Commuting - Lock recommendations??

Hello all,
Im going to buy a lock for my bike.. I think this is a good idea. . . : )
Basically I ride around town(s) and lock my bike when I stop. If I had a regular commute I would leave a huge chain at the workplace but my current riding is much more freeform. And also for my 3 week tour in a month Id like some protection. .
Anyway, because of the internet I have access to thousands of locks and am obviously in need of even more opinions on the topic.. If I could I would lug a giant chain around with me, but 8 lbs of steel around my waist sucks.
At the top of my list are the Specialized Wedlock. .
http://sunsetcyclery.com/site/itemdetails.cfm?ID=721&Catalog=39&sort=Price
thIs looks pretty secure and has a mountable carrying pouch..

and the Ultra bike club..
http://www.securityworld.com/recreation/ultrabike.html
which although looking and sounding quite cheezy is adjustable and seems like it would have that U lock durability.. Not as versatile though

Traditional U locks are too bulky and I had my baby stolen while locked with a cable : (
maybe the small krypto chain??
http://www.bikeusa.net/pages/kryptonite_kryptochain.htm
easy to wrap around random heavy things.. a bit heavier than the other two.. couple inches too short to fit around my waist, but would work fine around my seatpost..


so what do you all do??? Any opinions?
thanks in advance!!
~Steve

The first two are junk, the last one the chain is good and the lock is ok. I would get the Kryptonite brand only because they have the best reputation. I would use either 2 different types such as one Kryptonite NY 3000 U lock and the Kryptonite Comboination cable lock. By using two different kinds the thief would have to use 2 different kinds of tools. OR just use the Kryptonite NY Chain, but this thing is heavy as you said but that's all you would need.

All Kryponites come with a theft policy but it's only good for a set period of time, somewhere between 1 and 3 years from purchase forcing you to buy a new lock if you want the insurance. Otherwise make sure your homeowners/renters policy has contents replacement guarantee clause, which covers your stuff without depreciation, because it will cover stolen bikes no matter where it was when it was stolen...but you would be faced with a deductible, most people have $500 deductibles. You also must file a police report if your bike is stolen if you want your bike to be covered either by the Lock manufacture or the Insurance company; the lock company in addition to the report wants pictures of where the bike was, what was it locked up to, and of the lock if possible. The reason for that is because if the thief cuts the pole or tree your attached to and doesn't damage the lock then their lock was not at fault!

By the way on the cable lock there is no theft guarntee! That should tell you something about the security of a cable. But Kryponite does recommend using the cable with a U Lock.

This is Kryponites rules: Q: I just purchased a Kryptonite bicycle U-lock. How do I validate my anti-theft protection offer? (US, Canada, Germany, Sweden and UK only.)

A: Within 15 days of lock purchase, you must send the following items to Kryptonite or its authorized representatives outside of the U.S.: (A) your completed Kryptonite Lock registration form, (B) a copy of your itemized lock bill of sale, (C) a copy of your bicycle bill of sale, or a dated and signed dealer appraisal reflecting market value, not including accessories, (D) proof of bicycle registration (if available), (E) your check or money order for anti-theft protection coverage on those locks requiring payment for the first year or to extend your guarantee for a maximum of three years.

Still I find nothing more convienient for shooting around town than a good u-bolt. Just find a nice solid post or similar strong object, hook it in , and off I go. I do have anti-theft skewers so my wheels and seats aren't worried about much....now to find a passive way to secure my fork, heh.

Chains are more versatile though, and can fit in places u-bolts cannot...the downside is they take longer to use and remove, and sometimes weigh more than a u-bolt.

