(Part 3) Best bike u-locks according to redditors
We found 615 Reddit comments discussing the best bike u-locks. We ranked the 113 resulting products by number of redditors who mentioned them. Here are the products ranked 41-60. You can also go back to the previous section.
A lot of the bike thieves around here are usually just looking for a quick and easy $20 so don't think that a cable lock is good enough just because your bike isn't fancy. Most stolen bikes are not that fancy.
I've used my bike regularly on and around campus as my primary transportation for the past 3 years. Been using a U-lock around one wheel and the frame with a steel cable through the other wheel. Also have a small cable around my seat that I don't take off. Haven't had much trouble with theft aside from accidentally leaving my bike lights on overnight once or twice. The cable does becomes a hassle after a while though, so recently I've been using only the U-lock during class hours and keeping the cable in my backpack for nighttime or whenever I want the extra security.
I live about 2 miles off campus, and in the mornings I try to take the bus with my bike on front. For my route at least, I'm usually the only bike there, but occasionally it will be full. In that case I either bike to campus or wait for the next one if it's close enough. I haven't tried bringing my bike onto the bus, but I don't think it's allowed. If you have a car or access to one at home, you could leave your bike at a dorm or the racks by the Reitz bus stops and just bus to your bike without having to worry about the bike carrier being full.
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Here are your smile-ified links:
Kryptonite Evolution Lite
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^^i'm ^^a ^^friendly bot
Go to a bike store, I think all keyed Kryptonite bike locks are disc detainers.
edit: I believe this is their base model for under 25 bucks
second edit: here's a cheaper off brand one for under 15 bucks.
For your lock, defiantly get a U-lock. I currently have this lok and it works pretty well. If you want to go a step farther I recommend looking for a lock that come with a cable, so you can lock your wheels to your bike. Its not necessary, but defiantly something you should do if you go leave your bike on the rack when you go home for break or a weekend. I've lost two locks to winter so do your research.
At 3 miles, you could walk that in 45 minutes, so 15-30 minutes to ride each way depending on the hill. Good that you are planning it now, instead of waiting till later. I think the first thing you need is a feasible route. Perhaps you already do, but it is more pleasant to ride without a car behind one. So perhaps you can ride much of it on roads that are less busy and likely have a lower speed limit. Google Maps has a bicycle option so you could see what that suggests. When you get your bike (or if you can borrow one), ride the route early on a weekend morning. Check that there is someplace to lock the bike at/near the school, because you need to securely lock it. The lock deters a thief by making it more difficult, not impossible to take. The more expensive the bike looks, the more formidable the lock should look. If the front wheel has a quick-release skewer, you should secure it so something like or this
I strongly recommend a helmet. They all meet the same standards, so I buy less expensive.
There are lights that help make you visible and those that help you see the road as examples, but not recommendations.
You've thought about rain for your backpack, but you may want to consider for you too, because being soaking wet at school is no fun, rain jacket, rain pants and fenders. I have a pair of these which might be a good choice if you can carry other shoes to wear in school. Even without rain, it will seem colder when you are going downhill in the morning, so I use running gloves (full finger) some winter mornings. You can bundle up toasty warm for the mornings because you don't have to pedal that much, and then carry some of your clothes instead of wearing when you ride home, so I recommend a rack and a couple of bungee cords to help with that.
Since it is a walk-able distance, you should probably leave the water bottle, multi-tool, patch kit and pump at home on school days just to keep it simple and keep from losing those things. It probably makes sense to keep it minimal and cheap while starting out like this. If you get a floor pump with a gauge, you can use it to check the pressure once or twice a week and then learn how to feel the tires to see if they are firm enough. I've not found a mini-pump with a gauge that is universally regarded as reliable, so the pump I take with me has no gauge.
For your commute to school you shouldn't need to fuss with padded biking shorts or spandex shirts or even fingerless gloves. I rode quite a bit when I was your age without any of those. If you are looking at longer rides, then you might want to try some of those (no underwear under the biking shorts) to reduce chafing against the seat and wind resistance from floppy clothing.
I park inside at work, so I haven't really tested it well, but I bought this one: https://www.amazon.ca/gp/product/B008MZ0A3M/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o00_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1
Add a cable to go through the tires, and swap anything "quick release" (seat and front wheel) to NOT quick release. If you do ride in the winter, it's hard on a bike - it will probably need some work done by spring.
