Best locks and chains?

My bike was stolen a couple of weeks ago. Had it chained to the lamp post
outside my house, alarmed and disk locked.

Dunno what time it happened, some time between 2 and 7am, but no-one heard
anything. So...

What would anyone recommend in the area of locks and chains that're bolt
cutter proof (or as bolt cutter proof as possible?)

Once the insurance comes through I will be getting another one.

 

<all together now...>

Almax.

 

I'd be more inclined to just use a bit of 6mm polypropylene cord and
tie the bike to a rottweiler.

 

That looks like good gear.

Do we know if when their chains are supplied with a lock that the lock
is up to the abilities of the chain (or better?).

T i m

 

Apparently.

But be aware thst a hydraulic cropper or a grinder will still have it away.
www.cranehandling.com/yale-tools/index.php?page=yale-ycc-hydraulic-chain-cutter

Almax and others make a big fuss about how their chains stand up to long
handled bolt cutters but these are childplay compared too a hydraulic job
with a hand pump. Years ago I used one to break and endless run of ultra
high tensile chain with links as thick as your thumb, it was part of an
overhead conveyor. I was amused to see it go like peanut brittle in 10
seconds.

That's why I like my Xena disk lock alarm XN18. It would be a right awkward
little fucker to remove and will squeal like a stuck pig for a few seconds
while they have your bike into the back of a refrigerated van.

 

They supply combo sets with a lock and chain. The lock I have on my
Almax is a CISA unit and it seems tougher than old boots. Certainly
shits on anything you might find in B&Q.

 

And all the other kit that would be considered a good investment if
going to steal something 10x more valuable.

And the drill you can buy to dill out the anti-drill plates on
household locks, etc etc. The bottom line (as we all know) is there
isn't really anything that will stop a determined and focused thief,
so our next level of protection is to make our stuff more awkward to
nick that the next guys. For 5 of our bikes spending £200 on a lock
would mean spending more on that than the bike itself and having a
lock (of any sort) would have little impact if any to the insurance
premiums. We just hope that a couple of token f-off locks and chains
per bike (to a ground anchor / wire), a Lidl noisy disc lock, a cover
and being left in a prominent place will all help keep the general
scrotes at bay. That and the fact we don't have anything 'desirable'
in a parts or racing sense. [1]

And that's the bottom line eh. If they want it they'll take it (even
from locked garages behind locked cars, in private back gardens etc)
often never to be seen again (especially if stolen to order).

I wonder when they will come out with 'The pannier monkey' ? ;-)

T i m

[1] That must help as a neighbour 3 doors down lost 3 sports bikes in
as many years.

 

Thanks peeps.
No bike I've owned in the past 20 years was worth more than a couple of
thousand.

The one they nicked only cost that, (a kwaki 2001 GT550 and when they
couldn't start it and/or the alarm went off (Datatool System 3), they dumped
it well out of the way in a ditch on the local heath and torched it.

I doubt I'd be hit with a hydraulic cutter for something that cheap.
(Next one will be even cheaper, I'm lookin at <£1400... preferably a lot
less)

 

Your problem now is to find somewhere to park it, because if you leave
it in the same spot, it'll go the way of its predecessor.

Time to investigate renting a lock-up, perhaps? As the bike will be
garaged, the premium should be lower, which will go some way to offset
the rental costs. And any garage has uses far beyond the mere stashing
of motorcycles.

 

And don't do what I did last night.

I got round the back yesterday to see my garage door open. My heart sank
until I got closer and saw the contacts fully intact and the lock in the
same place it always is when I have the door open, such as the previous
evening when last been in there.

I r a very TC.

 

Aye. Your best bet is to choose your thief carefully. The ones who
tried to nick the MV were thankfully dumb as dishwater.

 

They can try. I'm going to make it harder for them this time.

My house is right next to the best ground anchor money can buy.
(A lamp post)

Only problem was my last set of chains and disk lock were broken with bolt
cutters..

The problem with lockups is first of all... FINDING one.
Even if I did put myself down for one with the council, the waiting list
would probably be over a year. Once someone has a lockup, they usually guard
it jealously and only give it up if they move out of the area.

Then there's the cost. Even halving my insurance premium wouldn't compensate
for the added cost of one. They're going for 10 quid a week! That's over
500 a *year*. That's more than my insurance + excess (at the moment).

 

That'll be the Wiltshire Effect..

Phil

 

I didn't think you could use contacts. Eyesight improving, is it?

 

My point is a basic hydraulic chopper is as easy to carry as a 4ft
handled cropper and cheap so even you Chavtastic scooter thief probably
has one. I don't get worked up about chains therefor and use an Abus
type rather than a super expensive Almax.

If they are keen enough to chop my chain, remove the disclock and get
round the OEM immobiliser they can have the bike. Unless I hear them, in
which case they better be prepared to fend of a decent axe.

 

I'll vouch for Almax. I have a 1.5m series 3 (16mm link) with a Squire
lock. Its a heavy thing to transport around but if you can leave chain
around lampost you could get the series 4 (19mm link) which is huge (and
hugely expensive). It's a good visual deterrent IMO. Just make sure you
can get it around the frame and lampost. The bloke at Almax is very
chatty and friendly and he gave me a discount for being a member of
visordown.com. I bought the bicycle series 3 too I liked it so much...

 

Coo, as typos go, that was a weird one.

I meant contents, obvious.

 

Abus - can be cropped with cheap, extendable crops available from
absolutely anywhere and the choice of weapon for the average scrote.

--
Veggie Dave
http://www.iq18films.co.uk

"To assert that the earth revolves around the sun is as erroneous as to claim
that Jesus was not born of a virgin." Cardinal Bellarmine

 

I think you need to read my comment in context with everything else I
said.

You can buy the tool to crack the Almax chain in any city and a good
scrote will have one.

I would have an Almax chain however their prices are taking the piss
somewhat, IMHO only of course.

 

Yeah, not easy, I agree.

So you stash other stuff in it and charge someone else a fiver a week
to park their bike in it...