Whether you ride to school, ride your bike down to the cafe, or you cycle to work every day, you are bound to need a premium quality bike lock. They ensure that your bike is safe from theft whilst you run your daily errands, providing peace of mind and security. There are a large variety of bike locks available on the market, making it near impossible to know which lock is going to best protect your bike. However, there are a few simple qualities to look for to ensure your pride and joy is secure and protected.
To help you find the best lock, I’ve partnered up with a few classic and innovative bike lock brands and done the research, testing, and reviewing for you. Now, there’s no more guesswork; you can simply pick the perfect lock and get back to riding!
Preventing Bike Theft
Bike thieves are a real menace to the most honest citizens. This is especially true in highly populated areas where driving isn’t practical. Not to mention it’s a hell of a sting to your heart when you choose to ride a bike to reduce your carbon footprint and then some jerk comes and steals it. I’ve been there.
Regardless, when I think back on how my bike got stolen, I often think of what I could have done more to prevent it. Often it is clearly up to bike owners to properly secure their bicycles to prevent theft. If you don’t have a bike locker, a garage, or other fully secured building where you live, work, or go to school, then it’s up to you to find a suitable bike lock for your situation.
To help you do that, I’ve even made it super easy for you. I’ll cover some more in-depth and actionable ways to keep your bike from being stolen, but let’s talk about locks for now. You must know your tools before you learn how to use them, right?
Best Bike Locks to Prevent Theft
Before I dive into specific locks, let’s take a look at the features you should consider before purchasing. Think about your needs, your finances, and your location. How will a lock help you? Where will you be parking? What time of day will you need to lock your bike up? All of this is important to choose the right bike lock.
What to look for in a bike lock
Weight:
One of the most important qualities you should consider in a bike lock is the weight. Generally, the heavier the lock, the tougher it will be for a thief to steal your bike. Before you go and buy the biggest, heaviest, behemoth bike lock you can find, be sure to consider how the weight of the lock will affect your ride. Heavier locks are often more cumbersome to transport. Adding to your overall weight will slow you down significantly. If you use your bike all the time and will be locking it up for hours at a time, unattended, go for a bigger lock.
If you’re only using your bike to duck into the coffee shop on the weekends, you might be able to afford to skimp on the weight of your lock for something lightweight and more convenient to use.
Material:
Traditional bike locks are usually constructed of chain covered by plastic tubing. However, there has been a flood of unique, high-tech bicycle locks hitting the market. Many companies are coating their locks with silicon or thread to prevent bicycle damage whilst also protecting your bike from theft. You should aim to purchase a bike lock made from hardened steel, or, if you leave your bicycle chained up for long periods of time, I recommend titanium. Both materials are impossible to cut by using bolt cutters. Unless your thief manages to use an angle grinder in the middle of a busy street, your bike should be relatively secure.
Style:
The most effective style of bicycle lock is a U-lock or D-lock. It’s a simple, rigid ring in the shape of a U or a D.Next is the chain lock, which is exactly what it sounds like. Not only are these locks made from material that is virtually unbreakable, they are also easy to use and can be adjusted to secure your bike to a range of anchors.
Other styles include cable locks, wheel locks, locking skewers, thread locks, disc rotor locks, and smart locks that use Bluetooth technology.
For as long as I have been cycling, I have gone through many different types of locks and own about 5 depending on my cycling needs. What it comes down to for me now are these three. Here are my go to locks.
Kryptonite New York Fahgettaboudit Bicycle U-Lock:
Kryptonite produces some of the most durable and sturdy bike locks available on the market. Made from hardened steel, the New York Fahgettaboudit U-lock boasts an 18mm max-performance steel shackle that is completely resistant to bolt cutters and leverage attacks. The Kryptonite Fahgettaboudit also features a high-security disc-style cylinder accompanied by a double-sleeved crossbar reinforced with hardened steel. Finished with a layer of protective vinyl coating, a sliding dust cover also prolongs the cylinder life, leaving you with one of the world’s most secure bike locks.
Personally, in the past I’ve used two of these u-locks for front and back wheel frame lock combo. Only downside is the amount of weight added when you’re riding or carrying them. This combo is great for when you need to shop, go to class, or have to lock up at the train and leave your bike for hours. Although kryptonite locks are expensive, investing in a good quality bicycle lock instead of a cheap cable lock will inevitably save you the cost of replacing your entire bike should it ever get stolen.
Ottolock Lightweight Lock
The OttoLock is a lightweight, flexible strap that’s compact and durable and works without a key. Right off the top the weight and size factor equals major convenience compared with a regular u-lock. Throwing this thing in a bag or putting in your jersey back pocket is never a problem. This isn’t to say the OttoLock is a replacement for a good u-lock. The latter still provides a much greater degree of protection from bike thieves. Even so, since standard cable locks are still a part of the bike security mix, the comparison is noteworthy.
The OttoLock weighs around 160 grams. That’s one-fifth the weight of a leading brand’s mini u-lock that weighs 980 grams. Since the OttoLock is basically a strap, it rolls up to around 2.5″ in diameter and about 0.5″ thick. Compare this with a mini u-lock which is approximately 6″ x 4″ by 0.75″. This means the OttoLock can end up in smaller pockets of storage and combined with it’s low weight means you can easily put it in your hoody or jersey pocket — none of which is possible with a u-lock.
The OttoLock is much more flexible whether I carry it on my body or on my bike. This is mainly due to the fact that it is a strap which means I can strap it to my bike or strap it around my saddlebag or use it’s provided rubber mount. I use this lock mainly for road cycling stops on solo or group rides (fits 2 bikes), to secure my bike on the train, bike camping, or for short errands. Tons of flexibility. I also love that it has no key. That’s one less thing to remember besides a combination number. Thumbs up on that feature.
Tex-Lock Textile Based Cable
Tex-Lock was recently gifted to me and it has made me a very happy cyclist with all it’s flexibility and utility. A flexible and lightweight cable lock that’s as secure as existing metal locks but at a fraction of the weight. Unlike existing locks that utilize metal as their core material, Tex-Lock uses a textile-based rope material that is manufactured in layers. There is a decorative shield on the outside that protects from water and fire, and it contains bolt cut-resistant layers.
Tex-Lock is secure, but its biggest benefit is that it is travel-friendly. The flexible cable can be coiled to fit into small bags, and pockets. It is also soft, which means it can dangle off your top tube or saddle and not scratch your bike or bruise your legs. The fabric rope is lightweight weighing no more than 350 grams (about 12 ounces) per meter, which is minuscule when compared to metal bicycle locks which can weigh over 4 pounds, depending on their construction. The mini u-lock is a bit hefty but does provide full lock coverage from the frame and front + back wheels (lighter than using 2 u-locks and more secure than a u-lock and cable combo).
Finding a strong and durable bike lock is imperative if you want to keep your bicycle secure and safe. Although a good-quality bike lock may seem pricey, the quality of the lock is unmatched, particularly compared to cheaper alternatives. Ultimately, a small investment into a good-quality bike lock now will save you thousands of dollars in the future and the grief of losing your prized possession.