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Permalink Reply by Gene Tenner on December 26, 2011 at 7:03am

Here is a good article from consumersearch.com "How to Buy a Bicycle Lock."

http://www.consumersearch.com/bicycle-locks/how-to-buy-a-bicycle-lock

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Permalink Reply by Kevin C Dormant on December 26, 2011 at 4:40pm

As promised (threatened), here’s a little something about evaluating locks. If you accept that locks are nothing more than time delay devices (I do) and that if someone really, really wants to steal your bike, they will (I do), then your job is to make the thief’s job more inconvenient, and accordingly, make your bike a less attractive target. I’m glad Martin Duke of Hazard weighed in on this thread. He probably has more experience cutting locks off bikes than anyone in Chicago who doesn’t steal bikes for a living.

 

There are a handful of manufacturers out there who sell high quality locks. I don’t endorse one over the other, and think if you invest the money in a top of the line lock from Abus, Giant, Kryptonite, or OnGuard, you’re taking a step in the right direction towards winning the race to outrun the bear. I happen to be more familiar with Kryptonite locks, and I have heard from Martin that he cuts more OnGuard U-locks off customers’ bikes than Kryptonite locks due to freezing up or broken keys, but am unsure if this factoid is related to manufacturing, maintenance or coincidence. 

 

If you’re only going to use one lock (and two are recommended) make it a U-lock. If it’s a Kryptonite U-lock, buy an orange one (Evolution 4) or a yellow one (NY series). If you are only going to use one U-lock (did I mention that two are recommended), make sure it has a double dead bolt locking mechanism. That means when you turn the key, bolts engage both sides of the shackle. You can tell whether your lock has a double dead bolt by notches on the shaft of the shackle, and the cross bar (where the key goes) has two bolts that engage those shackles (pictures below). Kryptonite also makes a U-lock with a “bent foot” design. It’s a single dead bolt, with the other side of the shackle curved for insertion into the cross bar. It was supposedly to make the locks more resistant to leverage attacks, but it’s a shoddy design compromise. The grey and the black Kryptonite U-locks, and of course, anything with a round key (if you can still find one) are all crap. Don’t buy one. If you have one, upgrade.

 

I evaluate the security of a locking job by the number of cuts it will take to steal the bike. It should take a minimum of two cuts to free your bike. Three is better. A double dead bolt mechanism requires two cuts, meaning they have to cut both sides of the shackle. A single dead bolt, bent foot lock only requires one cut, and trust me, if I know that the thieves know that. 

 

Martin also mentioned a chain and lock combo sold by Bike Registry. It’s a tremendous value for under $40, and seriously, it will scare most bike thieves away. Chains are a little bit more difficult to attack with cutting tools, the problem being that the links move around and make it more difficult to apply a cutting tool to the place you’re trying to cut. The determined thief would have to try to zip-tie a portion of your chain in place to try to keep it from squirming around under the rotating blade. The Bike Registry YouTube video shows the chain being defeated with a cutting torch, and we have yet to receive a CSBR report with the method of theft identified as an acetylene cutting torch.  The links on this chain are two-cut security and the Abus lock fits so securely that no lock shackle is exposed to cutting or prying tools.

 

The downside of the Bike Registry lock is that it weighs about six lbs. The people who I know who use one of these regularly, tend to leave it locked to a rack where they normally lock their commuter, and ride with a single U-lock. Carrying it around on a daily basis is more of a commitment than I’m willing to make.

 

I promised pictures, so here goes. The first is a bent foot shackle. The second is a shackle for a double deadbolt. The third is the monster Bike Registry chain.

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Permalink Reply by Kevin C Dormant on December 26, 2011 at 4:41pm

Shackle for double deadbolt.

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Permalink Reply by Kevin C Dormant on December 26, 2011 at 4:50pm

Bike Registry security chain and lock.

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Permalink Reply by El Dorado on December 27, 2011 at 2:19am

Thank you for the pics Kevin. I believe the Kryptonite orange & yellow level U-locks also use a better quality steel to help prevent cutting.

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Permalink Reply by rb on December 27, 2011 at 5:18am

this was very helpful, thanks for the discussion and the pics. I need to buy some new locks!

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Permalink Reply by Joe Studer 8.0 mi on December 27, 2011 at 6:17am

I actually carry this beast on a daily basis, worried that leaving it locked to the rack where I work (a square tubed city rack directly adjacent to Wacker Drive) would expose it to dirt and grime that would ultimately affect the lock's operation.  Am I overthinking this? 

That beast is heavy.

Kevin C said:

Bike Registry security chain and lock.

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Permalink Reply by Kevin C Dormant on December 27, 2011 at 6:32am

I overthink these things so you don't have to. I do worry about moisture getting into lock mechanisms and causing them to seize or fail. Maybe twice per winter, I put a drop or two of chain oil in the keyhole of my locks and onto the tumbler mechanisms of the lock, work the key and bolts around for a bit and then wipe off the excess. And I have also scoped out a covered area in the Loop where I am an unauthorized bike parker on rainy and snowy days.

