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I've just noticed on my insurance policy that my bike isn't covered if it isn't locked, no matter where it is.
I'm assuming that a Thatcham approved lock would be best and the easiest to use seems to be a disc lock.
I just wondered if the alarmed ones were any good or do they keep going off all the time? I figure it would stop me driving off with it still on though.
Any suggestion for the best type of locks, preferably under fifty quid?
If you declared a lock to bring the cost down then whatever lock you declared. If not then what is the actual wording on the policy? If it does not specify then I would be tempted to use one of those silly little suitcase padlocks and a length of bath plug chain, just as an F U to the insurance parasites for sneaking an extra clause in to your policy. I'd actually question the validity of the clause as they ask what security devices you use when giving a quote so if they gave a quote based on no devices declared it is not reasonable to then include a clause within the paperwork requiring a device.
Only thing that is gonna stop a determined thief, is an Almax and an Abus, and a lampost, chain and lock wise, but thats no way under £500. Anything under £50 will only be a visual deterrent, which is what deters most anyway. The alarm disc locks are pointless, and as a lot of bikes are stolen from parking bays by two men and a van, any disc lock is useless, they just pick it up, chuck in van and go. I have plenty of cheapo chains and locks, so if you just want a visual deterrent, pm me, it's Xmas, you can have one gratis.
I've got a Xena alarmed disc lock for my bike but I completely agree that it won't stop a pick up and drive away theft. I work on the assumption that if there are two bikes next too each other and one has a big yellow lump on the wheel and the other doesn't then the latter would go first. It is also useful when the bike is parked up in the garage as a second alarm in conjunction with the garage alarm...plenty of noise!
Thanks for all the info.
Been reading a few websites and articles. Quite worrying reading that 100 bikes are stolen daily and 40% are never recovered, although this is on the Bike Trac website and the stats may be part of their marketing strategy (apparently 70% of stats are made up on the spot ;))
I'm tempted to go down the route as suggested, of a chain and an alarmed disc lock to cover both a visible and physical deterrent.
I'm still getting used to having a bike and the fact that I don't have to have the keys in my hand to lock a door. I recently left my bike in Cheltenham for about 3 hours with the keys still in the ignition ! Never run anywhere so fast in my life !!
Avoid Oxford/Roxter (or any of their other sub brands) , I bought a few roxter chains cheap and managed to break one with a leatherman in around 5 minutes when I lost the key. More depressingly this was in a car park in Salisbury and not a single person passing challenged me as too why I was attacking a bike lock.
Yeah it's crap, just seems like everyone's too afraid to challenge someone. A mate of mine recently got his push bike stuck at his home train station and just turned up with a massive pair of bolt croppers and cut the lock off. He had a reference number from the police in case anyone did ask but no-one did, not even any of the train station staff.