You can get a good u lock and cable for about $40 in the US. If you are not in a high theft area like New York City I would go with this lock and cable. https://www.amazon.com/Kryptonite-Kryptolok-Standard-Bicycle-FlexFrame/dp/B005YPK8G2 Or this one. https://www.amazon.com/OnGuard-Double-Team-PITBULL-U-Lock-Cable/dp/B005YPKBWI Lock the back wheel and frame with the u lock and the front wheel with the cable. The onguard locks are also a good deal. The higher security ones are relatively cheap compared to abus and kyrptonite, but they are heavy and probably overkill unless you are in a high theft area.
If you are in NY, SF, DC and you plan on locking it up unattended I would get two onguard brute locks, or two other locks that have to be cut twice. The locks are thick enough that an angle grinder or very large boltcutters are needed to break the lock. It would require a thief to use an angle grinder and cut at least 4 times to steal the bike. It is hard to get the right positioning to cut that many times and no one is going to that much trouble for a cheap hybrid bike when there are much easier and more valuable targets.
This is the best lock I’ve found:
Abus Granit 640 U-Lock, Black, 6" https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00N9E50IQ/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_qTXoDbYWY76J7
I’ve used it for about six years and it’s still good as new.
http://www.amazon.com/Kryptonite-Evolution-Bicycle-FlexFrame-3-25-Inch/dp/B005YPK9VQ/
http://www.amazon.com/OnGuard-Pitbull-U-Lock-4-Inch-9-06-Inch/dp/B005YPKBWI/
Both are good locks.
it was this lock
they took the main part of the lock, but left the snipped part. it also had a holster on the frame under the seat. thanks!
If you aren't going to bike in the winter, then an old road bike is definitely the better - not to mention much cooler looking - option. Simply because they are designed specifically for riding on pavement.
If you want to try riding in the winter, then you need a bike that can accommodate bigger, knobby tires, which very few road bikes can do. So I would definitely go for a mountain bike in that case. A mountain bike is fine for riding on the road for simple commuting purposes, even better if you get some more pavement appropriate tires like I mentioned.
As far as locks go I use this to lock my frame and front wheel to the bike rack/railing/whatever and I use this to secure my back wheel to the seat tube of my frame. Good bike locks are expensive, but it's worth the investment. I know the locks I suggested are going to add up to be almost as expensive as your bike, so feel free to look at similar options that might be a little easier on your wallet. College campuses tend to be VERY high bike theft areas so that's something to consider. I'm super paranoid about locking my bike up while I'm in class and always bring my bikes into my apartment when I'm home for the night simply because a determined thief with an angle grinder can get through any bike lock in a matter of seconds or minutes. It's really all about deterrence, making your bike a less attractive target than the bikes parked next to it. Once it's dark out and there's nobody around, the deterrence factor goes way down no matter how many high grade locks you use.
And no problem man, I'm always happy to help anybody get on a bike and start riding. Happy, safe riding man. Feel free to keep asking question if you have any.
Yep, pretty much.
https://www.amazon.com/Abus-Granit-Extreme-U-Lock-16mm/dp/B000OYHNU2
I've got one of these and I like it a lot. It's one of the smallest ones so it won't work for more than one bike and sometimes is a pain with really large bike racks but the size fits perfectly in a jeans back pocket. I definitely wouldn't want anything heavier to carry in my backpack to and from class.
C'est vrai ? Je l'ai vu sur Amazon France et le nom de la personne me paraissait français.
https://www.amazon.fr/Kryptonite-S%C3%A9rie-Mini-7-Antivol-Blanc/dp/B00LOABKFO/ref=sr_1_11?s=sports&ie=UTF8&qid=1523176326&sr=1-11&keywords=kryptonite+antivol
I think where you live and where you leave the bike has an effect. I'm in Rochester and most of the other bikes I see around are locked up with cheap cables, especially at RIT. Those wouldn't last a second in NYC, but it makes me more comfortable with a reasonably strong U-lock (though not as tough as the Fahgettaboutit). I don't use locking skewers myself but I've heard good things over at bikeforums.net and I have considered picking some up. I tether my saddle and rear wheel with a cable when I leave my bike in less safe areas but it would be convenient to only have to worry about locking the frame.
