Lightest "Theft-Proof" Lock?
 

Yes, I know there's no such thing as "Theft-proof."

I want a lock for the following:

-Locking the frame and both wheels (front wheel removed) to a post. ~8-12 inches clearance should be enough for this.
-Protection from hand saws, basic lock-cutters, lock picks, and leverage-based breakage

What I DON'T need:

-Protection from massive bolt-cutters that are impossible to conceal
-Protection from power saws


What's the lightest package for this? Is something like the mini 21" chain locks from Kryptonite my best bet? Here's one.

That chain weighs 4 1/2 lbs. An Evolution 5 or 7 Mini 5 U bolt combined with a small cable for the wheel will provide greater security at lower weight

Tigr lock?

Wouldn't a cable lock be easily removed with basic cutters?

I've used a couple Abus folding locks on rental bikes. They aren't so much light as compact, but I think I prefer it that way. They rate between a cable and u-lock in terms of effectiveness, but if you're just locking up for short periods of time in relatively safe areas, I think they'd be just as effective as a u-lock. The only thing keeping me from getting one is the price.

I tried sawing an old U-lock with a hacksaw, and that was about like trying to saw through glass. So most high-quality locks are going to be fairly safe from hand-saws.

I've never heard of anyone having a lock picked, other than the Bic-pen method, which has not been feasible on new locks in several years.

I've never heard of a "standard lock cutter". They make bolt-cutters in all sizes, and the effectiveness is going to depend on your strength and willingness to damage the jaws, etc.

From past reading, when locks are cut, bystanders don't necessarily do anything to stop the process, so it doesn't really matter if the bolt cutters are impossible to conceal.

Should be an interesting thread. :)
Can you define what kind of bike...relative worth, and where it would be left?...mainstreet?...college?...and approx. how long the bike would be left unattended?
PS: there maybe a mini Lo-jack out there that will detect motion and send an alert to your cell phone.

I use a masterlock cufflock when I really really really want to be sure, the 9 link version.

I'll be bike touring, so the bike will be out of my sight in a public place, only during the day. I want to keep the honest people honest and I want to keep the drug-induced opportunity thefts with concealable objects down. Guarding against serious bike thieves with power-saws and 2-foot cutters is beyond what I'm willing to carry, or expect to run into.

I have one for my commuting bike and for when I take the kids out but never seem to carry it or if I do I hate it but it is a good locking system, it's just to heavy LOL but its strong thats for sure and if you want good I guess this is it.
OnGuard 5012 OnGuard Bulldog DT
Review

TiGr using a flexible titanium bow and high security lock cylinder. 459 grams or 1 pound 0.3 oz for a 3/4" bow in standard length. $165. I have one; it's a great visual match for my titanium frame

In comparison a Kryptonite Evolution Mini is 900 grams while the heavy duty Kryptonite New York Fahgettaboudit Mini is 1.9kg

There's also a high-security 1.25" bow form which weighs 727g or 1 pound 9.6 oz.

Standard length (24") is enough for both wheels on road bikes without removing the front wheel. Short (18") fits in back packs and long (30") is enough for longer wheelbases as on mountain and touring bikes.


http://tigrlock.com/product/

I've heard stories about people locking their bike and wheels up, then coming back to find someone cut the cables, unscrewed the stem, and made off with their bars and shifters.

I ain't no pro at it, but I had a lock on my bike that I lost the keys for, nothing expensive but not one of those cheapo pound store ones ether, it was a propped pad lock with chain, would take a fair bit of sawing to get through.

However I gave up looking for the keys and just Lernet to pick it, I can pick it in under 5 seconds....(lock must have been utterly crap lol). While this may not be possible on most of the locks you get over say £25 or so the cheap ones really are crap.

I used to get a few odd looks from passers bye lol when I was there picking my lock, but It was quicker than useing keys lol haha.

This is where 'bents shine. I use bar end shifters that have to little resale value on both my 'bents. I suppose they could take the pedals and RD, but again, it's not worth it.

And my trike always gets mistaken for some form of adaptive technology. No one will ever touch that.

