Australian Cycling Forums - Bicycles Network Australia

1) Would it be illegal to lock my bike to a school fence out of hours? The next closest place to lock my bike would be a park about 60m down the road that has a small fence that I could maybe lock to, but not sure leaving it all the way out there would be the best idea in the early hours.

2) Why should you lock your bike so that the chain ring side is facing out? How would this make it harder to steal?

3) And I'm just curious about something...is it common in Australia for cyclists NOT to lock their back wheel? ('ve only seen two bicycles EVER in public with the lock also wrapped around the wheel)

Thanks in advance

Your will like this thread - should give you a few ideas for safely locking your bike: Tracking Stolen Bikes and preventing theft

Not sure about the legalities of locking to a school fence, I generally wouldn't worry to much as long as it isn't in the way of people and you are only locking part time. Obviously you can suggest or recommend that the school get some bike racks.

For safety, overnight is more risky - it would be a stronger incentive for evil people who see a bike locked overnight to return in the wee hours and steal it. The challenge of locking it in a more hidden area is that fewer evil people see it and would consider stealing, though if it is a more protected and hidden area, this gives evil people more protection if the want to attempt to steal.

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The chain ring wouldn't make a difference. Ideally you have to locks which is a stronger deterant, a heavy duty and a simple / midrange lock. In every case lock the main frame and front wheel / best is also to include the rear wheel as well if you have quick release skewers to prevent people nicking the wheels. Considering getting the more secure skewers and bolts for the seat, they use a not standard "key" so mean a thief couldn't remove with standard equiptment like a spanner or alan key.

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On locking the back wheel - usually it is more common to lock through the front wheel and bike frame as the front wheel can be more easily removed by a thief. But it is only marginally easily as the rear wheel usually has the derailleur but is generally still easy. It could be a perceived security.

A tip if you are regularly locking in a certain location is to take a heavy duty lock that resides at the location so you don't have to lug it back and forth. You can then take a second lighter lock with you - and then with the two locks create a stronger deterance to wouldbe thieves.

As a note, when locking you are looking to leave as little room for leverage as possible - ie. slack or excess. Without damaging the frame and accessories, if the lock is tighter, it is also harder for the thief to use the bike or fence etc as leverage. If a thief sees that they will damage the bike they will more easily decide to leave it as it is then not worth their time.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ryY-qMFLcfo" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

ball bearing - would you be able to comment on the video... is it the latest gangnam style parady or does is specifically help in answering a certain part of the original post? Even a brief description means we know what it is about as it isn't self-explanatory. Also note, we have a youtube embed option (button above the post field, top right).

When I click on it it shows a pretty good video of how to lock your bike up. Just skip the add in the beginning.

chipotleaway wrote:1) Would it be illegal to lock my bike to a school fence out of hours? The next closest place to lock my bike would be a park about 60m down the road that has a small fence that I could maybe lock to, but not sure leaving it all the way out there would be the best idea in the early hours.

Are you talking about leaving it there overnight? Regularly? Do you want to keep your bike? And even if it's not stolen, there is a very high risk it would be vandalised if you are going to do that.

My post will be off topic a bit. I had my bike stolen after it was securely lock and under a monitored security camera, in an area of high traffic.
Now I don't lock or leave my bike. I figure if I lock it ,its gone .

I feel cheated, I didn't get an ad
Good advice in the video tho' and his method of securing the saddle is priceless, zero cost too

AUbicycles wrote:ball bearing - would you be able to comment on the video... is it the latest gangnam style parady or does is specifically help in answering a certain part of the original post? Even a brief description means we know what it is about as it isn't self-explanatory. Also note, we have a youtube embed option (button above the post field, top right).

OK, I did think that the video was self-explanatory. I posted it because the OP was asking about locking the rear wheel, which is what I always do. Maybe it won't stop a professional thief, but it will stop the casual opportunistic person that might steal on a whim.

I will attempt to embed the next video I post.

I never get ads on YouTube because I use Adblock Plus.

http://adblockplus.org/en/firefox" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Mulger bill wrote:I feel cheated, I didn't get an ad
Good advice in the video tho' and his method of securing the saddle is priceless, zero cost too

The saddle chainlock idea is very clever. I am into minimalist cycling and I don't actually need to lock my bikes much as I don't commute anymore, so the idea of adding more weight goes against the grain a bit.

Only lock up a bike that you're prepared to lose. Regardless of the locks you use.

Thanks a lot AUbicycles, I will be heeding the tips in that thread. I'm using a Kryptonite U-lock with one of those cables around the front wheel.

@ball bearing: Haha, I've actually already seen all 3 videos! That guy's awesome That's why I was wondering why hardly anyone I see lock their wheels when all they have to do is just move their lock down a bit.

@RonK: It's just for about an hour in the morning (around 6)

@Mulger bill: I actually bought the cable to try and secure the seat but I've ended up using it to lock the wheel

I really like that video!

I would only score a C on that I think!

I lock in low risk locations - at work, with a fully viewable car park from my window, and bike racks about 10 metres from the smoking area (which, at my work, wouldn't go 20 minutes without someone being there). But I take a lot for granted. While you'd have to be desperate to want to try my handlebars, I'd never considered the seat you know. It doesn't get locked at all. The lights only get removed when it's raining, because they don't fit the handlebars properly and suck to get back on.

And while my U-lock is really sturdy, the cable lock that came with it is really ordinary - I just always took it on trust that no one is going to bother busting the cable lock and dealing with the derailleur just to get a rear wheel...

In looking at that video though, there was one thing that occured to me - "how the hell am I going to get home if someone does take my rear wheel or my seat?!"

Might need to invest in some security I think... The seat in particular is quick release, it would literally be gone in a second and leave me with a really, really long walk home.

fatdudeonabike wrote:And while my U-lock is really sturdy, the cable lock that came with it is really ordinary - I just always took it on trust that no one is going to bother busting the cable lock and dealing with the derailleur just to get a rear wheel...

If you use the U lock to lock the rear wheel to the post or whatever with the lock positioned inside the rear triangle, it will secure the frame at the same time.

Mulger bill wrote:

fatdudeonabike wrote:And while my U-lock is really sturdy, the cable lock that came with it is really ordinary - I just always took it on trust that no one is going to bother busting the cable lock and dealing with the derailleur just to get a rear wheel...

If you use the U lock to lock the rear wheel to the post or whatever with the lock positioned inside the rear triangle, it will secure the frame at the same time.

Thanks - yeah, I've been using the U-lock on the front wheel and frame, and using the cable lock to secure the back wheel - I'll be switching that around after watching that video

RonK wrote:Are you talking about leaving it there overnight? Regularly? Do you want to keep your bike? And even if it's not stolen, there is a very high risk it would be vandalised if you are going to do that.

I had my bike locked up in the same spot on the street for 14months in inner Melbourne without it being taken. No vandalism and no theft.

If it is a solid lock and not an expensive bike then where is the incentive for theft. Vandalism largely only occurs in non cycling suburbs. Bikes in suburbs where cycling is common aren't likely to get vandalised any more than parking your car is likely to get vandalised.