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Tuesday, May 12, 2009

Hal Grades Your Bike Locking 3: The Final Warning!

by Clarence Eckerson, Jr. on May 12, 2009

Time: 6:18 Plays: 10,086 Embed:

It's Bike Month - which means there are scads of neophytes out there nationwide giving cycling a try.  Oh goody!  But, oh baddy - it also means more improper locking - and we all know there are predators just licking their chops at the thought of stealing all or part of your bike. So we want to do all we can to preach good locking technique and thwart thieves.

We need a sage in these times to remind us how easy it is to roll your bike.  Once again enter the immortal, Bicycle Habitat mechanic Hal Ruzal to give us the straight dope in what he's calling "your final warning" in this last chapter of our exclusive trilogy.  Let's hope the third time is a charm!

This time around Hal's not only grading bike locking ability of anonymous locker-uppers, but he also shows you how he secures his bike so you too can score an "A" (or at least have a decent shot at an A- or B+.)  And if you love the humorous anecdotes and musings here, don't miss our first two chapters:  "Hal Grades Your Bike Locking" and "Hal (and Kerri) Grade Your Bike Locking".

15 Comments

Last comment by Greg Leave a comment »
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    Mr. Magwai

    I could watch ten episodes of Hal in action.

    May 12, 2009 at 1:33 am Link # 1
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    Quansu Dude

    I want to watch this every morning to be happier.

    May 12, 2009 at 5:05 pm Link # 2
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    Darren Embry

    I'll bite... what's wrong with locking to a parking meter?

    May 12, 2009 at 10:20 pm Link # 3
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    Clarence Eckerson, Jr.

    Actually it all depends on what type of parking meter, some probably are okay but it isn't worth the 30 seconds we used up in the video and we cut it in favor of the on-screen text warning.

    NYC has many different varieties, as do other cities. If you lock to a typical single head parking meter and say you use a kryptonite chain lock to lock up - then it is possible to lift the entire bike over the parking meter head, if you use a little moxie. The bike would still be locked to itself, but you could carry the bike away. To be honest in the past, I have locked to a single head parking meter and have locked up really, really tight with no room to spare and have felt I was safe. But a few years ago, my friend swears he did the same and the thief got his bike, so I stopped doing that.

    Double headed parking meters are probably a much safer bet cause the chain can't go over both, but better to stay away from them altogether if you can.

    May 12, 2009 at 11:39 pm Link # 4
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    andy

    Instant classic, especially the ending sequence with Hal rhapsodizing on the green bike lane!

    Happy Bike Month!

    May 13, 2009 at 12:21 am Link # 5
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    Eric McClure

    This may be the best Streetfilm ever. I am not going to admit to what grade Hal might have given me, though.

    But I do promise to improve my locking technique!

    May 13, 2009 at 10:36 am Link # 6
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    Scott for npGREENWAY

    Love it. Send Hal out to Portland for a field trip of bike lock job grading...

    May 15, 2009 at 12:44 pm Link # 7
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    brian

    does anyone know more about that ball bearing in the handlebar post? I've never seen that before, how do you remove it when you need to work on your bike?

    May 16, 2009 at 4:21 pm Link # 8
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    DynamicDeebytheSea

    I love you HAL!

    May 16, 2009 at 7:51 pm Link # 9
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    hal ruzal

    You must use a torch, turn the bike upside down and heat the glue till the bearing falls out, most thieves don't carry torches around in order to steal handlebars, thanks, Hal

    May 19, 2009 at 6:04 am Link # 10
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    Skratchy

    Nice tip on the ballbearing Hal! I thought about putting glue on the threads of bolts and then screwing them in but that method looks way better.

    Regarding the anti-theft seat device - was that an old chain with recycled innertubes you used?

    May 19, 2009 at 8:43 pm Link # 11
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    Mimi

    Thank you so much Hal! My last bike got stolen and now I know everything to do to make sure that never happens again!

    May 30, 2009 at 12:45 pm Link # 12
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    Mark K.

    Hal referred to a long-shackle Kryptonite lock as "garbage" in the video. As I have one, I have to ask, what's wrong with them?

    I think I'll be looking for a couple of auxilary cables and maybe some old chain and tube sections to copy Hal's seat anti-theft measures...

    June 8, 2009 at 1:36 pm Link # 13
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    Bike Registry

    Very good primer on theft reduction. Definitely second the comment regarding cable; AVOID cable at all costs. Don't forget about registry for recovery, just in case.....

    June 9, 2009 at 11:19 pm Link # 14
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    Greg

    I really like that seat lock idea, I've never seen it in Toronto, are they DIY, or do you have to purchase them?

    June 24, 2009 at 7:10 pm Link # 15