My girlfriend and I use these:
http://www.masterlockbike.com/images/product/bicycle/bike_cuffs/streetcuff.jpg

Master Lock Street cuffs (http://www.masterlockbike.com/masterlock.asp?section=bicycle&page=bike_cuffs&drill=streetcuff)

Wired actually did a bit of research into what locks they liked best (LINKY (http://www.wired.com/wired/archive/9.09/best.html)[wired.com])



First Class
Stocks SuperStocks Lock SL2
The joke, of course, is that when you have a fancy, ultralight bike, you need to tote a heavy lock. The 3.2-pound SL2 presents a clever solution. Unlike other U-locks, it doesn't pull apart into two pieces; the U portion of the lock is anchored to its shaft by a section of semi-flexible braided cable, removing a potential pry point. It takes more than 5 tons of force to pull the lock apart, rendering car jacks and other tools useless. Though Kryptonite's 6.1-pound New York Chain poses heavy competition, Stocks reports zero thefts during its five years in the biz.

SuperStocks Lock SL2: $85. Stocks Manufacturing: (800) 376 6587, www.stocksmfg.on.ca.


Business Class
Kryptonite Evolution 2000 Mini
Compared to other tough locks, Kryptonite's 1.6-pound Evolution 2000 Mini U-lock is a breeze to carry and stow - so you may be more apt to use it. Its half-inch-thick, case-hardened steel shackle and centrally located seven-pin dead bolt foil thieves' leverage attempts. The compact size makes it resistant to jacks yet more difficult to fasten around large objects. A rotating dustcover keeps key-clogging grit out of the cylinder.

Evolution 2000 Mini: $51. Kryptonite: (800) 729 5625, www.kryptonite.com.


Coach
Specialized Hardlock Big Rapper
Typical steel cables make user-friendly bike locks - which pocket-size cutters can snip in seconds. The 2.2-pound Big Rapper behaves like a cable, but it's actually a Kevlar rope surrounded by interlocking steel cups. Most attempts to cut this assemblage will only crush the cups, leaving the stretchproof Kevlar innards - and the bike - in place. The Big Rapper is U-lock strong, and at a flexible 37.5 inches, it lets you secure your ride to a variety of anchors.

Hardlock Big Rapper: $34.99. Specialized: +1 (408) 779 6229, www.specialized.com.


If I were to buy a lock right now, I'd go for either the Stocks or the Kryptonite Mini. The neat thing about the stocks one is that its unfreezable and virtually unjackable. Virtually all other U-locks out there are just hardened steel, which makes it very brittle (vulnerable to freezing and jacking), however the Stocks lock constains some aircraft cable that is quite strong by the looks of it, look at this link here - LINKY (http://www.stocksmfg.on.ca/inusephotos.html)[stocksmfg.on.ca]. Also no thefts in its 5 years of business is a pretty strong selling feature if you ask me.

My girlfriend and I use these:

Master Lock Street cuffs (http://www.masterlockbike.com/masterlock.asp?section=bicycle&page=bike_cuffs&drill=streetcuff)

For the bikes right..? ;)

For highest security, use a good U-lock and a good cable with a high quality padlock. I suppose you might add the smaller cables and locks for accessories where needed, like for your saddle or panniers.

I'm glad I no longer live in an area in which this sort of thing is a worry.

A friend of mine is a locksmith. He swears by Abus locks. The absolute best there is, he says, better than Kryptonite. The U-locks are hardened steel all the way through, and not just case-hardened like Kryptonite locks. I'd consider getting one in a higher crime area.

www.abus.com

I use the Kryptonite chain and can recommend it without a second thought. The thing is crazy secure. Some people have suggested replacing the disc lock with a super heavy duty padlock from one of the major manufacturers, but I haven't seen anything yet that gives me much evidence that there's anything remotely insecure about the included lock. But then, if I'm locking up my $300 fixie with a $90 lock, maybe I'm just not too worried in the first place. :p

