Here's the same video, among others, available in a wider range of formats that I found from the original thread.

http://www.bikeforums.net/video/

it doesn't use the round keys :P, and i can't get your video's to work mikabike

Kryptonite and other bike lock brands sell at a huge markup- get a similar padlock and piece of chain from the hardware store for $10

Krypto NY U-Lock, and Krypto locking skewer set. It's nice not having to worry about the front wheel.

The April issue of UK's "Cycling Plus" magazine tested bike lock against the "force" methods commonly used by crooks, and then tested them against a portable, battery operated power tool of a type that crooks use on bike locks.

The "winner" was the 2005 Kryptonite New York 3000 U-lock. It could not be broken by force methods, and lasted more than ten minutes against power tools. The mid-price model from Abus lasted only 73 seconds against power tools. A "top of the line" Abus was not tested this time around.

The OnGuard Bulldog Mini" U-lock ($24 at REI.com) was as strong as the New York 3000 against manual attacks. No lock of any size, weight, or price outperformed the "Mini" against prying, breaking, and leverage attacks. The OnGuard Mini's superior performance is likely the result of its dual locking design that fully secures both ends of the shackle, and also due to the limited "open" space the Mini leaves for a crook to insert his tools.

Based on the "Cycling Plus" test results, I will use one (or two) OnGuard "mini" U-locks as my coffee shop lock, and combine the Mini with the 2005 Kryptonite New York 3000 lock for "heavy duty" midnight-in-a-rough-neighborhood high risk areas.

It is ironic that folks have been spending big bucks on bike locks that are almost too heavy to carry around and then Cycling Plus proves that the $24 OnGuard Bulldog Mini is just as strong as the "mega-locks" against the manual "force" attacks that are the stock-in-trade of about 99% of the crooks who steal bikes.


HOW TO LOCK YOUR BIKE CORRECTLY by Sheldon Brown:

www.sheldonbrown.com/lock-strategy.html

a thief wouldn't cut the cable, they'd bash the lock. Most have a cheap plastic housing that can be broken with a hammer with a few shots. They're really really fast to break. :(

and don't forget, we're out to save our bikes right. One can either be better than the next lock or take more time than thief x is willing to spend.

Thus my constant bit... cross lock.
You can cut a really good mini ulock with power tools in 5 minutes of really loud noise. With two locks they (hopefully) won't waste time.

I was "big" on "cross-locking" before I read the "Cycling Plus" test results. The test indicated that the $30 cable lock I was using for to secure my front wheel to the frame would last under twenty seconds against an experienced crook.

So, for SERIOUS protection, such as a "midnight movie", I will be using the New York 3000 for the rear wheel and frame (lasts forever against manual attacks, and ten minutes against power tools) and my OnGuard Mini to secure the front wheel to the frame (lasts forever against manual attacks, and maybe two minutes against power tools).

If I use the rack right in front of the theatre ticket office, I don't think some guy with power tools is going to spend 12 minutes or more noisily cutting away on my locks to steal my trashmo "movie night" bike.


HOW TO LOCK YOUR BIKE by Sheldon Brown:

www.sheldonbrown.com/lock-strategy.html

>>"Based on the "Cycling Plus" test results, I will use one (or two) OnGuard "mini" U-locks as my coffee shop lock, and the 2005 Kryptonite New York 3000 as my "heavy duty" midnight in a rough neighborhood lock."

Agreed... i have two OnGuard mini's (one for each bike.) At home both are active plus two cables. Next buy is a Krypto 3000 NYC. The OnGuards take 5 min each to cut, the NYC another 10.

Downside is the anchor point is ambiguous. A pair of cables to an old unbolted bike rack but through several bikes.

If you can't anchor, clutter.

Next question, how do you lock your bike to/ in your vehicle?


*

I've got a Kryptonite cable lock, with a key-not the lame circle key, a normal one. It's really light and thin but really tough and I love the key lock.

Alcyon, it does not matter which key a cable lock uses. An experienced crook can open your cable lock in just a few seconds. Some last under five seconds. Some U-locks last under ten seconds. The second most expensive U-lock sold by Kryptonite lasts less than two minutes against manual attacks. All locks are NOT equal. The quality gap between the best brand of bike locks sold in the USA, OnGuard, and every other brand sold in the USA is about as wide as the Grand Canyon.

