Homemade U-lock holder

Tanguy — Tue, 04 Dec 2018 13:12:00 +0000

A U-lock is, arguably, one of the best ways to secure a bicycle against theft. When you buy one, it comes with a holder to carry it on the bike frame. Now, while the lock, basically made of hardened steel, is very tough and will probably last more than ten years, the holder is made of plastic, and will fail after a couple of years. Then, like most cyclist, you will have to carry your lock on the rack, which is far less practical.

There are several ways to make a U-lock holder; here is mine, which I have never found documented, so I may have actually invented it. It requires very simple material, it is very easy to implement, and it is quite durable and practical to use.

Material

a short length of plastic pipe, chosen so a lock arm can slide into it, and cut so it is about one centimetre longer than the rack width;
some duct tape, ideally with the same colour as the rack.

Oh, and you need to have a rack on your bicycle. Some racks may not be optimally compatible with that, sorry if that happens to be your case. You will also not be able to carry your lock that way together with bicycle bags.

Instructions

This is so simple that this photograph may be enough to explain it. You will find text instructions just below.

Put the pipe on the two arms that attach the rack to the seat stays, so it is perpendicular to bike frame. Try to find a place where it can be held stable;
Attach it with some tape.
Open the U-lock.
If your rack has a spring-loaded clamp, open it and hold it that way.
Slide one of its arms into the pipe, the other one relying on the rack.
Release the rack clamp, if you have it, otherwise use a bungee cord to secure the lock against vibrations.

I am buying stuff for Green Friday

Tanguy — Fri, 23 Nov 2018 13:48:00 +0000

So, today is Black Friday, and today, environmental and zero-waste organizations are promoting Green Friday, suggesting that people abstain from buying stuff, and to create and repair things instead.

Well, believe it or not, while I am in favour of reducing consumption and waste, and because of that, I am buying stuff on Black Friday, and doing so in order to repair things, namely, my bicycle.

I am an intensive bicyclist, commuting almost exclusively by bike every day, and guess what? A bicycle needs to be maintained, and for that, requires spare parts. As a bicyclist, I do not believe at all in zero waste, which is just an unrealistic goal, perfectly impossible to achieve. With the six thousands kilometres I ride every year, I am buying an average of two tires, one cassette, one or two chains and eight brake pads every year, and proudly dumping exactly the same, used ones.

So, for Black Friday, bike resellers are offering actual discount on spare parts, and, for the planet's greater good, I am buying some. This is not additional purchase, just stuff I need to maintain my environment-friendly attitude.

Tanguy Ortolo - Bike

Homemade U-lock holder

Material

Instructions

I am buying stuff for Green Friday