Putting your bike on a leash

[mjn12]

So I'm heading home for the long weekend and that will leave my bike sitting in the apartment parking lot with noone to check on it or make sure noone is lifting it into a van.  Fortunately its right next to a 20 foot lamp post.  Would anyone think it owuld be crazy to spend a few $$ on a few feet of heavy chain and a lock and chain the bike to the light post (through wheels and frame maybe)? Granted if anyone wanted it bad enough they could just cut the locks / chain but at least I'd feel like I tried. Its not so much that I don't trust my neighbors but anything can happen and my dad had his bike stolen out of his apartment parking lot when he used to ride (30 years ago). Am I just paranoid? I mean it is Insured, and I'd definately make money on it if I claimed it but I'm stil working on getting the title transferred into my name so I'm thinking it could be hard to convince Progressive to give me a few grand for a missing bike I'm holding an open title to.

[Alphamazing]

I have a 3/4" braided stainless steel cable lock that I hook my bike to every night. I live in a gated apartment complex, but I still feel better at night knowing my bike is locked up fairly securely.

Go for it.

[Turd Ferguson]

Not trying to freak you out, but bikes get stolen from appartment complexes all of the time.  Do your best to keep it secure.  If a theif sees your lock and chain, he'll probably move along to an easier target.

Luckily, no one likes GS500's enough to steal them.

-Turd.

[CirclesCenter]

Yeah 3/4" braided steel cable here too. I chain it to my Buick which I remove the battery from every night.

My Buick weighs like 4,500 Lbs, being a 79 and all......

[Matty B 500]

or keep it in a friends / parents garage until u get back?   

[arcsecond]

There is no sure 100% way to secure a bike (or anything else for that matter). Just make it tough enough to take that it's not worth the effort. I don't think you'd be crazy at all to get a chain. It's the least you can do. Something thick and scary looking and obvious that someone owns this bike and is looking after it. You may not actually be there but no one else knows that.

My situation is like Alpha's. 3/4" braided steel encased in black plastic chained to a steel fence inside my apartment complex.

-James

[mjn12]

I'll have to stop at the hardware store on my way home from work.

I'm sure the condo association will love me chaining stuff to thier lamp posts.  Oh well, screw those nazis

[veeref]

I'll have to stop at the hardware store on my way home from work.

I'm sure the condo association will love me chaining stuff to thier lamp posts.  Oh well, screw those nazis

I just happen to be the president of my condo association    On the flip side of things, if you didn't have an association, you'd have people doing all sorts of crazy stuff like leaving their 'project' cars on cinder blocks with the engine missing and camper shells on saw horses in the middle of the parking lots.  As long as you're discreet, I don't think anyone will complain about you chaining your bike to the lamp-post.  Just don't park your bike on the sidewalk

[pantablo]

I have a 3/4" braided stainless steel cable lock that I hook my bike to every night. I live in a gated apartment complex, but I still feel better at night knowing my bike is locked up fairly securely.

Go for it.

Yeah 3/4" braided steel cable here too. I chain it to my Buick which I remove the battery from every night.

My Buick weighs like 4,500 Lbs, being a 79 and all......

those steel braided lines...they cut easily.

[CirclesCenter]

Yes, but the 120Db siren might be pissed if you move it.

And then my other toys might be pissed, and I might point them at whatever set off the siren......

[Mad Myke]

I once had two bikes and a motorcycle trailer outside my house for 3 days. For some reason I took the bikes off the trailer and locked the trailer up with a heavy chain monster lock and a tung lock. Bikes were not locked on thier center stands.

Woke up one morning and found 2 chain links and 2 bikes on thier center stands.

They left the bikes and took the trailer. Damn, It was a custom built holsclaw with stainless steel skids that tilt to put the bike on it. Useless for anything but bikes.

If they want it bad enough they will get it. Considering bolt cutters are $30 from walmart and even cheaper from harbor frieght.

http://da.harborfreight.com/cpisearch/web/search.do?keyword=bolt+cutter

Very scary.

Looking at those prices.... Where do you live again....

[Alphamazing]

I have a 3/4" braided stainless steel cable lock that I hook my bike to every night. I live in a gated apartment complex, but I still feel better at night knowing my bike is locked up fairly securely.

Go for it.

Yeah 3/4" braided steel cable here too. I chain it to my Buick which I remove the battery from every night.

My Buick weighs like 4,500 Lbs, being a 79 and all......

those steel braided lines...they cut easily.

Hmm. How easily? Bolt cutters, or torch easy?

[mjn12]

I had one of those braided steel cables stuck on my bicycle once (forgot the combo to the lock).  It took considerable time with a pair of 30" bolt cutters. Once I got through it with those I still had to cut all the strands that wouldn't budge with some sidecutters. If nothing else I can show the insurance company that I took some measures to secure it and the theif has to spend more time on the scene trying to get the bike. This means theres a greater chance of someone driving by and seeing whats going on.  Plus, since its under a lamp post they are highly visible. I don't think security is any different than safety -- riding with gear doesn't mean you'll get out of an accident unscathed, its just one way to nudge the odds in your favor.  Having a cable and lock doesn't mean my bike is NEVER going to be stolen, it just gives me a better chance of hanging onto it.