weighs nearly as much as my pushbike 😅 Needless to say, if I DO feel like lugging it about a thief would have better luck cutting up the bike frame itself than this beast. The things so weighty I might be better off weaponising it and fighting people off instead 😂
Thanks for the laugh 😂
i mean, good training right? gonna have some fire thighs in a month
@@artemis4575 this is true! It is like lugging about a small dumbell haha
if it's something like the Kryptonite 's New York Legend, those are usually weared as belts
🤣🤣🤣🤣
Ways to reduce bike theft, from most effective to least:
1) make less people want to steal bikes
2) make it less risk/reward effective to steal bikes (e.g. more likely to be caught and harsher punishment if caught)
3) better biking facilities (e.g. guarded public bike parks)
4) stronger locks
or just get a Skunk Lock......
and how do you make less people want to steal bikes ??
@@atension1008improve socioeconomic conditions
@@atension1008give people the moral absolute of following Christ
Ways to reduce YOUR bike beeing stolen, from most doable to least:
1) don't leave your bike alone
2) get multiple strong locks
3) make your bike less desirable by uglyfing it or altering it in an obnoxious way
...
...
...
...
875) change the whole socioeconomic situation
LockPickingLawyer uses an appropriate chain lock as they are more difficult to cut in the field with an angle grinder. Keeping a link steady is harder than cutting a D lock. There is a good chance a non diamond disc will slip and shatter firing shrapnel everywhere, hopefully some of the shards embed in the thief. 💀
Yes I saw that one. Kryptonite Evolution series 4 1090 if I recall correctly.
There are even better chains available with hardness that makes them significantly more dangerous and difficult to angle grind, and impossible to bolt cut. Look up videos putting Pewag chains to the test. Connected to a high quality padlock with a shackled shroud, and with a motion activated screecher alarm ziptied to the bike, and a tracker, and replacing the pins on the seat clamp, saddle, and handlebar, you've about maxed out the available security measures at about 300 bucks all told.
If you have a thief ready to use an angle grinder, nothing you use will protect it. More so if you're dealing with 2.
I've personally cut chains when I made something for my yard, its damn easy. All you have to do is make sure there is tension on the chain, it can be achieved multiple ways. Mind you, this was my first time cutting anything, imagine someone with experience. I've also seen videos of people texting this and how easy it is to cut different locks.
If you are interested in how long they can protect your bike, U locks are better because you have to cut them twice (both ends) to remove them. I don't use them since its hard to carry around and the opening is not big enough to fit most objects I plan to tie it to. I use a folding lock since its so easy to carry and store on a special device on my bike (it came with the lock). My bike is also not that expensive, something like 1600 euros (well it is fine for me, but compared to really expensive bikes, its nothing).
@@xxan84 I saw there are a new type of D-locks designed with angle grinders in mind. They feature an abrasive filling with hard, tungsten carbide pellets embedded within. When cut with an angle grinder, the disk will wear down very quickly, and have a high chance of shattering.
All locks can be picked, cut, or broken.
I've seen SO MANY bikes locked by the seat post. Brilliant!
A simple alarm with these locks can help very much. I dont know how much it may cost but i dont see people not buying such additional tech to protect the expensive bikes.
A couple of years ago, i locked my bike up with a cheap cable lock (not the cheapest), in the centre of town on a saturday afternoon (100ish people walking by every minute), it was 2-3 meters from a police car, with the officer standing right by the car. I know i was only going to be gone for 20 mins top, so wasn't concerned. I came back to the lock left, it had been cut through, police office still next to where my bike was, and wasn't interested in helping me at all, and told me to ring 101. Bike or thief was never found.
Since this day, i don't let by bike leave my vision, and I never locked it up (decent bike locks weigh too much and damage my nice new bike frame).
wow wtf that sucks
@@FdPros happens all the time in NYC. Watched a video yesterday where the guyʻs doorman taped the theft while verbally confronting the guy and he still made it out there with the bike.
