How to use a U-lock?

**Timbuk2**

... as the main lock on my bike?

I have the Kryptonite Mini Evolution 7 which I got a while ago but have never used until now, and it came with a 4 foot cable (for securing wheels).

The thing is, the U-lock is quite small and on the bike I plan to lock (a hybrid-type bike but with MTB wheels) it won't fit around the wheel and the seattube.

What is the correct method for locking this? Is it like this? http://www.sheldonbrown.com/lock-strategy.html

I may be wrong, but surely only locking the rear wheel can't be right. Even with the rear triangle, I'm sure there is some way of removing the rear wheel with the U-lock attached, thus leaving the rest of the frame!

I should note that none of the wheels or seatpost is quick release, which might help slightly!

cdaly_

That's how I lock mine. You won't get the wheel out of the frame without cutting either the frame, the lock or the wheel. Cutting the wheel will more than likely grab the saw blade, cutting the frame renders the bike useless. That said, somebody might try cutting the wheel with a bolt cutter but I don't think they'd bother...

**Timbuk2**

Thanks! That does seem to make sense now!

Should I bother using the Kryptoflex cable that came with it? It's 4ft so it's a bit of a stretch to get both wheels secured with it. But the wheels are not quick release anyway, so maybe it's not hugely important!

And for the other lock - is a simple, not-too-expensive cable lock ok? Do you just lock the front wheel to the frame, or do you try and lock the front wheel to the frame, wrapped around something solid as well (if possible)?

Lumen

**Timbuk2** wrote: »

I may be wrong, but surely only locking the rear wheel can't be right. Even with the rear triangle, I'm sure there is some way of removing the rear wheel with the U-lock attached, thus leaving the rest of the frame!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H9fLtdZyX-A

Alternatively they could just cut your frame.

Beasty

Thought it was going to be a cyclist v driver thread when I saw the title:D

Sheldon's method works, but like you initially thought, a lot of people don't believe it. Hence by adopting it you increase the chance of someone trying to steal the bike by taking the wheel off, then when they suss out they can't they may take it out on the bike. Hence it probably makes sense to put the U lock round the frame as well if you can (it doesn't have to be the seat tube), if only to discourage opportunists from giving it a go

Once you've got the front wheel locked to the frame with the cable lock, there's little point in securing it to something else as well. A thief will only really be looking to cut through it or break the lock and once they've done that it doesn't matter what it's secured to

Joxer_S

It's possible with the kryptonite mini to lock it through the rear wheel and one of the chain stays, or through the front wheel and the down tube (when using a sheffield stand). Why lock only the wheel when you can lock the wheel and the frame.

Edit: Seen you have larger wheels than mine, but it works for me with 23's plus mudguards so it might just about fit yours..

cdaly_

**Timbuk2** wrote: »

Thanks! That does seem to make sense now!

Should I bother using the Kryptoflex cable that came with it? It's 4ft so it's a bit of a stretch to get both wheels secured with it. But the wheels are not quick release anyway, so maybe it's not hugely important!

I loop the Kryptoflex around the front wheel and down tube, feed one end of the cable through the eye on the other end and then lock the free eye to the U-lock. So consider a 'P' shape. The loop of the P is around wheel and tube and the tail of the P is locked to the U-lock.

tomasrojo

Lumen wrote: »

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H9fLtdZyX-A

Alternatively they could just cut your frame.

As I always say about that clip, they cheated a little bit. They didn't use a mini-lock (or indeed a lock at all; I think it's a clamp), so they're able to pull the bike forward to make space for the back-and-forth motion of the saw. And the item the bike is locked to isn't a hoop so there's no horizontal bar to block the saw, as there would be with a Sheffield stand.

They also picked a bike with no mudguards and big clearance between the frame and the wheel.

This is what my bike looks like locked up:


Or, more favourably from the point of view of the thief in the clip:


In the second image, you could get a saw in, albeit a smaller saw I believe, but it would take longer, I think, because you've less room to manoeuvre than in the clip, and you'd have to cut some spokes as well. (And, in my case, cut the flex and bottle-jack the u-lock on the front wheel. Or cut the flex and carry it off.)

It would be a rare thief that would bother.

The main reason I use this method is that it's really rather fast to lock, and you don't have to go anywhere near the chain. (I use the u-lock on the front wheel rather than the frame, because theft of the front wheel is the only significant bike-related theft I've ever suffered.)

