You already know that having locking is critical for the safety of you bicycle. But, shopping for a lock is complicated – there are many different types of bike locks, they work in different ways, they protect different parts of our bike, and of course, there are multiple rating standards. So how do you work through the maze and figure… Read more →
Bike Locks
But my crap bike doesn’t deserve a U-lock!
Dear Annie, My girlfriend is constantly on my back because I’m using a cable lock on my bike and haven’t bothered to register it. The bike is a complete piece of junk that I paid $50 for at a garage sale. It gets me to class and around campus and that’s it. Why should I buy a lock more expensive… Read more →
The “other” QR – Quick Response Codes
Dear Annie, I don’t understand why there is a 7 character code on 529 Shields. Seems very 20th century. Why not join the 21st century and use QR codes to make the bike more easily scannable? Everyone has smartphones today! – Computers read a code kleaner CRACK, QR, or quick response codes have been around since the early 90’s. From a… Read more →
GPS – The bike theft silver bullet?
Dear Annie, I left my iPhone on the bus last winter and recovered it using the “Find my iPhone” feature from my computer. Seems that doing the same kind of thing for bikes would be the best possible solution to help recover a stolen bike. Why doesn’t 529 just add “Find my Bike” to their app and sell GPS trackers… Read more →
Unlocking the lonely U-lock mystery
Annie – I’ve been trying to a better job with my bike locking since my brother’s bike got stolen last year. I think I have a pretty good sense for how thieves take advantage of bad locking practices, but what I’ve been confused when I see U-locks on the racks with no bikes. I visited Seattle last month and it… Read more →
Quick release skewers: Helping bike thieves for 90 years!
Dear Annie, Someone made off with my front wheel and I’m really angry. It’s not that it was a particularly nice wheel, but I did find it very helpful while riding. I don’t understand – why steal just a below average wheel? I went to craigslist to try and find my wheel, or just to buy a replacement, but there… Read more →
Choosing a bike lock: The careful balance of material, strength and pick defense
Dear Annie, I just moved to Austin after graduation from a small New England school where I rode my bike everywhere. It’s clear that bike theft is a big issue here and I definitely need to upgrade my lock. I’ve spent some time on Amazon and the web researching U-locks and I’m more confused than I was when I started.… Read more →