The 20 Best Bike Locks for Security in Every Scenario
The 20 Best Bike Locks for Security in Every Scenario
In five minutes' time, you can order a coffee, check your email, politely glance at the other café-goers, receive said coffee, and return to where you left your unlocked bike, which was stolen four minutes ago. The good news is bike thieves are criminals of opportunity, so you can decrease your risk by locking up more intelligently than the next cyclist.
A thief with the right tools can defeat any bike lock in five minutes, but that doesn’t mean all locks are created equal: The crook will raise hell cutting through a hardened-steel U-lock or chain with an angle grinder, so he or she is more likely to go after a cheaper, lightweight cable lock with a set of bolt cutters. To decide how much security you need, consider your location and duration of lockup. Check out these for securing your bike and shackling down some peace of mind.
1) Kryptonite New York
Kryptonite
amazon.com
$114.98
Weight: 4 lb. | Frame mount? Yes | Locking mechanism: Disc detainer
The company will replace your bike (up to $4,000) if it’s stolen because the lock was compromised in Manhattan, where thousands of bikes are stolen each year. The u-lock has a 16mm hardened steel shackle and uses a pass-through crossbar design to prevent twisting attacks, forcing thieves to cut the shackle twice to compromise the lock. The included mounting bracket uses a nylon strap to affix to the frame rather than going through the bottle bosses, a design that increases available mounting positions.
2) OnGuard Brute STD 8001
ONGUARD
amazon.com
$50.09
Weight: 1.7 lb. | Frame mount? No | Locking mechanism: Slider
The OnGuard Brute LS presents a square-shaped shackle that widens the diameter of available lock-up poles. The shackle is 111mm x 260mm of hardened steel, and the key hole closes automatically to keep the elements out.
3) Hiplok DX
Hiplok
amazon.com
$89.99
Weight: 2.4 lb. | Frame mount? No | Locking mechanism: Pin tumbler
Hiplok reimagined the U-lock with a crucial addition: a clip. With it, the lock slides onto your waistband and isn’t annoying to ride with, so long as you have a tight enough waistband. The rest of the lock is formidable, with a 14mm shackle that locks on both sides of the crossbar.
4) ABUS Ultra 410 U-Lock and Cable
ABUS
amazon.com
$59.72
Weight: 2 lb. | Frame mount? Yes | Locking mechanism: Slider
The Abus U-Lock is a bit longer than usual so it can be a bit easier to lock up in situations where a mini U-lock might not work. The inclusion of a cable makes this package even more appealing as it will let riders easily and quickly secure their wheels as well as the frame.
5) Altor SAF Lock
Altor Locks
amazon.com
$299.00
Weight: 13.8 lb. | Frame mount? No | Locking mechanism: Disc detainer
When it debuted last year, the Altor SAF Lock set out to be the world’s first angle grinder-proof lock. Its defense is its thickness: A five-inch angle grinder, the most popular variant, doesn’t have enough cutting depth to go straight through, so thieves are left to hack at an aluminum shell and hardened steel core.
6) Kryptonite KryptoFlex Cable
Kryptonite
amazon.com
$19.99
Weight: 1 lb. | Frame mount? No | Locking mechanism: None
If you use a U-lock as your main lock then adding a cable to your setup is a lightweight solution for easily securing both wheels as well as your frame. The downside of a cable is they are essentially a deterrent and can be surprisingly easy to cut. Still, it's a relatively cheap and lightweight solution to keeping someone from simply walking away with one of your wheels while you're running a quick errand.
7) Abus Bordo Centium 6010
ABUS
amazon.com
$149.99
Weight: 1.3 lb. | Frame mount? Yes | Locking mechanism: Disc detainer
The Bordo Centium 6010 is a alternative to unwieldy U-locks and chains and is fairly lightweight at 1.3 pounds. The 5mm links are designed to withstand cutting attacks, although the connecting pins appear to be unhardened, so they might not survive attacks from long bolt cutters or nut splitters. The carrying case has loops to secure the lock to your frame for easy schlepping and swapping between bikes.
8) Altor APEX Folding Bike Lock
Altor
amazon.com
$98.00
Weight: 2.4 lb. | Frame mount? Yes | Locking mechanism: Disc detainer
Altor’s Apex folding lock is an elegant device with a premium feel to match its price. At 2.4 pounds, it’s among the lighter folding locks. Unfolded, it’s just big enough to secure your frame and front or rear wheel. Its hardened steel construction should be formidable against hand tools.
9) Lobster Lock 2.0
LOBSTERLOCK
amazon.com
$79.98
Weight: 2.7 lb. | Frame mount? Yes | Locking mechanism: Wafer
The Lobster Lock is a folding lock with a neat trick: It’s always attached to your bike. The device screws into your bottle bosses and stays there, although you can still mount a bottle cage above the lock. To lock up, you unfold the arms on each side of the lock and wrap them around the frame and front wheel, connecting them with a locking mechanism at the ends of the arms.
10) RockyMounts Hendrix
RockyMounts
amazon.com
$70.04
Weight: 1.6 lb. | Frame mount? Yes | Locking mechanism: Disc detainer
The Hendrix is one of the smallest non-cable locks you’ll find, and RockyMounts includes a holder that mounts on your frame’s bottle bosses for easy portaging. The 5mm steel links present a challenge for cutting tools, and hardened pins aim to resist power drills.
