I realise that I am commenting 6 years later but I have watched similar videos of people being deliberately and blatantly obvious about stealing a bike in very busy public areas. Using a full sized bolt cutter and making sure anyone who looked could clearly see what they were doing and not one person did anything. It would be the exceptional person who would make any intervention at all in reality unfortunately. The whole point of locks and chains is to make it more difficult and hopefully make the thief steal the other guys bike. I use 2 heavy D Locks plus a cable run through my seat (I've seen seat's only taken from bikes) and a combination cable lock. The cables are next to useless to a professional or prepared thief and the biggest deterrent are heavy duty D Locks but only to slow down a professional. I must replace my combination cable lock with a heavier chain and padlock. Although where I live is pretty safe. I mostly just use one D Lock going in and out of shops.
I like the idea of using a cable lock for quick stops at convenience stores, because their light and easy to transport. Just make sure you park the bike somewhere where it stays in your line of sight, and keep glancing at it. Master Lock makes a 12mm combination cable lock (8122D) that is perfect for these situations.
Hope I get an answer to my problem..My bicycle Cover cost almost as much as my bicycle...need cable size 4mm to fit through the rings,why would anybody take time with 7 feet of cable wrapped intertwined on bicycle? What would you suggest to use to secure my bicycle Cover?