birdt8608

As you can see from my signature, I'm in the market for a compact u-lock, But not so much for the security (very low crime area), but more for the connivence. It seems to me like Kryptonite and Ongard are the only options. Is this true or are there any cheaper, "less secure" Mini U's out there?

Thanks,
Tom

uke

I got the Onguard. The bike mount broke after a week, which was annoying, but the lock is fine so far.

bikinpolitico

If you are getting a used lock, just make sure you avoid the old circular key locks lock this one. They can be defeated by a Bic pen (That's right you read Bic pen.)


Oh yeah, and read my article on locking your bike: https://austinbikeblog.org/?p=269

zoltani

College campuses are always high bike theft areas, even if it is a "low-crime" area. Do yourself a favor and buy a onguard mini for $50.

bikinpolitico

Listen to zoltani.

Grim

Get the cable as well. I often find a lack of fixed objects that the U-lock will fit around (bike racks, signs etc). I often have to use the cable to wrap around items like suport posts of building breeze ways.

sinner

I bought an Onguard u lock last weekend. It seems like a pretty solid piece of gear. Unfortunately, the thing will not mount to my frame, it's too big. Soooooo, I'll be exchanging it for a cable lock instead. Now, my bike is stored in my house, and at my desk at work with an occasional run to the grocery store or bar, so keep that in mind.

tekknoschtev

Can I ask why you want a "less secure" lock? I fall into the "poor college guy" category as well, and I really wasn't phased by buying a $50 lock to secure my bike properly, but I also just bought the bike, and despite it being used, it still cost me $250 + accessories and such, so it's worth it to me to protect my investment (and I do see it as an investment).

If you're looking for used locks, find a posting or craigslist area around your college. Granted, its the beginning of the semester so supply might be low, there are always people leaving or deciding they don't want to bike any more who may be willing to part with their lock(s).

morrowman

OnGuard Bulldog Mini - love it. Small enough that leverage and jacking are kinda hard to do to break it. I can lock it to my seat stay and ride a couple miles and it doesnt bother me. The clips that hold them to the frame suck and break.

I keep it at work locked to the fence pole I lock my bike to. It has stayed out there almost 2 years now and is in good shape. Purchased $35 from REI.com. One note, the yellow end caps are all kind of sticky (from the sun?) and not very yellow anymore. Also, hit it w/ some spray lube every 6 months, it stays nice.

birdt8608

Thanks so much guys! Let me explain my thinking... The fact that I could just slip one of these locks in my back pocket when riding without a bag sounds wonderful to me. And I can't think of a spot on campus were there isn't a bike rack that would accommodate such a lock. I also like the fact that the addition of a simple cable can make it infinitely more versatile.

As far as security goes, it seems that no one around here (I don't think I have seen an exemption yet, but I'll be looking) does anything more then lock only there frames to a rack or hand rail with a cable lock that they keep coiled around there top tube. Even if I just lock my rear wheel to a rack through the rear frame triangle I feel I'd be miles ahead. Plus my bike is rarely the prettiest one on the rack! Don't get me wrong. I do care about my baby.

Please correct me if I'm thinking about this all wrong.
Tom

StephenH

I've bought a couple of pretty decent locks at REI for about $32.

Walmart sells U-locks for about $10. I wouldn't bet on them being bolt-cutter-proof, but if you're locking up a $50 bike, that'd probably be secure enough. If you buy a used lock, make sure it isn't one of the Walmart locks.

breadgeek

I also have the OnGuard Bulldog Mini, which seems to work fine for me after 15 months of daily use. I had also bought OnGuard's integrated combination cable lock.

As an aside, their U-lock might be OK, but forget their integrated cable locks (I know, it's a good general recommendation). The combination portion of the cable lock was a piece of crap (duh) but an overly-shoddy design had it often jam while locked (for those that know the lock, that little internal locking thumbring would turn while the lock was closed, which had the net effect of not opening with the right combination).

On a few occasions, I nearly got locked out losing up to 5 minutes sometimes fiddling with the lock, always muttering "gotta replace that before it locks me out".