If your bike is worth more than $20, get a first class U-lock, such as the OnGuard Bulldog Mini U-lock ($24 at REI). The "Cycling Plus" tests showed that the Bulldog defeats manual tools just as well as the $100 locks.

Attach the Bulldog around your rear wheel (just behind the seat tube). Use your cable lock to secure your front wheel to the frame and replace the quick release on the front wheel with an allen bolt.

At that point, you will have a security set-up that is "really tough".

Tubular locks have the potential to be much harder to pick than standard tumbler locks because they can use up to 12 pins vs 4-6 for most tumbler locks. Still a thief doesn't have the time to pick your lock. He's going to bolt cut or saw/dremel. Any lock that is reasonably built (no bic pen hacks etc) will do just as good on your bike as a high security one.

The only way someone is going to bother picking is if they have some privacy with your bike, or if they want to save the lock.

Mikabike, you seem to have some knowledge of "lock picking". Do you know whether a "quirk" in the new flat key locks from OnGuard and Kryptonite is a "flaw", or is part of some "anti-lockpick" design.

Inside the keyway of the new flat key bike locks, there is a stack of seven to ten thin metal plates with a rectangular hole in the center of each. If those ten holes are perfectly aligned, the key will seat down against the bottom plate, and when the key turns, the lock opens and closes.

However, if you should happen to turn the key BEFORE the key is seated against the bottom plate, the plates get misaligned. The key can no longer reach the bottom plate. You can put the key in and it may turn "like normal", but the lock does not respond. Folks might then try to force the key in, or force it to turn against the misaligned plates, and "snap" off half their key in the keyway.

After one of my new Kryptonite locks refused to open today, I shone a light inside, and saw that the top three plates were "cross-wise" to the bottom plates. I inserted the key just deep enough to turn those three plates back to where they were aligned with the other plates. Then the lock opened and closed normally.

So, is the rotating plates "feature" an essential protection against "lock picking", or just more stupidity from the bike lock industry?

I'm heading out to buy a new lock tomorrow, as I have finally gotten my shipping label to send the flawed krypto back. I was going to pick up the OnGaurd Mini that has been suggested, but I'm having second thoughts. Will it be big enough to go around my rear tire and then around the newer, thick, "Sin Curve" shaped bike racks that are popping up in cities?

I think you just described a 'warded' lock. Warded locks rely more on the shape of the key, than in precise cuts to align a set of pins. Most warded locks are not so much 'picked' as they are opened using a set of warded skeleton keys until the right one is found. You can also use a 'blank' inserted into the lock with a little bit of either candle wax, or soot from a candle and you rub it a little in the keyhole then see where the wax or soot was pushed away, then you cut down the key at those points until it fits. Not something you would do when trying to steal a bike though.

If you gave me the model number I could tell you more. Some pin and tumbler locks use a type of ward where the keyhole is cut at an angle to the pins (not perpendicular) which makes it harder to get a pick in as you are doing it at an angle to the pins.

alanbikehouston, to open my lock would take lockpicks, which:
1. No small-time thief (a bike thief is not big-time) would have or know how to use
2. Would need privacy to accomplish-bike racks are on the sidewalk, usually in broad daylight.

It is heavily armoured against cutting the lock cable itself, and even if it was attempted it would be an obvious (and loud) attempt to steal the bike, which would soon be stopped.

Thats a very bold statement Mikabike. I would pay money to see you pick an Abus "U" lock. Any Abus Granit series lock is essentially unpickable, without the use of a highly specialized tool, referred to as a "Sputnik". The "Sputnik" is worth over $1000.00 USD and still requires a ton of patience and practice to learn to use. Your not picking these locks with a Southord set, or any other. No way. No how.


No "U" lock has a spring loaded retainer assembly holding the the "U" or shackle in place. They aren't susceptable to this form of attack. No "U" lock on the market today that I can think of is. If you can find a video of someone shimming a "U" lock I'd love to see it. I don't think it can be done though. You may see that on a really cheap Masterlock Padlock like a #3, but not on a "U" lock. Thats not going to happen.