I have the Trek-branded version of this lock:
http://www.amazon.com/Kryptonite-Kryptolok-Standard-Bicycle-U-Lock/dp/B000LPEXDO/ref=sr_1_6?ie=UTF8&s=sporting-goods&qid=1247973444&sr=8-6
You certainly wouldn't go wrong with the lock you suggested, I got this when I was riding a cheaper bike than I am now and as I said in generally low risk areas.
I think the most important things are to use a lock greater or equal to the typical lock for your area and have decent locking technique.
Also, if you have a decent bike, don't cheap out on the u-lock. Bolt cutters can still cut through most cheaper u-locks. I use one of these. Someone tried to cut through my lock a few months ago while I was on campus. I found shards of metal(from the bolt cutters) embedded in the rubber protective coating on the lock, but no damage done to the actual lock itself.
That's awesome!
Yes, I live, work, and go to school in a high-crime area, so I (lovingly) laughed at and returned the flimsy lock my dad gave me and bought this one on Amazon. The only problem is that I live in a very snowy area currently, so I can't ride if it's snowed in the last 24 hours, which is why it's taken me so long to even try to ride it. Looking forward to spring! :)
This is more of a home lock than a travel lock, that being said when I've travelled with it I wrapped it with an old tee shirt and put it in a sissy bar bag. The weight shift was interesting on the first turn. :)
ed: I also have a Kryptonite New York Bicycle Disc Lock which I mentioned earlier but didn't link to. This is what I use for travel around, it has a bright yellow disc lock reminder cord that is visible to you so you don't drive with it on and visible for passers-by so they hopefully passby.
http://www.amazon.com/Kryptonite-Kryptolok-Bicycle-FlexFrame-11-5-Inch/dp/B005YPK8NU/ref=sr_1_14?s=cycling&ie=UTF8&qid=1420678823&sr=1-14
https://www.amazon.ca/gp/aw/d/B00MJYQIOC/ref=mp_s_a_1_5?ie=UTF8&qid=1501100381&sr=8-5&pi=AC_SX236_SY340_FMwebp_QL65&keywords=u+lock&dpPl=1&dpID=41JPHf51QAL&ref=plSrch what do you guys think of Diamondback Holmes U-Lock with Cable Bicycle Lock Set, Black?
Just had my bike stolen last weekend; they cut the cable lock I had. I am now the proud owner of a $40 U-Bar lock
I'm using a mid-level U-lock currently
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00LOABKJA/ref=oh_aui_search_detailpage?ie=UTF8&psc=1
Maybe what I'll do is fix up the old bike (Giant OCR 2 road bike from 2003) with some non-high end wheels / tires / cogs. It's a decent looking road bike, but definitely not as good looking as the new black Breezer I'm getting. It could be my "beater" for when I need to lock up in less-than-ideal areas.
A friend showed me sites where I can order parts directly. Is that the best cheap option for getting that one operational again? Any places for getting used road wheels / etc?
For the best security I always prefer ulocks over chains. I have this ulock that the length makes it easy to catch the frame a wheel and the post. http://www.amazon.com/OnGuard-Pitbull-U-Lock-Black-9-06-Inch/dp/B008MZ0A3M/ref=sr_1_2?s=sporting-goods&ie=UTF8&qid=1380667120&sr=1-2&keywords=OnGuard+Brute+STD
But if you're not too concerned about security then you're linked chain lock seems like a fine choice.
Thanks for the recommendation, I've heard of that lock. This is what I have: http://www.amazon.com/Guard-Bulldog-Mini-Lock-5015/dp/B004S55H7O and I'm aware of this locking method:
http://www.sheldonbrown.com/lock-strategy.html
My saddle is fairly basic, so not too worried. Are shifters and derailleurs fairly secure?
Sorry, I meat the width of the shackle itself.
Compare the following:
$100 is probably overkill. https://www.amazon.ca/gp/aw/d/B00LOABKFO/ is 50 bucks with tax, and that will stop anything short of an angle grinder.
http://thesweethome.com/reviews/best-bike-lock/ is a great read.
I got one of these and it's loop is big enough to fit over the chain, but that's assuming there's a hole in the sprocket that it can also fit through.
