Gareth Branwyn is a freelance writer and the former Editorial Director of Maker Media. He is the author or editor of over a dozen books on technology, DIY, and geek culture. He is currently a contributor to Boing Boing, Wink Books, and Wink Fun. And he has a new best-of writing collection and “lazy man’s memoir,” called Borg Like Me.
One of our wonderful MAKE magazine illustrators, Tim Lillis, who does the Tricks of the Trade cartoon in each issue, did a video version. I really like it and hope we get to see more.
8 thoughts on “Tricks of the Trade video: Two bikes, one lock trick”
TimLillissays:
I’ll take this opportunity to point out that you should get locking skewers for your wheels, or travel with a cable.
(another trick, if you get the skewers that can be unlocked with an allen wrench, is to put a little wax or petroleum jelly in the hole, and insert a ball bearing. This will deter many casual thieves, while keeping the wheel easily removable for when you’re fixing a flat)
Eric Moritzsays:
It’s better, if you can, to put the ulock around the rim inside the rear triangle. It’s impossible to get the ulock out of the triangle short of taking a hacksaw to the rear wheel. I’d be surprised if you could get a ulock around two rims and a pole though.
The way he locked up the bikes, some one could take off with two slightly used rear wheels.
Emmagoosesays:
Heck, they didn’t even bother to run a cable through the front wheels. Even where I live, in a suburb-city, they would come back to find two bike frames securely connected to the pipe without wheels.
critter42says:
Of course, the point is moot if your older Kryptonite U-lock can be opened with a bic pen! :)
Gareth Branwyn is a freelance writer and the former Editorial Director of Maker Media. He is the author or editor of over a dozen books on technology, DIY, and geek culture. He is currently a contributor to Boing Boing, Wink Books, and Wink Fun. And he has a new best-of writing collection and “lazy man’s memoir,” called Borg Like Me.
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I’ll take this opportunity to point out that you should get locking skewers for your wheels, or travel with a cable.
(another trick, if you get the skewers that can be unlocked with an allen wrench, is to put a little wax or petroleum jelly in the hole, and insert a ball bearing. This will deter many casual thieves, while keeping the wheel easily removable for when you’re fixing a flat)
It’s better, if you can, to put the ulock around the rim inside the rear triangle. It’s impossible to get the ulock out of the triangle short of taking a hacksaw to the rear wheel. I’d be surprised if you could get a ulock around two rims and a pole though.
The way he locked up the bikes, some one could take off with two slightly used rear wheels.
Heck, they didn’t even bother to run a cable through the front wheels. Even where I live, in a suburb-city, they would come back to find two bike frames securely connected to the pipe without wheels.
Of course, the point is moot if your older Kryptonite U-lock can be opened with a bic pen! :)