*****************************************************

Go to the Sold Secure web site to see how the locks available were rated. As Alanbikehouston has said time and again, a pro is getting your "ride" if he really wants it. The idea is to keep the casual bike thief from making off with your "pride and joy" or your favourite "beater" bike. Most of the "U" locks out there have hardened shackles, and are a good deterrent against the joy riders out there. Manual tools are gonna have a bad time cracking an Abus, OnGuard or a Kryptonite lock "U" lock. OnGuard, Abus and some of the Kryptonite locks have the rotating disc type locks in them, which are not going to be picked with basic tools anytime in the near future. I guess all you can do is get a lock that requires power tools to compromise, lock it to something sturdy in public, and hope your number doesn't come up today.

Stopped by whom?

Hehe no offense to Mikabike who may or may not be a fantastic amateur locksmith, but that reminded me of my friend who took up lockpicking.

He bragged and bragged about how good he was, so I asked him if he could do my front door. He said of course, no problem, piece of cake. So I locked him out. 10 minutes later he knocked and asked to be let back in :). Apparently my deadbolt was "installed upside down" or something. :rolleyes: I dunno, my key worked fine...

"Cycling Plus" tested a massive cable lock, wrapped in armor. Seven pounds, almost DOUBLE the weight of the massive New York U-lock. Lasted 97 seconds. A two pound U-lock would do better, and save lugging around the extra five pounds.

Another heavily armoured cable (three layers of armour): just 28 seconds to open. Other cables lasted (against various methods): 4 seconds, 9 seconds, 14 seconds, 13 seconds, 11 seconds, 9 seconds, 3 seconds, 8 seconds, 3 seconds, and 17 seconds.

Cable locks are NOT actual locks. They are a sign that says "Free bike".

Loud noises stop thefts? Every night, the car alarms in my neighborhood howl, endlessly. Every morning, folks come outside and find broken windows and missing stereos. If "loud noises" stop crime, someone needs to inform the criminals here in Houston.

So many responses I couldn't even read them all so maybe this has already been mentioned; but both the Abus lock and the Kryptonite chain locks are very heavy to carry around on a bike, but if you must then the Abus is superior over the Krypto. If weight is a concern then MasterLock makes a interesting lock that looks like a pair of handcuffs that is "suppose" to be better then the Krypto U locks. Either one of those two would be good...BUT combine it with a different lock like the newer armored covered cable locks so that it would force a thief to use two different kind of tools to break them.

Using two different tools to steal a bike takes more time and more time is something a thief doesn't want to be bothered with so he'll just move on to an easier bike.

Also don't forget to lock it to a secure post; it's been noted where someone used a superior lock only to lock it to a small tree that was cut down, or a weak post that was hacked through or pulled out of the ground, or to a chain link fence and simple wire cutters cut the fence and freed the lock.

Also park in high traffic areas.

Better yet if your going to worry about your $4,000 bike getting stolen then commute in a Walmart beater and use the better bike for weekend rides.

Picking a lock upside down is something you need to practice. I've read that installing locks this way is supposedly common in Europe. The only time a lock is going to be in a perfect position is when it's being freely held in your hand...but attached to nothing at all. That's not how it happens in the real world.

Diskus style locks like you see here http://www.lockitt.com/padlockdiscus.htm are fitted upside down for the same reason. It's suppose to add to the P.I.T.A. (Pin in the Arse) factor to any would be lock picker who happens along. The top two locks you see here are quite pickable if you practice this sort of thing on a regular basis. The keyways are quite tight and a complete pain without European/Japanese style slimline picks. I have a couple of bogota picks that would likely work very well against with this set up. I've never tried it though. I only do this sort of thing with locks I own. Looks like fun though.
The bottom one (20/70) is something you want to go after with an angle grinder or thermite or some explosive device. I couldn't pick this lock on my best day. It's breakable, just not very pickable without the right tools, as stated in an earlier post.

