Robert A

Did several searches on the topic and didn't come up with anything specific enough.

I'm looking for a lightweight bike lock suitable for securing a bike for up to an hour in decent locations. It should be long enough to secure my bike and one other. It'd be great if the lock can be stored by attaching it to the seat tube.

If I've somehow missed another thread on the topic, please point me to it.

Thanks,

jefnvk

Nothing but personal preference. Pick what you are comfortable with, and go with it. Doesn't matter what one you go with, half the folks here will tell you you need more, half will tell you to buy a cheaper bike that you don't mind if it gets stolen, and a couple will tell you how they've parked their bikes for 50 years on the streets of NYC without a lock and never had an issue.

For me in such a situation? I use a cheap Master cable combo lock. Half the time I don't even bother to move the tumblers more than one or two spots. I know there are dozens of people here who will tell me I am risking my bike with such, but IMO the biggest concern at that point is keeping the honest folks honest, not stopping dedicated thieves.

blue192

A lock is not about protecting against thieves. If a thief wants you bike they will steal it. Best idea is to use a decent lock and park to one easier to steal. Your local REI store will have decent U-locks and chain locks for a good price.

1989Pre 

The Bell Ballistic 100 6ft x 8mm Cable Lock will go around both bikes and secure the wheels, as well.

General Geoff

If you're going to be locking up the bike frequently, I highly recommend outfitting your bike with pitlocks to secure your wheels and headset to the frame. This makes it a far easier and simpler task to secure any part of the frame to a suitable object, giving you many more options for whatever length of cable, chain or u-lock you decide on.

blakcloud

What about ABUS Bordo folding locks? You can look both bikes together and it collapses to a small form factor. More secure than a cable.

MRT2

Lightweight and secure seem to be mutually exclusive. I use an On Guard Rottweiler cable lock and a generic cable with a master lock to secure my bike and my wife's bike when we leave our bikes in rural areas or small towns for 5 to maybe 30 minutes. In the city, I would not leave my bike unattended with anything less than a heavy U Lock or Abus folding lock.

chaadster

The Holy Grail of highly portable, lightweight security is the TigrLock bow. They're all I use anymore, and long enough to secure two bikes:

https://www.tigrlock.com/tigr-bow-lock/

GamblerGORD53

Any cable is a flimsy POS.
Get a heavy chain or a heavy ABUS folding lock. I have the Granite 6500 with a key, it is very good including on my tour to Asia.
N America, use TWO locks, ha.

kevlar_heart 

Hi:

This is a bit long, but the article contains a ton of useful information and links to products and comparisons.

How to choose the best bike lock in 2017 - The Best Bike Lock

I went with an Abus Bordo Big 6000/120 mm. The last number indicates the circle formed by the lock. For a single bike it's more than adequate to hitch to most anything. I've locked up my bike with a riding partner's and used his cable lock as extra nuisance for bike weasels. The lock attachable to the seat tube...kinda heavy, but worth the weight for peace of mind. I throw it in my backpack rather than on the bike...but that's just personal preference.

Let us know what you get....everyone will have an opinion

Maelochs

My serious recommendations: get a chain and a padlock. A cable can be cut with a steak knife. Those inline cable locks can be picked in five minutes.

The idea I have is this: I want my bike safe from the mildly dishonest and the moderately well-equipped.

I have had a bike stolen when someone picked a four-tumbler inline lock. It just takes patience. A cable can literally be cut with a steak knife with patience, and with any sort of diagonal pliers or wire cutters in a few minutes, easily. Something to think about if you are shopping anywhere from Walmart to a hardware store ... a bright but misguided teen sees the bike on the way in, sees it on the way out, goes back and buys a 4-dollar set of dikes, and rides home.

A hardened chain can pretty much only be cut by the kind of bolt cutters that cost too much to buy casually---or by a grinder. But someone with those kinds of tools can defeat Any lock. Shoot, a lot of u-locks can be snapped by the jack in anyone's car ... but people have to Want to steal your bike in a serious way to try that action. I don't worry about them.

There are plenty of reasonably decent but impulsive kids who would get egged on by friends---"You see those two bikes?" "Think you could pick that lock?" "Betcha can't." Five minutes later .....

There are times I trust a really cheesy cable because I forgot to bring my chain, I rode a different bike than I expected, or I didn't plan to stop (I keep the cheesy cable lock in the seat bag for these emergencies.) In all cases it is a risk but I hurry and i have been lucky. On the other hand, you might really be that guy who leaves his expensive bike unlocked in a high-crime district every day with no hassles. Your call.

