Hi!
I’ll be riding a 29" around Dublin, Ireland, and I was wondering what the best way would be to safely lock it up? I’ll ride it to a couple of stores and my college primarily (a recording studio with bike lock areas). I’ll also ride around the park but I’ll bring it back to my apartment after.
All advice is greatly appreciated. Thank you!
~ Cedar
I have thought about the same thing; not so easy with a uni, is it I think we have two locks, one to tie the wheel to the frame and then the wheel to [whatever].
Yes even though I don’t see people just ride away on it. They are small enough to just walk away with. This is the reason I won’t take it when buying groceries. Did it once when I still lived in a small town in DK, but here in NL, bikes and the likes are stolen on a daily basis. I have no trust in my fellow residents.
Feel exactly the same way, and I’m in DK.
Ever since having a 36er stolen by opportunistic thieves when it was locked up in the middle of the day with a mediocre cable lock, I now only lock up in very specific places and use a Litelock (as it’s a little more flexible in usage than a d-lock).
Generally though any d-lock through the wheel (and holding the frame in place) is going to be a good bet.
I highly doubt anyone is going to try and steal a unicycle frame by undoing it if the lock is good enough that they can’t easily steal the wheel.
I would order some security bolts if you are concerned about theft and replace all the ones you can with them. There’s not going to be any good way to lock up the frame or saddle of most unicycles, but not many thieves carry penta sockets or other specialty drivers on them.
Frames could be locked up using a chain and a padlock. If you did a cow hitch knot with the chain on the crown of the frame like this:
usually i lock my frame to my wheel and saddle handle. i have a nightfox though so anyone with allen keys can basically just disassemble the uni and leave the lock
Now this doesn’t address your question but, since you are now in Ireland and essentially wanting to prevent cycle theft, as a bit of a tongue-in-cheek ‘alternative’ Irish culture to soak up, you should check out: “The Young Offenders”, originally an Irish film centred on the exploits of some youths in Cork with bicycle theft etc. and later a couple of series for RTE/BBC. I’m sure (or at least I hope) Dublin isn’t quite as bad for bike theft as that depicted in Cork though!
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Young_Offenders_(film)
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Young_Offenders_(TV_series)
You could consider the Master Lock Python:
https://www.amazon.co.uk/Master-Lock-8420EURD-Python-Adjustable/dp/B0035RQZ90
It allows you to tighten the lock itself (like a tie wrap) around and through the uni…
The cable lock I had locking up my KH36 was maybe 3-4 times the diameter of that, and they still just cut through it. Pocket size steel cable cutters could get through the one linked no problem.
You might as well lock your unicycle up with string than use a thin cable. I could also pick that lock with two paperclips.
Most Master locks really are easy to pick, but a battery powered angle grinder will make fast work of just about anything. You’re really just trying to deter the less serious thieves or to make your bike/uni more challenging to steal than the one next to it.
Bicycle thief aptitude test.
Considering the bike, its probably safe.
Have you ever tried?
I’m pretty experienced in lock picking, but not all Master Locks are easy to pick. Some have proper security pins installed.
Besides that, if you pick a lock for the first time out in the open with the stress of exposure and probably with a less than optimal posture, it’s usually not worth attempting to pick a lock to steal a bike. Cutting the lock is generally faster. Or in the case of a uni, simply taking off the wheel using the allan key…
But as @Duff mentions, you sinply want to make it less attractive than the one next to you. That also means that you shouldn’t park your uni/bike in some abandoned corner of an alley, but out in the open in a crowded area…
Hi, the one of main preference of unicycle for me, it is ability to take it in shops, in bus, in train, in office, everywhere. So I don’t need to think about a lock. But it is here, in Russia. Here the unicycle is not a bicycle. Bicycle must have two or more wheels by the low. Security can’t restrict me to carry unicycle in a shop.
Another thing is there in Ireland. Local security in trade center told me, “it is bicycle, and no difference, how many wheels it has, get out!”.
The Ireland isn’t friendly country. It isn’t friendly for cyclist also.
Yes, I’ve done some locksport - so you and I both know that it would be trivial to pick, but I agree that no criminal would bother.
On the less attractive than the one next to you though - that doesn’t really apply when the criminals rock up in a van and steal everything they can get their hands on, which isn’t all that uncommon (and is how mine was taken).
If it was just about attractiveness of the cycle for the casual thief unicycles would never be stolen.
Surely whatever country you’re in this is down to the specific shop. With it being private land they can make up whatever rules they like. Some places will allow it, and some won’t.
Put a sign on it that reads, “Caution: Owner has AIDS/COVID/HEP-C” then you’ll be OK.
Next thing you know well be finding out that the Lock Picking Lawyer and Bosnian Bill are also unicyclists.
