Carrying a lock?

[Jeremy S]

John has included a hole in the Silvio 2.0 frame, near the rear chainstay, for locking up the bike, which is cool. Now I need to figure out a good way to carry a lock with me -- probably my U-lock. (I like to make stops to buy water or eat.) Curious to know what solutions others have come up with for carry locks on new Silvios, old Silvios, Vendettas, etc.

I did search the forum and found older threads about locking up Cruzbikes, but not much about how to mount or carry a lock.

On my Sofrider I used to wrap a cable lock around the seat post. I don't see a good place to do this on the Silvio, and I have this idea that U-locks are more secure anyway.

Thanks!

 

[Andrew 1973]

U lock considerations

The position of the hole may make locking with a U lock difficult unless the shackle is long enough to fit through the frame and around the stationary object to which you want to secure your bike. I may be wrong about this, however.

I don't lock up my Silvio simply for the fact that it doesn't leave my sight. I do carry a mini U lock and cable lock in my bag. Some U locks come with a frame mounted carrier. I recommend looking for one of those.

 

[Jeremy S]

Thanks for the response

Thanks for the response Andrew.

It looks like my longish U-lock will fit through the frame hole and some object (like a post), although not through the rear wheel (without removing it).

Perhaps your strategy of never letting the bike out of your sight is the best one.... This would limit my use of the Silvio on social rides, though.

Indeed I have a U-lock mounted to my DF, but I have no idea where on the Silvio it could mount. The mounts I've seen are designed for a DF tube. I once saw a photo of a U-lock mounted to the TFT of a Cruzbike -- I'm not going to do that because of the added weight on the front end.

Perhaps what I should really be doing is figuring out how to mount a bag, so I can stuff a lock or anything else in there. I'm suddenly appreciating how easy it is to carry a backpack on a DF. A friend suggested I could wear a backpack on my front while I ride... seems too undignified and probably not practical since it would hit thighs while pedaling.

 

[John Tolhurst]

Its possible to get theft

Its possible to get theft proof quick releases, they come with a sort of key-wrench which you then need to carry. Get them for a mountain bike, so they are long enough for the drive wheel.

 

[Collwyn]

Abus Folding Lock

From the time I did my Cruzbike conversion back in 2007 I've been using an Abus folding lock. They're compact, secure and are available in different sizes to accomodate larger frames: http://www.abus.com/eng/Mobile-Security/Bike-safety-and-security/Locks/Folding-locks

 

[marshall2389]

You could mount the U-lock

You could mount the U-lock frame bracket to the tubes on the back of the headrest. I prefer to lock up my Quest using my U-lock around the front fork and through the front wheel. This locks the frame and the front wheel, the front wheel being more expensive than the back wheel because it includes the cassette.

I have done lots of riding with a small draw-string backpack worn backwards so it lies on my chest and stomach. As long as it's the right size it works, although I will admit it feels a bit foolish. Still works, though.

 

[T.]

Alternative

http://tigrlock.com/

I have one of these. Carry one end in a bottle cage mounted on the back of the seat and a piece of dual lock self adhesive Velcro near the top of the seat and a mating piece on the lock to prevent rattling. Actually, I may replace the bottle cage with another piece of Velcro; it appears to be quite capable of holding it.

the lock can then go through the frame and front wheel. I mainly use it when leaving the bike unattended at work (gated area otherwise I don't think I would leave the bike except for very short errands).

 

[Jeremy S]

Thanks for the tip on locking

Thanks for the tip on locking wheel skewers John, that would solve a big part of the problem.

 

[Andrew 1973]

locking skewers

Has anyone here seen the skewers that won't release until the bike i? turned 90 degrees, perpendicular to the road surface?

 

[marshall2389]

Ha, I haven't seen that but

Ha, I haven't seen that but that is such a good idea. Random enough that a thief wouldn't try it, impossible to do to a locked bike, and it doesn't require a key that can be lost. Brilliant.

 

[Jeremy S]

As Elliot suggested, it is

As Elliot suggested, it is possible to mount a U-lock to the headrest tube, although the tube is a few mm narrower than this Kryptonite FlexFrame bracket is supposed to fit:

The lock is sticking out at an angle to clear the rear wheel. I am concerned that it may shift and contact the rear wheel while riding (say after I go over a few bumps). It seems like the lock will contact the tire, so not a catastrophic problem if it happens. We'll see.