Abus does have a new U lock as well as the same sort of chain lock system that Kryptonite has, but whether the lock is better than the locks that Kryptonite make depends on who you talk to; Kryptonite has won awards for their locks strength and Abus has not...as of yet, and in test after test the Kryptonite 2000 U and the NY Chain were the toughest of all locks to break, that's why they can offer the insurance protection, but Abus does not offer that protection...just a thought! Also plain cable locks like the Stocks Superstocks lock are easily defeated; I'm not sure about the Specialize cable lock because they use some sort of steel cups within the cable with a kevlar spline...in interesting concept, whether it works or not is another question, and what about lock? its just too new of a lock yet for any information on it. And I have not seen any test done on the Master Lock Cuffs yet either, but have heard they were very good locks perhaps better than the Kryptonite U locks, and they do have insurance protection on theirs like the Kryptonite, forcing you to buy a new lock every year if you want the insurance protection to stay active.

If security is an issue for you be careful what you buy because most locks (about a good 98%) can be quickly overcomed in less than 20 seconds!

Hmmm yeah, the more I think about this the less decisive I get..

If Im in the city/brooklyn I bring my bike inside wherever I go.. so I dont need the huge Kryptonite chain.
The mini U locks look nice, as do the Abus Steel-o-flex line which are short cables with hardened steel armor rings around the cable Same as the specialized rapper..
I like how a cable gives you more leverage in attaching it to different objects than a U lock.

SO methinks it may be an armored cable.. abus or specialized.. these weigh about as much as the mini U lock (or a bit more..)
heheh the more choices you have the less decisions you make!!

thanks all
~Steve

Where in brooklyn do you live?
A small u-lock still provides the best protection though for quick runs, I just carry a thick kryptonite cable lock.

There ought to be a contest to see who can break the most locks. That would weed out the impostors.

that could prove to be a fun test...everyone buys a lock of each type, attempts to defeat it and posts the time it took and how hard it was. The way it was defeated should be omitted so theves don't wander their way here and use that info for their gain, instead that info should be passed onto the lockmaker so they may improve their product.

There ought to be a contest to see who can break the most locks. That would weed out the impostors.

Yes, it should be tested in new york city by having bikes locked here with different types of locks and seeing which one stands out. The best locks shall be named after new york city. :)

You can get through pretty much any lock with one of those big two handed Makita grinders with the 6" wide disks - just make sure you don't go through the tubes too. Worked great when I lost the key to a bike locked to my porch back in Montana. Found the key a week later :(

But most bike thiefs don't carry one of those with them, and most bikes aren't locked within easy distance of an electrical outlet.

I use one of the little Krypto U locks. Had one bike stolen with it, but got the bike back. I had locked it to a vent pipe outside of my apartment building - they bent the pipe and lifted it over. The lock was still on the bike when I got it back, and I'm still using it on my new bike. Just a little more careful about where and how I lock it.

that could prove to be a fun test...everyone buys a lock of each type, attempts to defeat it and posts the time it took and how hard it was. The way it was defeated should be omitted so theves don't wander their way here and use that info for their gain, instead that info should be passed onto the lockmaker so they may improve their product.


There was one done about 3 or so years ago by Bicycling Mag who used several "reformed" professional bike thieves and the only lock they could not penetrate in less than 20 seconds was the Krytonite U and the NY chain, they did manage to break the U but not after about 12 minutes which all the thieves agreed they would never hang around that long to get a bike. They used all sorts of methods including freezing, picking, sawing, bolt cutters (the big ones) and other trade tricks. BUT they did say that NO lock made would hold up to a hydraulic thing similar (but smaller) to the Jaws of Life used by Paramedics to ge people out of crushed cars, but that device is too expensive for most thieves to carry around. The only type of locks they did not attempt to break was the Master Street Cuffs and the Specialized Rapper because they were not on the market yet.

would you happen to have the issue and volume number for that? I would love to either find an online archive of it or buy the issue from thepublisher.

If you go to the LBS, they should have one. I think kryptonite provides a laminated copy of the few pages of the lock to every LBS that carries kryptonite locks. It should be dangling on display next to the locks. The kryptonite locks survived because of the sheer mass of their construction.