I strongly recommend going to the hardware store for a length of chain, slipping it inside an old inner tube so it doesn't scratch, and buying a decent padlock. $20 -$30 isn't too great an investment to protect two bikes and if they every are stolen you can be sure either you messed up and didn't close the lock, or the thief would have gotten the bikes no matter what you did.

General Geoff

Make sure it's HARDENED chain, many hardware stores don't sell hardened chain. If they can cut it with the hydraulic cutter, that means it's not hardened.

MRT2

I just looked it up. Ace and True Value both sell a 3' length of chain with a green vinyl or plastic cover, just like the chain I used when I was a kid. When I was growing up, I rode my bike around my home town as transportation, left it for hours parked at school, at the mall, the library, in the main business district, and most importantly, parked outside my Mom's condo chained to a railing just about year round. The worst thing that ever happened was, once when I went to see a school play, some idiot broke the generator light off the front of the bike.

Blanbrineson

get the circular padlocks they are harder to get bolt cuters around!!!

PatrickGSR94

WOW they must be doing well!! The smaller lock used to be $100 or $120 if I recall. Now they're $159 up to $200 for the long version, dang!

Boondocksaints

This article recommends the Kryptonite Evolution Mini-7. It comes with a cable to secure the front wheel.

The Best Bike Lock | The Sweethome

However, you said you need to secure 2 bikes. So you should get the larger standard version.

I personally go even more hardcore and got the upgraded "New York Fahgettaboudit" lock which is 18MM thick.

Generally, D- Locks are the most secure, then thick ass chains (but pretty heavy). Cable locks are completely useless and cut in literally 2 seconds with small bolt cutters.

Boondocksaints

This article said they tested the Tigrlock and found they could cut it with bolt cutters.

Secondly, it is made of titanium and they were also able to cut it with a small manual hacksaw.


The Best Bike Lock | The Sweethome

Also never get On Guard locks as they are easily picked.

Blanbrineson

OFFTOPICC: but just wanted to mention i love the Boondock Saints!!!!

Boondocksaints

Lol haha - me too!

tdavenport56

I use a D lock

kevlar_heart 

Here is where I got Abus folding lock...so far transport has been OK.

Abus Bordo Big 6000/120 black
https://www.bike-discount.de/en/buy/...XSzBoCjAfw_wcB

If I commuted to the same place each day, I'd preposition a chain and lock. Probably wouldn't bring the "A" bike to a public transport hub, but definitely to an office park or high traffic area. Lugging the chain and lock both ways is a bit too much like Jacob Marley in Dickens Christmas Carol

rgconner

Worth more than the Bridgestone bike they are modeling it on...

chaadster

Meh. Believe what you want. The TiGr lock stimulated a lot of jealousy-driven rumor, and well, you know how the mob mentality works anyway; distinguishing between models was a matter of nuance, apparently, beyond most of the small-minded rabble. Point being, if you're worried about some joker pulling out 3' bolt cutters on your junk, I'd recommend you move or buy a bike you can afford to lose before I'd recommend you carry 4lbs of chain and 3/4lb of padlock, but my reccos aren't dispensed for mass consumption anyway, so if you're a single-issue type lock buyer, I'm not your guy.

therealjoeblow

Time is irrelevant really.

*ALL* locks can be defeated by a large pair of bolt cutters or an 18v angle grinder in about 10-30 seconds.

Everytime I look at Kijiji, about 1/4 of the new ads daily are of people looking for their high end bikes that were stolen when their high end lock was cut with bolt cutters.

It's ridiculous, I can't for the life of me understand why anyone would lock up a $750+ bike and turn their back on it for even 5 minutes when it's so easy to circumvent the lock.

Spend $20 on a lock, or $250 - makes no difference, it's false security if you ask me.

Cheers
TRJB

Boondocksaints

It's not only this article.

Here's a video of the Tigr lock easily being cut with bolt cutters by a girl. It's simple physics. This lock is not as thick and therefore less resistant.



Abus Bordo cut with bolt cutter.

True - every single lock out there can be cut with an angle grinder. But I don't think a manual bolt cutter can cut the New York Fahgettaboudit Mini U Lock- it's 18MM thick.

Of course I can be wrong, but I have yet to see a video of someone cutting that with a bolt cutter. On top of that, you have to cut it twice based on the design.

If someone uses an angle grinder, then that thief is likely a pro and has been scoping the bike for a while. There is nothing you can do against that.

A thick U lock deters the average less sophisticated thief or crackhead seeing an opportunity. Anyone can carry a simple bolt cutter in a bookbag.