Small Light Bike Lock ???

General cycling advice ( NOT technical ! )
Witterings
Posts: 381
Joined: 8 Jun 2018, 10:17am
Location: Chichester, West Sussex

Small Light Bike Lock ???

Post by Witterings »

Has anybody got any recommendations for a small light bike lock / cafe lock.

This will only be for when the bikes within sight i.e. when you can see if from where you sit in the pub after a ride and more aimed at keeping honest people honest as opposed to stopping a career bike thief.

I was looking at these
https://www.ribblecycles.co.uk/ribble-cafe-lock-r-cl10/

and these
https://www.halfords.com/cycling/bike-l ... -bike-lock

But saw some reports suggesting literally a hard tug on the bike will pull them apart.

If anybody has any suggestions of something just slightly more substantial that doesn't take up a lot more space nor weigh much more I'd be interested in hearing what it is ... I did find a small Master Lock combination lock but you can't change the pin combination and I'm sure I'd forget a factory set one over time.
iandriver
Posts: 2521
Joined: 10 Jun 2009, 2:09pm
Location: Cambridge.

Re: Small Light Bike Lock ???

Post by iandriver »

I use a thin cable, like in the first lock, then use my own small Yale padlock. I'm quite confident the padlock is a lot better than you'll find on most bike locks in that price range.
Supporter of the A10 corridor cycling campaign serving Royston to Cambridge http://a10corridorcycle.com. Never knew gardening secateurs were an essential part of the on bike tool kit until I took up campaigning.....
Mike Sales
Posts: 7883
Joined: 7 Mar 2009, 3:31pm

Re: Small Light Bike Lock ???

Post by Mike Sales »

A well equipped yacht chandler or boatyard should be able to swage a loop at each end of a length of stainless steel rigging wire, from 4mm upwards. A small padlock will then give you a custom made bike lock.
It's the same the whole world over
It's the poor what gets the blame
It's the rich what gets the pleasure
Isn't it a blooming shame?
User avatar
foxyrider
Posts: 6044
Joined: 29 Aug 2011, 10:25am
Location: Sheffield, South Yorkshire

Re: Small Light Bike Lock ???

Post by foxyrider »

i have an Abus café lock, .5m long with setable 4 number combi.
Convention? what's that then?
Airnimal Chameleon touring, Orbit Pro hack, Orbit Photon audax, Focus Mares AX tour, Peugeot Carbon sportive, Owen Blower vintage race - all running Tulio's finest!
User avatar
andrew_s
Posts: 5795
Joined: 7 Jan 2007, 9:29pm
Location: Gloucestershire

Re: Small Light Bike Lock ???

Post by andrew_s »

Mike Sales wrote:A well equipped yacht chandler or boatyard should be able to swage a loop at each end of a length of stainless steel rigging wire, from 4mm upwards. A small padlock will then give you a custom made bike lock.

Various bike lock companies also sell similar cables
e.g.
10 mm https://www.evanscycles.com/kryptonite- ... x-00104644
4 mm https://www.amazon.co.uk/Kryptonite-loo ... 000NOTQ5S/

The advantage of these over a DIY/yacht rigging version is that the cable is plastic coated to avoid paintwork damage.

I use one that's 5 or 6 mm, but self coiling (can't remember where I got it, about 15 years ago).
I use it with a long shackle padlock that I can use for both the cable end loops and the chainring & chain, for extra security if desired (at the expense of possible oily fingers).
It does for cafe/pub stops on a ride, but for town centre use, I normally take a proper D-lock.

Another possibility would be a frame (nurse's) lock https://www.decathlon.co.uk/defender-bi ... 92574.html
whoof
Posts: 2519
Joined: 29 Apr 2014, 2:13pm

Re: Small Light Bike Lock ???

Post by whoof »

I got a small one from Sports Direct for 99p.

This is the cheapest I can find at the moment £3.99 if you have a Mountain Warehouse near you.

https://www.mountainwarehouse.com/exten ... gJI2PD_BwE

Or if you don't mind EBay and it coming from Hong Kong then £2.43 including postage, the review says it's a metre long.

https://www.ebay.co.uk/p/BMX-Bike-Bicyc ... 3186142496
simonhill
Posts: 5226
Joined: 13 Jan 2007, 11:28am
Location: Essex

Re: Small Light Bike Lock ???

