Best Bike Locks?
Alright, so my bike got stolen two days ago securely locked with an on-guard u-lock. It's likely that they used a cordless electric saw to cut through it, although nothing was left to verify. My question is, is there any lock that can't be cut by one of these saws? I know a lot of people use the heavy duty chain locks, but are these any more secure?
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Replies to This Discussion
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Permalink Reply by Doug Haynes on
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I'm going to second this and say it is some of the best advice here; I have a bike I will ride and leave anywhere and a couple that I will never leave out overnight or lock up for extended periods. My 'everyday' bike is the one I put stickers on, neglect and rarely clean. This is not to say it is a crappy bike, it just rarely looks the part and as of last week it has been untouched three times when bikes locked near it got stolen or had parts stolen and in two of those cases the parts or bikes stolen were not as nice as mine and in one case secured better.
I think there is a lesson in there...
Bikefreeek said:Really the best security is to ride a bike that thieves aren't interested in. An old beat up looking bike is the best security to have. That's not to say that your bike has to be old and beat up, but if it looks that way...
I know that for many (myself included) their bike is a very important part of their personal style or fashion. Many people would rather ride in style with the risk of theft rather than ride a bum bike. But hey, save your show pony for the Sunday trot through the park (or Tuesday night TnD) and ride your work horse to the job.
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Permalink Reply by Michael Millican on
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Thanks for all the comments today, I figured that a grinder could cut through just about anything, but figured I would ask the forum for some input. The bike also had locking wheel skewers, are those easy to break? If not the first flat they get is going to be quite a pain.
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Permalink Reply by A.K.A Paul on
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I like to think of it as more a theft deterrent strategy than just a lock. My strategy is multiple levels of security as a deterrent. I figure that if these thieves wanted to work hard they wouldn’t be thieving for a living, so they could work less at stealing the bike next to mine than mine.
The first level is the stickers...Lots of stickers all over the bike. The thief knows that they aren’t going to get jack for my bike with all the stickers vs the bike next to mine with the nice shiny Trek emblems and the cheaper brand U lock. My theory is that the thieves are driving the streets looking for bikes to steal. If they can see my bike with the stickers from behind the wheel of a car, they'll keep driving to the next shiny new bike to steal. I've heard the cheaper brand U locks can be cut with bolt cutters, which is what I also have heard is the tool of choice for bike thieves.
Also, I use a Kryptonite NY Fahgettaboutit U lock and a smaller Kryptonite U lock and a combination lock/ cable for my front wheel. I have locking skewers for both wheels and the seat post. I also never leave my bike locked outside overnight.
I once heard a story about Walter Payton camping with a friend. In the middle of the night, from inside their tent, they heard a bear grumbling around in their camp.
First thing WP did was put on his running shoes. His friend chuckled and whispered "Walter, you may be the fastest man in football but you cant outrun a bear."
To which Walter Payton whispered back " I dont have to outrun the bear, I just have to out run you."
My locks dont have to be theft proof, they just have to be more difficult than the bike next to me.
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Permalink Reply by Bailey Gene Newbrey on
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I will not say what it is because I don't want this to become public knowledge, but there is a cheap tool that easily removes locking skewers. Unfortunately nothing is theft proof.
Michael Millican said:Thanks for all the comments today, I figured that a grinder could cut through just about anything, but figured I would ask the forum for some input. The bike also had locking wheel skewers, are those easy to break? If not the first flat they get is going to be quite a pain.
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I know...That's why I lock them with locks as well.
Bailey Gene Newbrey said:I will not say what it is because I don't want this to become public knowledge, but there is a cheap tool that easily removes locking skewers. Unfortunately nothing is theft proof.
Michael Millican said:Thanks for all the comments today, I figured that a grinder could cut through just about anything, but figured I would ask the forum for some input. The bike also had locking wheel skewers, are those easy to break? If not the first flat they get is going to be quite a pain.
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Permalink Reply by Far'arned Retrogrumpalunkus #63 on
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As many have said, no lock is invincible. But some are better than others.
