Definitive Guide on How to Choose the Best Bike Lock

You may not want to hear this, but here is the cold hard truth… Every lock designed can be broken! When you are looking for the best bike lock, you are trying to make it as difficult as possible for a thief to snatch your bike. So difficult – that it is not worth it. Your actual goals, when buying a bike lock, are:

1. To make your bike more difficult to steal than the ones around yours.
2. Make stealing your bike so difficult and time intensive that it deters bike thieves.

Before we go through the definitive step by step guide on how to buy the best bike lock, I want to show you a video. This video will show you that no bike lock is impenetrable; however, some are so difficult to break that if you were to lock it in a public area no bike thief would attempt to steal your bike.

Why did I show you this video? Was it to deter you from buying a bike lock? No! Absolutely not! I showed you this video to put things in perspective and to help you make a more informed decision when choosing a bike lock.

Let’s back up though and start from the beginning.

How To Choose the Best Bike Lock

Steps to choosing the best bike lock:

1. How secure do you want your bike to be?
2. What type of bike lock do you want?
3. What specific lock is best?
4. Where and how do you lock your bike?

Step 1: How Secure Do You Want Your Bike To Be?

Ok, the obvious answer is as secure as it can be, or 100% safe. Unfortunately, in reality, you don’t want to lug around a 50-pound lock. So you have to determine what is reasonable. To determine the level of security that is most practical you first want to determine how likely your bike is to get stolen and then hedge against that.

Question	High Risk	Lower Risk
Where do you live?	Big City	Small Town
How expensive is your bike?	Expensive	Not very expensive
Where do you lock your bike?	Out of sight of public	Right in the public eye and around other bikes
Duration you leave your bike?	More than 20 minutes	Less than 20 minutes

If you answered “high risk” to any of those questions, you will want to choose the most secure bike locks on the market.

How Do I Determine How Secure a Bike Lock Is?

Trust me! Well, you don’t know me from a hole in the wall and there are a lot of online sites that claim to be reputable that are not. So perhaps better advice is trust but verify. I will help you verify by giving you third party expert ratings.

Sold Secure is the most trusted company in the world at rating how secure a bike lock is. Their grading system has three tiers of security.

 

Gold Secure – This is the highest level of security for bikes.

Silver Secure – Offers a compromise between security and cost.

Bronze Secure – Typically offers defense against the opportunist thief. Really this level is just barely above bringing a rope and tying it to a post with a double knot.

The bike locks go through rigorous testing and the better rating represents how long it would take a thief to break the lock.

Sold Secure is from the UK and in order to get bike insurance coverage you must use a lock with an appropriate rating based on the value of your bike.

If you do not use a pre-approved Sold Secure lock and your bike gets stolen you are out of luck. Because insurance companies rely on this rating system and pay out large sums of money, it is currently the best rating system in the world.

Other Reliable Sources

Another third party, but less commonly known, is ART. ART uses a star system, and they rate security from 1 to 5 stars, 5 stars being the most secure. This system is meant for bikes, mopeds and motorcycles so it is more strict as it is meant to protect higher value items.

• 1 star is minimum to no security
• 2 stars for bikes
• 3 stars for mopeds
• 4 stars for motorcycles (road)
• 5 stars for motorcycles (at home)

Unfortunately, a chain rated with 5 stars for a motorbike will not be a chain you are willing to carry around on your bicycle due to the weight. It is not practical.

Less Reliable Sources

Many brands have their own rating system, be careful as they are very biased. No matter how unsecure their best lock is, of course they going to give it a 10/10 or a 5-star rating. I can give you several examples, just ask me. I believe most private company’s rating systems are biased and useless so I do not include them.

General Rule of Thumb

Thicker and/or heavier is always better!

The trade off is always practicality vs. weight. A lock is no good sitting at home no matter what the security rating. If the lock is too heavy for you to practically use then guess what? You won’t use the bike lock.

