Anchors/locks/disk locks - what’s currently good?
Discussion
I’m a bit out of the loop on this stuff. A mate has recently got a bike and is after some advice on a disk lock. I can’t remember whether or not he already has a ground/wall anchor, so advice on that as well, please. And for locks in general, while we’re at it.
Yes, I really am “asking for a friend”! I know it’s a case of you get what you pay for as a general rule of thumb, but I know there are plenty on here who know their onions with this stuff, so fire away. Links to products would be great, as I’m going to ping my mate the link to the thread, then he can have a look.
Cheers
Yes, I really am “asking for a friend”! I know it’s a case of you get what you pay for as a general rule of thumb, but I know there are plenty on here who know their onions with this stuff, so fire away. Links to products would be great, as I’m going to ping my mate the link to the thread, then he can have a look.
Cheers
hiccy18 said:
C2Red said:
Visit the lock picking lawyer LPL on YouTube; very interesting viewing on what is the “best”
Interesting? Not the word I would've used. Terrifying maybe, alarming possibly, but not interesting.Actually, it is really interesting. Feckin scary though!
Sold Secure work closely with the insurance industry and police, and do modify their standards to reflect how bikes get stolen, The fact they don't put much emphasis on lock picking shows that the reality is very few (if any) criminals have lock picking skills, not when battery powered grinders are so cheap.
My recommendation is something that has been sold Secure approved, to the highest grade you can afford, but also something you can carry on the bike, and will bother to use. A £200 lock isn't much use left at home because it's too heavy / awkward.
Also consider carefully if you want to declare it in your insurance. I never declare additional security, as I would hate to be uninsured because I forgot the disc lock when popping to the shop.
Edited to agree - Bennett's bike social have good impartial reviews actually testing locks to destruction.
Edited by Max5476 on Saturday 27th February 19:01
He just needs to make it strong enough so that any opportunists will take a look and think 'sod this' and leave it. If "professionals" come, they'll be taking it no matter what the security is.
For at home then a ground anchor and pragmasis chain, as thick as he can afford. I have a 13mm, but it's advised to be thicker than this. I haven't bought a thicker one as if someone wants to nick it then they will just angle grind through my ground anchor instead, or pull it out of the ground with their van.
A cover will help too if it's on the drive or visible from the street.
It depends where it's stored too. If it's in a garage and it's not desirable then a chain and disk lock will be more than enough, but a Ducati on the street in London then even with £1000 worth of locks it's only a matter of time before it goes.
For out and about a chain is preferable as it stops people lifting it into a van, but chains are heavy so not ideal to carry.
He'll want a disc lock minimum that'll go under the pillion seat. It'll stop someone snapping the steering lock and walking away with it.
Unfortunately, with battery grinders thieves can cut through a chain and have it in the back of a van in seconds. He can do his best to deter theft, but nothing will guarantee it. If it's going to go, it's going to go.
Tl;DR:
At home: thick chain and ground anchor, cover if not in a garage.
Not at home: Disc lock minimum, chain and lock if possible to carry one.
For at home then a ground anchor and pragmasis chain, as thick as he can afford. I have a 13mm, but it's advised to be thicker than this. I haven't bought a thicker one as if someone wants to nick it then they will just angle grind through my ground anchor instead, or pull it out of the ground with their van.
A cover will help too if it's on the drive or visible from the street.
It depends where it's stored too. If it's in a garage and it's not desirable then a chain and disk lock will be more than enough, but a Ducati on the street in London then even with £1000 worth of locks it's only a matter of time before it goes.
For out and about a chain is preferable as it stops people lifting it into a van, but chains are heavy so not ideal to carry.
He'll want a disc lock minimum that'll go under the pillion seat. It'll stop someone snapping the steering lock and walking away with it.
Unfortunately, with battery grinders thieves can cut through a chain and have it in the back of a van in seconds. He can do his best to deter theft, but nothing will guarantee it. If it's going to go, it's going to go.
Tl;DR:
At home: thick chain and ground anchor, cover if not in a garage.
Not at home: Disc lock minimum, chain and lock if possible to carry one.
Edited by Kiribati268 on Monday 1st March 18:38
I have an Oxford Monster disc lock for when I'm out. Easy to carry under the seat or in your pocket.
If its not easily portable then you will leave it at home.
Sold secure, and can also be used as a conventional padlock (together with a chain)
Ground anchors at home cast into the concrete.
If its not easily portable then you will leave it at home.
Sold secure, and can also be used as a conventional padlock (together with a chain)
Ground anchors at home cast into the concrete.
KTMsm said:
As a grinder will get through anything, you just need something bolt cutter proof so personally I'd buy the cheapest SS Gold products that suit his needs.