How does a lock damage your bike frame. Sounds like you don't know how to use them.
FTP
@@davidlynch9049 any hard object will damage a nice bike frame. It if would hurt for you to get hit with it or trapped by it, it will damage most bike frames as well.
Great video, thanks for the tips!
Another point I always make to people is to remove anything that can be removed easily such as lights, or a bike pump that clips onto the frame. Most of these unclip easily and fit in a bag. If someone can't nick your bike, they'll still take everything attached to it. Had my light nicked from the front of my bike when I popped in the shop for about 5 mins! The light was only worth like £10/$15 so no major loss but I had to make a long trip home in the dark because of it 🤦♂️
(You're usually alright leaving the mounts themselves on, if you're only leaving the bike for a short time)
Fortunately it was a super cheap light, but it taught me a valuable lesson that should've been common sense on my part to be honest 😅
Use 3 locks with 3 separate keys 🔑
1. I use a top tier abus d lock for back wheel and frame.
2. I Use a thick chain with solid padlock for front wheel and frame.
3. I Use a thick abus cable not attached to d lock for bike seat and front or back frame depending on what i am locking my bike to.
I also use a handle bar lock that needs a key so thief's can't steal my handle bars & gears, I also use a different type of tool to put through my front and back wheels instead of a quick release skewers 😅
Takes me 30 seconds to lock everything up 🔐
A triple multi level approach..bravo..time equals safety..surprised you don't lastly have a tag; db deterrent and or RF..
i don't know if this is a joke or not, but if you can really do that in 30 seconds then nice!
Impressive! What kind of tool do you use instead of the skewers to fasten your wheels?
Also how much is the combined weight of these locks and chains / cables?
@sandythemonk Top secret bro, You could be bike thief getting clued up with information 😉
Ollie's next video: Building a "sleeper". (A bike that doesn't look like thiefbait but still has top-level performance.)
That would actually be a really cool series. Wondering if its possible?🤔
just paint your bike or cover it in stickers. works surprisingly well, however having an old/cheap beater bike for situations that you'll be locking your bike is probably the best way to go (and can be done for less money than some of these locks lol)
It doesn't work
I've got two bikes no one wants to steal. Old 26" rockhopper I keep in the bed of my truck I lock the front wheel to the frame sometimes with a chain. My old Schwinn road bike I hardly lock it up, paid a case of beer for it 10 years ago. It'll be a good excuse for me to upgrade when it gets stolen
In other words, a skinny antelope with tasty meat
I'll share a funny bike theft experience here: fifteen years ago I lived in a horrible part of Dublin in a shared house, when one night the garage door was forced open and someone managed to cycle off with a house mate's bike chain-locked to a steel bed frame. Incidentally the bike and bed frame were found a mile away, the thief had however stolen the saddle. Fun fact: my own bicycle, which was much nicer, had been parked in the garage right next to the bed frame and not locked - and remained there, inspite of the break-in. So, that thief must have been extremely stupid (or high on drugs...).
He rode off.......with the bed frame.....?
@@DogeTrump yes, unbelievably so. But my Spanish house mate, whose bike, along with the bed frame had been displaced by the thief, kept on suspecting me of being behind the ordeal. It sure was an interesting experience... it also took for ever for the Gardaí (Irish Police) to arrive. So there goes that (hi)story...
Someone broke into my car, stole a 'learn to speak french CD and left my leather jacket behind :)
@@ChipZilla69 I think they really wanted to speak French
99 % of bike thieves don't have a clue if they just stole a 900 or 9000 € bike.
For my £350 MTB I bought a kryptonite 1090 chain (nearly new £40 on gumtree) for the front wheel to frame and a new loklite X1 for the rear wheel/frame to immovable object.
I also bought a security nut & bolt from USA to replace the seatpost release.
I live in South London so the more security the better.
