When going out to bike around the city, the bike lock is as important as the bike itself. No biker would leave his most prized bicycle unsecured. It’s not about being paranoid, but if you really value your ride, having a bike lock assures you that it is safe.

If you are not interested in the bike locks found in your local bike shop, you can create a practical, quality bike protector chain outsourced from your neighborhood hardware shop.

Mine’s inspired from Premium Rush; movie starring Joseph Gordon-Levitt. Joseph’s chain in the movie is a really thick chain with an extended padlock. My version is a durable chain, wrapped in jeans, held together by a combination lock. I chose a three number combination padlock so I don’t have to worry about keys (losing them, forgetting to bring them, fumbling which side goes where)

D.I.Y. Bike Chain Lock

Padlock—> Get a good and durable padlock to last you and your requirements. I personally like the combination type rather than the key type because it rids me of having more keys. It is accessible and very user friendly. There are lots of different types, models and variants for padlocks, the choice is yours to make. My advice: Get the really tough and beefy one. You are not only paying for your bike’s security, you are also buying assurance.

Chain—> Decades ago, we went to the hardware store to get the coolest chain links to use so we can attach it to our wallet and also rock it as a fashion statement. Only a few people rock the wallet chain presently, but it is still a good fashion statement for urban bikers. I even put more effort in one of my chains and had it powder coated RED. Yes, I went to the powder coating plant and had one of my chains painted red. It is all up to the creator’s brain on how to jazz up your DIY bike lock. You can wrap it with leather, jeans, cloth, silicone, bubble wrap, etc… your mind can only be so creative. Bottom line: it is all up to you.

Side note: I wrap the chain with another material so I can prevent the metal to metal rub and light scratches. (for example: I won’t worry about the chain rubbing on my fork’s stanchion) If the chain is wrapped in leather, jeans or any cloth, the chain is protected, plus it gives you a sense of uniqueness.

Securing Your Bike

Please always be wise and chain your bike on an anchored metal structure. That means: you should secure your bike, by looping in the bike chain through the frame and on a stable immovable structure planted firmly on the ground or on a wall. Don’t tie your horse on a parking sign for it might run away!

Always lock your bike. If we live in the perfect world, you don’t need to, but there are bike fiends out there. So reduce the stress and hassle of losing a bike. Loving your bike means securing it and caring for it.

photo credit to crankmonkey.co.uk