Leebo

My advice, don't leave locked up over night outside. I don't. Mine gets locked in a locked garage. Get a used, quality less flashy bike. What city are you riding it in? When I go for coffee I never lock it. I just hook the leash of my giant, drooling dog over the handlebar. No issues, ever.

smasha

i'm going to agree with everything JohnJ80 just said, with a few minor niggles...

1- i'm not a fan of the sheldon brown locking method - rear wheels CAN be cut, and on campus, an unsecured replacement wheel is never far away. on the rear-triangle, a regular U-lock can catch the seat-stays and the rear wheel for a MUCH more secure lock-up. of course, as JohnJ80 describes that as secondary to a U-lock through the front-triangle and front-wheel, it's still alright for a secondary lock.

2- JohnJ80 says that two different types of locks "necessitates two different sets of tools to defeat". there's some truth in this, but it's not always true. it depends on how your local bad-guys operate... if they rely on bolt-cutters to bust cable-locks, they won't get far against a good U-lock. if they use leverage attacks against cheap U-locks that are not used properly, they'll destroy a bike while busting a cable-lock; and it won't work against a good U-lock properly applied. but... if they use the right power tool, any normal bike lock will be busted within a few minutes, tops, with just one tool.

otherwise, JohnJ80's suggestions are great. overall, that's a great way to have a nice ride in a high-theft area. that lowers the "target profile" almost as much as three cans of spray-paint (rust, green, and anything else) all over the frame and a dremel to remove the brands/model-numbers from the components. the quick crack-head resale value just isn't there.

reminds me of another one of my favourite tricks, especially if you have a nice saddle - take two plastic grocery bags, and put one inside the other. when the bike is parked, put them over the saddle and tie a simple overhand knot around the seat-post. this keeps the saddle safe from sun, rain, pigeon-crap, and covetous eyes.

brockd15 

Just curious, I see a people mention Kryptonite and Abus all the time but not OnGuard. They seem to be quality locks also and you get locking on both ends of the shackle (on U locks) for a bit less money.

What am I missing? Is there are reason they haven't been recommended?

smasha

from what i've seen of the on-guard's "top end" locks, there's too much plastic and not enough metal. much of the metal that should be hardened, isn't. the finish isn't that good (easily noticeable on their chains), and the materials, workmanship, and QA are lacking. they look tough, they feel tough, but there's a big gap between their best stuff and krypto/abus's best stuff.

jyl

MSRP $2600 carbon road bike used as a city runabout and locked up whereever - unfortunately, I don't think that will end well. No matter what lock or locks you use. Remember any lock is just minutes with a power tool. And whatever rack you park at, your bike will be the most desirable one there.

KonAaron Snake 

This assumes most bike thieves have access to power tools and know the difference between bikes. In my experience, in my area, that's not so. The average thief stealing a bike outside is an opportunist who is hoping to get $50 for it. The it doesn't really matter. It's a junkie, and if he had power tools, he'd sell them. These aren't organized geniuses.

The guys who target expensive bikes in my area target homes, or they just knock you off while riding.

smasha

it does not assume that most bike thieves carry power tools... it only takes one bike-thief with one power-tool, and the right bike, and the right opportunity.

despite many bike-thieves being crack-heads, a lot of them know the "street value" of what they're stealing much better than the person they're stealing it from. in some areas there are more "organized" criminals that do operate with power tools. they're not typical crack-heads.

typical crack-heads rely more on crimes of opportunity, and a good lock (used properly!) will stop them. more "pro" thieves make their own opportunity, and a good lock won't necessarily stop them... if they want the bike.

even here in wellington, every year or so we get a visit from a white van to a parking garage... 3-4 guys step out with hats, orange vests, and orange cones. within 3-5 minutes the van is full of EXPENSIVE bikes and leaving the garage.

KonAaron Snake 

It doesn't happen here. There just aren't "professional" bike thieves cutting locks, and the druggies don't have the ability, or time, to sell it on ebay, or to capitalize on its "street value". The professionals target homes. I know this because I've worked with the police in developing anti-theft programs, and because you don't hear those stories.

That doesn't mean it doesn't happen else where, but following basic locking etiquette here, and common sense (don't leave it out for multiple days), gives you the probability edge. I'd wager that's probably true in most areas. Frankly I think bicycle theft risk is exaggerated on the forum, and my area has a high theft rate.

brockd15 

Just curious, is this from personal experience?