A sad sad world we live in now... Work hard to buy nice things and still some scum bag will find a way and never get punished even if they get caught.
I had a bike knicked out of my shed once. I hadn't locked it up. I have since bought a lock that has been attempted to be broken into twice now at work. A good lock is worth every penny!
Tip 1: don’t ride a bike that you’ll miss *when* it gets nicked 😞
Tip 2: if tip #1 is not possible, park next to a bike that’s more attractive for theft (read: poorly locked and/or is more valuable than yours, whether perceived or real.
@AG Coarseman Thatʻs not a good choice in an urban environment.
After back surgery, years ago, I couldn't lift my leg over the bike. So, I found a woman's bike frame & put my wheels, seat, etc on it. And I had an old style wire basket on it. Thinking no one would want to steal it, I never locked it. Last week, it got stolen, less than 10 minutes after my grandkids left,(5:10pm) & I went inside. Got it on camera, but the guy had a hood over his head. While driving around the neighborhood, looking for it, I found one that came up missing last week. There has been a lot of bike thefts, lately, in this small town. One kid had his bike stolen, when he went in the house for a minute, to get a drink.
Tip 1 is such a shit tip
oh the brotherly love in this world. its just heart warming
I remember years ago when the most expensive D lock could be opened with the plastic cap from a bic pen. Just place it into the key slot, jiggle it a bit and the lock would fly open. Lots of red faces in the board room at Kryptonite (or whoever made that bad boy).
Had my bike nicked from a locked garage! It was secured to a frame with a Kryptonite D lock, but the garage door lock was easily picked. So presumably thief just picked open the garage door, closed it again and then took his time angle grinding through the D lock. The garage was provided by landlords, so I did not have any control over the garage door lock used. I now keep the replacement bike in my apartment.
Never attach a lock solely to the wheel. Especially if its quick release. I've seen too many wheels, locked and lonely and the actual bike is gone.
Also don't attach a lock solely to the frame. Especially if it's quick release.
@@Stismega as in? Isn't the frame the central part? Like there's two wheels that can be removed, but the frame is... Well the frame 😅
@@hassansaleem3787 As in you come back and find your frame, minus a pair of very expensive wheels.
Mark Dancer Thanks
Actually, if you attach a lock to your rear wheel inside the rear triangle, it's fine. This is the Sheldon Brown lock strategy. The frame cannot be removed if you do this, despite the fact that the lock is not attached directly to the frame.
I’d avoid leaving your lock on the railing because regular thieves scope out areas and, if they see a decent lock, they’ll know to come back at a later date with some heavy duty cutting equipment.
It could give them picking practice too.
A good thief would pick the lock at night for you to find it unlocked in the morning and enjoy 🤓
In NYC, they have simply removed the railing. MY FAVORITE. A disassembled railing, A fully intact lock. No bike.
Some thieves will fill the lock with glue in the hope you leave it unlocked or use a lessor backup lock. Also heard of them cutting the lock, particular cover chain lock, in a way you don't notice.
My anti-theft solution: I just don’t get off the bike.
If I'm on an expensive bike I'll try and plot a route that avoids shit areas to begin with.
That don't work here in London. People get kicked off their bikes and robbed.
Robert Smith I have a cheap mountain bike with a scratched sit, for the city and then a Canyon road bike that I never leave anywhere, it’s either at home or I’m riding it - harder to steal it when I’m sitting on it :D
They will just knock you off at a red light. Happens to motorbikes.
@@aliancemd Yep. Just what I do. Three bikes stolen in a year and none in the last twenty.
I notice that this video was filmed in Bath. I also live in Bath, and one day I parked my bike up in the tunnel under the train station with a steel bike lock and when I got back I saw the people who had just broken my bike lock ride off with my bike. So just a piece of advice don’t park your bike under the train station if you live in Bath, It is a hotspot for bike theft.
