Where do you park your expensive commute bike

[miml]

I have a question for all commuters out there. I have been putting off commuting lately because...

I'm having a dilemma At the moment. I used to commute to the city with my repco with no problems. I have now sold all my vintage bikes. I am left with one bike now and it is a Avanti with 105s.

I am not worrying about the frame much, but I have a nice set of mavic wheels that I think it'll definitely won't be there by the time I finish my work.

Now I do not have a locker, I can sometime leave the bike inside work, which is fine.
At times that I am not able to park inside work, I don't ride to work.

I also commute to supermarket and shops every now and then. I then used to just lock my old bike round poles with no problems at all.

I don mind riding the "nice" bike at all but am being concern that the wheels will be gone by the time I get back.

What do you ppl do when you only have 1 Nice bike with nice wheels.
Do you buy a el cheapo set of wheels or a el cheapo commuting bike that is just whatever?

Thanks for your time!

[DaveOZ]

Mine goes in my office next to my desk, but then I am the boss and it's only a factory.

[miml]

Mine goes in my office next to my desk, but then I am the boss and it's only a factory.

Well that's awesome for you.

I cant park inside the office.

[ejayt]

put more locks on it and park it outside where there's a lot of traffic so no one's going to get through, for example, 3 u-locks without looking super suspicious. make sure it goes through the rims though as well...

I personally would just build a cheaper bike to commute with but I've been in the situation and whilst I was in it, I never rode my nicer bike to work.

[Oxford]

three locks: lock one wheel to frame with lock one; lock other wheel to frame with lock two; and use lock three to lock frame to immovable object. depending on lock style you may be able to reduce number of locks or use the quick release to remove front wheel and lock with back wheel and frame.

you can also buy keyed wheel skewers so that people cannot remove the wheels without the proper tool.

[Mulger bill]

Two good locks and anti theft skewers like pitlocks should suffice. Rear wheel to object and front wheel to frame. A cable lock will keep the saddle with you.

Don't forget to remove anything possible.

[kodakmomentz]

I used to work at a shopping centre and found a bike rack in the underground parking lot near the entrance ramp to be ok...I made sure the cable lock went through both wheels, the frame, and the rack. Obviously took all removable parts off just incase I got lucky.

Now I've upgraded to a store room next to my server room which I kept nice and cool from the air conditioners in the server room.

You could ask your work if they could get a roof rack so it doesn't have to be on the floor.

[csy75]

my bike isn't expensive but i still use the one cable lock for both wheels which goes through the big U-lock through frame which is then bolted to the bike rack we have at work. we've had 5 or 6 bikes stolen in the last month from cages and the rack....and wheels taken but not the frame...

definitetly lock wheels

[jasonc]

I use a U bolt and chain. I don't lock the front wheel but lock the frame and the back wheel.

[simonn]

At work I use a u-lock through frame and rear wheel, and a combination cable lock through frame, rear and front wheels. I leave the u-lock at work but carry the cable lock with me.

If I am just stopping for milk or whatever on the way home I'll just use the cable lock. If I am going to be spending more time at a mall I will generally use a u-lock and cable lock.

On audax rides I take a small light cable lock I got from a "variety" shop, which is good enough just to stop someone riding/running off with the bike while I'm in a shop.

I always lock both wheels. If for whatever reason I have a cable lock which will not go through both wheels, I'll take the front wheel off, rest the forks on the dropouts and lock the front wheel beside the rear wheel. I have only done this a couple of times.

[DavidS]

I always lock both wheels, and to answer the original question I lock it in a locked cage in an underground car park.

I would say get a very good lock, or locks, and make sure you secure both wheels. I would also leave the locks at work rather than dragging them around everywhere. I wonder, can you buy a group of bike locks which use the same key? That might be convenient.

DS

[pagey]

at my desk

[izzythedan]

I fold mine up and stick it under my desk. Bromptons are awesome.

[Christina Brinkmann]

I am lucky enough to have a communal bike locker at my work that has a roller door. Just need to train the knobs that put their cheap bikes in later to close the door like it was when their selfish butts arrived. No need to advertise what is behind the door in my opinion.

[trailgumby]

Bike cage with video surveillance. Heavy duty U Lock, which stays at work. Never park near the outside walls of the cage.

Ride an old beater acquired from the tip shop if you're uncomfortable with the levels of security.

[fatherofmany]

Thankfully to get into our part of the building you climb external but enclosed stairs to a balcony which is where the 2 riders park. It can't be seen from the street so I don't bother locking it. If they get narcy about it then there's always the locked underground carpark but that means a longer walk to park, it's easier upstairs. I have had it behind my desk on occasions but the new boss is all about appearance and perception bah humbug.

[KonaCommuter]

I have had it behind my desk on occasions but the new boss is all about appearance and perception bah humbug.

Tell the boss that you agree about appearance and perception. A bike behind your desk shows everyone that visits that you are serious about your health and the environment as well as being conscientious about your fellow workers by not occupying a precious parking space thereby lightening the burden on limited resources.


See how that flies

[Livetoride]

Babe sits rests beside my desk, when I joined this company 3 years ago it was part of the deal that my bike comes into the office. You take us both or the deal is off I'm not happy leaving her outside for any moron to mess with her or anything.

[WestcoastPete]

I fold mine up and stick it under my desk. Bromptons are awesome.

Sweet.

+1 for locking skewers. I use pitlocks - I have the wee Pit (key) living on my key ring, and it fits all of my locks (not many, but ever expanding). My touring bike has skewers, dynolight and headset cap locks, with saddle locks still to come (you need a seatpost collar with flat perpendicular surfaces, and you need one up under the saddle too so that you can't just undo it there). Then I just U-lock it (Kryptonite New York lock). I like it because you just pull up and wack one lock on rather than run cables through wheels and another lock for the frame etc...

[csy75]

how do you lock a seat?

[WestcoastPete]

how do you lock a seat?

http://www.pitlock.com/to-the-shop/further-sets/set-14-seat-directly/index.php

plus a pitlock on the seat post collar.

[RonK]

It doesn't matter how many or what type of locks you use. All too often it seems, frustrated would-be thieves just vandalize what they can't steal judging by the number of trashed bikes I see locked to posts and bike racks.
If you want to be certain of keeping you bike, in one piece then don't let it out of sight.

[timbo]

We have a great big wire mesh cage located in our car park., accessable by applying to security for a "swipe card".
The only problem is the designated smoking area is right along side it.
Showers, lockers and change rooms in our main office block are a 20 metre walk away.

[Oxford]

how do you lock a seat?

fro the brief time at my current job where I had to lock the bike outside, I first had a non QR clamp and also used a padlock to lock the chain with the padlock looped through the seat rail. very simple and effective.

[bradman]

A website called velogear sells a set of 2 anti-theft wheel skewers and an anti-theft seat-clamp here http://www.velogear.com.au/products/Zef ... 1-130.html for about $40 (plus delivery), and they're in Australia. Just ordered some myself, and should be here in a few days...