Our local miscreants have taken to carrying rechargeable angle grinders so I know that there is nothing that I can do to combat them but any suggestions for a reasonably priced and weighted lock ?

Where are you parking? If they are that determined, maybe you could avoid leaving it anywhere.

What level of protection do you feel you need? 50 percent, 80, 93? As you say, folks can cut Any lock. Are you interested is stopping the casuals, the meth-heads? you can't stop the real pros--except by riding a bike they cannot sell for good money.

If you do a site search ... there are about three dozen identical threads. Also, go online and look for lock-cutting (or chain-cutting) videos.

All you can do is make it inconvenient for them.

Park where thieves might be deterred by onlookers, assuming you're in an area where anyone gives a damn.

Use U-locks. Use two. Three. Two or three lighter weight U-locks might be more of a deterrent than a single heavier U-lock.

If possible take your bike with you. When I'm on my road bikes I don't carry locks. If I stop at a convenience store, coffee shop, etc., the bike goes with me or I don't patronize that business. There are plenty of stores here that welcome or at least don't mind bikes.

If I commuted in an area with bike theft problems I'd consider a folding bike and take it with me.

Or get a bike that's cheap enough to replace but still reasonably enjoyable to ride. My main errand bike cost about $100, and I could replace it for that cost or less. Pretty much any old school rigid frame/fork mountain bike would do. Hard to imagine anyone going out of their way to steal something like that. It's a decent bike but none of the components are anything special. Anyone could get the same kind of bike from a yard sale, pawn shop or thrift store.

When I do errands I use a pair of locks. One is a cheap key-lock cable. It is thick, but anyone with a steak knife could saw through it in several minutes (it would take determination, at least.) The other is a hardened chain with a gym lock---no one is cutting the chain without at least two feet of bolt cutter or a grinder, but someone who is determined can probably guess the combination in five or six minutes. i figure no casual thief is going to want to do both mental and physical labor, nor have the tools, nor be shopping to stealable bikes anywhere I lock up.

I never lock a bike anyone could sell for real money---I figure if I beat the crack- and meth-heads and the casual joy-riders I am doing well enough. I only park in places where someone messing with the bike would be noticed---so at least maybe someone will post a video of my bike being stolen on YouTube---and only in parts of town where i feel anyone really sketchy would stand out---and where pickings would be so slim not many people would bother looking for stealable bikes there.

You could spend hundreds of dollars getting the best u-locks (Fahgedaboutit seems to rate high) but a cheap u-lock will stop anyone who can't beat the best u-lock---if the thief has a grinder or a small hydraulic jack your bike is going away. You can spend hundreds on the best key locks with square-link, ultra-hardened chain---same deal. And hardened chain will beat any thief except the thief who can beat any chain.

In both cases, if you ride a light bike, the security system will add ten pounds, so why not buy a cheesy $100 Schwinn--or three or four? That way you walk home one night (or Uber,) and the next day you are back on another cheap bike.

I suggest going to the hardware store and getting two four-foot sections of hardened steal chain and a couple of hefty-looking locks. (I slide my chin inside of old inner tubes to prevent scratching.) The most important thing, IMO, is that your bike Looks secure to would be thieves ... and even more important, that you Feel secure when you leave it.

Some folks Need to spend $400 on 15 pounds locks, chains, and u-locks just to Feel safe. Some folks use a $5 cable with a built-in combination lock ( I used one for a couple years.) "Security" is really a feeling, not a state or condition. Your bike is never "secure" (there are posters were who have had bikes stolen from their apartments.) Decide how much you need to spend to have peace of mind, the google away.

Don't know if this would help, but I really like mine.

https://www.walmart.com/ip/GREENCYCLE-1-Set-Wireless-Motorcycle-Bicycle-Bike-Anti-Theft-Burglar-Vibration-Security-Alarm-Waterproof-Super-Loud-113dB-Remote-Control-Bell/682432023?wmlspartner=wlpa&selectedSellerId=8912&adid=22222222227140562095&wl0=&wl1=g&wl2=c&wl3=2509 49346227&wl4=aud-566049426705la-411559887107&wl5=9016277&wl6=&wl7=&wl8=&wl9=pla&wl10=115792481&wl11=online&wl12=682432023&veh=sem&gc lid=CjwKCAjwxt_tBRAXEiwAENY8hc2g8xv-WHeUHhWZCVN0Pg0UyruyrM71a3yqPYpcadxlrO7HVqVCHBoCIYAQAvD_BwE

I have the Bontrager Comp Combo lock...but not sure if it really suits your desire/purpose. As has been stated, I would never leave my bike locked up somewhere and anytime it's not in my sight, it's in my house. But if/when I get a "cheap" commuter, then I will probably use the lock for that.

Is it no longer true that you can leave your bike unlocked in Japan?

Well not to speak in generalizations...but yea, you totally can. Literally EVERYONE does. That's a generalization but you see them everywhere. While most are mamacharis...I've seen expensive bikes and ebikes as well just parked against a rail outside of a convenience store or a restaurant. This is by far the best place I've ever lived with regards to honest people and safety. I lost my wallet in Tokyo a few weeks back, and went to the nearest police station about an hour later...it was already there, with all the YEN and USD still there. Love this place. But I still won't be leaving a $$$ bicycle outside...it just "feels" wrong. At a cafe or something while I grab a bite...sure.