Fortunately, it locked me out while at a bike shop, whose staff were only too happy to oblige to demonstrate how easily a hack saw cuts through such cables. I promptly bought the same brand's thicker cable, this one without the dumb, cheap combo lock.

andrewjh

I don't think I'm the only one, but I haven't seen any others do this. I keep a mini (and I mean tiny) Masterlock contractor's lock attached to my frame, just under the stem. Combined with locking skewers (I got one of the last set of Kryptonite ones before they stopped making them), it's the lowest-impact way of securing a bike that I've seen.
The lock, which I picked up in the Sears Tool Dept one day when I realized I'd left home without one, is just big enough to loop around a seat stay and one of those thin hanging loop-type racks, or a metal city trashcan. It's not the strongest lock out there, but it works in a pinch when I forget or don't want to carry my Fuggedaboutit.
Anyone else do this?

closetbiker

What do you think of Sheldon's strategy?

https://www.sheldonbrown.com/lock-strategy.html

The best U-locks are the smallest. My favorite is the Kryptonite Mini, which not all bike shops stock. The Mini is much smaller and lighter than the more popular models, but just as secure. It may be even more secure, because of the limited room to put a jack inside it. It also gives less purchase for leverage-based attacks.
People tend to buy the big clunky U-locks because they don't know how to use them properly. A U-lock should go around the rear rim and tire, somewhere inside the rear triangle of the frame. There is no need to loop it around the seat tube as well, because the wheel cannot be pulled through the rear triangle.

Some will object that felons might cut the rear rim and tire to remove the lock. Believe me, this just doesn't happen in the real world. First, this would be a lot of work to steal a frame without a useable rear wheel, the most expensive part of a bike, after the frame. Second, cutting the rear rim is much harder than you might think. Since the rim is under substantial compression due to the tension on the spokes, it would pinch a hacksaw blade tight as soon as it cut partway through. Then there are the wire beads of the tire, also difficult to cut.

HardyWeinberg

I've wondered if I could get a 3.5" wide U-lock around my big apple+fender. Coarse measure suggests they total 3.5" at least (could be more but possibly not so much more that I couldn't bend the fender a bit to jam it into that shackle)

bjornb

I have a HUGE old-skool master U-lock that weighs a brick-ton; need to get one of these mini-locks. For ten minute lockups I just use a cable and a pad-lock.

kwrides

Another vote for the onguard bulldog mini, with Sheldon's strategy, and the bike mount sucks and breaks.

CliftonGK1

+ another 1

I use the Bulldog Mini and an OnGuard cable through my wheels (I'm not leaving my SON28 wheel unsecured!)

I never even tried the mounting bracket. There's a hex bolt that holds the bracket mount to the U-shackle, and I took that mount off for easier clearance when locking up. I either throw the lock in my h'bar bag, bucket pannier, or bungee it to one of my racks if I'm not bringing any baggage. It fits perfectly on a canti mounted front rack, and slides between the platform and top rail on my rear rack, and I just bungee it to the rack stanchion.

birdt8608

Well, it sounds like I'll be getting myself an OnGuard! Is it reasonable to plan on being able to carry it in my back pocket on short rides? Do any of you do this regularly? Does it work alright?

Tom

kwrides

I do think you could stick it in your pocket, but I don't think it will be real comfortable.

Do you need to move from one building to another, is that why you are wanting to put it in your pocket? I ask because if you are constantly parking at 1 place (like I do at work), you're a lot better off leaving the lock locked to the rack. I went to a small school where you could lock up 1 time and get to all the colleges from that central area. If you're moving from one building to another on the bike, I get the need to carry the lock with you.

BTW - I know you're living on the cheap. Here's a little help:https://www.google.com/products?q=ong...mini&scoring=p

Brian Sorrell

Resurrecting an old-ish thread:

I have the Onguard Mini and I love it, but like others have said, the mounting bracket has broken. Does anyone know if / where I could get another one, or does anyone have any ideas for carrying the lock on the frame in a more reliable way?

lil brown bat

So, is there any point in carrying a mini-u in this case? I need to upgrade my (currently fullsize) u, and I wasn't even thinking about a mini-u since it's so seldom that I can lock to a real bike rack (and even then, they're usually the uber-thick bar type). The smaller size would be nice, it just doesn't seem like it would be all that useful in my situation.

littlefoot

try these folks for an option maybe https://www.twofish.biz/bike.html

GearsForFears

I have the OnGuard Bulldog Mini. I lock it through a belt loop on my hip.

On a related note I saw the police on our campus power-sawing an OnGuard U-lock the other day. They finally got through it but had a hell of a time with plenty of sparks. I feel pretty safe with that lock.

degnaw

I found an onguard "OG-series" Ulock+cable at walmart a week ago ($15 - I couldn't resist) that looks suspiciously like the regular-sized Bulldog combo - anyone know if its the same thing? Regardless, it's overkill for my situation - I've locked up my bike with one similar to this one for the past 3 months, and it's still better-locked than 70-80% of the other bikes at my school.