Which option - where to lock bike

[NotAGolf]

Given the choice, where would you lock up your bike:

Option 1)
• Outside a busy supermarket, lots of footfall and near a busy road
• Locked to a purpose built bike rack, with a strong D-lock
• One CCTV camera in the vicinity (that I can see). It’s a 360 style dome camera so may or may not be looking at the area, and may or not work

Option 2)
• Outside an office block, very little footfall. Bike would be right outside a meeting room window, but if there’s no meeting occurring room, it’s unlikely anyone would be looking at that area
• Bike is not visible from nearby footpaths, so you’d have to walk through the office car park (which has a barrier, so you can’t drive in) to see it
• Locked to a wooden railing (circa 4x2” or 3x3” thick) with a strong D-lock.
• There’s CCTV looking directly at the bike, and further CCTV in the car park, but not looking at the bike. Again, not sure if either of these are actually in use.

I realise neither is ideal. I’m leaning towards option 2, but I’m concerned that if thieves were to see the bike somehow, they’d make quick work of the wooden railing. I’m not sure if the extra footfall in option 1 makes it safer or not - more witnesses, but would people really notice/care if it were professional thieves.

It's an ~£750 bike, so not top end but, not a wreck so might attract attention. It's insured, but the excess is still a reasonable amount.

 

[Mark M]

Option 2 for me

 

[DarkBahamut]

I would go option 1 myself.

In a quiet area any disguise wouldn't attract attention and it would render the CCTV useless. Then it's light work to get through wood with little chance of disturbance. Your only real hope is someone not finding the bike in the first place.

Someone with an angle grinder (required for option 1 if locked up properly) would attract a lot of attention in a busy public area and there is likely to be much easier targets around if you have a good lock and a good locking strategy.

 

[touch]

Does your insurance say anything about locking it to a wooden railing?

 

[A2Z]

Option 2 100%

Locking it in front of a supermarket and the associated footfall is probably the worst possible thing to do.

 

[agw_01]

Option 2 for me.

My mate parking his motorbike in front of a busy supermarket in the middle of the day didn't stop some lovely people attacking the disklock with an angle grinder and walking off with it.

 

[NotAGolf]

Does your insurance say anything about locking it to a wooden railing?

That did cross my mind, but I just checked the policy wording and it says the following would NOT be covered (there's no other exclusions called out)
"Theft of a pedal cycle from an unlocked outbuilding, or in the open when it is not securely locked to a permanently fixed structure."

And then I went on live chat to clarify and they said:
"If the handrail that you mentioned is physically secured to a wall or floor and a bike could not simply be removed from it without having to physically destroy the handrail, that is something we could cover."

So it looks like I'd be covered in either option.

 

[UnworthyBean]

Does your insurance cover damage to the bike along with theft? I'd say it's more likely to get damaged in option 1 but nicked in option 2. Weigh up which one you'd rather have.

 

[kaiowas]

I'd lock it anywhere that there are plenty of more valuable bikes/easier targets. If yours is one of the most valuable bikes on the bike rack then get a cheaper bike.

 

[FishFluff]

Option 2 for sure, but I’d also be looking into getting a cheap shed of a bike if I was having to park it outside everyday.

 

[tom_nieto]

Get a sturdy D lock and insurance and then lock it wherever is most convenient (to an immovable object). Under cover so your seat doesn’t get wet is preferable. Anyone who wants to steal your bike that badly will do so regardless.

ideally you’d have a cable lock as well to make sure your wheels don’t get nicked!

 

[thenewoc]

Presumably option 2 is where OP works, can you not speak to HR about getting a purpose built metal bike rack installed near to where the wooden railing is?

 

[jpaul]

other considerations I usually have
- which will have least damage from other bike users locking/unlocking adjacent to you, or running a trolley into it.
- if it's not too bling and you are using clip-ins I think it's less knickable per-se
- make sure the lock conforms
- if it matters - check your insurance would cover theft from boot of a locked car too - my policy was ambiguous.
I tend to use more public areas

 

[MadMossy]

My question would be, how much did you spend on your D-Lock?

If it's a £10 lock from halfrauds it can be cut within seconds, an £80 Krypotonite Fahgettaboutit will require power tools.

Personally I used 3 locks, the above D-Lock, a Krypotonite Fahgettaboutit chain and padlock and a disc brake lock with an annoyingly loud alarm, I also remove the front wheel and lock it to the rest of the bike (wheel+tyre is worth £150). But I also never really leave my bike anywhere, I'm either on it or its locked up in my flat.

 

[NotAGolf]

Option 2 for sure, but I’d also be looking into getting a cheap shed of a bike if I was having to park it outside everyday.

I did think about that, but I don't fancy riding an old beater for 1000's of miles, it would probably put me off commuting tbh.

Presumably option 2 is where OP works, can you not speak to HR about getting a purpose built metal bike rack installed near to where the wooden railing is?

I don't work there yet, but I'm due to start in a few months. It's a shared block, and the company is a very small portion of the building, so I imagine we'd need input from the other companies if the landlords were to do anything. They do already have a bike rack around the corner so I think they'd be more reluctant, but a) it's way more visible and accessible to the public, and b) it's only a little pesky one where you wedge your wheel in - not big enough to get a D-lock through the frame.

My question would be, how much did you spend on your D-Lock?

It's a Kryptonite evolution I think. Definitely silver rated sold secure, possibly gold, so is plenty enough for insurance purposes at least

 

[SexyGreyFox]

My bike is right outside an office window with 5 colleagues looking through it and in the other part of the office at least 4 people are looking through the door windows at my bike but it is still protected by a Kryptonite New York M18 D Lock with cable going through the wheels and a cheaper £30 lock that I use while going in a shop for 2 minutes.

 

[MadMossy]

Wouldn't risk a cheap lock even for 2 minutes, most of the cheap ones can by cut within seconds with a resonable pair of bolt cutters.

 

[[FnG]magnolia]

OP sounds like he's weighing up the best way to cash in on an insurance job.

Seen all the new 2020 bikes in the shops, have we?

 

[thenewoc]

I did think about that, but I don't fancy riding an old beater for 1000's of miles, it would probably put me off commuting tbh.


I don't work there yet, but I'm due to start in a few months. It's a shared block, and the company is a very small portion of the building, so I imagine we'd need input from the other companies if the landlords were to do anything. They do already have a bike rack around the corner so I think they'd be more reluctant, but a) it's way more visible and accessible to the public, and b) it's only a little pesky one where you wedge your wheel in - not big enough to get a D-lock through the frame.

It's a Kryptonite evolution I think. Definitely silver rated sold secure, possibly gold, so is plenty enough for insurance purposes at least

Point out the short comings of the current cycle rack to HR and suggest a new one is required that allows the frame to be locked and that it's cited within view of the CCTV. If it gets nicked it's going to be unviable to work there I would have thought as the next one probably will too and so on. You'll have to sell the idea to them a bit I suspect, it depends how much they want to be seen to be promoting green commuting / seen to be greener to their clients. It's a low cost for promoting a healthier workforce etc. In the meantime maybe a bike alarm too.

 

[FishFluff]

Point out the short comings of the current cycle rack to HR and suggest a new one is required that allows the frame to be locked and that it's cited within view of the CCTV.

Not sure where the OP lives, but I know in Leeds it's not always possible to get the decent bike racks (the big hoop ones) as they require planning permission!

Does the office have any kind of car parking? Once you start it might be worth seeing if there are other cyclists and all ask if a parking space can be converted into cycle racks.