11) Hiplok Gold Wearable Chain Bicycle Lock
Hiplok
amazon.com
$97.27
Weight: 5.3 lb. | Frame mount? No | Locking mechanism: Pin tumbler
Rather than locking to your waist—a potentially dangerous move if you crash—the chain has a patented nylon clip and hook-and-loop waist adjuster to close around your torso. It also features a burly 10mm-thick hardened steel chain and a 12mm hardened steel shackle that’s encased in a nylon shell. The sleeve surrounding the chain is removable and washable, and its reflective coating increases your visibility at night.
12) Hiplok Spin
Hiplok
amazon.com
$49.99
Weight: 1.7 lb. | Frame mount? No | Locking mechanism: 4-digit combination barrel
The Hiplok Spin is the Gold’s little brother, which fits smaller waists, down to 26 inches, and bigger waists up to 44 inches. Its 6mm hardened-steel chain and hardened shackle are narrower than heavier chains, but it’s hefty enough to scare off casual plunderers. Similar to the Gold, an adjustable hook-and-loop closure allows you to don the lock without unlocking it.
13) OnGuard 8020 Mastiff
ONGUARD
amazon.com
$66.55
Weight: 12 lb. | Frame mount? No | Locking mechanism: Slider
The 3.5-foot-long chain uses 10mm-thick, titanium-reinforced steel links that are hexagonally shaped to make cutting even more difficult. The company’s tough Boxer U-lock secures the chain at each end. A nylon sheath keeps the chain from scratching your frame. For a small extra fee, you can purchase the anti-theft protection program, which covers your bike (assuming you’ve locked it up properly) for three years.
14) Kryptonite Evolution Mini Chain Lock
Kryptonite
amazon.com
$98.95
Weight: 5.8 lb. | Frame mount? No | Locking mechanism: Disc detainer
The integrated Evolution combines the locking mechanism with the chain, forgoing the need for a connecting U-lock and therefore saving weight. The 10mm, six-sided chain links resist cutting, and the disc detainer locking mechanism is designed to resist picks and drills. Kryptonite doesn’t consider the design as secure as its U-lock-equipped chains, but the company still offers $3,000 of anti-theft protection for buyers who register their bikes (the coverage is free for the first year, after that it’s $10 per year or $25 for five years).
15) Bell QuickZip Zip-Tie Multi-Purpose Combo Lock 2 Pack Red/Black, One Size
BELL
amazon.com
$17.80
Weight: 0.2 lb. | Frame mount? No | Locking mechanism: 3-digit combination
This and the Hiplok below are both lightweight locks and nearly identical in weight and size—the Bell lock is about 2 inches longer—and both use a three-digit combination. The locks have identical cores as well, a thin metal band.
16) Hiplok Bike Z LOK
Hiplok
amazon.com
$24.99
Weight: 0.2 lb. | Frame mount? No | Locking mechanism: 3-digit combination
This minimalist lock operates like a big zip tie, cinching in place with a three-digit combination. The 3.6mm tie has a steel core sheathed in plastic that doesn’t offer much protection from hand-cutting methods, but it’s ideal for stashing in your jersey pocket and tethering your bike to a pole while you pop inside the coffee shop.
17) Ottolock Combination Lock
OTTOLOCK
amazon.com
$49.00
Weight: 0.5 lb. | Frame mount? Optional | Locking mechanism: 3-digit combination
The Ottolock Cinch offers solid security for quick trips into the store (the company indicates it’s not for long lockups or high-risk areas). The 0.5-pound lock uses a Kevlar and steel band to prevent cuts, and the whole thing coils up to a 3-inch-diameter package that stows away beneath your saddle rails. Although not a replacement for a traditional U-lock, it’s smaller and more durable than a cable, making it a convenient upgrade.
18) Kryptonite Evolution 13mm U-Lock
Kryptonite
amazon.com
$77.30
Weight: 3.5 lb. | Frame mount? Yes | Locking mechanism: Disc detainer
This mini lock from Kryptonite comes with anti-theft protection if your bike is stolen, and features a U-lock for the frame of your bike and a four-foot flex cable to thread through your wheels. Keys can be registered with Kryptonite's key safe program, so if they get lost, the company will ship you a new set globally.
19) FoldyLock Compact Folding Bike Lock
Seatylock
amazon.com
$84.99
Weight: 2.2 lb. | Frame mount? Yes | Locking mechanism: Disc detainer
Comes with a mounting bracket that won't rattle as you ride, and a carrying case as well. The compact lock is crafted to within a standard bolt cutter and reinforced rivets have been designed to withstand direct attacks and stress from crowbars chisel and even freezing.
20) Via Velo Bike U Lock
Via Velo
amazon.com
$58.56
Weight: 3.4 lb. | Frame mount? Yes | Locking mechanism: Slider
For an entry-level rider, or for relatively safer areas, this moderately priced U-lock and cable combo lock should get the job done. The double bold crossbar locking mechanism offers twice the security, 24-hour customer service, and a three-year product promise.
These bike locks are designed to endure varying levels of thievery, so no matter your security needs, here are the best bike locks for you.