Bike locks

[brewdexta]

The youngest got a decent bike for Christmas, about 750 quids worth. She wants to use it to got to school where they have a reasonably secure bike shed, but still needs locking. Plus she wants to be able to ride into town and do some shopping or visit her mates and not come back to shards of bike lock and no bike. Were not in an inner city, but there are the usual low life about.

Apart from teaching her how to lock it up properly, for example not just by the top tube, I'll need to get her a decent lock as a deterrent, Its her birthday soon so it will become part of that.

A decent relatively angle grinder resistant lock is about 150 quid (Litelok X1). I've looked at various on line reviews, gaztube etc. and have a reasonable view of what's out there, but you can't beat personal experience.

So anybody bought/used a decent bike lock recently and have opinions on them from practical experience?

Please don't post endless youtube vids unless its relevant to your personal experience, just clutters up the thread with stuff I can do outside the forum

Cheers
Andy

 

[Tangledfeet]

Has the bike got quick release axles, the front in particular? The lock you've mentioned should be able to lock the frame and the rear wheel in site but, ideally, you'd want to show her how to remove the front wheel and then lock it up with them - and ideally to something immobile.

My cycling is purely for fitness and getting outdoor so I don't have to worry about locking it up. If I take a bike on holiday it goes on a Thule rack mounted on the tow ball and besides the locks on the rack I also use a D-Lock and then a rubberised double loop steel cable looped in and out. If she doesn't want the faff of removing the front wheel, one of them might be a consideration?

Might it be worth considering getting a lock she can leave at school locked to somewhere in the bike shed at school?

 

[brewdexta]

Yes, quick release all round,

Its the bike lock itself I'm interested in. The school is lower risk, but leaving it in the town is much riskier.

I was one in a small village in Ireland with the university cycling team, near Waterford IIRC, we were locking our bikes up outside a pub. A lady asked why we were doing that for, if only.....

 

[RichardM]

For the motorbike, I've always had an Abus shackle.

When the wife took push bike training a few years ago (we were going to visit Vietnam but adopted a dog instead!), she was recommended to get a "Frame lock" type. Not the highest rating, but fit to the bike so it's always with you and not sitting in a drawer at home.

Frame Locks | Basic Protection for Your Bike | ABUS

Frame locks by ABUS offer a quick to use protection against bike theft. They can also be locked to a fixed object by means of chains or cables.

mobil.abus.com

 

[brewdexta]

The type I'm looking at are the grinder resistant type like this https://www.litelok.com/products/litelok-x1 but before I spend that kind of money I was hoping that somebody had something similar already,

Cables are ok for securing the front wheel to the bike but to secure the bike to the anchor/hoop/railing, not much good, too easy for bolt croppers. Yes, the could nick the front wheel but are less likely to risk it just for a wheel, but for a new bike....

 

[CompoSimmonite]

Maybe worth ensuring the bike is including on your home insurance or if not possible then separate cover just for the bike ?

 

[gaz1]

the only advice i can offer is go into town and have a look for a well camered bike area as this is the place she needs to use

alot of places are so poor they tend not to be used

its part of the reason i like the e scooter as folds up when not in use and is small enough to be in the corner even at the local office

an e bike is a different matter some areas have started to fit in bike units where people can lock them into a unit

 

[Stupoty]

Has the bike got quick release axles, the front in particular? The lock you've mentioned should be able to lock the frame and the rear wheel in site but, ideally, you'd want to show her how to remove the front wheel and then lock it up with them - and ideally to something immobile.

My cycling is purely for fitness and getting outdoor so I don't have to worry about locking it up. If I take a bike on holiday it goes on a Thule rack mounted on the tow ball and besides the locks on the rack I also use a D-Lock and then a rubberised double loop steel cable looped in and out. If she doesn't want the faff of removing the front wheel, one of them might be a consideration?

Might it be worth considering getting a lock she can leave at school locked to somewhere in the bike shed at school?