My u-lock weighs just a little less than my bike, which I find amusing. I only use it in certain very limited situations. Very early in the morning (6 AM) parked right at the front doors of my local Safeway. My probably totally inaccurate theory being that bike thieves don't get up that early. It's worked so far. And if I can see the bike from wherever I am, I am also comfortable locking it up elsewhere in town.

But as noted above, any lock will be defeated by the determined thief. So, the correct thing to do if you are going to ride nice bikes, also as noted above, is to always take your bike with you. That's what I do and I have yet to be kicked out of an establishment. It is now sitting three feet away from me in my apartment, even though a very nice, "secure" bike rack sits available in the "secure" parking garage three floors below. Not an option for me. I had a beautiful Orbea road bike stolen on the street several years ago. It was my fault. I didn't have a very nice lock and the location was bad. Know what saved me? Insurance. So, that's the other thing I don't think gets enough attention. Insure your nice bikes. It's cheap. You'll be very glad you did.

Lastly, if you ride a bike nobody wants, it probably won't get stolen. Most of the homeless people in Portland have pretty decent bikes. Get a clunker, as suggested above. Then, you don't have to worry about it. If they steal your ride, you can just get another one the same day.

start with state and city legislation and your elected representatives to crack down on crime. Or Vote them out and vote in people that will.

Or you can keep buying locks and hope for the best.

Use a Skunk Lock.

A good chain lock is a bit harder to cut through with an angle grinder, because you have to be able to hold the links still. A determined thief will still be able to get through it with an angle grinder, but it's harder. Kryptonite and On-Guard both make some good chain locks. I have an On-Guard that I like. They're heavy though. The really heavy duty ones will add a good 10 lbs to you. I split the difference and got one that's about five or six pounds and is still a nice, hardened chain.

That's a great idea.

I've been using an Abus granite folding lock that is rubber coated. It works in most situations.
It looks tough which is half the battle. I made a CF pouch to hold the weight low behind the seat tube, it's in a sock to stop rattling. Used it on my 2 tours too. Lately I have carried a second chain for larger poles and trees.

I use the Foldylocks Compact (so-called) for much the same reasons. I carry it in a cage-box on the seat tube. Got it about a month ago and used it on several centuries.

I went the beefy U lock route last year, but just found I was leaving the lock at home because I hated carrying it so much. Folding seems to be a workable compromise for me.

Locks are for honest people.

The only time I use my U-Lock is when going to the gym. I feel it is pretty safe location but to combat any worries about theft, I ride my free beater bike. It's not that I wouldn't be bummed if it was stolen, but I'm using it for that specific purpose and I guess that in a way I do expect it to be stolen one day. It's the only bike that I lock and leave alone. All other bikes never leave my sight when out riding.

I have been locking up all sorts of bikes outside in the big city for more than 30 years. The only place I have had one stolen was from inside my house, while I was at home and awake.

When I am out on tour I sometimes won't even use my relatively thin combo cable lock when I sleep at night. That same lock is what I use if I feel the desire to lock while I do something like shop for groceries or have a meal indoors.

You might want to reconsider leaving your bike unlocked in the woods:

Thanks I will look through these options- neighbor had his bike stolen from inside his garage where it was locked to another one- they took both- I thought the skunk lock was a joke- I have a family of skunks that visit my house regularly I thought I should tie one to my bike

If you go for a lock go for an ABUS. I have said it before and I will continue saying it ABUS makes the best locks on the market. There is plenty of gimmicky crap out there but ABUS has been around for a long time making high quality locks in their factories. They are owned by the Bremicker family since 1924 and have come up with a lot of the famous locks others have copied. They are not a subsidiary of anyone and they don't make their locks in different factories they don't own or build low quality locks to just hit price points (they do make cheaper locks but they still have some higher quality features). They don't need to make a super thick lock with heavy metal and silly names nor do they need to have sprays in them, you just need to make a quality lock with virgin steel and a lot of testing to exceed all the tests and have new ones to make sure it is good.


A lot of locks are rated by various testing agencies and a lot of those locks are built to pass those tests. They aren't built to be strong and secure they are built to pass tests so they seem more secure. On a purely anecdotal note we tested a Shlage/Kryptonite 12mm chain and Fuggettaboutit the thing broke it with two strikes from a sledgehammer and then we test it against a 8mm ABUS chain and I think 4 people hit it with that same sledgehammer for 10-20 minutes or so and gave up because nothing happened.


If it were me for my bikes I would probably go Granit Xplus and have. Though the Plus version stuff does make a bit more sense if you have multiple locks or e-bikes as you can key them alike with more things than you can with Xplus.


I don't go for the just buy a cheap bike and don't care about it situation or just keep honest people blah blah blah, I want a good quality bike and a good quality lock set up. With all of that and good locking practices I am less likely to have a bike stolen. There is nothing fool proof but good locks from well known well trusted companies will help greatly.

Don't forget to do one important thing after you select you lock: park next to an easier to steal bike.

flip your bike upside down and place the lock low as well. thieves bending over really low are a little more obvious...

Anything you can do to make it awkward to get at. As already stated locks won't stop a thief just slow him down, so the more the better and the more awkwardly placed the better. The again, you don't want to have to lug 50 lbs of locks around all day. Even my single forgetaboutit can be felt within a short time.

Now that I think about it raise it up and make the lock difficult to conceal with a grinder or any cutting tools for that matter. Also, as close to a busy doorway is also good, since he never knows when the person coming out would be the owner.