Londoners

[illusion]

Where do you keep your bikes, and what security do you use? I am considering moving back to London in the near future but my main worry would be my bike. When I lived there before I parked it outside my flat in an off-road car park and the cover used to get lifted all the time from people checking it out to see if it was worth nicking (it wasn't, it was a GS500 ). Now I have a CBR600, and it is likely it would have to be parked on the road, or in a car park. Do any of you rent garages?
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My bike

[fast_tzr]

Where are you keeping it, outside your house or in a car park like before? Probably not legal but your best bet would be to get a ground anchor, cos no matter how many disk locks you have, if someone really wants to nick it, they'll probably just lift the whole bike into a van.

[illusion]

Not sure yet but it would likely have to be on the road or in a car park. Ground anchor is a good idea but I think leaseholders of flats normally forbid stuff like that
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My bike

[Paivi]

Most people in downtown-ish London probably don't have garages, as typically you'd have to live either in house (not split into flats) or a development, and renting them can be very expensive. Have a look at www.gumtree.com, as there are always people renting garages or parking spaces.

The problem with parking in bike bays or on the street is that there is no street furniture to chain your bike to. Where I park mine, there are just two lamp posts at 100m intervals, so no joy there. There's safety in numbers, so most people try to squeeze as many bikes as they can in a bike bay, so don't expect your pride and joy to be scratch free for long. Very few councils have anything at bike bays to chain your bike to, but they are beginning to crop up.

If you're just renting your property, I doubt the landlord will let you put down a ground anchor, certainly not one of those concrete ones. Check the Almax range, as they have some bolt down ones, which the landlord/freehold owner might not object to that much. You'd have to undertake to repair any damage to that bit of the road when you leave, or he'd probably keep your deposit. If you're using the central stand and scratch the road/paving, they'll try to get that replaced from your deposit, too, so be careful where you park.

If you do move to London, get a resident's parking permit as soon as you can (if your borough operates that scheme), as it can make a huge difference to where you can park your bike. Mine costs just £18pa, and is money well spent: I never need to worry about finding the only space left in the entire borough.

The other thing you need to be aware of is bike jacking. People have been followed home from the Ace and then attacked at home.

[illusion]

Thanks Paivi. A ground anchor would seem the best way to go if I could find somewhere to put it.
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My bike

[Paivi]

This is the one I had in mind: the Hardie Ground Anchor. Apparently, you'll only need a drill, and you'll leave small holes on the asphalt. They shouldn't be too costly/difficult for you to plug when you leave. Of course, the problem with ground anchors is that other local bikers might see it and start using it, so you'd never get there... But if it's in your carpark/front garden, you should be OK. Give Almax a call or drop them an email (they got back to me the next day ) to check how to fit it and how to remove it, and what kind of damage it causes.

https://www.almax-security-chains.co.uk/shop/view_product.php?product=17

[illusion]

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My bike

[Rookie]

Another option, if you find you have the space, is one of those bike sheds, with all the special locks. A hefty £600-£1000, but if there's something that thieves won't get into or get into a van, that's going to be it. Plus you can dismantle it and take it when you move on.

[Bendy]

When I lived in London my bike had to live on the street. The CB5 was just locked to itself initially, then I started covering it come wintertime. Had a sensitive alarm so I'd hear if anyone was messing with it, which they never did (the few times it went off it was just someone nudging it while parking).

When I got the CBR I started locking it to the only available lampost, with a couple of plastic-coated cable things I could pretty much work around inconsiderate parking and most of the regulars in the street seemed to have grasped that it was my spot. Kept it covered most of the time too (and it was alarmed).
Only had one attempt at nicking it, which rather suspiciously was the only night that I couldn't get it locked to the lampost. Suspect someone had their eye on it waiting for such an opportunity - fortunately they legged it when lifting the cover triggered the alarm. After that I got really paranoid and started parking it on the pavement and chaining it to the railings outside my flat, much to my neighbours annoyance. Was the main reason I moved out of London - I wanted somewhere safe to park my toys.

As far as ground anchors go, they don't always need to be fixed to the ground you know... something big and heavy that doesn't damage the landlord's property can work just as well. Such as a 220 litre water butt filled with concrete.

[Kaben]

[illusion]

Thanks Bendy. The concrete filled water butt is a quality idea. Ideally I think it would be best to try and get a garden flat with access to the back garden so I can stick the bike in there, and lock it up to an anchor or the concrete block.
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My bike