I ask because the reviews I've seen have been positive, where OnGuard, Abus, and Kryptonite all seem to do well (talking about U locks). I seem to read more complaints about Kryptonite locks freezing up and having to be cut off than other brands. Maybe it's because there are more of them in use so it's just a numbers game, I don't know. The plastic on the OnGuard locks is only aesthetic I believe, the lock itself is all metal and looks comparable in size to a Kryptonite.

I've seen reviews rate each of the brands the highest, but attachment to bike and insurance are taken into account, which I completely disregard. But resistance to prying, jacking, hacksawing, and time to cut with a grinder are pretty comparable across all three brands.

One of the primary things I've been looking for in a lock is one that locks the shackle on both ends so it would have to be cut twice to remove it. I don't know about Abus, but with Kryptonite I don't think that feature shows up until the NY series, so you're looking at ~$100. With OnGuard you get it on all of their models, and you can get a Pitbull with a cable for less than $50 (or a Bulldog with cable for less than $30).

Anyway, just my thoughts as I've researched locks. If anyone has personal experience I'd love to hear it.

asmac

Magnum 3039 U-Lock & Cable - Mountain Equipment Co-op. Free Shipping Available

I use one of these. Inexpensive and seems to have the generally desired ulock features. Since all locks can be defeated with a grinder (or so I hear) the quality of steel seems to be secondary but so far as I know these are ok and it locks smoothly.

I've got a Pinhead for the headset, velo orange skewers, and have filled in the seat and faceplate bolts by tapping them full of solder. I've tried to make theft reasonably difficult but am still anxious when I leave my baby behind.

smasha

brockd15 - i think this covers what you're asking, but let me know if i missed anything...

i've busted and taken apart a few locks (not to steal bikes!) so that much is based on personal experience.

just because a U-lock is secured at both ends of the shackle doesn't always mean that it takes two cuts to defeat it. IIUC, some U-locks that lock on both ends of the shackle have enough "wiggle room" to remove the lock with one cut. it depends on the lock, the length of the shackle, how the lock is used and what it's "anchored" to. IIUC, abus locks tend to be the best in that regard, having less "wiggle" than kryptos; i could be wrong about that.

the problem with lock reviews, is partly that reviewers generally tend to fall into one of three categories:
1- they gave me this lock for free so i'm kind of obligated to write a nice review about it
2- i've been using this lock for so long, and my bike hasn't been stolen - great lock!
3- i used this lock and my bike got stolen - it sucks!

the flaw in #2 is that it ignores that someone is locking up a beater-bike in a place where no one steals bikes. the flaw with #3 is that they never mention that their bike was worth $3k and they left it locked up for a week in a bad part of town, at the end of a dark alley, under a broken street-light.

ALL of these locks pass the usual "certifications", because those testing criteria are a joke. if a lock can withstand 5 minutes of being beaten with a hammer, or 5 minutes of hand-cutting with a HSS hacksaw blade, it's likely pass the certification tests. never-mind that's not likely to be a "real world" attack by anyone who's actually stolen a locked bike before.

i think the krypto "evolution series 4", the orange locks, lock at both ends of the shackle. there's an article out there somewhere, where someone presents a reasonable argument that in practical terms, the evo-4 series are just as good as the NY series, since the only real difference between them is how many seconds it takes to bust them with an angle-grinder or cutting torch. pretty much any attack short of that won't work on either (when they're used properly) and an attack against the bike-frame or what it's locked to won't be affected by the lock at all. so is the extra weight of a NY lock worth a few seconds of extra attack-time? or could a given weight "allowance" be better allocated to carrying 2-3 evo locks, rather than 1-2 NY locks? if i were buying new locks today, i'd seriously consider that line of reasoning. still, if there's a place i'm locking up to every day, i'd leave a bomb-proof boat-anchor of a lock there, weight restriction isn't a factor.

as for maintenance... i use a NY-STD on a daily basis, exposed to weather. when needed, i smear a little bit of marine-grease on the mechanism (the locking bolts) and spray a little "dry lube" in the key-way. i've been using that lock for 5+ years without issue... if it gets a little sticky, it's time to lube it. we live in an imperfect universe, where locks require maintenance.

the materials and treatments of the on-guard locks aren't even close to krypto and abus. this is obvious when you take them apart and look at bare-metal. i've seen (3rd party) videos of people twisting up on-guard locks with leverage attacks, and using the same leverage attack on a krypto or abus and nothing happens... maybe they bend the lever-bar while attacking the krypto and abus locks. also, having taken apart a few locks, many of the on-guard locks have soft-spots that make busting them easy, if you know how to bust locks... and people who steal bike on a regular basis know more than most people about how to bust locks. it's their job.

