Hi Leah, I'm an NYC rider who locks up my bike from time to time, so wheel locks are an absolute necessity for me. Here is my experience with two of the popular brand of wheel locking systems.
*Pinhead Locks* My primary commuting bike, a Surly Disc Trucker, has Pinhead thru-axles. They've been on the bike for years now and I think they're basically fine. They're easy to remove and reinstall, and I haven't noticed any damage or deformation to the coded interface that accepts the key. Since installing them, I've heard some negative things about them. The first is that someone with the correct tools could technically remove them. I don't really worry about this, as I think wheel theft is a crime of opportunity and most bike thieves are wielding angle grinders to quickly defeat locks, not an entire set of Milwaukee tools to painstakingly remove a wheel lock. The second is that Pinhead only has 10 or so key codes, so it's possible that a thief with a few Pinhead keys could match up with your bike. Again, I think this is pretty unlikely. As things stand now, my wheels are still on the bike. *Pitlocks* I just installed these on my Platypus, and them seem really nice. I think it would be a lot harder to remove these with tools than the Pinhead locks. They also look nicer. The one maybe downside is that they have several small pieces that sandwich together at the end of the skewer, so if you're changing your tire on the side of the road you would have to be extremely careful about not losing any of them. I haven't had to do this yet, but I'm thinking of adding a small magnet to my tool roll to hold them for when this time comes. Installation was very easy. If you decide to go with these, I would add a spare key to your order as it's also relatively small and could potentially get lost. I hope this helps! Alex On Sunday, April 6, 2025 at 11:57:38 PM UTC-4 NYCbikeguy wrote: > The best skewer locks are pitlocks, hands down. > https://www.pitlock.de/en/protect/quick-release.html > I have 4 sets that I've been holding onto, but have no plans on using them > anytime soon. > Read about it and if you're interested, reach out to me if you want them > for a bit cheaper than retail. > > Best, > IY > > > On Sunday, April 6, 2025 at 10:11:55 PM UTC-4 Jason Fuller wrote: > >> I have these on all my bikes, and I add the Hexlox inserts on the bikes >> that I lock up out-of-sight for longer periods but I leave as-is for other >> bikes. >> >> https://www.jensonusa.com/delta-axle-rodz-non-qr-skewer-set >> >> I really like them - inexpensive, do what they say they'll do, no fuss. >> Perfectly suited to any Riv. Even without the Hexlox inserts they'll >> prevent opportunistic theft, and are enough protection for most cases. >> >> On Sunday, 6 April 2025 at 18:56:01 UTC-7 Roy Summer wrote: >> >>> I’ve been told by NYC bike shops that wheel locks are a false sense of >>> security because thieves have the keys. In fact, everyone has the keys. So, >>> remove front wheel and u-lock it with the rear; use a piece of chain >>> wrapped in an inner tube to secure seat to frame; lock in a well trafficked >>> and/or secure area. >>> Or, do as I have had my daughter do in NYC, ride something that looks >>> like crap but has some select, but not readily noticeable quality parts., >>> And, make them difficult, or at least annoying, to remove. >>> Remember, theft is a crime of opportunity. The easier the theft, the >>> more likely. >>> Finally, do as I do: NEVER, and I mean NEVER, leave your bike unattended. >>> Roy (just north of NYC, who watches over his bikes like a hawk) >>> >>> On Sunday, April 6, 2025 at 7:11:10 PM UTC-4 Bicycle Belle Ding Ding! >>> wrote: >>> >>>> Friends, >>>> >>>> A quandary. I have 3 out of 4 bikes set up with Hexlox locking skewers. >>>> >>>> https://hexlox.com/en-us/products/total-skewer-set?_pos=2&_sid=0d411a987&_ss=r&variant=30111443419241 >>>> >>>> They are great. Easy to install. I love that the same key that unlocks >>>> the nuts on the saddle/seatpost/stem also unlocks the wheel skewers. >>>> >>>> HOWEVER. The skewer is steel. The nut is aluminum. The bike shop has >>>> now had 2 of these nuts strip. They are saying the soft aluminum is the >>>> problem;the threads strip after a couple of times removing the wheel. I >>>> emailed Hexlox to see if they have a solution, or at least to make them >>>> aware of the problem. It’s not cheap to keep buying these parts from >>>> Germany. No response yet. >>>> >>>> Do you have a superior locking skewer you love? Must be easy to install >>>> and safe to use. I have dyno wheels that I’m not keen to have stolen and I >>>> also don’t love the idea of carrying a second u-lock. Too heavy. >>>> >>>> Thanks! >>>> Leah >>>> >>> -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "RBW Owners Bunch" group. To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to [email protected]. To view this discussion visit https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/rbw-owners-bunch/ff80d184-c7a0-4ea3-b759-567f6e7629acn%40googlegroups.com.