Having just bought an e-bike I found this video very good and informative. Thank you!.
For ages I've used two locks on my bike when I've left it. Great video with some really good tips.
Yup I use two locks too.
Two? I use five.
9.00 "This is a nice area... its well lit"
Well yeah, its 1:30pm Ollie
You know it's possible to see where street lights and business entrances are during the day, right?
Dark alleys exist you know...
Have had 4 bikes stolen over the years. the answer for me is never to commute on my nice bikes, only on my 'town bike' that no one wants to steal, which I lock up with a kryptonite u lock. In the 9 years I've been doing this, I have had a front wheel stolen (since then do not use quick release on town bike) but otherwise no bike thefts. I've left it all day in really dodgy parts of town, near bus and train stations and it hasn't been touched. Basically, don't commute on your nice bike. It's not worth it.
You have to do that in Bristol. People purposely make their bikes look shit. Theses bikes are called "shitters"
I’ve taken same approach. I’ve had 4 bikes stolen in 11 years in London. I buy bikes under £200 now and unsurprisingly no thief can be bothered cutting off the lock presumably cos risk doesn’t match reward.
And I've had ZERO bikes stolen in the last 30 years. I commute on a custom-painted bike that's $3k. I live in the SF bay area where theft if epidemic. I went to college that battled with NY City as the worst bike theft place in the nation. Yet somehow I avoided theft.
The way you avoid theft is being smart. Make your lock better than average. Thieves are opportunists. Sure, they'd LIKE my bike, but ultimately they want something to quickly steal and unload even faster for quick cash. $500 or $3k, it doesn't really matter; it's getting sold for $100 as quickly as possible.
So you have to use better than average security. You have to choose you locking places well. Stay a step or two ahead of thieves and you'll GREATLY reduce the chance of theft.
Do not lock your bike outside overnight.
Uglify your ride so it isn't eye-catching. I don't do this because visual appeal is important to me.
If you're locking at the same place regularly, up your game. Use two different types of quality locks. Perhaps an extra $80 on a lock is worth it to make your bike less inviting to steal. Or beg the boss to bring your bike into work - and STILL lock it inside!!!
Obviously, there are no guarantees. But if you tip the scales in your favor, there's a good chance you'll keep your nice bike.
And then there's always insurance so if the worst comes to pass, you have some recourse.
i'm going to try using hexlock
I now live in the Highlands of Scotland, not many are stolen there, I can leave my bike safely outside whilst I order coffee and food, no need to carry a lock anymore, after having 3 stolen in the London area, with 3/4 locks that where broken in next to no time outside my offices, best decision I ever made was to leave the city behind and relocate
Scotland is very beautiful
Japan is safer than Scotland.
Yea, Chain lock is has slight advantage against angle grinder compares to other lock due to its flexibility. The lock needs to be secured to be grind or saw away. The flexibility of a chain makes some brute force solutions less optimum. I personally rate chain lock over d-lock.
Tip: Avoid bike stands that are bolted to the pavement. Bike thieves here in Cambridge unbolt the bike stands and take the bike with the lock still attached to it. These not-for-purpose stands have made Cambridge North station a mecca for bike thieves. Source: Experience - someone stole my bike when I was working out by unbolting the stand.
It’s a real problem! They ought to have police units in every city that uses bait bikes and catch the locals and professional bike thieves that just ride around the city stealing bikes for a living. They are really slick and fast they know their business and usually have partners and a van. The cops could catch a fair amount of them if they get pressured to do so. Bike people need to consider this. Lock companies are making a killing!
Superb! Always invest in a good lock if you're riding in a huge metro city.
GCN should do a video where they demonstrate how thieves actually break these locks and eventually steal bikes and their components.
