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.

 

[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.

 

[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