I not only am in the business of security, but I’m quite passionate (and rather knowledgeable) about the whole field including security theory, encryption, physical security, surveillance, lock picking/lock design, and the like. My brain breathes, eats, and dreams of security related topics. I can’t see alarm systems without wondering how they can be made to fail. I can’t see closed circuit TV cameras without calculating blind spots in coverage. This is not to exploit them, per-se. It’s more that I simply enjoy the puzzles that security offers, and like taking a non-traditional approach to it.

Every security countermeasure that you can conceive of has some benefit. No security countermeasure you can think of is going to be 100% perfect. The trick is finding a countermeasure that strikes an acceptable balance of usability and risk. Where risk is extremely high (a Philly ghetto parked outside overnight, for example), you will need to use a horribly inconvenient locking scheme. Where risk is low (my cubicle) you might not need a lock at all.

The links aren’t meant specifically for you, they were an afterthought that I snuck in.

@ Noah
I did say in one of my previous posts the words “proper (situationally appropriate) locking techniques.” Locking up in a city of 210,000 (especially one like Reno) demands a better lock than what Quinn uses. Cable locks are appropriate as a secondary locking device for front wheels etc and are best used in conjunction with a quality U-lock. The reason for this works to your point of bike theft being a crime of opportunity. If a crook sees that he’ll need two different types of tools to crack your system he’ll find something easier – like Quinn’s.

Look at these links
http://www.streetfilms.org/archives/category/interviews/hal-ruzal/ -Hal grades your bike locking pts. 1&2

http://www.mechbgon.com/lock/index.html Nice guy, knows his stuff

http://www.kryptonitelock.com/TechLab/HowToSecure.aspx
Self explanatory

One thing I’m rather amused with Noah, is the fact that you’ve said nearly the exact same thing I’m preaching in post #21 and now you’re talking about “fearmongering”.

Right now, all I’m seeing in the comments is a bunchload of fearmongering and misinformation.

The fact is that unless you’re being cased, your bike will be a target of opportunity. And if you’re being cased, the only way to ensure your bike’s safety is to keep it in eyeshot at all times and next to you in bed, cuffed to you while sleeping.

Your goal: make sure that your bike is in the same place you left it, and hopefully in the same condition when you return to it.

There are a great many more elements in play than what kind of lock you’re using. The fact of the matter is that a cable lock does something to improve your stance versus just leaving it in the same location without the cable. The rest is variable.

Attacks include whole theft, vandalism, or stripping of parts.

Attacker profiles are many but include rational burglars who are driven by the potential of making a lot of money and irrational addicts who want to trade the bike or parts directly for drugs or to sell for enough money to beg their dealer.

Rational attackers may feel like they have a lot to lose (i.e. getting hauled off to jail) whereas irrational ones with a one-track mind may take higher risks to get their fix. You have to examine the potential attacker’s motives, resources (time, tools) and expertise among a bevy of other attributes.

It is absolutely and completely ignorant to say that cable locks have no merit whatsoever. Just because you got your bike yank’d in downtown philly because it was locked with something beefier than a cable lock doesn’t immediately invalidate cable locks as a viable security method.

It certainly won’t work everywhere. Those of us who live in suburbia and are running quick errands close to home, however, will likely find ample, convenient security in cable locks.

Damn right FAIL.

How many bikes have I had stolen? Not that it’s any of your business two. One was locked in the same manner as yours and the other was a sacrificial Huffy locked using a Master Crap Street Cuff (for a review on MTBR)

Now I know you’re all flustered ( I can tell by how quickly you typed a response) , but the fact of the matter is that a cable lock is a piss poor method of securing a bike. Especially your setup.

The fact that it’s a fixie will NOT protect you, but if you insist on deluding yourself, by all means, do.

?FAIL?

Let me ask you one thing? How many bikes have you had stolen?
I lived in the DC metro, Honolulu, and now Reno, in my 12 year of cycling I have Never had a bike stolen.

If you look back at my First post, you will see that I said that If someone Really wanys a bike Then they will take it, not matter if this a Small cable Or a big ass U-lock.

As far as the fixed gear pair- cyclist around here view being able to ride a fixed gear as a thing of pride, in turn we look out for each other.
Also the people that are not into bikes, more than to buy a BLO at walmart, have never heard of a fixed, much less to ride one.

Actually I’ll cut to the chase and give a link to both videos
http://www.streetfilms.org/archives/category/interviews/hal-ruzal/

FAIL

You’re kidding me right? Any thief with a 2 foot bolt cutter in a backback is going to get away in >10 seconds. I’m not a thief (though if I were I’d never want for a bike with people like you around) and I could walk up to that bike with nothing more than a pocket knife and a beer can I found on the side of the road and shim that lock in under 5 minutes. Another thing to consider is the fact that you’ve left the front wheel completely unsecured.

Reality check Quinn – you’re not the only person in the world who can ride a fixie, so don’t count on that to save you. Around here it’s not uncommon to see a thief riding one bike while guiding a second, riderless and stolen, along side.