Proper Use of a U-lock

First off- If you think you're going to get away with using a cable lock in Chicago you might as well just leave your bike unlocked. Don't take my word for it- check out the Stolen Bike Registry and see how many people lose their bikes to cable locks. I can't believe the bike industry gets away with selling that crap as a primary means of security. If you're going to use a cable lock as your primary form of security your bike will be stolen.

The other thing to keep in mind is that the lock is only effective if you lock the bike properly, and you lock it to something secure. Street signs are not necessarily secure- you must check them to be sure they can't be removed- most have a bolt in the bottom- if that bolt is gone perhaps it is best to find something else to lock to. Of course the best thing to lock to is a bike rack, but that's not always possible so just be sure if you lock to something that it is secure.

For the last 20 years or so the bike industry has had a flaming love affair with quick release skewers. Quick release skewers are a good thing if you're in a race and you need to swap a tire quickly, but for most urban cyclists the utility is lost. Stealing a wheel with a quick release is a crime of opportunity in Chicago.

Some people think the rear wheel is harder to steal, so they lock the frame and front wheel. It is true that the front wheel is somewhat easier to remove because you don't have to negotiate the chain, but let's be honest- the whole idea of the quick release is to make removing the wheel as easy as possible. Just last week I witnessed a thief stealing a back wheel off a bike parked at 900 N. Michigan. I called him a thief and he fled. It is easy to remove a rear wheel- you just have to hold the chain out of the way.

Also keep in mind that your rear wheel is usually more expensive than the front. Front wheels are typically cheaper than rear wheels, but if your rear wheel is stolen off your bike you lose your freewheel/cassette too, and you might end up with a bent derailleur hanger. A 9 speed cassette runs about 65 bucks, and a six speed freewheel is about 25 bucks.

People also think you have to lock the frame and rear wheel to secure both the frame and wheel- this is not so. If you lock the rear wheel inside of the rear triangle of the bike you effectively secure the wheel and the frame. You don't get that effect if you lock the rear wheel outside of the rear triangle- in that instance you just lock the wheel and someone can run off with your frame. If the wheel is locked to something secure inside of the rear triangle the would be thief will have to either cut the lock or cut away the wheel to steal the frame.

The proper way to lock your bike using only a u-lock is to "hobble" the bike by removing the front wheel and locking the front wheel and rear wheel inside the rear triangle (or if your lock is big enough you can lock the front wheel, frame and rear wheel) to a secure object. Hobbling can create problems though. Hobbling takes a little time, and over time it will cause damage to your fork ends.

Locking skewers are a good idea, and they obviate the necessity to hobble your bicycle. My favorite locking skewers are "Pitlocks." In my opinion these are the best on the market and multiple pairs can be ordered to the same key. On Guard or Pinhead locking skewers are adequate too, but they can be defeated easier than Pitlocks. The key is also much bigger than Pitlock's, and multiple pairs can't be keyed to the same key, so if you have more than one bike you'd like to outfit On-Guard and Pinheads are less than ideal.