Which bike lock?

iskander

I know, it is a silly question and I know it is safest not to leave it out at all, but could you recommend any bike locks?
That being said, I had my bike nicked a month ago.
Do you think this is true: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zvfj4D8yUXw ?

Where are my stabilisers?

Most probably the vid is true, but the lock isn't that great either - in fact to save messing with the combo he should have just cut through the thing!

What was reccommended in MBUK Dec 2008 was - Flat key (not round) U-locks. Not cable or chain locks and the more expensive the better. There was also a link to a buyers guide - www.bikeradar.com/bikelocks.

How much you spend depends on how much you've got, but the more expensive your bike is, the more you probably should spend!

Ok, so the link doesn't seem to work, but if you go to bikes and gear, then to buying guides, you'll find it.

iskander

sounds good! thanks

JxL

I bought a Kryptonite Evo 4 (?) U lock from ebay, it was around £35 which I thought was a bargain. It comes with £1000 free insurance for a year and has updated flat key (not round one which could be opened with bic pen). RRP are usually quite a big more for these!

Abus locks are also great.

The Northern Monkey

which ever comes with a rottweiler attached

Seriously tho, the kryptonite fagehtaboudit (sp) is probably the strongest lock you'll find. However I refuse to lock my bike outside anymore.

nozzac

I heard the Kryponite Evolution locks didn;t do very well at all in tests - opened by simple manual force within seconds.

According to my research the cheapest good U lock is the Onguard Bulldog Mini SL. However the mechanism fixing it to the bike is pretty shoddy - my wife broke hers 2nd time out.

JxL

NozzaC wrote:

I heard the Kryponite Evolution locks didn;t do very well at all in tests - opened by simple manual force within seconds.

I would like to see a link, one thing I remember was having a Gold award for some test, and good reviews overall.

Uncle Peter

These are apparently the best locks you can get for bikes if you're leaving it for any length of time - at work or at home.

http://www.almax-security-chains.co.uk/ofcmje75/All-Products/c-1-73/

They're good against protable bolt croppers and hand held jacks, you need to read the website bumf for all the details, I think there're links to Youtube footage of them being independently tested too by motorbike magazines.

Northwind

Good quality u-lock is always the way to go IMO, cables aren't as strong and chains are too much of a hassle (since to give a big benefit over a good u-lock, you're looking at a 16mm link). But I don't know which of the various U-locks is best. The video will be 100% true but are you seriously going to use a lock like that? It looks like it came out of a cracker. And not a good cracker either, a poundstretcher one. As someone else said, it'd still be faster to clip the chain.

Oh, on teh subject of keys, round locks are now practically extinct, don't lump half-round keys (crescents) in with that though as a good crescent lock is harder to compromise than a good flat. Our locksmiths got a bit upset when someone broke a key in one of the abloy crescent locks we used in the bank I used to work in, they didn't even bother trying to pick it, just turned up with the cutting torch

iskander

bigbenj_08 wrote:

However I refuse to lock my bike outside anymore.

I thought so too (this is the second time I have my bike stolen), but in practice you can't really do that. You will eventually ride your bike to the local shop or maybe, on the way back from a nice ride, stop at the pub to have a pint.

I see some good suggestions here, I will follow up.
I hate mounting the lock to the bike though so even though I never had one I imagine the U shaped locks are inconvenient to carry. Could anybody confirm this?
Also, what about the wheels? mine are quickrelease

JxL

iskander wrote:

Also, what about the wheels? mine are quickrelease

Usually you would take the wheels off and also lock them up (with the same lock), or otherwise if used a U lock, get a longer cable for the wheels, and connect it to the u lock.

Daz555

Any sort of lock that I'd trust to secure my mtb would be too heavy to carry on a ride so I just don't see the point. Decent lock for the shed or garage or bike carrier, but I'd never leave my bike when out and about.

If you have say 50 notes to spend on a lock then instead just go out and get a cheap but perfectly running hack and a cheap lock for it. That way you can happily ride it down to work/shops/pub/whatever and not give a monkeys about what happens to it - chances are no-one will want to nick it anyway.

iskander

I guess that makes sense.
what do you guys think of bike insurance? I find it somehow revolting, a bit like protection tax - money that I shouldn't have to pay - but I am considering it now.

Daz555

I added the insurance for my FSRxc onto my home contents policy - cost about £2.50 a month extra as I recall.

nozzac

JxL wrote:

NozzaC wrote:

I heard the Kryponite Evolution locks didn;t do very well at all in tests - opened by simple manual force within seconds.

I would like to see a link, one thing I remember was having a Gold award for some test, and good reviews overall.

http://www.bikeforums.net/archive/index ... 01597.html