Chain locks are more theft-resistant than D-locks of comparable thickness. D-Locks are easier to cut through with an angle grinder because they don't flop around as much as chains do. With D-locks, you also have to cut through only 1 side of the lock, whereas with chain locks, you have to cut through 2 sides of a chain link. But it is true that, for a given weight, D-locks are harder to cut through, because chain locks of the same weight are thinner. So if weight is an issue, a D-lock is probably the better bet of the two, but otherwise, you're better off with a nice heavy motorcycle chain.
Having done some research a while back I came to realise that even the most expensive locks take about 2 minutes to get through. 16mm chains are home are fairly hard to get through but cost a fortune and weigh a tonne. Cables are just chopped through in seconds. Double shackled D locks means they have to cut through both sides which makes it harder. Combination locks are useless as you can hear when you get the correct combination. As he says a mall strong d longs are harder to get leverage and put thieves off. Another option is an alarmed d lock, not sure kryptonite sell those though 😂
Every time I watch your videos a miss a lot of what’s being said just admiring the beautiful bath scenery 😍
I use an Abus Granit extreme 59 (frame and rear wheel to an object) an Abus Granit x-plus 540 (front wheel to frame), and an Abus Bordo Granit X-plus to connect the saddle to the frame. If they get my bike, they definitely earned it.
That's how I roll. I use five locks, you want my bike you gotta work for it.
How depressing we should lock the thieves to the bike racks when they are caught
I just pictured a bunch of sad looking assholes locked to a rack with bike locks😄👍
One mistake in his technique/description of his to place the D-lock: place the straight part of the D-lock (the part where the key goes into) so that it goes against your bike frame and NOT the metal that you're locking your bike onto. In his example he's assuming you've got the best D-lock. But if you don't, thieves can "pop" some of the lesser ones with a good pry bar by wedging it against the hard metal of the bike rack and pop off the straight part of the lock. If it's against the frame, the frame would generally give in before the lock would, so it's not worth it for a theif because it will mangle the frame and not be very usable to ride and worse to sell.
That’s the best looking bike I’ve ever seen. Absolutely beautiful
I'll take feeling awkward over getting my bike stolen anytime. Just ask if you can leave your bike inside, at a secure place, whether at your workplace or wherever else you need to go. Put bike in hardest gear.
Thank you!
Hey Ollie: while the tip of leaving a lock at your usual “parking spot” would provide convenience, I’d be wary, particularly as this gives those thieves that are lock “pickers” vs brute force lock breakers time to practice picking the mechanism at their own leisure.
I’d suggest rotating lock-up locations at the very least if people are going to leave a lock at their place of work overnight.
This is simply not happening. Sure, LPL talks about lock picking and how easy it is. But ask a cop or police dept. It's angle grinders all day long. Picking is NOT the method. Leave your lock; it's fine. And picking a lock doesn't give a thief the combo or key code or anything. They'd have to re-pick it to put it back on and then re-pick it again to open it after you've left your bike. This is a one in a billion occurrence.
Use a beefy lock. Altor SAF lock is the one to beat right now.
Let's hope the new material Proteus hits the market soon so we can thwart thieves with angle grinders.
Picking even for LPL takes a good few minutes and he is a PRO. Angle grinder takes usually 30s to 1min...
@@dudeonbike800 what is happening though is planned thefts. If you use a sheathed chain lock make sure you check the rivets securing the sheath haven't been tampered with.
Few years ago we had a spate of motorbike thefts outside where I worked where the chains had been pre-cut, with a link replaced with a zip tie and the sheath pulled back down over it.
Nope.
Why do people seriously think thiefs would actually pick locks? Some may do, but NOT for bikes.
Why? Cheap locks are easy to pick. However, they are even easier to cut trough. If a Bolt Cutter does make short work out of your lock, it is pointless to even try to pick it.
And those heavy duty locks.... Yes, in Theory, picking would be better, as it is noiseless. However, LPL might look it easy. BUT ITS NOT. You will need YEARS of practice.
