Prevent picking bicycle U lock?

[cledry]

Use the same thing. Even got it from a cool member! (Thanks, Jim!)

Gordon

You are welcome, thanks for buying it. I'm glad you didn't message me and tell me you picked it in under 20 seconds!

[nine4t4]

To be quite honest, I highly doubt your average bike thief is picking locks. There may be some exceptions, but generally they are after speed and destructive means are usually faster. You're actually up against bolt cutters (some even fold to fit in in a backpack), hacksaws and angle grinders (one crew in town was using a van with a generator to power a heavy duty angle grinder) and even crowbars.

To secure a bike
1) bring it indoors whenever possible, barring that try to take the front wheel (at least they can't use your bike for a get-away vehicle)
2) visibility is more important than proximity. You want to lock the bike where a thief will feel like they are being watched. A post on a busy street is better than a bike rack tucked into a dark corner
3) Fill the shackle and make it awkward to use tools. I lock mine with the post or rack between my front tire and the frame, it doesn't leave much room to work
4) IMPORTANT, use two DIFFERENT types of lock. Bike thieves pick bikes not just by value, but those that the tools they are carrying will work against. Some use bolt cutters, some just try to leverage the lock. Make it inconvient.
5) Pay attention to WHAT you're locking to. The best U-lock is useless if you lock to a signpost that can be lifted out of the ground. Some guys will remove the bottom bolts on those signposts that are attached to concrete with a bracket. It still stands but can be easily lifted
6) Learn how they do it. In the same way that learning to lock pick helps you pick more secure locks, knowing their tricks will help you protect your bike

If you're using a U-lock get a GOOD Kryptonite, Abus or similar one. I stress good because the manufacturers have various grades of protection. And some of the cheaper kryptonites are almost worthless against thieves.

Don't waste money with OnGuard. They use a good keying system, but the shackles are crap. A friend asked me to rescue a lock that he lost the key to. I tried for a few minutes, but the lock looked like it had been in the ocean (road salt). I swallowed my pride, but away the pick tools and grabbed my cordless dremel and a few cut-off wheels. Even with the tiny wheel I was through in about 90 seconds.

The TiGr looks cool but it's bulky and can be sawed through quite easily.

Moderators, I don't know if the link violates any rules but I think it's important given the topic
Removed link to video showing destructive entry

Yes, it very much violates the rules. The rules very clearly state that destructive entry and bypass are explicitly against the rules in the public forums. This is so far beyond the gray, it is not even close to funny or allowed. Consider yourself very strongly warned, and very lucky not to be banned already. Perhaps you should take a few minutes to read the rules again.

GWiens2001 - Moderator

[kwoswalt99-]

Some thieves won't even touch the lock and will just take the bike apart.

[RumballSolutions]

The Abus Bordo x plus is a pretty solid folding lock. You're not likely to find too many people who can pick a granit x plus.

https://www.abus.com/eng/Mobile-Securit ... -Plus-6500

If they want it enough to cut it with an angle grinder, then they're just as likely to use the angle grinder on what ever it's locked to also. I saw something interesting recently about crooks setting up "bait posts" that people lock bikes to. They come along later and unbolt the post and slide it through the lock. Seems pretty keen

[GWiens2001]

I saw something interesting recently about crooks setting up "bait posts" that people lock bikes to. They come along later and unbolt the post and slide it through the lock. Seems pretty keen

Good thing to be aware of. So we need to be cautious of 'bike stands' that look to be bolted down. Thanks, Rumball.

Gordon

[Squelchtone]

folks, let's be careful where this thread is going, it's feeling more and more of a "here's a neat trick on how to steal a bike" rather than advice on how to prevent picking a U lock. I get it, there's plenty of publicly available videos out in internet land on how it's done, but I don't want someone learning those techniques and tricks and saying they learned it at our forum. Let them learn it on bike blogs or on youtube.

Thank you,
Squelchtone

[Shohreh]

We all know that the average bike thief is unable to lock top-end locks such as the Kryponite Fahgettaboudit or the Abus Bordo Granit X Plus 6500.
But some of them can, and spending a few minutes trying to pick a lock that secures a $€1,000+ bike is definitely worth the try. In a way, I have more respect for those who can pick those locks rather than resorting to brute force.

Still, I wish I had known this before advising a friend to stop worrying and just use a Bicycle Gold-rated Kryptonite Fahgettaboudit to lock her expensive titanium Brompton in the city

Incidently, is there a newbie-accessible document that shows what makes a lock hard to pick just by looking at the original key?

[Silverado]

folks, let's be careful where this thread is going, it's feeling more and more of a "here's a neat trick on how to steal a bike" rather than advice on how to prevent picking a U lock. I get it, there's plenty of publicly available videos out in internet land on how it's done, but I don't want someone learning those techniques and tricks and saying they learned it at our forum. Let them learn it on bike blogs or on youtube.

Thank you,
Squelchtone

I don't think it'd be wise to push this thread beyond that particular tipping point. I'm not trying to sound rude, just that Squelchtone did address this earlier...

[GWiens2001]

Locking the thread as boundries are being pushed.

Gordon