Step 2: How To Choose the Right Type of Lock

Determining the best type of bike lock for you is dependant on a lot of factors:

1. Where you live and where you plan to lock your bike.
2. How expensive your bike is.
3. What your budget is.
4. How portable you want the lock to be.

We go through a list of locks and compare the security, price and practicality below.

Chain Lock vs. U-Lock vs. Folding Lock vs. Cable Lock vs. New Age Locks

Each of these types of locks has their various advantages and disadvantages. We evaluate the Pros and Cons of each type of lock in this table:

Type of Lock:	Chain Locks	U-Locks	Folding Locks	Cable Locks	New Age Locks
Picture:
Security:
Practicality:
Price:
Best For:	High Crime Areas	Medium Crime Areas	Low Crime Areas	Non-Existant Crime Areas	Low to Medium Crime Areas

Chain Lock Pros and Cons

Pros:

• Most secure type of lock on the market.
• More versatile and can lock around larger objects than U-locks.
• With longer chains, you can lock the frame and both wheels.
• Chains move a lot while trying to cut them making them that much more difficult.

Cons:

• Heaviest type of lock.
• Expensive.

Chain locks are made of chain links covered by a nylon or vinyl sleeve to protect your bike’s finish, and the chains lock together with a small, but thick padlock.

Chain locks can come in various sizes and lengths. As a general rule, you don’t want to carry around a lock that weighs more than 7-pounds. That being said some chain locks are portable while others are meant to be stationary.

The best chain locks are obviously the thickest as they are the most secure; however, carrying around a 10-pound plus chain can be quite cumbersome. I recommend chain locks if you plan to lock your bike in the same spot all the time (so you can just leave your chain lock locked up in that spot) and buy a chain that is 16mm thick or more so it cannot be cut with large bolt cutters. If you plan on having a secure portable bike lock, perhaps a U-lock is your best bet.

U-Lock Pros and Cons

Pros:

• Less expensive than chain locks.
• Lighter and more portable than chain locks.

Cons:

• Difficult to anchor around larger objects, if not impossible.
• Mostly, unable to lock the frame to an anchor and both wheels. A U-lock is often used in conjunction with a cable lock.

U-locks come in various sizes and weights and are generally made of steel covered in vinyl to protect your bike’s finish.

U-locks are the best all-around type of lock on the market, so if you had to buy just one lock, go with a U-lock. They are the perfect balance between security, practicality, and price. To get the same type of security from a chain lock it would need to be excessively heavy, so much so that you would not carry it around.

U-locks are also easier to carry around and lighter; however, the biggest downside is that they will not secure to large objects. Familiarize yourself on how to properly lock a bike with a U-lock as you will need to take the front tire off, so it gets locked as well.

Folding Locks Pros and Cons

Pros:

• Convenient use and easy to carry around.
• Can lock all parts of your bike.
• Lighter than chain and U-locks.

Cons:

• Not as secure as chain locks or U-locks

Folding locks are generally made of stainless steel plates connected by rivets. The metal plates are usually wrapped in rubber, plastic or some other soft material to prevent scratches on your bike.

Folding locks are the most portable style of lock. They conveniently fold up to a small rectangle and can easily be fastened to the bike’s frame for transport. These types of locks create less hassle than other types of locks as they do not swing about while biking.

Cable Locks Pros and Cons

Pros:

• Easy to use.
• Cheap.
• Long and lightweight.

Cons:

• They do not stop bike thieves in the slightest.

Cable locks are made of strands of steel braided together wrapped in a vinyl tube.

Truthfully, cable locks are crap. Even the dullest wire cutters can cut through a cable lock in 30 seconds or less. Wire cutters are inconspicuous and make no noise, and your bike is gone in 30 seconds. Even if you lock your bike in front of a public place, a thief can look like he is tying his shoe while cutting the lock and then take off. People watching wouldn’t even realize they are stealing the bike. Now imagine someone comes up with 4 foot bolt cutters or an angle grinder…what do you think is more obvious? The only time you should use a cable lock is in conjunction with other locks.

