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Permalink Reply by Thunder Snow on July 9, 2012 at 9:24pm

H', you're one amazingly lucky guy!  A couple of thoughts: put your phone number or nonessential email address on your lock so someone can return it to you?  If you need to carry it onto a bus, how about discreetly locking it to one of the pipe rails (out of sight of the driver, as I suspect s/he may object if they see you do it), so that only you can remove the lock without power tools, even if the bus ends up back in the yard overnight?  On the other hand, if you're placing your bike on the bus front rack and carrying your U-lock inside, how about instead locking the rear wheel to the bike frame to hobble the bike, on the off chance someone tries to grab it and ride away while the bus is at a stop light?  (You're not allowed to lock your bike directly to the bus rack, but hobbling your bike would at least make a potential thief have to carry your bike away rather than ride at high speed.)  Attaching your lock to the bike at the front of the bus would mean you wouldn't likely forget your lock when you exit.  As usual, I'm probably overthinking this...

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Permalink Reply by Far'arned Retrogrumpalunkus #63 on July 10, 2012 at 2:45am

There is an app for that...

Is there an upper weight limit on the bus racks?  I would just leave my locks on the rear rack of my bike but they weigh 5lbs each and so laden my city bike weighs about 50lbs with my locks, tools, racks and everyday garbage I tend to carry round with me.  

I know you were asking about ways to carry a lock earlier but I didn't put my $.02 in on that.   The PlanetBike Eco rack is one of the few racks that allows a U-lock to be slid down vertically into the rack on either side, even a full-sized monster lock like the OnGuard Brute.  I carry 2 locks this way although with the brutes I had to rivet in a reinforcing rail to carry the load after I had the rack snap from 10lbs of locks.   A small bungie cord keeps the rocks from rattling (I dislike a noisy bike) and this works very well.  

I don't mind hoisting a 50lb bike up or carrying it up the 8 stairs from my garden unit so it isn't a big deal with the weight, so as long as the bus racks were rated to carry a beast of a bike I'd just leave them there.   James doesn't usually do the bus anyhow so it's a moot point -but maybe someday I'll have no choice if I break down or something. 

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Permalink Reply by Steven Vance on July 10, 2012 at 4:11pm

This video might answer your question. The Dutch bike in the video probably weighs about 50 pounds. 

Can a Dutch bike fit on a bus-bike rack? from Steven Vance on Vimeo.

James BlackHeron said:

Is there an upper weight limit on the bus racks?  I would just leave my locks on the rear rack of my bike but they weigh 5lbs each and so laden my city bike weighs about 50lbs with my locks, tools, racks and everyday garbage I tend to carry round with me.  

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