Hisamatsu

I've had my share of a handful of bikes stolen ever since in grade school. But be sure to put your name and phone number or something on your bike in multiple locations like under seat or tube and stuff. My last bike got stolen but returned 2 months later since I had my name on it. Plus I also registered it as stolen. The craigslist buyer looked up the serial number after seeing my name written under the seat with a phone number.


Bikeregistry used to sell quality cheap chain locks, but stopped. Not sure why. Probably too much work. I was able to replicate building my own. They used 3/8" pewag case hardened security chains. The core is rated at 49 HRC, but 10% of the case is hardened to 62 HRC. Its pretty hard to find a supplier that sells by the foot, but I got some. A Handful of other security chain sellers are actually rebranding lacede security chains which is through hardened to 40-48HRC. Tulsa & 1st-chain-supply sells them. I assume the pewag through hardened to 49 HRC with an additional case hardening to 62 HRC. Don't be confused with pewag's grade 120 chains. They are different and designed to stretch a bit for heavy lifting. I mean you can still use them and still pretty hard at 41 HRC, but there are better options. Watch https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qSnS4ZkTGUY to see how hard they are to bolt cut. Angle grinder will still defeat any chain though.


As for chain covers you can use anything from used tire inner tube to old fabric, but bikeregistry still has a stock pile of their cordura protective covers if you contact them directly.


Bike registry paired their chains with abus monoblock locks, think it was model 82/70, but a better version would be the 92w/80. I however didn't like how easily they could be picked and opted to go for something more pick resistant. Mul-t-lock sliding bolt was what I wanted or something with abloy/assa cylinder, but those were 150+ price range. Ended up with a SOBO spsa60 shutter lock which i believe is a knock off of abloy's cylinder design.


Built two 3ft chains with locks for $40 each. Could have easily just bought a abus/kryptonite chain for twice that, but I'm a cheapo.

Now I will secure my bike with a ulock and chain a secondary. Should deter 99% of thieves I hope. If I get a more expensive bike down the line I'll add a GPS tracker in the tube, but those are spendy with subscriptions.

bigredkevbot

KRYPTONITE New York U-Lock - Eastern Mountain Sports

I have this. Good luck cutting through that discretely. My bike was 1500USD new, a 100USD lock? Worth it.

Bike Gremlin

I agree. Harder ones are easier to smash. However, it takes an anvil, or somethig acting like one. That means you either leave your chain/Ulock laying on the concrete (not wise for several reasons), or they have something apart from bicycle's frame to use as an "anvil". This methot produces most noise, however.

99% of bicycle thieves in my city use cutters that fit beneath a jacket/backpack. That's around 50cm long.

Besides 60 rockwell is not the same as 90.


Price and quality wise (talking about top models) Abus comes first IMO, then 2 empty places, then all the rest. Though Kryptonite models are not widely available here, so don't take my word on that.

brockd15 

Smasha, thanks for taking the time. A few comments below:

I've looked at pretty much every decent looking review I can find. Most of them tend to compare multiple locks against each other as opposed to someone with just their own particular lock. Those different reviews are where I've seen Abus, OnGuard, and Kryptonite all highly rated. Which one comes out on top often depends on things like the mounting bracket and insurance, but I haven't seen anything where one of them popped or broke or was defeated with a method where the others weren't. The cheap locks (like MasterLock, Schwinn-branded, etc.) are altogether different. Those are normally broken without much effort.

I've looked at those tests but they seem to be too general, so I've more or less skipped them and looked for real-world use.

I just double checked and the orange Krypto has a j-bend in the non-locking leg and only the NY series locks on both sides of the shackle.

Oh yeah, I've seen the same article a couple times...the author interviewed two bike thieves for it.
The Best Bike Lock Today - Tested

The petty thief basically said that cables and pad locks are worthless, but anything with a U lock (any kind of U lock) he'd skip. He won't carry bolt cutters or steal $1000+ bikes (not sure how he'd know?) because of the stiffer penalty if you get caught. I think he just used wire cutters, a screw driver, and a wrench and stole 2-5 bikes a day. His advice for locking up a bike was to use a U lock because that made it not worth his time.

The pro thief didn't care what kind of lock it was, he'd swap grinder wheels as needed, cover the motor with a towel to keep down noise, block sparks with a paper bag, etc., so if he wanted to get it he'd get it. His advice on locking was to use was a U lock that locks both sides of the shackle (even though that still wouldn't stop him).

So the reasoning is that a decent U lock will keep away the majority of thieves while a heavy duty one won't deter the pro, so just get a decent one that weighs and costs less.

To be expected, I think. From what I've read, the same applies to pretty much all of them.

