Steering Lock Mechanisms

[amberwolf]

I'm investigating ways I can use existing stuff I have to make a keyed steering lock for my bikes/trikes, to lock the wheels in a position that isn't really rideable (theft deterrent).

I've looked around at the various posts with the term in them, but there isn't a whole lot already on ES, and most of it is discussion of existing bikes with it on there (done in ways I don't really have the parts for, AFAICS).


One way, really simple, but also easily defeated, is to weld on a couple of tabs with holes in them for a padlock, then lock the padlock's U thru them. But anybody with cutters or angle grinder could get to it and thru it as fast as I could unlock it with the key, just about.

Something that is embedded inside the frame itself would be better, so that to defeat it you'd have to damage the bike (perhaps in an unrideable way). But off the top of my head, I can't think of one that's simple enough to implement using bits and pieces I already have, or could get really cheap.

One way that might work but could probably be broken easily enough, unless I have a good long thick steel rod (I might) is to use a cabinet lock with a long tab on it's rotating mechanism, and drill the tab to be a pivot point for a tab on the end of that rod. There'd be a hole (lined up with the toptube, at whatever angle the fork would be locked at) thru the steering tube and headtube that the rod would slide into when locked.

The cabinet lock would go in the side of the toptube or downtube, and be gorilla-glued in place (cuz I can't thiink of a way to put the nut on the inside, unless I cut the tube and then weld a patch over it when done).

One disadvantage of this system is that the rod'll rattle around inside the frame tube during riding, unless I first cut the tube open and weld in some guides that it snugly fits into near each end of the rod. Probably can't use plastic or foam guides inserted in, cuz I'll probably have to cut and weld the tube to get them in there, so they'd melt.


I had a few other partial ideas, but they all seemed dumb even to me. :lol:


OH, and this post
http://www.endless-sphere.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=4&t=39877&p=588153&hilit=+steering+lock+#p588153
shows a steering lock on a dirt bike from the early 1970s, along with a brand new lock that came with a Fusin geared hub kit for review and test, but no explanation on the lock's purpose, and it fits nothing else in teh kit. I'd try to use that lock, but at this point after the fire and subsequent events I don't even know if I still *have* it.

 

[e-beach]

When I think of the times my motorcycle's steering locks saved my bikes (about 6 times with different motorcycles) the most shocking one was when someone hot-wired my Honda 450 Supersport and tried to drive it away from where I had it parked next to the beach front apartment I had at the time.

When I went to leave in the morning it wasn't where I had parked it but about 100 yards away in the middle of the beach!

The steering lock had kept the motorcycle going in tight circles and somehow was ridden onto the sand. The tight loops that the bike left in the sand were still present. Fortuitously the thief had the good graces to leave it parked upright on the double kickstand so it wasn't too sandy to clean. After that it was heavy chains and Ulocks for me.

Any way this has some nice pictures that may give you some ideas.

http://cvkustoms.com/PDF/Steering_Column_Lock.pdf

 

[cal3thousand]

Sounds like a cool idea. To me, the best deterrent is the one that makes the the thief think: "This is going to be hassle"

If you want to go with the pad lock idea, just assemble it in such a way that cutters will not fit. You'll have to consider bolt cutters and grinders. If you make it such that bolt cutters won't fit and angle grinders will damage part of the bike, it should have a better success rate.

 

[amberwolf]

I pondered that, but the only ways I can think of that will do that either mean I can't get my clumsy hands in there to install or remove the padlock, or would interfere with teh steering itself. I'll admit I probably haven't been creative enough yet.

If I had one of those round locks like they use on storage containers and stuff, whose locking bolt is at it's circumference and retracts inside it so you can easily get it up in and down out of a recess, then it'd be very easy to design the "box" around it that prevents access...but since what I have are normal padlocks with a shortish U for the locking bit, I'm having a tough time figuring out a good way.

Mostly we're talking about for CrazyBike2 and the SB Cruiser, which have a lot of stuff going on around the headtube area--it might be easier to do something like that on a "normal" bicycle style setup.

If you have any specific ideas, I definitely would like to see them, even if you don't think they'll work on those two, they might give me ideas on how I could do it.

. After that it was heavy chains and Ulocks for me.

Those can help, but even given how much carrying capacity my bikes/trikes have, I'd rather use it for cargo and me (or range) than locks/chains. Also, I prefer something that is trouble and inconvenience for the thieves, and not for me.