Cable locks are by far the most simple to use, cheapest, lightest and easiest to break. The only type of thief a cable lock stops is the opportunist. It is better than not locking your bike at all, but barely. Bike thieves specifically target bikes locked up with a cable lock, don’t be that foolish. If you currently have a cable lock, I hope I have done enough to convince you to purchase another type of lock.

New Age Locks Pros and Cons

Each of the new age locks is completely different, so it is difficult to list the pros and cons of each. However, through my testing of the various locks, they generally are not quite as secure as chain locks or U-locks, but some of them are lighter and sometimes more practical or convenient.

So Which Type of Lock?

So what type of lock is the best for you? Well, it all depends on the factors listed above. In addition to the tests and factors listed below. Keep reading!

Step 3: What Specific Bike Lock is Best?

Best Bike Locks

Now let’s review some of the best locks in the various types. Each type of bike lock was put through rigorous testing.

Bolt Cutter Test – Each lock has been tested with 30 inch bolt cutters, the most common length bike thieves use. Anything longer than 30 inches is pretty difficult to conceal. I spent up to 5 minutes trying to cut through each lock. Honestly, you either can cut through them in a minute or two or you just are not getting through no matter how much longer you spend trying to cut.

Pick Lock Test – Admittedly, I am not very good at picking locks. I asked more skilled people to attempt to pick each lock incentivising them with a reward if they could defeat the lock. The simple rule was can you pick the lock in 30 minutes or less with tools and picks?

Angle Grinder Test – Every practical lock made to date can be cut with an angle grinder. It is not a matter of if, but rather how long it will take to cut through the lock. Each test was done with the same Dewalt angle grinder.

Best Chain Locks

For safety, chain locks are the best all around choice.

Best All-Around Chain Lock

Hiplok Gold Review
Rating:
Security Rating:
Weight:	5.3 lbs. (2.40 kg)
Chain Thickness:	10 mm
Length:	33.5" (85 cm)
Waist Size:	28" - 44"
Bolt Cutter Test:	Passed
Pick Lock Test:	Passed
Angle Grinder Test:	2 minutes 45 seconds
Check Price:

The best all-around chain lock has to be practical/portable, secure and not outrageously expensive and the Hiplok GOLD does not disappoint in any of these arenas. It is the ideal balance of the most important factors when looking for a chain lock.

The Hiplok GOLD is rated Sold Secure Gold so you know it is a pretty safe lock! This is an excellent portable bike lock and can be worn around your waist, wrapped around your seat post or carried in a bag. The wearable speed buckle can quickly be adjusted and does not come loose.

Even though the Hiplok is only 10 mm thick, I could not cut through it with the 30″ bolt cutters. The weight is a small issue at 5.3 pounds but it the perfect length to lock both wheels and your frame to whatever object you want.

The Hiplok is a very versatile, robust and portable chain lock ranking it number 1.

Other Notable Best All-Around Chain Locks:

1. Kryptonite New York Noose
2. Abus Granit Power XS
3. OnGuard Mastiff

Best Cheap Chain Lock

Kryptonite Keeper Integrated Chain Bicycle Lock Review
Rating:
Security Rating:
Weight:	2.5 lbs. (1.13 kg)
Chain Thickness:	7 mm
Length:	32" (81 cm)
Bolt Cutter Test:	20 seconds
Pick Lock Test:	5 minutes
Angle Grinder Test:	35 seconds
Check Price:

The Kryptonite Keeper Integrated Chain Bicycle Lock is a great cheap chain lock that is easy to carry wrapped around your seat post, light weight and long enough to wrap around your entire bike and a large object.

