Best U-Lock for commuting.
 

What do you guys think is the best U-Lock for commuting? Price-to-Performance wise (Best lock for the money).

Ultimate security? :p

Thanks! :thumb:

http://www.bikeradar.com/gear/catego...treme-09-33988

and

http://www.kryptonitelock.com/Pages/...PNumber=994589

are the best performance wise only

price to performance wise I would suggest an intermediate solution

The kryptonite new york D-lock
http://www.bikeradar.com/gear/catego...-york-mc-39848

I have a Kryptonite NY Fahgeddaboutit mini U-Lock and it is a beast. I'm pretty sure it would take a fire department to break it off my bike. However, it does weigh a ton.

EDIT: This one -> http://www.bikeradar.com/gear/catego...dit-mini-16565

I use the Kryptonite New York Fahgettaboudit on my most expensive bike when I ride it, but its use depends on knowing exactly what it is going to be locked to. In other words, the U lock is so small it only works on certain racks. If I'm going somewhere in town where I don't know what type of rack will be available I use the longer "stretch" version of the Kryptonite U lock because it allows for differences in rack design and size.

How expensive is your bike? The reason I ask that is because thanks to battery powered portable angle grinders they can steal your bike in less then 30 seconds regardless of how good the lock is. So if you have an expensive bike and are worried about it getting stolen then I suggest you buy a Walmart bike or a used bike for less then $250 and lock that up at work.

Don't expect lock protection warranties to help either because I've never heard of one ever paying out for a bike that was stolen. The reason for that is due to the all the requirements needed to be fulfilled to get them to pay and then only if the company ok's it. Requirements like first sending in the completed form along with the original receipt and UPC code of lock off the box. Then at time of theft send in police report, original receipt and upc code along with the box...wait you sent that stuff in...now what? Next you need to take detailed pics of the crime scene at the same time of the day it was stolen, along with photos of street lighting, public access, the broken undisturbed lock, and whatever the lock was attached to. Send those photos along with the lock...what if they took the lock? too bad! Then you need to send recent photos of the bike, recent appraisal of bike, and the original receipt of bike. Then they get all that stuff and figure out if they should pay or not, and most of the time if not all the time it's a no.

If you use a U lock there is only one best way to use these locks, see this for how: http://www.missinglink.org/page/how-lock-bike

Interesting links. The problem I see is what happen when the thief cut the wheels ?
The thief let the ulock there and leaves with everything else. Better to lock the ulock on the frame rather than the wheels. But it requires to have more than one lock

Thanks for all the reply everyone! I tried the Krpytonite NYF Mini and it was too small that it barely fit my bike. So I went ahead and returned it and I ordered the NY Standard edition, plus a cable to attach the other parts/component.

My bike its not that expensive, but I began buying higher quality parts for my bike. I'm planning to buy a new frame for it. From PureFix frame to the Kilo TT.

Bring several ..

Where are your glasses? If you look closely at the picture the U lock has the two wheels inside the triangle locked to a pole, you would have to cut both stays. Some U Bolts are long enough you could put the bolt around the down tube but it isn't necessary with this set up. Go ahead and cut the wheels, you still can't get the frame. Though one could steal the components off the bike and leave nothing but the frame and wheels, or use a angle grinder to cut the lock and take the whole bike in 15 seconds.

The thickest, most expensive Abus you can afford and carry. When your bike gets stollen, you'll only regret not having bought even more expensive lock. While it's not stolen, you will not regret it, in the long run.

Chain (or U-lock) and cable combination is good.

I think these are cool, others disagree.

http://bikeforums.net/attachment.php...hmentid=278146
masterlock streetcuffs, $50

Did they improve your sexual life as well? :)

I own a "Abus Granit 51 Plus" lock and I really like it. The "EaZy KF" bracket attach to the seat tube and holds the lock very securely and away from my legs. The lock also came with LED light key holder and a "key card" which makes it possible to order a new key or another lock with the same key.
On the downside, it's heavy, but no bike thief would even try breaking this lock without an angle grinder.