This is a terrific security system, and if you are comfortable carrying it and using it on a daily basis, I predict your bike will never be stolen. I'd recommend everyone do the same, but I'm having a hard enough time getting people to carry more than one U-lock. (It apparently spoils the line and drape of their skinny jeans.)

Joe Studer said:

I actually carry this beast on a daily basis, worried that leaving it locked to the rack where I work (a square tubed city rack directly adjacent to Wacker Drive) would expose it to dirt and grime that would ultimately affect the lock's operation.  Am I overthinking this? 

That beast is heavy.

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Permalink Reply by Joe Studer 8.0 mi on December 27, 2011 at 6:37am

Too bad that all people don't recognize you for the sage you are.  Based upon earlier advice you gave, I pair the beast with a U lock.  I'm now going to test leaving both locks at the rack, and lighten my load by about 10 pounds.

We'll see what happens to the locks.

Kevin C said:

I overthink these things so you don't have to. I do worry about moisture getting into lock mechanisms and causing them to seize or fail. Maybe twice per winter, I put a drop or two of chain oil in the keyhole of my locks and onto the tumbler mechanisms of the lock, work the key and bolts around for a bit and then wipe off the excess.

This is a terrific security system, and if you are comfortable carrying it and using it on a daily basis, I predict your bike will never be stolen. I'd recommend everyone do the same, but I'm having a hard enough time getting people to carry more than one U-lock. (It apparently spoils the line and drape of their skinny jeans.)

Joe Studer said:

I actually carry this beast on a daily basis, worried that leaving it locked to the rack where I work (a square tubed city rack directly adjacent to Wacker Drive) would expose it to dirt and grime that would ultimately affect the lock's operation.  Am I overthinking this? 

That beast is heavy.

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Permalink Reply by Thunder Snow on December 27, 2011 at 7:41am

Just a hypothetical: say I'm a bike thief and I spot your chain hanging from a bike rack at 2:00 AM.  I peel back the nylon cover and make two cuts with my angle grinder in a middle link, almost but not quite through.  A police officer stops to see what I'm doing and I explain I've lost the key and I'm removing the chain, as I'm an upstanding citizen and hate to litter.  There's no bike in sight, there's no bike being stolen, so the officer can't do a thing and drives off.  Tomorrow, you lock up your bike with the compromised chain.  Shortly after I see you leave, I walk up and pull apart the almost-broken link with my bare hands and ride away.  Are you sure you want to leave your locks sitting unattended?

 
Joe Studer said:

I'm now going to test leaving both locks at the rack, and lighten my load by about 10 pounds.

We'll see what happens to the locks.

 

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Permalink Reply by Kevin C Dormant on December 27, 2011 at 8:27am

I think while possible, your hypothetical is not very probable. I'd be more concerned if we lived in a City where more people were aware and put some effort into locking their bikes. In Chicago, the problem is not legions of well-equipped, professional bike thieves trying to outsmart sophisticated locking methods. Here, the current state of bike security is that poorly locked bikes are plentiful. The level of effort you suggest is simply not warranted.

Thunder Snow said:

Just a hypothetical: say I'm a bike thief and I spot your chain hanging from a bike rack at 2:00 AM.  I peel back the nylon cover and make two cuts with my angle grinder in a middle link, almost but not quite through.  A police officer stops to see what I'm doing and I explain I've lost the key and I'm removing the chain, as I'm an upstanding citizen and hate to litter.  There's no bike in sight, there's no bike being stolen, so the officer can't do a thing and drives off.  Tomorrow, you lock up your bike with the compromised chain.  Shortly after I see you leave, I walk up and pull apart the almost-broken link with my bare hands and ride away.  Are you sure you want to leave your locks sitting unattended?

 
Joe Studer said:

I'm now going to test leaving both locks at the rack, and lighten my load by about 10 pounds.

We'll see what happens to the locks.

 

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Permalink Reply by Doug Haynes on December 27, 2011 at 8:33am

Like Kevin said this is possible but highly improbable; that is a very high level of effort for theft.  People steal stuff because they are trying to make money in manner easier than earning it.

Kevin C said:

I think while possible, your hypothetical is not very probable. I'd be more concerned if we lived in a City where more people were aware and put some effort into locking their bikes. In Chicago, the problem is not legions of well-equipped, professional bike thieves trying to outsmart sophisticated locking methods. Here, the current state of bike security is that poorly locked bikes are plentiful. The level of effort you suggest is simply not warranted.

Thunder Snow said:

Just a hypothetical: say I'm a bike thief and I spot your chain hanging from a bike rack at 2:00 AM.  I peel back the nylon cover and make two cuts with my angle grinder in a middle link, almost but not quite through.  A police officer stops to see what I'm doing and I explain I've lost the key and I'm removing the chain, as I'm an upstanding citizen and hate to litter.  There's no bike in sight, there's no bike being stolen, so the officer can't do a thing and drives off.  Tomorrow, you lock up your bike with the compromised chain.  Shortly after I see you leave, I walk up and pull apart the almost-broken link with my bare hands and ride away.  Are you sure you want to leave your locks sitting unattended?

 
Joe Studer said:

I'm now going to test leaving both locks at the rack, and lighten my load by about 10 pounds.

We'll see what happens to the locks.

 

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