The Kryptonite Keeper has a 7mm thick chain with a secure rating of Silver; therefore, it is not the most secure lock out there, but if you are in a relatively “low risk” area then this may be the best bike lock for you. The 7mm chain can be cut by medium sized bolt cutters, but they are still far more secure than cable locks.

Strongest Most Secure Chain Lock

Kryptonite New York Legend Review
Rating:
Security Rating:
Weight:	15.95 lbs. (7.23 kg)
Chain Thickness:	15 mm
Length:	60" (152 cm)
Bolt Cutter Test:	Passed
Pick Lock Test:	Passed
Angle Grinder Test:	3 minutes 28 seconds
Check Price:

The Kryptonite New York Legend Chain Lock is one of the most secure locks on the planet.

At 16 pounds this chain lock is secure but is not going to be carried around anywhere! This chain lock is meant to be stationary. With a 5 star ART security rating, they do not come any more secure than that. This bike lock is even trusted to lock up motorcycles with much more value.

Do you continuously lock your bike in the same spot at work or at home? This may be the lock for you.

Best U-Lock

U-locks are not as heavy or as expensive as chain locks which can make them a little more practical to use on a day to day basis. Unfortunately, U-locks do not lock around large objects.

Best All-Around U-Lock

Abus Granit X Plus 540 Review
Rating:
Security Rating:
Weight:	3.2 lbs. (1.45 kg)
Thickness:	13 mm
Size (internal):	9" x 4.25" (23 x 10.8 cm)
Bolt Cutter Test:	Passed
Pick Lock Test:	Passed
Angle Grinder Test:	2 minutes 4 seconds
Check Price:

The Abus GRANIT X Plus 540 is a flagship U-lock, rated Sold Secure Gold and ART 3 stars making it very secure for its lightweight and 13mm bar thickness. Abus is German made, and its true that they make great quality products.

The patented square shape bar makes it difficult to get a hold of with bolt cutters and impermeable to brute force attacks. It also has a great double locking system so even if a thief cuts one side of the U-lock it will still be held in place, meaning the bar will have to be cut in two separate locations in order to steal your bike. Cutting in two places will just increase the time it takes to steal your bike making it more likely the thief will be caught.

If you are trying to balance weight and security then this is the best bike lock for you.

Best Cheap U-Lock

Kryptonite Kryptolok Series 2 Standard U-Lock Review
Rating:
Security Rating:
Weight:	3.6 lbs. (1.63 kg)
Thickness:	13 mm
Size (internal):	9" x 4" (23 x 10.2 cm)
Bolt Cutter Test:	Passed
Pick Lock Test:	Passed
Angle Grinder Test:	1 minutes 4 seconds
Check Price:

The Kryptonite Kryptolok Series 2 Standard U-Lock is not as secure as the Abus GRANIT X Plus 540 even though it is also 13mm thick; however, it does not come with the price tag either. The Krytolok also includes a 4-foot cable lock for a little-added security.

If you plan on parking in front of a public cafe or a place with a lot of traffic this lock may be enough to keep your bike safe.

Strongest Most Secure U-Lock

Kryptonite New York Fahgettaboudit Mini Review
Rating:
Security Rating:
Weight:	4.55 lbs. (2.06 kg)
Thickness:	18 mm
Size (internal):	6" x 3.25" (15.3 x 8.3 cm)
Bolt Cutter Test:	Passed
Pick Lock Test:	Passed
Angle Grinder Test:	2 minutes 50 seconds
Check Price:

The Kryptonite New York Fahgettaboudit Mini is the strongest most secure bike lock on the market with a Sold Secure Gold rating and ART 4 star rating. You can literally lock your bike and forget about it (“Fahgettaboudit” in New York Slang) and know it is safe.

This lock also has a double deadbolt locking system that will force thieves to cut the 18mm thick bar in two separate locations in order to steal anything.

The two downsides to this U-lock is the weight (4.55-pounds) and the small internal space to lock around an object (6″ x 3.25″). You are unable to anchor both wheels and frame to an immovable object due to the small size so you will require a second lock to lock up the front wheel or you will have to take it with you.

