Bike accessory recommendations please

DireEmblem

Evening all,

I decided to finally take advantage of the cycle to work scheme and got a new bike, that will be built and delivered hopefully within the next week.

Now I'm looking for assistance on a couple of accessories.

1. What bike lock should I get - googling suggests no more than 10% of the bike value, but all I can see online is reports of peoples bikes being stolen from all locks!
2. Pannier Rack & Panniers - I would like a black rack, any reccomendations?
3. Insurance - should I get this added to my home insurance, or separate bike insurance(I get 2 free weeks at the start)

Oh and last of all - my new bike:

https://alpkit.com/collections/sonder-camino

My current bike is an el cheapo bike with a similar lock, hence looking for something new to attach to this and use as a long distance off road travelling/fun bike!

Thanks!

The_Unready

Locks - probably best to read a buyers' guide, like this one (other guides are available).

Insurance - it'll probably be cheaper to stick it on your home insurance, but make sure that you check for exclusions.

Panniers - sorry, no idea.

[Deleted User]

Bike lock should be of a standard that is greater than the value of the bike e.g. a Gold secure for £1000 or whatever it is, though realistically the better you get the more likely it is a thief will move onto another bike if it's a cheaper bike. Obviously the better the lock, normally, the heavier it is though if you have a regular place to lock up e.g. at a work site you could leave it there

Insurance - if the home policy covers it, weigh up the likely increase in premiums after a claim vs the cost of specialist cover
On a related note, join something like British Cycling - third party liability (if you hit someone) up to £10m and free legal cover, when you factor in the discounts e.g. at Halfords (for buying things only, don't let them touch your bike for a service) or Muc-Off it's worth the £40 a year for the basic one.

Panniers assuming the bike has the mounts drilled in which some of those bikes do, I have a topeak rack (super tourist dx-f - for disc) with the MTX Trunkbag EXP which has more than enough space for work clothes, lunch, tools, laptop and has a bottle holder, just get the rain cover. It is an investment but you could have put it on C2W if you planned it (or could if you can amend the order?). Don't forget mudguards if riding in the rain
 

Grey_Critic

***Insurance - should I get this added to my home insurance, or separate bike insurance(I get 2 free weeks at the start)***

Join British Cycling - My grandson was knocked off his bike and off work for 4 months plus his bike (an expensive one) got mangled. His insurance included commuting - he was fully compensated.

[Deleted User]

Grey_Critic said:

***Insurance - should I get this added to my home insurance, or separate bike insurance(I get 2 free weeks at the start)***

Join British Cycling - My grandson was knocked off his bike and off work for 4 months plus his bike (an expensive one) got mangled. His insurance included commuting - he was fully compensated.

Just to be 100% clear, BC will provide legal assistance to sue the driver, they do not insure the bike themselves for loss/theft/damage (though do offer a discount on insurance via a third party)

Bicycleman22

Insuring the bike at home normally means attaching it to an immoveable object. You might add up the extra premium cost, the excess, value after depreciation and the cost of securing the bike (which you might do anyway) before buying the insurance.

Locks depend on what you are doing....Leave the bike for a good length of time anywhere a strong D lock is needed eg a good level Kryptonite.... Leave the bike in a city or town for even a short length of time D lock...Always locked to something.......Outside a cafe in the countryside a light combination lock is my preferred choice.

Get to know you local bike shop for service etc............... Not as mentioned Halfords, Decathlon,Go Outdoors keep your LBS in business.

YBR

My principle with locks is that it needs to be good enough to encourage a thief to move on to easier pickings.
As I have a Womens' bike it seems less desirable in the first place, so I have 2 mid-rage D-locks, because the next bike only has one. 

Panniers depend how you want to use it. For years I had a fairly cheap pair and one just stayed on the bike. Generally I dumped a small bag inside it. When I started travelling for work, that wouldn't accommodate A4 papers plus laptop, and I wanted to cycle with a pannier, but then take if off and carry as a rucksack and bought one of these:
https://www.amazon.co.uk/Union-34-Stripe-Rucksack-Pannier/dp/B007XJRNLK?th=1&psc=1
(This is actually larger than I need and I'd have bought a size smaller if I'd realised)
I just mention it as an option as It took a lot of finding!

martindow

Maybe the best insurance is to paint your bike pink with flower designs.  Probably wouldn't need a lock either.

pinkladyvenus

regarding panniers, I would go for Ortlieb they are not cheap but are waterproof and come with a 5-year guarantee. I have tried many different types over the years and also used covers but now I have used Ortlieb and would never use any other type. I commute to work in all weathers.
ps://www.ortlieb.com/uk_en/products/bike-bags/rear-panniers

Dime_Bar

Good advice on locks from others, something to consider is where you are locking it. If it's going to be in public for a longer period of time, then you will want to probably have a second lock.of a different type, so a Dlock and Chain lock. As they require two different tools to defeat it can deter thieves.

For a chain lock I like the Hiplock Gold.

Make sure you can lock both wheels and saddle too. 

My house insurance with Admiral has decent coverage for bikes, anything over £300 needs to be declared but it added very little to the premium, about £1 and the requirements for locking are not as strict as some. 

As for panniers, as @pinkladyvenus said ortlieb will last for ages and the guarantee them for 5 years. However my personal choose with bike bags is Carradice, whilst Ortlieb will last a long time, Carradice will last for ever.

You might find you don't need a rack and could go for one of thier rackless options. I commute with a the SQR Slim usually in which I can carry my clothes for the day and my laptop, plus other bits and bobs. I leave shoes at work but they would fit in some of the bigger bags.

Richard53

Dime_Bar said:

Good advice on locks from others, something to consider is where you are locking it. If it's going to be in public for a longer period of time, then you will want to probably have a second lock.of a different type, so a Dlock and Chain lock. As they require two different tools to defeat it can deter thieves.

For a chain lock I like the Hiplock Gold.

Make sure you can lock both wheels and saddle too. 

My house insurance with Admiral has decent coverage for bikes, anything over £300 needs to be declared but it added very little to the premium, about £1 and the requirements for locking are not as strict as some. 

As for panniers, as @pinkladyvenus said ortlieb will last for ages and the guarantee them for 5 years. However my personal choose with bike bags is Carradice, whilst Ortlieb will last a long time, Carradice will last for ever.

You might find you don't need a rack and could go for one of thier rackless options. I commute with a the SQR Slim usually in which I can carry my clothes for the day and my laptop, plus other bits and bobs. I leave shoes at work but they would fit in some of the bigger bags.

Good advice all round. I'd second the recommendation of Carradice. I had a Carradice Nelson saddlebag and used it for commuting and holidays from 1980 for probably 20 years. In the end it got too manky and I binned it. The Nelson is still made, and still the same quality as I can confirm after buying a new one recently. Great value, but a little old-school.

Two locks of different types, absolutely. I have a hefty D lock for the frame (make sure it's attached to something immoveable, and where it can't be lifted off, e.g. a loop rather than a metal bollard. My second lock is a hefty cable lock which goes through both wheels. A chain would be better, but the cable lock is a reasonable compromise for weight. Try to get the lock (whatever type) as close to the frame as possible, with the least possible slack that a thief can get a purchase on.  Hide cylinder locks nearest the wall, turn cable/chain locks round a frame member as often as possible so there's nothing loose. Anything to make getting at the vital bits as awkward as possible. And always try to park next to the most desirable bike you can find, and hope to be ignored.