U-LOCKS: Key or Combo?
 

which one is better? safer?

and for those who's bikes have been stolen - how were your bikes locked?

overall, what's safe

I toss a keyed U-lock through the rear triangle and rear wheel then use a cable lock through the front wheel/frame and attach that to the U-lock. There's only so much you can do, a battery powered grinder or a hacksaw will make pretty quick work of anything.

Are there good combo ones?

I use a keyed mini-u-lock throught the front wheel and chain if I am in a not too sketchy area

sketchy areas I use a chain and a big padlock

on guard made one wifey had it she broke when she dropper it on the ground one day

well as far as key and combo u locks - which one is safer?

i was thinking with they key u lock, someone can pick the lock but nobody can guess a combo

keyed locks have become crazy lazer cut 10 pin double ball crazy contraptions keyed are safe and easy

i have a kryptonite nyc forgetaboutit chain for long lock ups and a long shackle u lock for quick lockups i live in sf too

which brand chain/lock is best?

i trust kryptonite alot even after the round key scandal. they have a big name out there and they also will recall and replacce anything that they find a glitch in.

I vote key.

don't get a barrel key

all of the heavy hexagonal chains are made by a security company called campbell so all the chains are the same I use an industrial master lock

master bought out american lock co

there are different types of key locks? which one should i avoid and which one should i get

one with the highest amount of theft protection they have a dollar amount on the box

no one picks locks, they just cut them. has anyone actualy seen a bike lock get picked?

but as mentioned above avoid the barrel kind, they are prone to jamming up. my girlfriend is starting to have issues with her kryptonite keyed lock, i've had a basic 4-digit cable lock for 3 years now. it gets sticky so i just give it some WD now and then, but hasn't broken yet.

im a fan of the cable lock since you dont have to take the front wheel off to lock it with the back. and i can lock up to trees and stuff that are bigger around than a Ulock. carrying a ulock and a cable is silly in my opinion when the cable is going to be the weakest link and targeted first by a potential theif. just get a thick cable or chain.

ive poped a lot of both kinds (for others on campus, using a pair of bolt cutters), and trust me, how and where you lock up is much more important than what you lock up with.

my ex gf got a combo U lock. . . . seemed like a good idea, but its a pain to use in the dark, or if you lock it in a tight spot and the numbers are facing down.

i'd say key just for the simplicity.

I have used a bike pen to liberate many a bike

for whats safe, lock up in a public place where people are going to be looking at your bike all the time. no one will approach it if others would see them working.

lock up in a way that would make it hard to get at the lock with whatever tool. such as in a rack with other bikes, in some sort of tight place etc. pull the cable tight so that it cant be maneuvered into a position it could be cut in easier.

a bike where the public eye wont see it is a sitting duck, no matter how good the lock.

yes but if you lose the key.....youre screwed. or if someone steals your keys. then you have to lock up your keys with another key. unless someone tortures you for a combo, they will never open that lock. its a lot harder to forget a combo than lose a key. and if you write the combo down somewhere, they wont know what the number is for, and will ignore it. if its a key, they can find out...

Kryptonite and OnGuard both give you five keys (including one with a nifty little light,) when you buy one of their key locks. Also, if you register your lock online, not only do they reimburse you if your bike is stolen under lock, but they can also replace your keys if you lose them.

Buy key locks. No question.

thats pretty crazy. i guess people have seen everything on the streets of NYC so they are too jaded to notice?

however, it would still be even easier in less public spaces. at least as far as Gainesville goes, every theft ive heard of happened at night, locked up somewhere with few streetlights or passerby. come back in the morning and its gone type thing.

and even when i pop locks for other students its a lot like that, middle of the day lots of people, the owner is with me, but still no one asks or even looks. lucky the local thieves haven't become that brazen yet.

that video shows why its not worth commuting on a bike you care about.

I would say the cable lock/public space advice is bunk in any major city. I wouldn't use a cable for anything more than securing my front wheel or a seat. U lock or nyc forgetaboutit.

I've never lost a key.

ok, you can GUESS a combination?
are you ********? why would you go for a combo. it's four digits, there's a finite number of combos for it, and if someone has enough time they'll be able to get it.

as far as losing keys: i've lost two and had one break on me... i just keep extras in my bag, and whenever i lose one it's not too big a deal since i use two locks at the same time. what are the odds if someone finds a key they'll be able to guess what bike it belongs to.

Yeah I lost the last key to my cable lock so I had to hack saw through it. It was one of the thicker cable locks, though I don't think it took more then 10 minutes with a 6 dollar hack saw to get through, and with a shiny new pair of bolt cutters it couldn't have taken more then 5 seconds...

I'm running the Krytonite Mini Evolution now. My reasoning goes that smaller lock / less room for tools = harder to break. And the NYFU is so damn heavy it'd be the bane of every one of my bike rides.