You use a zip tool to cut through these. I once cut through a u-bolt to get an abandoned bike (with the permission of the apt manager). It throws some sparks, but you can absolutely get through in a few minutes.

Are you speaking of the pit bull you quoted or the lock you linked to?

Yeah, TiGr lock, without doubt. Peerless.

Peerless.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kb8YoT9Q9VA

I would opt for a good set of locking skewers for your wheels and then a very good U-lock for your frame, I use an Abus Granit Futura 64 Mini, locking skewers for my wheels, and a Kryptonite Flex cable for my saddle. The Abus Granit Mini weighs only 695g and is a breeze to carry around, I have used the locking mech thousands of times now and it is still butter smooth.

I have a friend who has the Tigr lock and decided to stop using it because it rattled on his frame a lot which annoyed him, he also locked up many times a day and found the locking mech annoying to use. He just linked me a video which shows the thinner version of the Tigr lock being bested by bolt cutters:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kb8YoT9Q9VA

The videos on the Tigr site only show it being tested against a crappy $15 U-lock, I would like to see it tested against the top-of-the-line Abus, OnGuard and Kryptonite locks, I doubt it would prove more or even equally secure. The top locks from these companies are even cheaper than the cheapest Tigr lock. Don't buy into the hype.

I recently bought a 7mm Abus Chain with an integrated combo lock. What I have read suggests the toughness of the lock is somewhere close to a U-lock, but since it is a flexible chain, it would be hard to get leverage on it with a car jack, and won't be easy for bolt cutters. But since it is flexible, it is more convenient than a U-lock to carry and use. It is a bit on the heavy side if you are counting ounces. I really don't find it makes any noticeable difference, but I don't use it with my fancy-schmancy road bike. I also don't lock up my road bike unattended downtown.

in the urban crime environment (portland!!), people steal components all the time. you can try some courier tricks to help deter this. candlewax in bolt holes or aluminum foil tapped in with a hammer or even a passes of duck tape work well. for the more desperate, a ballbearing glued into place has been done. a light lock eh? no exp. with the tigr. i use the candlewax trick, a bulldog mini and non/quick release skewers in most parts of portland without a hitch. combine this with a cable and you should be good to go in most parts of the country. dont tour the south bronx though.

If you go back and read the OP's conditions and requirements, I'd like to know which lock you can suggest as comparably light to the TiGr, capable of locking both wheels and frame, and doesn't need to resist 4' bolt cutters? I don't think there is one, which would, in fact, make the TiGr peerless.

Yeah, you're right that there is not really one that locks both wheels as well as the frame, other than very heavy chains. However if he wants lightweight and secure, get some good quality locking skewers and a top-of-the-line U-lock, both of which I have for much less cost than a Tigr lock.

As I wrote a few posts above, I use an Abus Granit Futura 64 Mini, with locking skewers for my wheels, and a Kryptonite Flex cable for my saddle. The Abus Granit Futura 64 Mini weighs only 695g and is very light. I have a few friends that also use an Abus Mini and a flex cable for their front wheel. I would tend to trust the tried and proven Abus locks more than the Tigr lock, especially after seeing that German consumer report test. If you note at the end of that video they cut the Tigr with a 16" bolt cutter.

Did you see a video of your Futura 64 Mini (which, by the way, ABUS lists at 726gm)? ABUS make a lot of locks, and it should be obvious that they don't all provide the same level of security.

Also, where did you see the length of the bolt cutters indicated in the video? I don't speak German, but looking at those bolt cutters, I'd say they were 24" minimum, and were probably even longer if you measure the jaws in there, too.

Finally, while Stiftung Warentest may be something of a venerable German consumer safety magazine-- like Consumer Reports, perhaps-- they do not offer security certifications. Interestingly, the TiGr shares the same 2 Star security rating from Stichting ART, an organisation whose business it is to test security and issue ratings, with the ABUS Granit 6400 Bordo, so it definitely offers some type of security on par with ABUS.

In the end, no one would suggest TiGr is the most secure lock available, but it is the best answer to the OP's questions, apparently.