Best Folding Bike Lock

Folding bike locks are more convenient to carry than chain locks and U-locks but do not come with quite the same security. They are much more secure than a cable lock, so are great to lock wheels.

Best All-Around and Most Secure Folding Lock

Abus Bordo GRANIT 6500 X Plus Review
Rating:
Security Rating:
Weight:	3.48 lbs. (1.58 kg)
Bar Thickness:	5.5 mm
Circumference:	33.5" (85 cm)
Bolt Cutter Test:	20 seconds
Pick Lock Test:	Passed
Angle Grinder Test:	25 seconds
Check Price:

The Abus Bordo Granit X-Plus 6500 is a nice and convenient, strong (according to Sold Secure and ART) bike lock. I found a different result; I was able to cut through this folding lock with relative ease, not something I would have expected from a Secure Sold Gold rating; however, the ART rating is only 2 stars which seem to be on par with locks you can cut with 30 inch bolt cutters.

I would not recommend using this lock to lock up a frame, but that is just me I guess. This lock is extremely convenient as it can easily velcro to your frame or screw into your water bottle holder. A transport bag is included in the purchase, and the nice soft exterior coating will prevent scratches on the bike. Additionally, it folds up into a nice, neat little pack of 3.2 x 5.5 x 10.8 inches.

Best Cheap Folding Bike Lock

OnGuard K9 Folding Lock Review
Rating:
Security Rating:	None
Weight:	2.2 lbs. (1.00 kg)
Bar Thickness:	5 mm
Circumference:	38" (71 cm)
Bolt Cutter Test:	15 seconds
Pick Lock Test:	Passed
Angle Grinder Test:	22 seconds
Check Price:

The OnGuard K9 Folding Lock is cheap but adds more security than a cable lock. There is not much more to say about it.

Do not use this as a primary lock.

Best Cable Lock

Cheapest Cable Lock

Master Lock Self Coiling Cable Lock Review
Rating:
Security Rating:	None
Weight:	0.1 lbs. (0.05 kg)
Wire Thickness:	8 mm
Length:	48" (122 cm)
Bolt Cutter Test:	2 seconds
Pick Lock Test:	15 seconds
Angle Grinder Test:	2 seconds
Check Price:

The Master Lock Self Coiling Cable Lock is only meant to stop the opportunist thief, or a random person from walking up to the bike, realizing it is not locked and riding away on it.

If you want your bike stolen, then by all means, use a cable lock as your primary locking system. All cable locks are garbage, EVEN the armored ones.

I have selected the cheapest cable lock as the best one because that is the only upside to these locks. They are cheap and light, you might as well select the cheapest cable lock out there because if someone decides to steal your bike, even the worst bike thief in the world is going to get through the lock.

Best New Age Lock

TiGr Lock Review
Rating:
Security Rating:
Weight:	1.7 lbs. (0.77 kg)
Thickness:	0.1" (0.25 cm)
Length:	24" (61 cm)
Bolt Cutter Test:	5 seconds
Pick Lock Test:	Passed
Angle Grinder Test:	10 seconds
Check Price:

TiGr

The TiGr is a great light, flexible, easy to carry and versatile new age bike lock. The 24″ bow can lock both wheels and frame and anchor them to a relatively large object.

The titanium TiGr lock is more flexible than a U-lock, less clunky than a chain and significantly lighter than either lock type. The downside is it is not quite as secure as the U-locks or chain locks. The lock does look pretty intimidating waving it around like a sword, maybe this has a secret value?

This lock is very expensive, so if you are going for the hipster look, then this is your lock. Just make sure to lock it up in the public eye.

Step 4: Bonus Tip

Buying the best bike lock is only one of the ways to reduce your risk of your bike being stolen; there are three other factors that play just as important of a role.