In any event, you will NOT practice on a fucking public bike rack, are you out of your Mind? I mean forget about the fact, that bike thefts are basically never planned - if someone wanted to train to pick your lock. He'd just buy that lock, try at home in safety. If he can open that, he can open any other of those locks.
And trust me: If you are as good as LPL in picking locks, you will propably make more money legally by working as a locksmith. Because with that Skill Level, you'll easily be the very best in 200km+ reach.
So no, don't worry about picking to much. That requires more Skill, then any common Bike Thief will EVER have. Bike thiefs use Bolt Cutters and Angle Grinders. Not lock picking tools.
@@lmaoroflcopterno you didn't clown
I had three occasions where cable locks were opened. One bike went lost, another time the thief probably was disturbed and left the bike and a nearly cut-through cable lock behind and one time when a bike was stolen at night and just relocated a few meters without the lock. I suspect the thief realized what "special" kind of wildly thrown together (but well functioning and lightweight) junk he just brought into his possession and left it standing there. Loved that bike even more bought a D-Lock for it and rode it until the frame broke, some parts beeing over 22 years old by that time. D-Locks: Never had a single case of an attack on those even overnight at the university. D is for deterrent!
Was not expecting that last little skit at the end 😂😂😂 I loved it!
great video as always guys!
Dont be plump!
😂
Dont commute on expensive bikes , put racks mudguards a bell and cover the decals with tape , make it look a dog of a bike and use a good lock. I made up a commuter bike out of all my old racing parts. Result , used up a load of parts that are not good enough for the club ride a bike that rides well , fits but looks a bit tired , it all helps. Smart water pens help with detection .
I simply don't leave my e-bike unattended at all. Yes I have Kryptonite locks, however, I also have that much equipment on my bike that removing the panniers, camera, computer, lights, remote controller etc etc is a royal pain in the arse not to mention having to put all the gear back on the bike once I'm ready to leave.
Best stolen bike situation I ever saw in a city: at the beginning of the rack there was a front wheel only + 3 meters further on there was a frame with rear wheel only. Since then, when going to a concert or any event in a city, I carry at least 2 locks to secure the whole deal (even on an old bike) to make sure I get home
Shortly after getting my super bike and my Kryptonite lock, I dida café stop for a nature break and when I came out I noticed I didn’t wrap my chain around anything.
I've done the same at the local pool. Locked my sturdy D-lock to the bike rack, but not my bike, and went for a swim. Fortunately my bike was still there when I was done swimming. :)
I bought a single speed bike off a guy in my office - his son's roommate had abandoned it when moving out of NYC. It had a Kryptonite Evolution locked around the top tube with the key long gone. It was depressingly easy to cut off with a $15 Harbor Freight grinder. I didn't time it but I would guess between 15 and 30 seconds.
If you lock your bike up on the same rack day after day and its the only place you stop, leave a lock locked to that rack. That way, you won't have to carry the heavy lock with you.
Nah it give the thieves a chance to fiddle with your lock
wow GCN good on ya for covering everything in depth when it comes to a bike I'm jsut loving you guys more and more there is like no channel on youtube that goes into depth into bikes as much as you awesome lot at GCN you guys are lifesavers
Lets be honest we all love cycling videos this is just what I need to get it going the blood I love it. I always watch these before I go out and get my body moving. I love when I always watch one of these, and then put up my heavy playlist I love like Delta Parole and then I just go haaaaard!!!! Tactic hasnt let me down yet.
Thanks for your valuable recommendations. Tons of info we don't necessarily think about at first that can make a real difference when choosing the most suitable lock for our bikes. I have a better idea of what I need and specially how to lock my bike when in a public space. Thumbs up!!
I wouldn't recommend using the d-lock as a padlock for a chain or cable. The idea behind using multiple locks _should_ be to make it so a thief would have to go through, but the way you showed means that they just have to get through a single lock. You can get heavy duty padlocks that would be good for this kind of thing.