**Timbuk2**

Thanks for the replies!

I can't get the wheel and the seattube at the back, but I can just about put the U-lock through the back wheel, around the chainstay and around some solid object (e.g. bike rack), and with the kyrptoflex I just loop it around the frame and back wheel. I have a separate cable lock for tying the front wheel to the frame (and loop it around the bike rack, although it doesn't really matter).

The problem is I can't install the Kryptonite Mini Evo mount on the bike. The instructions say to put the strap into the locking mechanism (by pushing it in and it locks on), but I can only push it in one notch - no matter how hard I try it won't go in any further, and I haven't a clue what I'm doing wrong. It's not a big deal, I can just put the lock in my bag, but I'd like to have a mount on the bike!

Redjeep!

I've just bought the same lock and cable. It's tricky to get it through the wheel and part of the frame, even on a racing bike but I found the best place on my bike was at the seatstays near the rear brake, around the wheel and then there's just enough space to fit around a pole.

I reckon the next best thing would be around one of the seatstays (as in not both) , the rear wheel and the pole as this should give you a bit more room to play with.

The cable is useful for a couple of things, firstly to stop anybody kniocking your other wheel, but also to stop anybody using the bike itself to leverage of the minilock, by locking the front of the bike to something sold.

Search on Youtube you'll find plenty of advice on how to lock up a bike or on this thread http://www.lfgss.com/thread17938.html, if you've got the time to read through it.

Oh and don't worry about not getting the mount to fit on your bike, it seems the hip way to carry it is in your backpocket or in a bag. I managed to get it to go in a couple of notches, but you may need to undo the allenheaded bolt as I think that loosens up the gripping mechanism.

tomasrojo

**Timbuk2** wrote: »

The problem is I can't install the Kryptonite Mini Evo mount on the bike. The instructions say to put the strap into the locking mechanism (by pushing it in and it locks on), but I can only push it in one notch - no matter how hard I try it won't go in any further, and I haven't a clue what I'm doing wrong. It's not a big deal, I can just put the lock in my bag, but I'd like to have a mount on the bike!

I ended up pushing the notches through with the holder off the bike, and with the allen-bolt side open. Then I fastened it to the frame by closing the other side and tightening the allen bolt.

The problem is that once you've pushed the notches through, you can't get them back out again. So I guess try one notch, see how far from a tight fit you are, and proceed slowly from there.

Kintarō Hattori

Can I get some feedback on my locking procedure? I also use a combination lock on the front wheel and wrap it around the frame and bike stand twice. The front wheel isn't quick release but I imagine the sight of two locks amongst other bikes which are locked really badly is a deterrent (at least I hope it is).

Lumen

Kintarō Hattori wrote: »

Can I get some feedback on my locking procedure?

You've locked the frame and some spokes. The rear wheel is nickable by clipping a few spokes. I'm not sure anyone would bother, but why would you not just use the Sheldon method?

Kintarō Hattori

Lumen wrote: »

You've locked the frame and some spokes. The rear wheel is nickable by clipping a few spokes. I'm not sure anyone would bother, but why would you not just use the Sheldon method?

Because I thought my way was OK and actually didn't think about the Sheldon method. Will use it in the future so. Thanks Lumen.

Lumen

FWIW, I fitted Pitlock front skewer and ahead bolt last night. I also have a Pitlock seat clamp, but it doesn't fit my frame (I need a shim). I also got a small wire loop to secure the saddle to the seat clamp.

Thing is, after I fitted all this (after considerable research and expense) I looked afresh at the bike and thought....what about all the other stuff I haven't secured? Rear axle, brake calipers, dynamo light, shifters, bell....

That way lies madness. You could spend hundreds of euros on u-locks and Pitlock devices, and then someone could cut the frame, or cut the thing you've locked it to, or bikejack you, or break into your house and steal the bike.

tomasrojo

Lumen wrote: »

That way lies madness. You could spend hundreds of euros on u-locks and Pitlock devices, and then someone could cut the frame, or cut the thing you've locked it to, or bikejack you, or break into your house and steal the bike.

Yeah, best to just deal with the headline items. Secure the frame (whether directly or à la Sheldon), wheels and saddle. Maybe the hex bolt in the headset too, but that really should be as far as you go.

