Good D-Lock needed - budget £50. Any recommendations?

Adrianh

Hi,

I need a new D-lock for my new Specialized Allez 16-speeder (red). Ideally I want a medium-sized D-lock that isn't too heavy and that is easy to lock/unlock.

The Kryptonite locks seem to have a mixed reputation for ease of use. I've looked on CycleExpress but nothing yet has the right balance in terms of size/ease of use.

Any suggestions, please?

Many thanks

Adrian[/url]

Skeltron

I got a Kryptonite D lock with an extended cable, new, off eBay for £20. Best lock I've had to date. Beats the pile of #### that I got from Halfords years ago.

Surely something that is strong is going to be weighty? I personally wouldn't worry about the weight.

arthur_scrimshaw

Skeltron wrote:

I got a Kryptonite D lock with an extended cable, new, off eBay for £20. Best lock I've had to date. Beats the pile of #### that I got from Halfords years ago.

Surely something that is strong is going to be weighty? I personally wouldn't worry about the weight.

do they work on red bikes?

northstar

I have a abus lock similar to this one but not sure if it is mine as mine is a fair few years old:



It's quite lightweight, hardly notice it in my backpack when cycling. I wouldn't lock my road bike with it (or lock it anywhere come to think of it) but it's protected my mtb when i've locked it up.

sungod

lightweight locks are more vulnerable to being cut or jacked open, some older/cheap d locks can be broken as fast as a cable lock, i'm sure the thieves know the easy ones

this is a good source of up to date info on which locks work...

http://www.lfgss.com/thread17938.html


if it's just daytime use in benign areas then a kryptonite is fine, but you need to get one long enough to let you lock it to something, not sure what the ease of use issue would be, there's a key, turning it opens/closes the lock

get insurance too

i have a xena u lock, tougher than kryptonite, and it has an alarm, weighs a lot though

sam_m

I just got a Kryptonite Evo Mini - their second poshest mini lock.

It's still pretty weighty for such a small lock, and you need to find a proper skinny railing to lock to, as it's not big enough to go around a lamp-post. You can get a longer version, but whilst they're more convenient they're also easier to break.

Still, the places I leave my bike are pretty quiet anyway so it suits me fine. For city use I believe most people prefer the New York Fahgeddaboudit locks, although they're quite a bit heavier again.

Skeltron

I totally don't get the red bikes comment.... ?!

White Line

Skeltron wrote:

I totally don't get the red bikes comment.... ?!

SRAM Red makes it more likely to get nicked. :roll:

I use a Mini Evo when I go to uni. I get a nice tight fit with the seat stays, rear wheel, and pole/bike rack/fence. I should really get round to getting a cable lock for my front wheel too.

You'll only be using a lock when commuting anyway really. So don't worry too much about weight. You'll be weighed down with other stuff anyway. Usually when I'm in uni my bag weighs more than my bike and lock combined. :evil:

Bar Shaker

People who nick bikes will have no idea what SRAM Red is.

People who do know what it is are likely to be cyclists and I doubt you would get your bike nicked by a keen cyclist.

37monkey

White Line wrote:

Skeltron wrote:

I totally don't get the red bikes comment.... ?!

SRAM Red makes it more likely to get nicked. :roll:

I

was I being nerdy to instantly think it was a superman reference?

http://www.smbc-comics.com/index.php?db ... 1988#comic

nevman

Arthur Scrimshaw wrote:

Skeltron wrote:

I got a Kryptonite D lock with an extended cable, new, off eBay for £20. Best lock I've had to date. Beats the pile of #### that I got from Halfords years ago.

Surely something that is strong is going to be weighty? I personally wouldn't worry about the weight.

do they work on red bikes?

I totally got it

father_jack

Flex cables are better, as you can wrap them around. I've had a D-Lock in the past, much prefer the cables.

arthur_scrimshaw

nevman wrote:

Arthur Scrimshaw wrote:

Skeltron wrote:

I got a Kryptonite D lock with an extended cable, new, off eBay for £20. Best lock I've had to date. Beats the pile of #### that I got from Halfords years ago.

Surely something that is strong is going to be weighty? I personally wouldn't worry about the weight.

do they work on red bikes?

I totally got it

Thank god for that, sometimes I think my work on here is wasted!

sungod

Father Jack wrote:

Flex cables are better, as you can wrap them around. I've had a D-Lock in the past, much prefer the cables.

trouble is that thieving gits can cut them very fast - in a few seconds - and unobtrusively

my last bike was pinched that way, in broad daylight, in front of cctv and security guards

the chunky abus cable was about as effective as a piece of wet tissue paper would have been

the cables with steel tube segments protecting them are a bit tougher, but are much heavier and less flexy

sadly it's a choice between security and convenience

ride_whenever

Father Jack wrote:

Flex cables are better, as you can wrap them around. I've had a D-Lock in the past, much prefer the cables.

WRONG... there simply isn't a good cable on the market, they're very convenient, but universally rubbish. I have come across one that couldn't be done in with hand snips and a leatherman. (I work in a bike shop and we offer a lock removal service)

If you want flexible get a chain with >16mm links.

arthur_scrimshaw

Skeltron wrote:

I totally don't get the red bikes comment.... ?!

I was just referring to the totally redundant information the OP made about the colour of his bike in relation to his question.

as in "my new Specialized Allez 16-speeder (red)."

see, it's not funny now you've made me explain it!

freehub

Is the Kryptonite Evolution Series 4 lock good? I need one to lock my bike up in Salford which I hear is a shite hole and at 29 quid seems a good price?


http://www.fatbirds.co.uk/detail.asp/sk ... th_bracket

sws

This usually pops up during the Edinburgh Bicycle sale, £34.99 down to £19.99, save a fair bit on your £50 budget.

http://www.edinburghbicycle.com/ebwPNLq ... ct=c018202

MrChuck

Abus Granit x-plus. £50 might be stretching it though...

simon_e

freehub wrote:

Is the Kryptonite Evolution Series 4 lock good?

I'd suggest that it is. The Series 2 is a bit cheaper and only marginally less stout. I bought a Series 2 Std with long cable from Parker International for £20. It locks my SCR 2 or steel Kona MTB to a sheffield stands or signpost. The ATB version is the same spec but 2cm wider while the LS is 6cm longer.

You may also want to consider fitting allen key wheel skewers, Parker sell them too. Hmmm, where's my commission fee?

sam_m

freehub wrote:

I need one to lock my bike up in Salford which I hear is a shite hole

Where abouts in Salford?

soveda

When I commuted to Hackney/Tower Hamlets I used this:
Steel-o-flex

and an old trelock titan

My reasoning was that they need different tools to break and so will help deter casual thieves, from experience nothing will deter someone turning up with a van and making off with the whole row of bikes...

Oh, the bike wasn't touched despite being locked on the street in Hackney/Tower Hamlets for the 2 years I was commuting there.

father_jack

I've got this one

http://www.abus.de/us/main.asp?ScreenLa ... 3318051302

Got a Ming Tay just did a search apparently open in a minute :shock: will take a photo.

father_jack

Ollieda

As discussed in wills topic.....check whatever lock you want to use on sold secure http://www.soldsecure.com/ its the rating system that insurance companies use. Even if your not after insurance is a good basic guide to what locks are better than others, although its not a comprehensive list.

If there's a B&Q near you go and check out their masterlocks. There were a few sold secure gold level D locks going at my local store the other week in clearance for £10!!! Shame they were gone by the time pay day came around.

father_jack

Kryptonite New York M18
or
ABUS GRANIT EXTREME 59 180/260