For highest security, use a good U-lock and a good cable with a high quality padlock. I suppose you might add the smaller cables and locks for accessories where needed, like for your saddle or panniers.

I'm glad I no longer live in an area in which this sort of thing is a worry.

A friend of mine is a locksmith. He swears by Abus locks. The absolute best there is, he says, better than Kryptonite. The U-locks are hardened steel all the way through, and not just case-hardened like Kryptonite locks. I'd consider getting one in a higher crime area.

www.abus.com


Abus has consistently fared well in CyclingPlus magazine's tests. The April issue had the latest a review of locks which comprises going after these locks with a power tool. The top-rated U-locks were the Magnum Ultimate (anyone here know this company?), Axa Security+, Kryptonite New York 300, and the Abus Granit X+. It should be noted that after 14 minutes with a disc grinder, they still hadn't cut through the Magnum, and the disc was shot. Quite impressive I'd say. As for the Abus lock, it has a double lock mechanism, which means that both parts of the "U" need to be cut. As CyclingPlus puts it (and their tests have never steered me wrong): "the best designed and engineered U-lock we've tested."

Hope this helps,
Mike

Abus has consistently fared well in CyclingPlus magazine's tests. The April issue had the latest a review of locks which comprises going after these locks with a power tool. The top-rated U-locks were the Magnum Ultimate (anyone here know this company?), Axa Security+, Kryptonite New York 300, and the Abus Granit X+. It should be noted that after 14 minutes with a disc grinder, they still hadn't cut through the Magnum, and the disc was shot. Quite impressive I'd say. As for the Abus lock, it has a double lock mechanism, which means that both parts of the "U" need to be cut. As CyclingPlus puts it (and their tests have never steered me wrong): "the best designed and engineered U-lock we've tested."

Hope this helps,
Mike

The magnum ultimate could be made by OnGuard Locks, these seem like pretty good locks and Peformance bike has a combo set on sale. Combo Lock (http://www.performancebike.com/shop/Profile.cfm?SKU=17602)

http://www.onguardlock.com/newhome.asp?OneMeanLock

Here's my strategy:

I roll into the parking garage. The guard salutes me as I pass. I enter the garage elevator. Next, I use my Schlage electronic key-card to access an area Maxwell Smart would be proud of (who's that?) Then I don't lock it.

;)

I keep my bike lock in my shoe ;)

http://www.jrn.columbia.edu/studentwork/cns/2002-05-08/images/shoephone.jpg

For the bikes right..? ;)<koff> Yeah for the bikes. :o :eek:

Get a U-lock, not a cable lock. A quality U-lock requires power tools to be broken, while most cable locks can be cut in a few seconds with bolt cutters. I have had a Kryptonite Evolite U-lock for the past 3 years, no problems.

I've had two bikes stolen. The first one was a low-end hybrid with a cable lock, the other was a nice full-sus mountain bike with a U-lock. The latter was parked in a seculded area on the fourth of July (no one around) and someone drilled the key-hole out.

The Kryptonite New York is very difficult to break, but remember, if someone wants to steal your bike badly enough, they can find a way. Just make it as difficult as possible by using a quality lock and always park your bike in public view. Most would-be theives wouldn't risk using power tools in a conspicuous public location, unless it's a really high-end bike (worth $3000+).

Another thing to think about:

If you lock your bike in the same location day after day, and it's an attractive bike, thieves have time to plan an attack. So you will definitely need a very secure lock (or locks--combining more than one type is a good idea.)

But if you are stopping in at the store for a moment, it's not likely a thief is waiting for you to show up, since he doesn't know you are coming. So you might only need a lock that defeats the spur-of-the-moment type thief.

Combining strategies also ups your chances of defeating thieves. Good locks, guards on duty, being unpredictable, ugly bike, short duration of stops, etc.

(I still like parking inside best.)