I got my Kryptonite New York standard edition. Gonna unpack it after work.

I was also looking at the Abus XPlus, Looks really good but pricey. Probably going to get it after a couple weeks or so and give the New York to my girlfriend so she can use it on her bike.

From what I see if a thief cut both wheels he can remove the ulock from both wheels and leave the ulock there. The bike isn't attached to anything anymore.

This has many of the security advantages of a ulock, but are more compact to carry and easier to use with odd locking conditions.

http://www.amazon.com/Abus-Locks-650...+granit+x-plus

Naw, think it through thoroughly. Even if you could cut through the first wheel/tire (unlikely) and you could separate the cut to fit the lock through (extremely unlikely - you'd have to pull it sideways because the spokes wouldn't allow you to pull it apart, and pulling it sideways ain't gonna happen because in order to do that you'd have to have a surgical cut) then you cut the second wheel (even more unlikely) because of the frame you couldn't pull the wheel apart to get it off the lock. This method of locking a bike is tried-and-true, and the only times I've heard of it failing is when the lock itself is broken.

hmmm, and I can also use my clips and straps, hey you may be on to something.

Hmmm, at $152.99... Did you pay attention to OP's "Price-to-Performance wise (Best lock for the money)"? :rolleyes:

Yes I did, and in my opinion the Abus Bordo GranitX is the best lock for the money out there...

You do realize that the phrase, "Best lock for the money" does not mean the cheapest lock... Well perhaps you don't...

A thief might just jump at the rider, rob the lock and sell it on craiglist ---eaiser than cutting a lock to steal a bike ;)

By this logic, no one should own nice things because someone may steal them. While yes, you can cut *any* lock off eventually with an angle grinder the average bike thief is not going around with an expensive tool stealing bikes with difficult to break locks. They're breaking Walmart U-Locks with a pipe and taking low-hanging fruit. According to tests from multiple sources, it takes about 3 minutes per shackle side to cut through the fahgettaboutit with a cut-off wheel. That's 6 minutes worth of cutting for the lock (since it's a double-lock shackle and not a single and rotating the ubolt is very difficult with stuff in the way). If someone wants to go through that much effort to steal my bike, I guess they earned it... and honestly, I believe it'd be faster to hacksaw the bike rack than cut off my u-lock.

I'm not a fan of this method of locking and prefer a modified version of the Sheldon Brown method where I lock through my wheel and around the chainstay as well.

For what it's worth... independent lock damage tests have rated the New York series locks very highly, and they have been granted the sold secure gold rating as well. If you're going to lock up a bike where it might get stolen, you can do a lot worse.

Like cameras, the best lock is the lock you bring with you.

My friend had a huge chain/U-lock combo to lock his bikes ursine his apartment at night...but he used to just leave it laying around on campus cause he was too lazy to bring the locks with him because they were so big.

His bike was promptly stolen.

Make sure whatever you get is something you are willing to have with your bike at all times.

Whatever lock you get won't matter if it won't fit what you're planning to lock the bike to. I end up taking a chain instead most of the time because some areas around downtown have bikes locked up everywhere, taking up all the rack spaces. If I had just a U-lock, I'd be SOL, but a chain can fit around a tree or lamppost.

A little over $2K, and it has never been messed with. It should be noted I live in a bike-friendly town and at any rack I park the bike in, there are at least 10 other bikes with far less secure U locks, and some with cable locks. Plus, I never leave my bikes outside overnight. Never. And I don't worry about it getting stolen, if anyone breaks out an axle grinder on one of these locks they're going to be putting on a light & sound show that is going to draw a lot of attention, and that most likely isn't going to happen in the hours my bike is outside. The crooks will go for a cable locked bike or a nice, quiet leverage attack on a crappy U lock before they break out the big guns for my bike.