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.

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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!

How long is the chain & how much does it weigh with the lock?

I got it long enough to go around my waist (or a tree/telephone pole/lightpost etc.). I've never weighed it but I've held it in one hand and an NY chain in the other- it weighs a few lbs less than the NY chain. When it's around my waist I don't notice it.

How would you use this lock on your bike?

compliments for your sig
i would like to see pics of you before at 340 & after.
thanks

Yeah probably. I park at a school where all kinds of bikes get stolen (even old roadies), so it's worth it to be paranoid.

One thing I notice on bike racks that get used a lot is that somebody has sawed through the top bar. I don't know if a crook did this once to get a bike out, or did it so they can come back and lift out any bike that is locked there. Something to be wary of, anyway.

With a decent chain and the lock together. Onguard or Kryptonite make a couple of dandy chains, or you could use a section of chain like Elicheez suggested. It would be a good way of cutting your cost if you needed a sturdy, almost unpickable setup to lock your bike. Chains allow you more flexibility as to where you can lock up to. I would think the weight for such a setup would be quite high. I could live with that if I knew "The Hippo" was still there when I got back though.

All chains are not equal. It took Cycling Plus eight minutes, using portable power tools to cut a Kryptonite Fahgettaboudit chain. Some chains can be cut in seconds.

Hardware store chains are typically designed for purposes OTHER than "high security". A chain designed and manufactured for maximum "pull" strength may look massive, and weigh a ton, yet have next to no resistance to cutting.

The four pound Kryptonite New York 3000 took ten minutes to cut, compared with eight minutes for the Fahgettaboudit weighing eight pounds. So, unless you must lock to telephone poles and light poles where a U-lock will not work, the New York 3000 provides maximum security with half the weight to haul around.

Ask the hardware store how long it takes for them to cut the chain. Then you'll have an idea of the quality of your chain.

What kind of power tool do they use? Battery-powered angle grinder?