At work I lock up my Trek 7500FX next to a Cannondale and a Specialized HR, as well as a bunch of other cheaper bikes. The other two bikes are locked up using only cable locks (one is even a combo lock!!), while I use a Kryptonite U-lock and a kryptonite cable for the front wheel.

You know what they say, you don't have to outrun the bear, just your companions. ;)

I'm going to take a closer look at the Bulldog Mini though, I think it would be a better lock for my bike than the U-lock I already have...

Also, what's the difference between the Onguard Bulldog Mini and Pitbull Mini models, apart from $12? They weigh about the same, are the same size and have the same diameter shackle. Does the Pitbull have tougher internals?

I just cant bring myself to get the mini. I know that smaller is better, but not when it's too small for you to use. I've been looking at various bike racks where I leave my bike and the posts themselves are fairly thick. It'd be tough to get the lock around the wheel and the post. I'm just going to go with the lock that's one size up. I have a $10 any U-Lock coupon from my LBS so it will be the same price.

In the computer field, which I work in, we talk in terms of value when it comes to security. I think it's important to do so when it comes to Bikes too. My 6 year old, $300 bike will be plenty well protected by a standard size OnGaurd U-Lock in Boston. I'll just be sure to send in the registration when I buy the lock :)

I agree with DerekU2 about the restricted locking options with a mini. I just picked up the Pitbull mini and don't have any room left to lock the bike to anything. Works great on wheel to frame, but could someone please post a pic of a bike locked to a rack or other secure item using a mini?

I wish I knew how to post photos. Last week, I used a mini-lock to lock a two inch wide mountain bike rear wheel to a parking meter post that was over two inches wide. And, it was not difficult to do.

Park the bike so that the parking meter post is against the left chainstay, right behind the crank. Place the U-lock around the rear wheel, about 20 inches from the ground. That puts the shackle through the one inch gap between the rear tire and the seat tube.

Mini-locks will not work on telephone poles and utility poles that are eight or ten inches wide. In Houston, many bike messengers prefer the Fahgettaboudit chain because it is ideal for using such huge objects to lock to. But, mini-locks work well when using parking meters and any bike rack that allows placing the crank right up against the locking post.

The traditional "schoolyard" bike rack was designed to hold the back by just the front half of the front wheel, or the backhalf of the rear wheel. That rack does not work with mini-locks, and such racks are usually of very flimsy construction. I will park an extra half block or block from a destination to avoid using a "school yard" rack when I can use something more secure, such as a parking meter post.

They are similar in design, but the heavier version puts more metal (and weight) into the crossbar. Test reports indicated they work equally well in the field. They both have a 13mm shackle and resist breaking under leverage attacks. OnGuard shackles can be cut rapidly with power tools (a form of attack that is essentially unheard of in my town) but have a dual lock design that is very effective against breaking attacks.

If you live in Manhattan, or other places were you must defend against power tools, a mini-lock is not enough. You need the Kryptonite New York lock. Heck, if I was parking a mega-expensive bike in Manhattan, I might be carrying TWO New York locks.

Any thoughts on putting a padlock with large enough shackle to fit tight around rear wheel/tire as a supplement to a good lock that attaches to fixed object?

Idea would be that it would be impossible to break with leverage, hard to get cutters around and make it so one couldn't ride bike away if other lock was broken. Just an added deterent/annoyance to make it less desireable compared to bikes that don't have it.

Al

I think I say this in every thread on locks, but I'm very happy with the padlock and chain that I got at the hardware store for $12. It's 1" thick chain- it took the guy at the store a few minutes to cut me off a piece, and he was using a 5 foot long boltcutter and everything was braced against the floor. He said the shop guys would have chain-cutting contests, and if it weren't lying on the floor most of the guys could only dent the 1" chain with the boltcutter. The padlock is a medium-sized Masterlock that I've seen shopkeepers use on their storefronts so I think it's pretty secure. I also like that this lock doesn't have the "my bike is so attractive to thieves that I spent $90 on a lock" look to it. Anyone have an idea how someone would try to bust this thing? I guess power tool and gumption. Is the NY chain, with it's funny shape links, a marked improvement over regular steel chain of a similar size? Anyway, I've parked all around Boston and nobody's thought my 1990 Miyata was worth the effort yet!