1. Where you lock your bike.
2. Bike theft prevention.
3. How to lock your bike properly.

Be Smart – Limit Your Exposure to theft!

Where you lock your bike

1. Choose a busy place with lots of foot traffic, lights and preferably video surveillance – a place the public can keep an eye on your bike to spot anything suspicious.
2. When locking your bike up, select the middle of the rack, not the ends where it is easier for a thief to get at.
3. Make sure your bike is more secure than the bikes next to it! Thieves will go after the easier target.
4. Lock up your bike to something solid that cannot be cut.
5. Don’t lock in front of train stations, bowling alleys, movie theaters. A thief will target areas where they have time to work on the bike.
6. Try not to lock in front of loiterers as they may be hanging around to steal a bike or tip of a bike thief as soon as you leave.

Bike Theft Prevention

1. Prep you bike – replace quick releases with allen bolts or 15mm nuts. This just makes it slower to steal.
2. Take your saddle off and take it with you – deters thieves from riding off with your bike.
3. Select the right lock for the occasion and try to use multiple types of locks.
4. Mark you bike up – sign it or cover it in stickers making it easily identifiable. Bike thieves want to sell these bikes quickly and if it is easily identifiable of very unique you significantly increase your chances of it not being stolen.
5. Remove any expensive accessories that can easily be taken off (computers, pumps, tools, lights).
6. Don’t leave your bike locked up in the same location for days at a time; parts might start disappearing.
7. Consider adding a GPS to your bike!

How To Lock Your Bike Properly

1. More locks the better, different kinds = better.
2. Lock according to value – frame first, then back wheel and finally the front wheel.
3. Get the tightest fit possible as the less room inside the U-lock or chain the harder it is for thieves to break.
4. Position your lock off the ground with the keyhole facing down. This way the thief cannot use the ground as leverage if trying to cut the lock and if the lock faces down then it’s more challenging to pick.
5. How to lock a bike with a chain lock:

6. How to lock your bike with a U-lock:

You are also able to lock both wheels and your frame with one U-lock.

There are no other ways to properly lock your bike! Some people may argue that the “Sheldon Method” is a good way to lock your bike. It is not. If you don’t know what the Sheldon Method is, then don’t worry about it.

If you follow all or even most of these tips listed on where to lock your bike, bike theft prevention and how to lock your bike, then you will reduce your chances of your bike being stolen by 99.99%! Guranteed.

Best Bike Lock Conclusion

Follow these 4 simple steps, and you will drastically reduce the chances of losing your prized possession, your bike.

1. How secure do you want your bike to be?
2. What type of bike lock do you want?
3. What specific lock is best?
4. Where and how do you lock your bike?

Step 1: How secure do you want your bike to be?

Trust a combination of Sold Secure, ART, and my ratings to determine how secure of a lock you want. More secure is always better but sometimes it is not practical, or it is not in your price range.

Step 2: What type of bike lock do you want?

1. Chain locks are the most secure, but the heaviest and most expensive.
2. U-locks are less expensive and lighter than chains, but a little less secure and/or more difficult to lock to large objects.
3. Folding locks are very convenient and easier to use than both chain locks and U-locks but less secure overall.
4. Cable locks are just plain useless and should only be used to lock your front wheel. I wouldn’t even trust them to do that.
5. New age locks are all different; I only reviewed the TiGr lock as I believe it is the best one out there. But it comes with its shortfalls as well.

Step 3: What specific lock is best?

This is for you to decide, and the whole reason you are here. You have to balance security, practicality, and weight. Scroll back up and choose the best bike lock for you!

Step 4: Where and how do you lock your bike?

Choosing the best bike lock is only 1 of the 3 pillars of making sure your bike is safe. Where and how you lock your bike are just as important!

Please help out the biking community by commenting below and sharing this website! What bike locks do you like and use? Why? Did I miss anything? Do you have helpful suggestions? Please comment and share!