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0030LVA28/
I would agree about Bell, but for your 5 minute errands this really is great. The smaller size of the Catalyst one I have makes it harder to break, and easier to carry, I definitely still recommend it for a daily carry. If I leave my bike for longer downtown I use this and a cable lock, mainly hoping a thief would take one look at everything and decide its not worth it. I have an expensive Kryptonite ulock with a fancy glow-key, but after less than a year of use the mechanism failed and the keys can no longer turn it, I feel it was a waste of money on something I should have just spent $11 on.
some good options to consider are these:
1: [Alarm Disc Lock] (https://www.amazon.com/dp/B074M61FWH/_encoding=UTF8?coliid=I2YKSPYCUB2K3&colid=R1FSNPORC4DP&psc=0) even though it says 'for motorcycles' it will work on a bike,
2: and this mega [heavy duty chain] (https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B001KQ5ZRG/ref=oh_aui_search_detailpage?ie=UTF8&psc=1)
3: and this lock, which I don't have experience with, has the highest rating from a recent review of the top locks [Abus Granit Extreme 59 U-Lock, 10"/16mm] (https://www.amazon.com/dp/B000OYHNU2/_encoding=UTF8?coliid=I324LTWE3EAZZ4&colid=R1FSNPORC4DP&psc=1)
I'm thinking of getting https://www.amazon.com/Kryptonite-Evolution-Bicycle-Disc-Black/dp/B0030LVA28/ref=sr_1_7?keywords=small+bike+lock&qid=1565625543&s=sporting-goods&sr=1-7
Any thoughts on the Cocoweb ArmBar Bike U-Lock, currently Amazon’s choice for bike locks? 14 mm heated alloy steel shackle. Disc cylinder system using flat keys. Looks solid to me. But fairly cheap.
It's been a pretty long time ago I've forgotten which model (I think this one), but there was a design flaw with the lock where if you didn't perfectly line up some of the top U structure with the lock (way too much tolerances), you couldn't unlock the bike.
You could brute-force it sometimes to get the lock to unlock.... of course, until you brute-force it too much that the key snapped in half.
I don't have this problem with my newer (6-year old) On Guard lock. I agree it's bulky, but it works exactly as it should.
Use a nice hefty U lock that needs to be cut twice (or bent after cutting once) to open and a cable to secure the front wheel, seat, rack, etc...
I like my on-guard lock.
Which one was it?
Full+cable $32.00 free shipping
Mini+Cable $30.00 Free shipping
/r/bicycling and /r/whichbike should be able to help.
Don't buy a department store bike unless you want it to fall apart in 3 weeks.
Get a good bike lock for your next bike. Cable locks can all be cut with bolt cutters in 5 seconds. You need a U-lock; something like this at minimum, this is better, and I have this which is one of the best locks available. Learn how to use your bike lock properly.
I use a Kryptonite mini D lock - www.amazon.co.uk/Kryptonite-York-Liberty-Disc-Lock/dp/B000GVFLIO
Very solid and heavy little fellow with good security ratings. I have a high-end chain, but don't use it unless in risky situations. Just whack the d lock through the disk - both legs passing through the disk. If I need to replace it, I'll probably get the Pramasis DIB lock - seems equal or better and same price roughly, and Pragmasis is the top name nowadays.
Main thing is, get a proper quality lock. Thieves recognise cheap crap, and they recognise proper kit that's going to cause them exposure and delay. If money's tight, better to put a high quality padlock through the rear sprocket (eg https://www.amazon.co.uk/ABUS-24673-Titalium-Monobloc-Padlock/dp/B00NGOQEY8/) than rely on Chinese pot-metal rubbish.
Good choice on the single speed bike, very utilitarian. There's a little too much chain slack in this picture though, you'll want to tighten that a little so you don't drop your chain. If you've got hills and it gets too hard to pedal, consider getting some foot retention or consider lowering your gear ratio by getting a slightly smaller chainring. Like others have said, definitely ditch the cable lock and get a U-Lock. I carry mine in a belt holster for convenience, it makes the bike feel much lighter than when you mount it to the frame. Other than that leave a spare change of clothes (including shoes and everything!) at work for peace of mind and don't overthink it, do everything you can to make sure it stays fun!
This one. Seems like several people said they had theirs stolen with it, guess it was just a crappy lock.
Here are some links for the product in the above comment for different countries:
Link: (I think this one)
|Country|Link|
|:-----------|:------------|
|UK|amazon.co.uk|
|Spain|amazon.es|
|France|amazon.fr|
|Germany|amazon.de|
|Japan|amazon.co.jp|
|Canada|amazon.ca|
|Italy|amazon.it|
This bot is currently in testing so let me know what you think by voting (or commenting).