14.03.2023 A Granite lock, or three.

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 Tuesday 14th 7C/44F. Very heavy overcast, windy and raining. It is expected to continue raining until eleven. Before beginning to slowly brighten. The milder temperatures must be helping indoors. 21C or 69F upstairs this morning. Up at 6.30 after a better night. I have four bike locks on their way. Each from a different dealer because of a general lack of stock. Cooking class this morning.

 The ABUS Granite chain is a massive noose. Strong enough to hang a thief! 4.5kg? The short U-bolt [padlock on steroids] is ideal for securing the e-bike to a massive wall anchor. With the chain loop passing through the back wheel and the frame. 

 Because the chain is nowhere near the ground, even the largest bolt cutters cannot be used. Moreover, the chain and anchor are hidden inaccessibly behind the bike. 

 The hefty, 12mm, square section, forged links would need to be cut twice [with an angle grinder] to open any single link. Links don't stay still in a bench vice like the idiotic, plagiarist, YouTube videos. The angle grinder would be working on a floppy chain. 

 Bolt cutters would have no effect on such large and square cross sections of tough and hardened steel. The trick is not to allow the thief to use their body weight on one long arm of their bolt cutter. While the other arm/handle rests on the floor. Few weight lifters are strong enough to use bolt cutters in mid air. An emaciated drug addict would have no chance.

 I am safely home from my cooking class. Three parcels have been delivered. Another will be sitting at a local parcel pickup shop. I have to go shopping. So I can collect it while I am in the village.

 Still nothing on the e-bike insurance.

 The 300mm and 150mm ABUS Granite U-locks. A plastic bracket is supplied for fixing the longer lock to the bike stays. For those who have no bike bags. Or those who have round stays?

The longer U-lock can secure the rear wheel to the e-bike frame. Or it can capture a post, or bike rack, alongside the bike. Making sure that the bike and lock cannot be simply lifted up over a post.

 The plastic bracket [at bottom left] is to hold the Abus computer display forwards of the handlebars above the headlight. The supplied bracket placed it alongside th handlebar stem. Did I mention that there is button for dip and main beam on the handlebars for the e-bike's front headlight?

The shorter U-lock can secure the front wheel to a bike rack. When the front tire is inserted between the twin bars of the typical supermarket bike rack. Yet to be checked if this is even possible with the wide tires on the e-bike. 

 The tire need not be inserted, for the 150mm to secure the front wheel to the bike rack. The e-bike can easily use its prop stand with the front wheel against the rack. Then the 150mm U-lock is still deep enough to lock the bike rim to the rack. 

 There is no quick release on the through axles of the Moustache. So removal of the front wheel. To steal the rest of the bike. Makes it very hard work. While the partial bike is a poor, heavy and very awkward reward without a van or pickup alongside.

 Meanwhile the longer U-lock is simultaneously immobilizing the rear wheel to the frame. Even if the thief were somehow able to overcome the short U-lock. They still face the problem of angle grinding the 400mm U-lock in their den. Not as easy a task as the countless, copycat, idiotic, click bait, YouTubeless videos would have you believe. The U-lock is not being held firmly in a vice while you work. So it will move around during the noisy attack. Moreover, the bike frame and its paint would need to be fully protected from sparks, flames, knocking and rubbing. 

 ABUS offer a collective key service. Where multiple locks can use the same key. While it may be a time saver, it does increase the risk of theft IMO. Lock picking may be a rarity in village street crime. However, there are YouTube videos showing which lock picking tools can be used and how. Why make it easier for the skilled thief? Merely for your own, personal convenience.

 No dinner tonight. I ate at the cooking class. We made pork sausages, mashed potato and cabbage salad, with dressing. Each team, of two, made all of the recipes for a change. We usually make only one. Or perhaps, two per team. The sausages were made using pork intestines. With the help of a sausage making adapter on a meat grinder. We made the meat filling from mince and other ingredients as well.

 Dugh? I just checked again before bedtime. My insurance company has added the details of my e-bike to the list of my coverage. I have printed it out. I presume [hope] this will be sufficient to satisfy the requirements of the law. That I have proof of 3rd party insurance. 

 Meaning that I can now legally ride on the roads. Provided I attend to all the rules regarding a speed-pedelec. Helmet, etc. Do I ride to the museum tomorrow? Where do I store my bike if I do? Better not. Wintry showers are forecast for tomorrow. Possibly with snow. It would be stupid to drop the bike on the slippery stuff on its very first outing!

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