Quote:
Originally Posted by Fishpilot
Don't forget the lock cores only lock the rack to the 4R even though they technically lock the bike's fork or downtube to the rack. Go spend another $40 on a braided steel cable and watertight combo lock to loop through the frame and roof bars. The sight of a cable is cheap insurance against an a-hole looking for a free bike or snowboard.
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Depending on what you'll have on the roof rack (easily hundreds or several thousands of $$ for many of us on here), the price of a matching set of lock cores and extra cables, etc for when you have to leave the truck parked with gear on the roof for extended periods of time is well worth it IMO. Even if it's really only a theft deterrant, don't make it easy for someone to walk away with your unlocked gear. If you're going to go ahead and get the lock cores I'd definitely recommend getting more than just the 4 pack. Retail for the 4 pack is $55 and the 10 pack is $95 (cheaper online). In my case, I have two bike racks (2 locks), a ski rack (2 locks), a roof box (2 locks), and a 9' locking cable (1 lock) and I like having one key for everything. Yes, you can order specific key# lock cores from Yakima after the the fact but you'll end up paying a bit more. I doubt you'll need to get a ski rack for those Houston winters so I'd get a 6 or 8 pack of locks and be done with it. Just my $0.02...
And, my PSA to everyone (since the OP asked how real the threat of theft is) -- if you can help it, don't ever leave bikes or other gear on the rack overnight. A buddy of mine had two high end mountain bikes hacksawed off the roof of his Honda in the "relatively safe" town of Heber, Utah when he left them on his roof overnight this summer (he makes the 4th person I know that's had this happen, from Utah to CO, OK, & TX). Even if they don't hacksaw the crossbars, anyone with a set of allen and torx wrenches can strip most parts off a bike in well under 5 minutes. That's one of the main reasons I keep my Yak roof rack on the truck eventhough I mostly haul the bikes on my Kuat hitch rack these days. Bikes on the roof of a stock (or lifted) 4Runner are harder to reach than bikes on a hitch rack. However, unless I'm camping, my bikes, skis, etc never spend the night outside...
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