Post by simonhill »

andrew_s wrote:
Mike Sales wrote:The advantage of these over a DIY/yacht rigging version is that the cable is plastic coated to avoid paintwork damage.

l


When I had a yacht rigging cable made up, they put clear poly fuel pipe on the cable before making the eyelets.
simonhill
Posts: 5226
Joined: 13 Jan 2007, 11:28am
Location: Essex

Re: Small Light Bike Lock ???

Post by simonhill »

The small lock I use is a cheapo 60 cm combination cable. Will fit in back pocket, but I put under saddle.

I bought for 70p in Japan in one of their ¥100 shops. Long enough to go through wheel and frame. Not changeable number, but I got a little plate with number. You could put number in your phone if you carry one.

Have a look in a pound shop

I use this little lock all the time in Asia when going in 7 11s etc.
User avatar
mjr
Posts: 20308
Joined: 20 Jun 2011, 7:06pm
Location: Norfolk or Somerset, mostly
Contact:

Re: Small Light Bike Lock ???

Post by mjr »

MJR, mostly pedalling 3-speed roadsters. KL+West Norfolk BUG incl social easy rides http://www.klwnbug.co.uk
All the above is CC-By-SA and no other implied copyright license to Cycle magazine.
User avatar
al_yrpal
Posts: 11537
Joined: 25 Jul 2007, 9:47pm
Location: Think Cheddar and Cider
Contact:

Re: Small Light Bike Lock ???

Post by al_yrpal »

Recently fitted one of these to my Pedelec. Very pleased with it

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Axa-Basta-HORS ... 2767&psc=1

Al
Reuse, recycle, thus do your bit to save the planet.... Get stuff at auctions, Dump, Charity Shops, Facebook Marketplace, Ebay, Car Boots. Choose an Old House, and a Banger ..... And cycle as often as you can......
RobinS
Posts: 214
Joined: 9 Apr 2015, 10:01am

Re: Small Light Bike Lock ???

Post by RobinS »

For our touring bikes, while on tour we use cables from http://www.tecni-cable.co.uk/Products/T ... able-Locks combined with a "Master" lightweight padlock. These allow you to choose the length and thickness of cable you want - we have short fat ones for the bikes, and long thin ones to secure panniers etc.
Witterings
Posts: 381
Joined: 8 Jun 2018, 10:17am
Location: Chichester, West Sussex

Re: Small Light Bike Lock ???

Post by Witterings »

Sorry if I'm not responding ... had a nasty accident today for the 1st time ever ... the other guy that came off who's a Paramedic has just sent himself off to A&E as he's realised he can see his tendons in one of his wounds.

Please keep the recommendations coming and will look at in a day or so but didn't want people to think I'd posted and disappeared.
User avatar
freiston
Posts: 1504
Joined: 6 Oct 2013, 10:20am
Location: Coventry

Re: Small Light Bike Lock ???

Post by freiston »

My "lightweight" lock is a Kryptonite Keeper 695 Fold - the Kryptonite website list it as weighing 1.12kg but my scales make it 876g (without the frame-mounting bracket) but I suspect that's heavier than you are looking for. If I wanted to go lighter, I would use a cable like those linked up-thread by andrew_s (I already have one) together with a padlock.
Disclaimer: Treat what I say with caution and if possible, wait for someone with more knowledge and experience to contribute. ;)
User avatar
Sweep
Posts: 8443
Joined: 20 Oct 2011, 4:57pm
Location: London

Re: Small Light Bike Lock ???

Post by Sweep »

One of these?

https://www.decathlon.co.uk/500-bike-d- ... 42034.html

Cos it looks like a D lock rather than a cable.

Even if it is pretty low security.

Mine cost about £3.50 in a sale - end of line of a slightly earlier version (which looks the same) and is a shade lower security level.

But good enough for what I need in certain circumstances with certain bikes.

If after something bigger, something from the Onguard neon range, as here:

https://www.evanscycles.com/onguard-neo ... gKsifD_BwE

though I'd avoid some of the more adventurous colour schemes as they advertise the fact that a fair bit of it is plastic.

Still, if you can find in black, a good bluff in appropriate circumstances I think.
Sweep
User avatar
nick12
Posts: 274
Joined: 26 Sep 2017, 9:10pm
Location: Skipton

Re: Small Light Bike Lock ???

Post by nick12 »

A padlock on disc breaks or through chainring if bike doesnt have discs.
Post Reply