Pitlocks come with two keys. I have three sets keyed-alike and a total of six keys.

Get Pitlocks (wheels, head, seatpost). Small price to pay for peace of mind. U-lock? Get a Kryptonite New York or Evolution model, whatever fits your bike & the way you lock it best. I would recommend getting one that has a double bolt lock (meaning, it locks both arms of the U-lock). The NY U-locks weigh in around 4lbs, which is heavy, but if you're used to carrying an 8lb chain, it'll be a big improvement.

According to an Amazon review, Pinheads can be turned by one of those universal socket wrenches with the retractable pins.

You see, any lock is defeatable, but having said that, the aim is to frustrate a would be thief, if your using two different locks to lock your bike a thief is not going to want to carry two different set of tools. While a battery powered angle grinder can make fast work of any lock it will also make a lot of noise and most thieves do not like that kind of attention. Picking on the other hand makes no noise, there are no large hand tools, and it just looks like someone have difficulty with their key...but this type of theft is not popular-yet. So combining a U-Bolt with a chain or a armored cable along with Pitlocks is to frustrate a thief to the point he's going to leave and go after an easier target.

You mean until the power goes out, right?

Nope. battery operated. The last for more than 5 years on a battery in my experience and then warn you for about 6 months of low battery. We've had them for 11 years with no issues.

J.

As mentioned before, any lock can be defeated, and they all take tools to do it. ;)

Here's the point. A thief cannot practically carry a tool box around that includes all the tools needed to do this stuff. For U locks then need either power grinders or bottle jacks. For cables then need bolt cutters. For pinheads they would either vice grips or the wrench you describe. That's a lot of stuff to try and carry covertly. In practice, they can pretty much carry one set of tools for one type of locking system and then troll around looking for a bike they want with that system. If you lock your bike with more than one system, it takes more time, more fooling around and more tools. The thief looks for an easier mark instead.

The pitlocks look to me to be more secure than the pinheads but they are more than twice the price. Either one work well for what they do but if you want max security, go for the pitlocks.

I mean depends on what the value of the bike you are locking is. If the bike is valued at $300, and you have $90 in a pitlock set, $60 into a top U-lock and cable - you've added 50% to the cost of your bike just in the locks. At some point, compromise is appropriate.

J.

Actually to get a full set of Pitlocks is around $160 not $90, then add to it $70 for the Krypto NY U-lock, then add the OnGuard Rottweiler armored cable lock at $95 and your up to $325 in locks. Or you can buy a $100 or so beater and buy one lock for $25 and call it day for less then $130. But there's no logic in spending $325 in locks to lock up a $300 bike, I figure if you spend no more then 10% of the value of the bike in locks you'll be fine.

No doubt you can go nuts with this stuff. Here's the set I'd recommend as protecting most everything - wheels, fork, seat:

http://www.urbanbiketech.com/Pitlock...ork-p/02ga.htm

$95.

J.

I think I have come to a final purchasing decision: the 3-peice Pinlock set with front and rear wheel skewers and seat bolts, and an OnGuard Bulldog Mini TC 5013TC U-lock. I wasn't sure about what size U-lock would be best, as it seems there are three varieties - mini, standard, and long. But apparently the Bulldog mini isn't much smaller than the New York lock, but costs half as much.

These may not be the ultimate security devices, but at least I will be able to afford them :) . I think with this configuration, I will be more likely to ride my bike, as I will be less inclined to worry about whether or not I need to bring the chain, and if so, where am I going to put it.

True enough, but Pinheads are particularly easy to defeat. A universal socket goes for $16 or so, is about 8" long, weighs a few ounces and can release Pinheads in a few seconds. No noise, no sparks, no attention, unlike the angle grinders which only pro thieves would use. If a cop stops you on the street, you could come up with lots of legitimate reasons for having the socket wrench, unlike bolt cutters.

I would error on the longer side for a U lock so you can use the locking technique I showed before which is this: http://www.missinglink.org/page/how-lock-bike If you error on the short side you will wish someday you haven't when you try to lock up your bike to something it can't reach. Just a thought.

I would not trust a pitlock to secure my front wheel unless the wheel is not all that expensive, not sure if the pitlocks justify the price for what they do, but having no experience with them or ever known anyone who has I can't say with any degree of certainty. I would rather spend my money on the U-bolt as discussed plus add a OnGuard armored cable lock and lock the bike up the way the website shows, or use the U-bolt as the web site show but leave the front wheel on the fork and use the armored cable to lock it and the frame to a secure object if for some reason putting the wheel to the rear and locking it with the U-bolt didn't work.

But that's just me, we're all different and if you feel a U bolt with pitlocks is the way you want to go then so be it. I don't think your going to run into any problems doing it that way if your area's crime rate is medium to low. If I lived in a high crime area I would buy a beater bike and use that to lock up outside like I did in college. All the offices except for one I worked in I could take my bike inside with me when I commuted, so locking it up outside and worrying about it never was a problem for me. One office I did work in would not allow me to take it in because I was on the 25th floor and they frowned about taking it on the elevator, but the security guard had me lock it up out front and he could see it constantly from his post.