 

[Eric Winn]

Ye are a braver lad than I. I

Ye are a braver lad than I. I wouldn't ride with it like that.

Keep in mind you have suspension so things flex and may put things in a different space and time that may be catastrophic...

I forsee the U getting wedged between the tire and the seat stay at some point.

-Eric

 

[Jeremy S]

Hm, that would be bad

Hm, that would be bad indeed...

 

[Jeremy S]

So, option #2 interferes with

So, option #2 interferes with the headrest cover a bit but puts the lock much farther from the wheel. The lock and bracket would have to rotate sideways a whole lot to contact the wheel.

It looks like the lock might be near my shoulders, but I sat on the bike and I don't feel the lock back there.

 

[Eric Winn]

I guess I just don't trust

I guess I just don't trust the carrier to keep the thing in place over bumps and other unexpected road blemishes. I still keep thinking the U is going to swing around on you and impact the tire at some point.

Why not modify the end tube plug on the frame so it has a strap or something to make it easy to pull it out and keep a nice cable and lock stuffed inside the frame tube? Pop off the plug, pull out the cable lock, apply, put the plug back in, walk away. Reverse on your return.

-Eric

 

[Jeremy S]

Well Eric, I don't trust a

Well Eric, I don't trust a cable to secure the bike in the city and I honestly don't see the mount and lock moving enough to be a problem -- short of a violent impact that would probably bring bigger problems than the lock moving. They're on there pretty tight and there's a lot of clearance now. Even if the U does manage to contact the tire, I don't think anything much is going to happen except some rub. Thanks for your comments though! Given how fast this bike can go, some caution in mounting accessories is certainly in order. I will be keeping on eye on it.

 

[marshall2389]

I think the first setup looks

I think the first setup looks more elegant, possibly leads to less drag, and, like you said, even if it shifts it will just lead to some rub. Based on your first photos, in the first position it can't reach the chainstay. Although I don't know how much Silvio rear suspensions travel.

One more thing: I know it's a tiny detail but when I must mount things asymmetrically I like to start on the left side of the bike since there is already more weight on the right side due to the drivetrain.

 

[bladderhead]

I agree with Collwyn.  Abus

I agree with Collwyn. Abus is good.

 

[Jeremy S]

Elliot, I'll probably leave

Elliot, I'll probably leave it as it is for now because:

- In the first setup gravity wants to rotate the lock and mount downward against the wheel. In the second setup that isn't an issue.

- In another thread Larry/BentBierz suggested that I put the taillight on the left since I ride on the right side of the road, and I agree with that reasoning. This means the lock only fits on the right. Good point about the weight though.

 

[Jeremy S]

I installed anti-theft wheel

I installed anti-theft wheel skewers on my Silvio. There are a number of options out there but Pitlock seemed to have the best reputation, so that's what I bought.

Here's one of the skewers installed on the drive wheel, drive side. This end of the skewer is plain and is designed to give you nothing to grab onto:

Here's the non-drive side showing the special locking nut on the end of the skewer. The nut is made of several separate pieces that I will have to keep track of whenever I remove the skewer to remove the wheel. The standard-size skewer (for 130-155mm dropouts) barely fits the Silvio drive wheel (you can see the bolt in the middle does not protrude at all; the standard-size rear skewer has more clearance). You can also see the curvy outline that the Pitlock key grabs onto.

Here's the Pitlock key. I received two and I will be carrying one with me when I ride. It's small, but requires a separate wrench to tighten it (a hex key stuck through the circular holes in the sides works fine).

The skewers came without springs. I transferred the springs from a quick-release skewer to the rear Pitlock skewer, since this makes it easier to put the wheel on. As Ivan has pointed out, springs are not useful on the front wheel skewer for the Silvio.

If you don't leave your bike locked up or if you frequently remove your wheels, you won't want to bother with these skewers. I appreciate the convenience of not having to lock the wheels when I lock the frame to leave the bike for a bit. Of course they aren't completely theft-proof (nothing is), but I feel they will be a significant deterrent.

I have ridden with the skewers installed and with a U-lock mounted as pictured in my previous post (hanging vertically from the headrest) and it worked well. The U-lock rattled a bit over bumps, but it wasn't too distracting and the lock did not appear to budge at all in the mount. I only ride with the lock when I am planning to make a stop, otherwise I leave it at home.