I've ended up myself using a second cable lock for the front wheel and looping it so it's attached to the D lock, keeps my hands that little less oily.
Loads of commuters leave their lock where they lock up at work to save carting it about.

Stu

 

[rcx132]

Is any lock angle grinder proof? I had the highest rated motorcycle lock and angle grinder went straight through it.

For locking bicycle wheels I use pin head axles which use a special key to undo the axles skewer:

 

[brewdexta]

Is any lock angle grinder proof? I had the highest rated motorcycle lock and angle grinder went straight through it.

The one I linked to has a ceramic coating that takes a few disks to get through, you can pay 150 quid more to get one that you have to cut twice and is more resistent but don't want to go that far.

 

[brewdexta]

Maybe worth ensuring the bike is including on your home insurance or if not possible then separate cover just for the bike ?

It's already on the policy

 

[rcx132]

The one I linked to has a ceramic coating that takes a few disks to get through, you can pay 150 quid more to get one that you have to cut twice and is more resistent but don't want to go that far.

Oh fab, I'll have a read on that.

There used to be a motorbike company that collected data on how thefts occur (I forget their name). They claimed that angle grinders are rarely used due to the attention they attract. When my motorcycle was stolen while fitted with a top lock, they used a hydraulic cutter !

 

[Gareth J]

A compromise between weight, security and price.

Keep it light and easy enough to use that it doesn't deter usage of the bike. There used to be a rule of thumb of at least 10% the value of the bike iirc. Sounds like you're into more than sensible security levels at £150.

One of the best bits of advice I had with my motorbike was to always park it somewhere differently and only overnight on street for one night somewhere.

People spot stuff that's regularly parked up and take advantage of known patterns. Obviously not that appropriate for the school but hopefully lower risk there

 

[RobCox]

A friend of mine had a theory (both of us being racing cyclists), that once you add the lock to the bicycle, they all weigh the same...

 

[brewdexta]

Oh fab, I'll have a read on that.

There used to be a motorbike company that collected data on how thefts occur (I forget their name). They claimed that angle grinders are rarely used due to the attention they attract. When my motorcycle was stolen while fitted with a top lock, they used a hydraulic cutter !

Here's a test of two grinder resistant locks https://thebestbikelock.com/best-u-lock/hiplok-d1000-vs-litelok-x1/

 

[Kram]

That litelok x1 looks quite vunerable in other ways, dont think it would need a grinder to open it! Same with most D locks.

No lock is grinder resistant. I once locked my key inside a locker, asked one of the staff and he had it off in seconds, he was using a diamond segment wheel of the sort I'd expect for concrete etc...
I did not expect the diamond wheel to cut metal quite so fast. It would have no problem with a y coatings.

I previously cut a motorcycle lock padlock with a plain 1mm cutting wheel and that took forever, wrong type of disc.

Abloy PL362 and a beefy chain

ABLOY 362 PROTEC2 High Security Steel Padlock With 2 keys | eBay

New never used.

www.ebay.co.uk

These locks are expensive but used by MOD and many end up on ebay. When buying one I would have it sent to another address just incase they have a spare key...
She will get strong legs carrying it around, might weigh more than the bike

 

[gaz1]

Oh fab, I'll have a read on that.

There used to be a motorbike company that collected data on how thefts occur (I forget their name). They claimed that angle grinders are rarely used due to the attention they attract. When my motorcycle was stolen while fitted with a top lock, they used a hydraulic cutter !

air tanks and a hydraulic unit is the one with no sound and fast and easy

 

[Maker]

Altor SAF is supposed to be grinder proof;




Personally I use a standard Kryptonite D lock, I don't worry about cordless angle grinder attack.

 

[Migmac]

That litelok x1 one looks decent. I’d just buy it. No lock is 100% secure but they are all visual deterrents.

The lock picking lawyer on youtube may have a video on bike locks

 

[Cobbler]

You only have to make it easier to steal someone else’s than yours. If they really want it, they will get it whatever you use.