You said it was an OnGuard but which model was it? If it was a BullDog then it can probably be cut with just a bolt-cutter. Up one level from the BullDog junk kiddie-bike lock is the PitBull but it's still fairly wimpy IMHO compared to the top-level Brute series. The difference between the PitBull and Brute is that the shackle is 18mm for the Brute over the thinner 13mm of the PitBull (the BullDog is only 11mm at the face of the locking mechanism and only has a double-bolt rather than a 4-way locking mechanism.
Any of these can be cut by someone with the right tools but the Brute will take quite a bit longer to defeat. 2 Brutes will take twice again as long. Most thieves will move onto better/easier targets unless your bike is so valuable to them for resale that they will take special interest in it. Stickers and other things that lower its resale value quite a bit -especially when many of those stickers are the registration numbers from a site like http://www.bikeregistry.com
No lock is safe from a well-equipped thief.
Watch a ReBar cutter take out 3/4" hardened Rebar in 3 seconds on youtube:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pcYsbCwxBZQ
A top of the line U-lock wouldn't fare any better. A cheap pair of bolt-cutters will defeat most locks used on bikes (junky cables and ordinary padlocks) Bigger bolt-cutters will cut a low-end U-lock. But it takes an angle grinder (and more time) to cut through a heavy high-end U-lock. And if you leave a $1500 bike sitting out overnight then they will pay off their expensive lock-defeating tools in one hit.
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Permalink Reply by Allen Wrench on
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Why doesn't anyone in Chicago sell bulk armored chain like the www.Bikeregistry.com site? That, wrapped up in nylon rock climbing tube, and a good monoblock padlock equals the zillion dollar Kryptonite etc offerings and it's a lot cheaper. Any bike shops willing to bite?
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Permalink Reply by h' Zerocats on
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Not Nathan Fillion (aka Paul) said:I know...That's why I lock them with locks as well.
Bailey Gene Newbrey said:I will not say what it is because I don't want this to become public knowledge, but there is a cheap tool that easily removes locking skewers. Unfortunately nothing is theft proof.
Michael Millican said:Thanks for all the comments today, I figured that a grinder could cut through just about anything, but figured I would ask the forum for some input. The bike also had locking wheel skewers, are those easy to break? If not the first flat they get is going to be quite a pain.
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So i just took a look at the chain locks on bikeregistry.com and they are considerable cheaper than similar locks. Any reasons why?
Allen Wrench said:Why doesn't anyone in Chicago sell bulk armored chain like the www.Bikeregistry.com site? That, wrapped up in nylon rock climbing tube, and a good monoblock padlock equals the zillion dollar Kryptonite etc offerings and it's a lot cheaper. Any bike shops willing to bite?
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It's the same chain I'm pretty sure - a Kryptonite chain I have is stamped made in Italy and the Austrian company PEWAG is a name I've heard before - but I guess it's cheaper because it's cut to order off a big roll and not sold for (much) profit? Though their padlocks are good, I'd go for the one that's more money on their site or find my own instead of taking the brass one. They also sell long lengths of that chain for running across your garage or whatever and bolting to the floor. But I'd like it if someone here in Chicago did the same thing.
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Permalink Reply by Jin Kim on
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No it's not the same. Kryptonite chains are hexagonal and are 1/2" thick. The other chain is trapezoidal and 3/8" thick.
Allen Keys said:It's the same chain I'm pretty sure - a Kryptonite chain I have is stamped made in Italy and the Austrian company PEWAG is a name I've heard before - but I guess it's cheaper because it's cut to order off a big roll and not sold for (much) profit? Though their padlocks are good, I'd go for the one that's more money on their site or find my own instead of taking the brass one. They also sell long lengths of that chain for running across your garage or whatever and bolting to the floor. But I'd like it if someone here in Chicago did the same thing.
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Well, depends on the Kryptonite chain, doesn't it? I have square and hexagonal Kryptonite chains in a couple of different thicknesses, and they changed the gauge of the New York chain last year too. I think this one is the same as the regular, rectangular Kryptonite chain. In any case, it's better than anything from the hardware store, and it's a second best to just keeping your bike with you anyway. It'll beat bolt cutters.
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