Bicycle Locks
Types of Bike Locks
Cable Lock Cable locks are made of plastic coated woven strand steel cable, and come in a variety of thicknesses and lengths. They are good protection against grab and go thieves, but even heavy ones won't last long against a cable cutter, so they're useless in high crime areas. One advantage is that they can be slipped through helmets, bags, wheels and other accessories likely to be snatched. Another is their relatively light weight and ease of carrying.
Chain Locks Chain locks are lengths of steel links, usually protected with a rubber cover, and come in a variety of thicknesses and lengths.
They are heavier than cable (as much as 10 lbs.), therefore generally safer (and heavier and more awkward to carry). Both their weight and thickness preclude using them to lock helmets, bags and other accessories to the frame.
U-Lock These offer the maximum protection with existing technology, 
but they are heavy (4-8 lbs.) and awkward to carry. Also, they are made for urban riding and fit around parking meter poles and bike racks well, but are not flexible enough to fit trees or other non-standard structures you might find on tour.
Within this category there are varying levels of protection - an OnGuard Bulldog Mini U-lock, for example, is lighter, cheaper and great against manual attacks, but won't survive power tools. The Kryptonite Fahgettaboudit® U-lock, on the other hand, is heavy and expensive but virtually indestructable, even with power tools. Double bolt construction is better than single bolt. Hardened steel is better than non-hardened steel.
What Kind Of Lock Do You Need?
The three basic types of bike locks on the market today all have advantages and drawbacks. You should consider carefully the kind of riding you'll be doing and where you'll be doing it before you purchase. A good strategy is to use more than one kind of lock. For example, a U-lock or short heavy chain for the frame and a longer, lighter cable for accessories (and frame). Multiple locks tend to discourage thieves due to the extra time needed to disable them.
How To Buy A Lock
The quality of locks varies widely, even among products of the same company, even if that company is a name brand. And while there is a general correlation between price and quality, this is not universal. Your local bike shop can give you good advice on which locks are best.
Buy a known brand Not because their locks are necessarily any better, but because you can more easily Google the products for reviews.
Understand the level of risk If you're going to use the bike to go grocery shopping in a relatively safe neighborhood, you'll need to protect yourself primarily from the grab and go thief. This means you can probably get away with a relatively light cable lock. After all, the black market in hot bikes in the Toledo area is not great. However, if you plan to tour, you'll want better protection, because you don't want to find yourself without a ride in the middle of East Podunk. Also, you'll want to invest more in protecting a $2500 racer than a $300 hybrid.
If you want to know how good a lock is, look for the manufacturer's theft protection warranty. The greater the warranty, the better the lock. It's also cheap insurance.
Guidelines for Locking Your Bike
1)
Lock your frame and both wheels to a fixed, immovable object like a parking meter or permanent bike rack. Be careful not to lock to items that can be easily cut, broken or removed like a chain link fence (yes, thieves are that creative). Be careful that your bike can't be lifted over the top of the object you've locked it to, like a sign.
2)
Lock in a location where there are other bikes. The chances are pretty good that there will be a bike with less security, or no security, right near yours. Thieves will go for the easiest target every time.
3)
When using a U-lock, position your bike frame and wheels so that you fill or take up as much of the open space within the U-portion of the lock as possible. The tighter the lock up the harder it is for a thief to use tools to attack and twist your lock.
4)
Always position your U-lock with the keyway facing down towards the ground, but not close to the ground. Locks on the ground are more easily leveraged for attack.
5)
Always secure your components and accessories with a secondary cable lock. This includes quick-release components.
6)
Don't lock your bike to itself by simply locking the front wheel to the frame. A bike 'locked' like this can easily be lifted and carried away.
7)
A thief may notice a pattern and target your bike if you lock in the same location all the time. Mix up the locations a little bit, especially if you are a commuter.
8)
Check with area law enforcement agencies and read all signs in the area before locking your bike. Don't lock to anything illegal.
9)
Always check your lock before leaving your bike to be sure you have secured it properly.
Disincentivize Theft
1) Many commuters and tourists "dress down" their bikes by giving them an intentionally ugly paint job or wrapping duct tape around the tubes to make it appear damaged.
2) Make your bike look tough to steal with multiple lock systems.
3) Lock in a well-lighted area with a lot of foot traffic.
| Abus Locks Kryptonite Locks OnGuard Locks Master Lock |
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 © 2010 | 2011 Bob Beach |
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