Given that I have to often lower myself down onto the ground (usually hot sticky asphalt with oil and grease, in parking spaces, cuz not many places have usable bike racks if they have them at all), then pry myself back up, so that I can put the cable or chain or other lock aroudn the wheel(s) into the frame, or to pick it up (sometimes several times) when I drop it trying to get it on or off, it's pretty inconvenient to do the cables/chains/etc.

That's a major motivation for wanting to try making these locks, which I've considered for years but never gotten around to. I think it is time to get around to it.

Any way this has some nice pictures that may give you some ideas.
http://cvkustoms.com/PDF/Steering_Column_Lock.pdf

Yes, it does have some good ideas--I like the Neiman lock style; it's sort of a straight-on version of the rod style lock I was pondering.

Some of the lock styles arent' useful because they stick out in a sleeve that could just be cut off with teh angle grinder about as fast as they could cut thru a padlock. I have a feeling the Neiman lock would be like that, though, so I'd have to put the moutning tube for it mostly inside (at an angle to leave the keyhole accessible) the top or downtube, or between them with a plate on either side, so it couldn't be reached with cutters.

I've also seen a number that (as the document points out) could be broken just by whamming the forks back and forth within the narrow range the lock still gives.

But something like the Neiman that sticks a pin into the column or whatever (steerer tube in my case) would effectively fix the fork in whatever angle the hole is drilled thru, which is the basic idea of how that cabinet-lock/rod method I described in the OP works.

 

[onemorejoltwarden]

Consider your adversary.
Opportunity thief
Junkie
Pro with cordless angle grinder

each requires a totally different strategy
Wrong approach and the thief wins by stealing your time and energy.

I think a simple pin through head tube held by anything you couldn't cut with dikes
and a pac safe cover takes care of everything but the pro

 

[beast775]

Can you get the handlebar near the frame? i used to lock my handlebars to the frame tight with a dog choker and small lock.might mess up a theifs mind because its not normal :? ..

 

[markz]

I would look at what other businesses do, and what they use.

What first comes to mind are those soda machines. Boxed in heavy duty lock. So you could do something where the box is on the frame where the fork goes.
Laundromats use circular keys on their coin machines, but those are emptied every night.

I had a bike stolen that was U locked with the wheel to frame. I was in McDonalds for about 4 hrs that day, cold winter day. Someone took it. Busy road, drug/bum area.
Thats easy enough for a thief to do, just lift it up and take it. Then a steering lock is useless. Also a brake lock is useless.

 

[amberwolf]

Laundromats use circular keys on their coin machines, but those are emptied every night.

At least some of those locks can be defeated with a plastic tube (pen) and a lighter.

Thats easy enough for a thief to do, just lift it up and take it. Then a steering lock is useless. Also a brake lock is useless.

Thankfully, that's probably not gonna happen with my behemoths.

If they can't ride them away, and don't have a truck and several friends to lift it up into the bed, it's pretty unlikely that someone could take it if they couldn't defeat the lock(s).

 

[The fingers]

I like those cars with the removable steering wheel. It snaps on and off so you can take it with you. Don't know how you could do it with the handlebar though. Remove the front wheel and take it with you?

 

[amberwolf]

On my builds neither one of those is an option. The bikes are too heavy for me to be able to lift up the wheel and take it off and put it on, even if it were just a plain bike wheel (which it isn't on CB2--it's a hub motor; on SBC it will be, once I get a third motor wheel laced up or figure out how to use the rear Fusin geared as a front).

I'm sure normal people could do it easy enough, but I'd need jacks or stuff to stick the bikes up on to hodl them still and high enough to get the wheel into the forks, etc., cuz I can only hold either the wheel or the bike, not both. At home when I work on them I have a lot of options...and I try to armor the tires so I never have to deal wtih flats ro antything whiel riding (no flats in what I think is years now?).


Handlebars are all wired up and cabled with stuff, so...not happening. Could add connectors to deal with taht, but complicates stuff way too much.


Other removable bits and bobs...considered those too. Mostly just too complicated. Removable battery box would prevent them riding off under power, but lightnes the bike some to make it eaiser to ride off without power....


So locks that are too much trouble to deal with are my best bet, aside from not leaving them unattended any longer than absolutely necessary.