The bigger they are, the harder they carry
Cycling is taking over the world. It’s going to solve global warming, world peace, and be the next US president.
The downsides to cycling are back baths and thieving scum, and it’s in the area of thieving scum that things are getting fun.
Bike locks are taking every form and arrangement in an attempt to deter theft. The one consistency is how big and heavy the good ones are (ie: very big and very heavy).
This means crew are finding new ways to carry them. So much so that it’s becoming like a tribal badge. We love it, we salute this creativity, and we encourage all to share their craziness.
In the meantime, here’s a few of the easier ways to carry your bike lock:
There are all sorts of belt loops being offered, from leather to nylon webbing. Personally we prefer to jam the lock behind our regular belts, but we are not normal (in any way whatsoever).
Many bike oriented backpacks and messenger bags now include a U-Lock holder. Incase and Mission Workshop are two of the better ones.
And we’re not quite sure what is going on here, but it looks impressive:
Do you have a better way? Send us a picture via Twitter, Facebook, or just send us a link to the pic.
Note: This post was triggered by Jane. Jane is the bright spark behind Sugru.com (the raddest mouldable stuff for hacking anything and saving the world). Jane’s job is to see the world differently, and this is how she carries her lock…
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I have thought about this issue long and hard. I tried carrying the Mini U in my back jeans pocket. That’s sort of uncomfortable and you constantly have to adjust how you are sitting to make sure you are not on the lock. I also bought a (now discontinued) bag from Chrome that is basically a utility/hip bag. It’s made primarily to carry the U-Lock and some other pockets for small items. The issue is the design is not very clever and it’s hard to tell where exactly they intended the lock to go. Also how it should be worn is sort of confusing. I have mixed feelings about the Incase bag for the same reasons. Lately I have been really impressed with built in carriers on bikes, such as the one the Civia Loring has on it’s basket. I can’t think of a better solution. When you’re riding, you carry the lock on the bike. When you’re not riding, the lock should be around the bike, right? Why carry it on your body at all?
I had the same problem so I made something that attached the u-lock to the back of my brooks saddle. I’ve been testing it all summer and it’s awesome. There’s some pics and a video of it here (http://www.oopsmark.ca/ulock/)
Cheers
Jesse
Yeah neat!
Honestly, I just stick it on my back rack… no need to get all this stuff
I’m quietly chuckling Annie, because there’s no way most of my friends would ever put a back rack on their stripped down fixies. If only we were all so practical…
reminds me of my comic
http://www.negnin.org/#/?comic=3
Haha, yeah, be wary of that criminal pride thing…
Hadn’t considered that. My usual is to try and find a lock that has been left on the racks, position it so it looks like it is around by bike, then put my lock on as well. I always figured an apparent double lock up would discourage the scum.
Pingback: Some rad things to carry… | Carryology
Honestly, I’m not sure about this – I carried my giant ABUS Granit on my rack for ages until I hit a rather unpleasant bump and the thing came off, damaging the casing. Body carry seems like a good solution but it’s a full-sized lock, making it super heavy and difficult to wear on the belt. Sticking it in my rollup panniers kind of defeats the point.
I detest my silly spiral cable lock but at least it keeps honest people honest until I find a better solution.
http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-nSOLuGAqvz8/UVC5OukwHSI/AAAAAAAABF0/ue8s-vwmYzE/s1600/DSC_0155.jpg
Yeah, but don’t you find that can hook on your seat when you stand up to peddle?
Sometimes I do that and thread my shirt through to make sure it can’t drop through the belt, but it’s only an OK solution for me…