I made a ground anchor from a bit of box section - plenty on ebay
No point having a huge chain that's too big / heavy to carry
Yep I agree with this completely. There's no practical defence against determined thieves with grinders, but making it a faff without one is about all you can do.I made a ground anchor from a bit of box section - plenty on ebay
No point having a huge chain that's too big / heavy to carry
Almax, job done 
Used their ground anchor and chains for 10 plus years. Idea for in the garage.
But if the search works loads of thread about this over the years
As you did not say if they wanted it to carry, as most of the almax chains are very heavy. But until my last bike I never had trackers and alarms. Still don't use alarms.
Wanted something heavy and the most difficult to brake. But as said nothing will stop the most determined thief
Used their ground anchor and chains for 10 plus years. Idea for in the garage.
But if the search works loads of thread about this over the years
As you did not say if they wanted it to carry, as most of the almax chains are very heavy. But until my last bike I never had trackers and alarms. Still don't use alarms.
Wanted something heavy and the most difficult to brake. But as said nothing will stop the most determined thief
Edited by RemaL on Tuesday 2nd March 09:05
SilverB said:
Pragmasis. Job done.
Yep, no question about it.My garage has two of their Torc ground anchors (my garage is a double and the bikes swapped sides; I couldn't shift the original so just got another) and I have a selection of 16mm and 19mm chains as well as a "lighter" (o rly?) 13mm chain for travel. In real life you're going to need some facking massive croppers to crop the 13mm (if at all) so you're only going to be defeated by the angle grinder mob, which renders the 16mm and 19mm chains a bit redundant. The bigger ones are too heavy to use outside the garage anyway. I also use a selection of stuff like Oxford Monsters and stuff like that - I wouldn't use them as my primary security but I add them as extras, linking wheels together and so on.
I also have an Abus alarmed disc lock for if I just nip into a shop or am filling up with fuel - Detecto? It's yellow.
Garage itself is steel roller shutters, locks on all four corners, over winter I physically bolt the "bike door" closed, and have opening sensors on the doors, shock sensors on the doors and in the roof area and a PIR in the garage, Master Blaster siren LOUD! and the whole lot can be remotely armed with a fob - this means I can set the entry delay to zero, so no option of the door being forced and somebody dashing in before the alarm sounds; mess with the door and the alarm is going off. So far so good, it's gone off a couple of times in 7 years and that was only in really high winds.
No point mucking about with cheap security - the b
ds will be through it in no time.Max5476 said:
Also consider carefully if you want to declare it in your insurance. I never declare additional security, as I would hate to be uninsured because I forgot the disc lock when popping to the shop.
This.I forgot that in my post. I ALWAYS lock my bike if I'm going to be more than a few feet away, but I don't have it on my insurance as it is one less thing they can use to weasel out of paying up.
Akz said:
Could they not argue that you didn't tell them it was locked with disc lock/ground anchor etc?
Of course shouldn't mention it in event of incident but I wonder if that would play against you if you did accidentally mention it.
Maybe if it was recovered and they found the frame/wheels having been cut through to remove your security, otherwise I can't see how they could.Of course shouldn't mention it in event of incident but I wonder if that would play against you if you did accidentally mention it.
SteelerSE said:
Just to add, it does depend a bit on how desirable the bike is and where he's using it. If it's the latest greatest GS being left in London then the advice is different from a £2k snotter out in the country somewhere.
Is it? I'd always say don't leave the latest whatever unattended in view in London...Krikkit said:
SteelerSE said:
Just to add, it does depend a bit on how desirable the bike is and where he's using it. If it's the latest greatest GS being left in London then the advice is different from a £2k snotter out in the country somewhere.
Is it? I'd always say don't leave the latest whatever unattended in view in London...Max5476 said:
My recommendation is something that has been sold Secure approved, to the highest grade you can afford, but also something you can carry on the bike, and will bother to use. A £200 lock isn't much use left at home because it's too heavy / awkward.
Also consider carefully if you want to declare it in your insurance. I never declare additional security, as I would hate to be uninsured because I forgot the disc lock when popping to the shop.
Totally agree with this. I'm thinking of buying a 13mm chain as a downgrade to my 16mm chain. I will carry the 16mm chain, but 13mm chains are still pretty strong and I'm not not sure with battery grinders that the extra weight of a 16mm over a 13mm makes a difference. Also consider carefully if you want to declare it in your insurance. I never declare additional security, as I would hate to be uninsured because I forgot the disc lock when popping to the shop.
I declare my bike as having no security, even though there is not an ice cube chance in hell that I would ever leave it parked with no additional security. I don't want to have arguments about how it was locked if anything happens.
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