What's the best way to secure my stella with a chain?

scoobyjax · Post by **scoobyjax** » Wed Feb 29, 2012 10:47 pm

I'm looking at buying one of those big ONGUARD hardened chains with a lock so that I can secure the scooter at work. Just looking at the scooter I can't see the best way to secure it. I'm curious, how do you guys secure your bikes? Chain can't go through the rims, and that's probably not very secure anyway. What kind of options are there?

Howardr · Post by **Howardr** » Wed Feb 29, 2012 11:43 pm

I don't know that a chain will fit, but I sometimes push down the brake pedal, then run a cable under the deck, through the space between the deck and the brake "arm" thingy

Howard

scoobyjax · Post by **scoobyjax** » Thu Mar 01, 2012 6:58 pm

I'm asking because I was just reading some stuff online and it seems like the best way is to run the chain through the back wheel, which I can't do. And I also read not to chain around the floor board. So if you can't do those two, how would you secure it?

PeteH · Post by **PeteH** » Thu Mar 01, 2012 8:02 pm

The common argument against wrapping a chain around the floorboard is that if the chain is a single loop (around the floorboard then around a fixed object), one could wiggle the chain off the scoot if there were enough slack. I would think you could indeed run a chain around your floorboard _IF_ you had a second lock and open links to take up the slack. Some of the chains out there can do this, but some I've seen have such fat links that a lock can only be run through the 'bigger' links on the ends. I don't know about the newfangled "nooses".

Even if you've only got a single-length chain, in some cases you could take an extra wrap or two or three around the fixed object and park the scoot right up against it, taking out virtually all the slack, or at least enough to allow you to wrap the floorboard safely.

Lokky · Post by **Lokky** » Thu Mar 01, 2012 9:16 pm

The best way is to get a loop chain (one where the last link is round and can thread the chain through it) with a U-lock.
The chain can be looped around any object and then pulled up to the scooter where the U-lock can be used to secure it.

The two most common places to install the U-lock is either around the break caliper or by depressing the brake pedal.

P.Blackthorne · Post by **P.Blackthorne** » Tue Mar 06, 2012 1:15 am

Buy a 10-ft. tow chain from walmart for $20, find the biggest lock you can, make a sleeve out of a bicycle inner tube for your chain so you don't scratch your paint.
This is what a lot of my moped-riding friends do. Yes, mopeds, not scooters.
I actually have a 10-ft. chain for my bikes and it's not only secure but intimidating. I loop it twice and lock the ends together and wear it over one shoulder like a bandoleer. Someone's tailing you, give them the death stare and rattle your chain. Haha!
But seriously, I locked a moped outside of my workplace and one of the local police asked my boss if I was in some kind of gang because of the size of the lock and chain. Even the police are wary! Also, if you're in a pickle, you can lock several bikes together. Nobody can carry a buncha bikes all locked together! Safety in numbers, and remember, it doesn't have to be the most secure lock, just more secure than the scooter next to yours! <__<

neotrotsky · Post by **neotrotsky** » Tue Mar 06, 2012 5:13 am

P.Blackthorne wrote:Buy a 10-ft. tow chain from walmart for $20, find the biggest lock you can, make a sleeve out of a bicycle inner tube for your chain so you don't scratch your paint.
This is what a lot of my moped-riding friends do. Yes, mopeds, not scooters.
I actually have a 10-ft. chain for my bikes and it's not only secure but intimidating. I loop it twice and lock the ends together and wear it over one shoulder like a bandoleer. Someone's tailing you, give them the death stare and rattle your chain. Haha!
But seriously, I locked a moped outside of my workplace and one of the local police asked my boss if I was in some kind of gang because of the size of the lock and chain. Even the police are wary! Also, if you're in a pickle, you can lock several bikes together. Nobody can carry a buncha bikes all locked together! Safety in numbers, and remember, it doesn't have to be the most secure lock, just more secure than the scooter next to yours! <__<

The only problem with that is that the tow chains sold at the home improvement big box stores are about the easiest to cut. Plenty of points of purchase to stick a prybar on, and many thieves in the valley here are actually using dremels and battery powered die grinders. Makes short work of steel.

Granted, there is NO perfect lock or chain out there. All can be broken. I've found the "Fugedaboudit" chain about as solid as you can get since it's very difficult to get a pry point on. But, the key is to keep them entertained long enough to where it's too much worth as you mentioned before

scoobyjax · Post by **scoobyjax** » Tue Mar 06, 2012 1:53 pm

neotrotsky wrote:
P.Blackthorne wrote:Buy a 10-ft. tow chain from walmart for $20, find the biggest lock you can, make a sleeve out of a bicycle inner tube for your chain so you don't scratch your paint.
This is what a lot of my moped-riding friends do. Yes, mopeds, not scooters.
I actually have a 10-ft. chain for my bikes and it's not only secure but intimidating. I loop it twice and lock the ends together and wear it over one shoulder like a bandoleer. Someone's tailing you, give them the death stare and rattle your chain. Haha!
But seriously, I locked a moped outside of my workplace and one of the local police asked my boss if I was in some kind of gang because of the size of the lock and chain. Even the police are wary! Also, if you're in a pickle, you can lock several bikes together. Nobody can carry a buncha bikes all locked together! Safety in numbers, and remember, it doesn't have to be the most secure lock, just more secure than the scooter next to yours! <__<
The only problem with that is that the tow chains sold at the home improvement big box stores are about the easiest to cut. Plenty of points of purchase to stick a prybar on, and many thieves in the valley here are actually using dremels and battery powered die grinders. Makes short work of steel.

Granted, there is NO perfect lock or chain out there. All can be broken. I've found the "Fugedaboudit" chain about as solid as you can get since it's very difficult to get a pry point on. But, the key is to keep them entertained long enough to where it's too much worth as you mentioned before

Fugedaboudit? Where do you find that? I just googled that and didn't come up with anything

noodoggy · Post by **noodoggy** » Tue Mar 06, 2012 2:03 pm

http://www.motorcycle-superstore.com/1/ ... -Lock.aspx

neotrotsky · Post by **neotrotsky** » Tue Mar 06, 2012 2:48 pm

noodoggy wrote:http://www.motorcycle-superstore.com/1/ ... -Lock.aspx

That's the one. It's not exactly an easy word to spell phonetically

scoobyjax · Post by **scoobyjax** » Tue Mar 06, 2012 2:54 pm

Okay, it's available in 3ft or 5ft. If I get this chain, and I'm wrapping it around the floorboard, I don't think either one is long enough. If I use it going through the gap when you push the brake down, 5 feet should be long enough if I make a loop.

Does that seem right? I think 3ft is way too short. Does anyone have a picture of how they secure their stella? Maybe I should do some experimenting to see if I can figure out the size.