Do you use the zip tie locks? More for a quick stop to the shops/coffee but super light and can tie round a saddle bag
There's a Seth's bike hacks video about him testing something like that. I don't think it was very effective at all.
you forgot about one of the most important tips: lock it high so a thief cannot use the ground as leverage for a bolt cutter.
Mind giving an example? I am curious.
What like up a tree??? 😂😂😂
Surface rusted bike(less appealing to thieves)does the trick together with a fairly big chain (that can be shiny)with rusted surface padlock(harder to pick) as well...
Henry leaving GMBN Tech to become a bike thief. He's a natural! 😂
All locks aside, that Canyon Grail is bloody gorgeous!!
Bringing my triathlon bike to college sounded like a great idea… sounded. 😭 but I love my bike and want to bring it with me
Thank you GMBN for last 10 sec. I needed that smile.
I'm the type of friend/date who's not coming over unless my bike can come in with me.
Nice Video! Thanks for all the great tips!
I'd have used even stronger expletives @0:17 - 0:20. That was a great episode opener Ollie! 😂
Ollie is the hero Gotham deserves, but not the one it needs right now... Because he's not a hero. He's a silent guardian, a watchful protector... A GCN presenter...
I had to do it, especially after your reference to Gotham city and Bane at the beginning of the video ;)
7:17 This spot and locking technique was presented to you by Doddy of GMBN 🤫
The most effective deterrence against public bike theft is dedicated human monitoring. Given the number of people who draw free money from governments, it makes sense that some of these people could be "asked" to serve and be made accountable in this role in exchange for the money they are already receiving.
bike security tips : live in Switzerland! best one I found! haha
Meh, Winterthur is quit a hot spot for bike theft, but yeah definitely better than many other places in Europe. I still made sure my bike is insured for theft so at least I would get the money back.
Small towns in Western Europe are safest.
I had a disc brake lock on my motorbike which can work on a pedal bike just as well. A simple steel pin goes thru one of the disc brake holes and so any movement to the bike itself will result in a 100db alarm sound. Annoying as hell, but a great deterrent.
That ending was great!! Ha ha
I use the hiplok dxc dlock with a cable lock and also use the hiplock zlok too to lock my bike up and never had my bike nicked and I use my bike to commute to college
Make bike less desirable to thief:
1) Ride cheaper bike
2) D Lock is best, cable lock ok
3) Lock both frame and back wheel to:
4) A strong, immovable object nearby foot traffic, security cameras
5) Try and steal your bike, repeat steps if successful
Great info. So many ppl do it wrong and also buying cheap locks and cables in lieu if chain. Etc
Until I was left without 2 bikes I didn't pay attention to leave my bike as safe as possible but nowadays I always double check the location where I leave it. Some locations are known for bike theft and one must leave bike as short as possible. Otherwise...😢
I used to have the ultimate security system for my bike. I dragged it out of a river and no thief with an ounce of self respect would have wanted it. It got me around for a while till even I couldnt stand it any more. Still the most secure bike I ever had.
I think what really matters is if the insurance company accepts the lock that you are using (they usually accept Kryptonite and some Abus models). So it is optimal just to have an insurance that will give you the reimbursement in case of theft, so that you are not worrying every time you leave your bike locked somewhere in public
I saw a video once where a chap was having a coffee nearby but didn’t have a bike lock. He suggested parking your bike upside down to slow down or deter an opportunist thief. I thought that was quite a good (and amusing) idea.
This is really discouraging. I was going to buy a nice electric bike, but then I looked at the theft stats and how unfazed thieves are by expensive U-locks, and now I'm questioning whether I should go for it.
ebike was our best purchase (possibly ever). My advice is don't get off the bike...or have 2nd person watch it if you need to go into store.
