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Really did try searching for this but couldn't find an answer. I'm getting a bike with a rear wheel lock like this:

https://axasyncforce.azurewebsites.net/assets/E0003640.jpg

Since the rear wheel is locked to the frame then would securing the front wheel and frame to a solid object with a ulock/chain be enough? Bike is around $1500 in the US, higher than average larceny in my city but not known for bike theft. Here are my options

1) Rear wheel lock + ulock or chain around the front wheel, frame, and bike rack = 2 locks in total

2) Rear wheel lock + chain around rear wheel, frame, and bike rack + pitlock skewer for the front wheel = 2 locks + skewer

3) Rear wheel lock + chain around rear wheel, frame, and bike rack + ulock around the front wheel and frame = 3 locks in total

4) Rear wheel lock + chain around rear wheel, frame, and bike rack + ulock around the front wheel and frame + pitlock skewers on the front wheel, saddle, everything

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    Remember this wheel lock isn't really a lock, because its not fastening to some other object. Instead, its about the same security as the locking skewers (assuming you remember to lock it.)
    – Criggie ♦
    Commented Apr 22, 2018 at 0:14
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    @Criggie, this kind of lock is enough for insurance in the Netherlands, and as such it is a lock in my view. (It is however not a secure way to lock your bike in a risk area.)
    – Willeke ♦
    Commented Apr 22, 2018 at 6:21
  • related/almost dupe bicycles.stackexchange.com/questions/48021/…
    – stijn
    Commented Apr 22, 2018 at 10:24
  • It's not enough for a bike valuable enough to be listed on your home insurance in the UK (£350 replacement value on my current policy and unlisted bikes aren't C covered outside), as you must lock to something solid.
    – Chris H
    Commented Apr 22, 2018 at 12:19

3 Answers 3

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Living in a country where this is the standard bike lock I have learned to work with it.

For a short stop where the bike is at little risk or while getting your second lock out, always lock this lock as soon as stopped.
Then you get a second lock out, U-lock, a cable or chain as per your choice or your insurance requirements or a combination of those.

As the rear wheel is locked to the frame, you can now select to use your second lock for the front wheel to the frame and both to a fixed point. Or you can get a cable to be locked into your ring lock, either as a separate entrance to the lock for which the lock has its special hole, or one with a loop to go round the locking pin. And use that to fix the bike to a fixed point when you chose to lock the front wheel to just the frame.

I have always chosen a separate cable lock (when insurance allowed) or a chain to connect the frame to a fixed point, but my bike is not as valuable and always one of many where parked.
For a valuable bike I would likely use a good quality U-lock, a good quality fixed point and use that to lock the front wheel and frame.
If no good quality fixed point is available, I would not leave the bike there.

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I can only offer my opinion: a $1500 bike is quite an attraction for thieves when parked in public space late a night: in front of library, station, cinema, pool, gym, or pub. I would not recommend using a such bike in this situation, no matter what locks you use. If you are using your bike in less public situations (to and from work, shopping, mostly during the day), locking frame and front wheel with a U-lock to a stationary object in combination with the rear lock is probably good enough. Any thieve would have to deal with two locks, which is quite a deterrent.

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    They only have to deal with one lock, then put the bike in a van and take it somewhere private to cut off the rear wheel lock. I don’t think the rear wheel lock adds any deterrent, really.
    – David Richerby
    Commented Apr 21, 2018 at 19:25
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    I live in a city with lots of bike theft but I think that scenario plays out at night - hence my comment. During the day, thieves try to appear as normal users and would have to deal with it. In any case, you can't protect a bike against thieves with angle grinders and vans.
    – Christian Lindig
    Commented Apr 21, 2018 at 19:34
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Such a lock is enough to stop casual riding off, so fine while you pop into a cafe to order before coming back out to where you can see the bike, or somewhere busy with friendly cyclists. I use a token cable lock for the same purpose.

For locking up in the same place every day, overnight, or for several hours, it's no more than a nice extra along the lines of a pinhead or pitlock skewer except you have to lock and unlock it. You should still lock up properly, and to my mind that's a solid lock securing the frame and back wheel to something solid, with an independent flexible lock on the front wheel (and frame) as a minimum.

The exception is very heavy bikes which are hard to move with the back wheel not rolling (such as some e-bikes), when you can afford to be a little more relaxed about then being carried away - one solid lock to an immovable object would be enough.

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