QUESTION:
I recently had my bike stolen and I'm worried it could happen again. What's the best kind of lock to get for my bike? Answer:
What's nicer than going for a little bike ride on a beautiful day? The sun is shining and the birds are singing as you glide through your neighbourhood whistling a jaunty tune.
Then you see a café just a block ahead. Could life get any sweeter? Naturally you stop for a latte and a biscotti just to put the icing on top of what is turning out to be a cake of a day.
Clutching your caffeinated and sugary treats, you head back outside to look for a table and discover - quelle horreur! - your bike is gone. In all the history of the world, has anyone ever suffered such an injustice? Why, why, oh why?!
While we completely understand your heartbreak, it's important to remember that you've not been singled out by the universe to endure inexplicable suffering. A bicycle, after all, is like a light-weight ATM that's reliably left unattended in public places and conveniently packaged in its own getaway vehicle. So the odds are that bikes are going to get stolen from time to time. But - this is the important point - it doesn't need to be your bike.
So what can you do to protect your baby?
You've already thought of an answer: a lock. Locks are in fact useful. Here are some true stories for you to consider. A Pedal Pusher recently had her bike stolen. What kind of lock was she using? None! During a meeting (about cycling of all things) one of the attendees recently got his bicycle stolen. What kind of lock was he using? You guessed it - none.
Admit it, you didn't lock up your bike either when you went for that coffee.
Bitter experience teaches us that pretty much any lock is better than no lock at all. Once having accepted the necessity of a lock, you must decide on what kind. Some bicycle locks are cheap and light and easily cut. Others are expensive and heavy and require a bit more effort to cut. Which one's right for you? Like most things in life, it depends.
In New York City, bicycle theft is not entirely unheard of and it's common to drape your bike from nose to tail in U-Locks with a few hundred feet of anchor chains thrown in for good measure. This system protects the bike by making it impossible for the owner to take it outside. However, you may have noticed that the North Shore is not exactly like New York. For instance, there are far fewer Broadway shows and I have not once seen Woody Allen on Lonsdale.
Whereas in Yokohama, Japan, the streets are littered with expensive electric-assist bicycles capable of carrying two small children and a week's worth of groceries. When parked, they are typically secured with ribbon-like cable locks that look like they might - just might - be able to repel the efforts of a thieving toddler. But the North Shore is not exactly like Yokohama either. We have a much, much higher number of sushi places.
Is there a middle-ground that's right for the North Shore? A cable lock may be fine if you only leave your bike outside for brief café stops, but it's probably not enough if you venture inside the mall for an extended shopping trip. In that case, a solid U-Lock is probably a better choice. And you may want to consider the folding locks that have recently become available in some select bike stores. They're as strong as U-Locks, weigh about the same, but the biggest bonus is that they're way, way more expensive.
As important as the lock is, how you use it is just as important. Here are a few tips:
? Lock it to at least two items, one of which is your bike.
? Make sure one of the two items locked together is immovable, since that is key to making the second item immovable.
? A mail truck is not immovable, even if you just lock your bike to it for a few seconds while you run into the post office to buy a stamp.
Like your bike? Lock it up. The Pedal Pushers are Dan Campbell, Antje Wahl, Anita Leonhard and Heather Drugge, four North Shore residents who use their bikes for transportation. They can be reached at bike@ northshorepedalpushers.com.