I went ahead got one, just picked it up today in fact! So I'm definitely worried about this too, but I've got a pair of decent locks, and I'm going to be insuring it too, as well as taking the battery with me whenever I lock it up so it's useless as an ebike and is just a 22kg bike unless they happen to have a £300/£400 battery on hand that is compatible xD
Good content. My biggest concern (after locking up my bike like normal) was my seatpost. Taking it with me was always a pain, but my seat was quite expensive.
Thieves are ever more sophisticated. My Brompton recently got stolen from very public place with high grade lock. Remnants of lock left at scene. Looks like whatever they used went through like a knife through butter. Apparently these guys now use hand cutting tools that are incredibly powerful. Pretty sure they would have thrown bike in back of van and zip off. Need to use multiple locks people but even that im not sure will make a difference
Locks + tracker + alarm + work ID required guarded parking lot, at the minimum is what I use.
Anything less is simply wishful thinking.
I realize it’s too late now, but couldn’t you have brought the Brompton in with you, wherever you were?
woozer no
I will sometimes run a bungee (I carry for strapping down my speaker or whatever) from a front wheel spoke to rear wheel spoke ( or any other combo) in order to give me just a little bit mote time to catch a thief if I catch them in the act because the bungee is likely get tangled and make thief crash ( hopefully into a train lol).
This video made me want to go and check where my green Grail AL is!
March for me :'(
If after you purchase your "D" lock you notice that the shackle is rather loose fitting, get yourself a piece of thick dense foam and cut a piece small enough to fit in the bottom of the lock shaft.
By Stuffing a small piece of this çlose cell foam into the very bottom of the locks - locking device - right where the very end of the shackle tips rest in . By doing this simple adjustment, will probably keep the D part tight without any jiggling making the lock assembly seem tight fitting.
Chain lock for frame and front wheel, D lock for locking the rear wheel to the frame
When I use steel cable for installing heavy equipment, I have to use an angle grinder. A set of bolt cutters just flattens the cable, not cut it.
I've wrapped my bike in black tape in the past when I've had to leave it in more public areas and used electrical tape to cover up the logos on cranks etc. Makes an expensive bike look a little less conspicuous.
lol that ending is GOLD, good stuff haha
I'd like to see a video where you talk about what gears you use from start of ride, on a flat, transition up hill, top of hill, down hill, and when might you might change many gears quickly or gradually. Thanks
Learned a lot. Thank you!
Drinking game: Each time he says “it’ll make short work of it” take a shot. 😅
If you were using a different lock for the cable opposed to the same one locking up the rear wheel and frame it would be an actual secondary defense…
With this setup, as featured, a thief still only needs to overcome the single D-lock, in order to unfasten the cable, as well.
The only additional security that it adds, is that someone isn’t able to steal your front wheel, by just picking it up and skipping down the lane with it.
I suppose it could be argued that it is an additional deterrent because a casual or novice thief might just see a D and a cable, and assume that this means there are 2 locks(=more time=more risk,) and look for easier pickings.
On the other hand, an experienced, and/or professional, thief will (easily!) grok that the cable is actually just attached with the D-lock. A ruse, that won’t present, even the slimmest of additional obstacles, to purloining the pedal-powered prizes, for which they predatorily prowl.
I’ve always called the “D locks” “U locks”. A cable lock shouldn’t have a rating higher than 2 or 3. They can easily be cut with a pair of small nippers-no need for a pair of bolt cutters. I prefer the folding lock since it will fit on my frame and leave room for a water bottle.
Thanks. Lots of great advice. The ending is classic!
Cheers Jeff!
there are many brute force tactics like angle grinders that will defeat fantastic locks quickly. best solution is keeping bike in sight instead of locking up and walking away
A common fail is for people to lock their bike to the street sign, like a stop sign, and not check to see whether the sign can be removed from the pavement. A lot of street signs, parking signs, etc. can simply be lifted out of the pavement and put back into the hole without any effort.
Your locks are heavier than the bike itself, bro!
I came prepared to power through boredom but this was actually entertaining the whole time as well as informative