Mini 7 is tight, but obviously better than the smaller mini that they often make. I have an Onguard Bulldog Mini (smaller) on my beater mtb. It works ok, but tight. I got a Kryptonite Series 2 mini (which happens to be 7" shackle) for my new bike. I think it's the sweet spot for sizing, personally. Sometimes it gets tough to find things to lock to, but tighter is better, so I do it. For me, it seems to be the best compromise of size, weight, utility. I must qualify this by saying that I really don't often have to lock up my bike, though. So more frequent users may be better qualified.