**Timbuk2**

Thanks for the answers! Kintaro, I would have assumed that was fine as well as you have secured the chainstay to a solid object, I didn't think about someone cutting spokes :eek:

From looking around bikes parked, the Sheldon method is fairly rare (although for some reason, it seems common for people to use a huge U-lock simply to lock the top tube to a pole, which is a bit of a waste as their quick release wheels are not secured).

And I still can't get that bike mount to work - I can't push the notches in, even if I undo the allen bolt side and push as hard as I can. Either something has jammed, or I have very poor upper body strength (which is true )

tomasrojo

Since this bracket is meant to secure a 10-pound lock while you're riding, it is really hard to pull the strap through the hole. You may need to use a pair of pliers to strengthen your grip as you pull.

http://www.ehow.com/how_8263235_instructions-kryptonite-ez-mount-bracket.html

(At the same time, be careful not to pull a load of them through. You can't go back.)

Kintarō Hattori

Right, tried the Sheldon method tonight but it won't work for me as the frame and wheels are quite thick. I'll have to either buy a new u-lock or come-up with a new locking method.

tomasrojo

But you shouldn't need to enclose any part of the frame. Just a part of the rear wheel that is inside the rear triangle.



I know I've included the frame in the cable, but look at the yellow lock. It's only a little longer than a Evo mini and it easily encompasses the rear wheel and a Sheffield stand.

Kintarō Hattori

Call me stupid but does not including the frame leave it wide open to being nicked and your wheel/lock being left behind?

Edit: No OK I think I see now why they couldn't remove the frame.

moonflower

**Timbuk2** wrote: »

And I still can't get that bike mount to work - I can't push the notches in, even if I undo the allen bolt side and push as hard as I can. Either something has jammed, or I have very poor upper body strength (which is true )

Just keep pushing it, it took me ages to get it through. In the end I got my brother to push it in while I pulled it from the other side with a tweezers.

tomasrojo

Yeah, it's quite surprising at first, but essentially you can't get the wheel out of the frame without sawing it open or busting the lock. The wheel is too big to be pulled out through the side of the rear triangle, and the Sheffield stand is too big to be pulled into the rear triangle.

Best to circle the other lock or flex around the frame so that no-one tries to remove your rear wheel, thinking the frame is not secured.

If you have a flex, encircling the down tube and the front wheel should be sufficient, as described earlier in this thread:

cdaly_ wrote: »

I loop the Kryptoflex around the front wheel and down tube, feed one end of the cable through the eye on the other end and then lock the free eye to the U-lock. So consider a 'P' shape. The loop of the P is around wheel and tube and the tail of the P is locked to the U-lock.

**Timbuk2**

tomasrojo wrote: »

http://www.ehow.com/how_8263235_instructions-kryptonite-ez-mount-bracket.html

(At the same time, be careful not to pull a load of them through. You can't go back.)

moonflower wrote: »

Just keep pushing it, it took me ages to get it through. In the end I got my brother to push it in while I pulled it from the other side with a tweezers.

Got it eventually, I just had to push extra hard!

Well I won't have access to the bike until tomorrow, but I managed to get the strap through one further notch - I'm not going to push it through the next notch yet just in case it's one too far, as once I put the rubber shim around the seat-tube as well as this strap, it could potentially be quite snug!

I guess I wasn't pushing hard enough - the instructions didn't say anything about it not going in easy, so I assumed something had jammed and didn't want to overwork it!

(*cough* and nothing to do at all with my weak arms *cough*)
Also, what's the best way to store the kyrptoflex when you are cycling with the U-lock mounted? I'm sure there's some obvious way which I'll discover once I actually get the thing mounted!

Thanks again for all the answers

tomasrojo

**Timbuk2** wrote: »

Also, what's the best way to store the kyrptoflex when you are cycling with the U-lock mounted? I'm sure there's some obvious way which I'll discover once I actually get the thing mounted!

If you have panniers you can do this:



(You need to sort of "braid" the flex once so it doesn't pop open. I don't know whether it's clear enough from that photo -- my phone doesn't have a flash.)

**Timbuk2**

No that's brilliant, that's a very ingenious way of carrying it!

Thanks for all the pictures on the thread, tomasrojo, they're extremely informative - a picture paints a thousand words, as they say