This is the part I must be missing. If you have any links you can share I'd like to see them. I remember one review saying something about the Abus having the best quality (hardest) steel, but I don't think there was anything to back it up. Seems like they're all hardened steel with no significant differences (unlike the cheapy locks). So far I haven't seen any recent reviews of any quality U lock (Abus, OnGuard, Krypto mainly) that were defeated by beating them, freezing, bolt cutters, picking, levering, jacking, etc. Those things always damage them but don't defeat them. Then, without fail, the grinders come out and it's just a matter of how long it takes.

A few of the reviews I've looked at, among others:
The Best Bike Lock
Review: Bike Locks | WIRED
Torture Test: Bike Locks - MensJournal.com
Abusive Lab Test: Brawny Bike Locks
Locks Accessories Reviews - BikeRadar
The best lock to protect your bike.
10 Best Bike Locks - Gear Patrol
On Lockdown: The Top 10 Bike Locks | The Active Times

sjt78

Kryptonite evolution series 4 U locks are orange but lock on both sides of the shackle. The series 2 (gray) and mini models (orange) have the bent foot feature and only lock on one side.

KonAaron Snake 

I agree with this...the only way past an evolution is an angle grinder, and if an angle grinder is in play, it doesn't matter anyway.

erig007

No need to make it too easy

High end abus ulock cut in just a few seconds

Pragmasis Protector chain & Squire Stronghold padlock review - BikeRadar
13mm
https://www.toolsofthetrade.net/cordl...rinders_o.aspx

So the type of lock matters.

spare_wheel

Ummm..no.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GiJ3DzW_tII
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ayGw4VKGOek
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NiWCHzH2xEA

Bike racks can be easily cut.
Bike frames can be easily cut.
A carbide saw will cut through just about any lock shackle given enough time (and a lot of bikes are stolen in the evening).
Modified vehicle jacks can defeat most u-locks.
Freezing attacks can defeat any u-lock.
Torches can cut through any u-lock quickly.
And a dremel with a carbide wheel can be as effective as grinder.

smasha

there's actually a small (pocket-size) hand-tool that can bust a chain that's too hard/brittle. it makes very little noise and it can pop a chain in less than a minute.

the top-end abus locks are comparable to the top-end kryptonite locks. i'd have a hard time saying that either one is better than the other. in areas where one brand is popular, i'd opt for the other brand only because the bad guys are less familiar with it.

i think the "Evolution series 4" locks are secured on both sides, but there are other orange "evolution" locks that aren't.

yep, that's the one.

and... don't leave a "target" bike unattended, and more good locks will take longer to cut than fewer good locks.

smasha

those videos show:
1- a lock being picked. lock picking is a skill that very few bad-guys have.
2- a plasma cutter. that requires quite a lot of equipment and knowledge. it is NOT something that someone can hide under their coat.
3- a large/huge bolt cutter busting some series-2 locks. krypto and abus both make cheap locks, and no one here is endorsing them.

a stubby-jack can pop any medium/large U-lock IF it's not used properly. if the empty space in the shackle is filled with bike and rack, a jack is useless.

find me a video of someone freezing a good lock and smashing it. cheap locks, maybe, but it's still not something a bike-thief is likely to use.

cutting torches are not very portable.

dremel? ha! if someone wants to spend an hour cutting through a decent lock, i guess it'll work.

the real enemy to us is the battery-powered angle grinder. use good locks, and be smart about what/where/when you leave your bike unattended.

erig007

That's why i never trust those bike racks and go for lighting poles and co. when i can

True but it decreases the rewards a thief can get plus there is usually a wheel that comes with it which decrease the rewards even further and there is no more escape possible using the newly acquired bicycle


Mine is tested against freezing attacks and i know a few other that are too


unless your thief has a van i don't see how your thief is going to use it plus some high end locks have ceramic insert that make them more resistant to this type of attack

spare_wheel

Series 2 locks have the same shackle thickness as evolutions.

smasha

no. different shackle thickness, different materials, and different hardening processes. the description of the series-2 locks doesn't even mention bolt-cutters.

KryptoLok series 2 Standard = 13mm hardened Performance steel shackle resists cutting and leverage attacks

Evolution series 4 Standard = 14mm hardened MAX-Performance steel shackle resists bolt cutters and leverage attacks

the NY locks use thicker shackles, but the material and processing is the same as the evo-4 locks.

New York Lock Standard = 16mm hardened MAX-Performance steel shackle resists bolt cutters and leverage attacks

spare_wheel

The mini5 is the evolution lock I see all the time:

13 mm: Evolution Mini-5 -- Rating 7
13 mm: Mini 7 -- Rating 6