hey guys, i recently purchased an u lock, the planet bike super guard.
it has hardened steel shackle bar, centerlock position, flat key lock.



ok the problem is that its not wide enough to be placed where i want it, ie. through the vertical tube (seat post area) and through the rear wheel rim to then attach to an object like a parking meter post or bike stand etc....



so i have a question where can you pass the lock to lock your bike safely to something. i have included a couple of pictures for you guys to help me judge how to lock it.

1.


2.


so after the "bic pic" fiasco where thieves picked the locks with bic pens how do you lock your bike, chain, cable, u lock?
got any pics of your locks in action?

Actually if you lock your bike to a rack as shown in this photo...

Posted by [TaP]

...it secures both the back wheel AND the frame (this works ONLY if you lock the back wheel through the rear triangle of the frame). That's how I lock my bike, and I've never had any problems. Of course them you have to worry about the front wheel, but your lock is big enough you can remove the front wheel and lock it to the back wheel.

if i lock my front wheel, back wheel and frame triangle, i wont have room to lock the bike onto something! but meh ill try to fiddle some more with it.

When I ride my bike into town I always bring my U lock and my cable lock. Hopefully I'll never run into a thief equipped to break both of them.

I really love that bike of mine. Can ya tell?

Posted by [TaP] if i lock my front wheel, back wheel and frame triangle, i wont have room to lock the bike onto something! but meh ill try to fiddle some more with it.

I'm not sure if I was clear before...when you lock the back wheel to a rack, you do not have to lock the frame with it, so long as the section of the wheel being locked is inside the rear triangle like the photo in my last post. You can't remove the wheel obviously, but since the lock is inside the rear triangle you cannot remove the frame either. Seriously, try it. It's easier to show than to explain, but I ain't got no digital camera. I'll bet if you lock your bike that way, you'll be able to fit the front wheel inside the lock too, maybe.

Personally, I use the method described above for locking my bike, but I don't mess around with removing the front wheel. Sometimes I use a separate u-lock for the front wheel, sometimes I don't. I do have a hose clamp around my front fork-end/quick-release (old bike messenger trick) which is sort of secure, the idea being that someone who wants my front wheel has to fuck around with the hose clamp for a few minutes. I've been thinking of getting a set of secure quick release skewers--they're like normal quick releases, but instead of the lever you need a key to open the release. Several companies make them, and they seem more secure than my hose clamp thingie.

I don't like cable locks--most of them can be easily cut with small bolt cutters.

Yeah - what Tap said. Lock just the rear wheel to a post. Lock the segment of the rear wheel that's inside the rear triangle. Front wheels are comparatively cheap, if they do get stolen.

Another useful trick I use is to put a drop of silicone rubber adhesive/sealant in the hex socket in the bolts of the stem and bar clamp area. You're not glueing the bolt in, you're filling the socket. You can do your seat post binder bolt like this if it's bolt-on and not quick release. You can even do your derailleurs, etc.

It's not too hard to pick the sealant out if you need to replace or adjust something. Otherwise it's easy for a thief to undo your stem, cut four cables and make off with stem, bar, shifters, brakes, grips, accessories, etc. Usually about $200 to replace all that.