Best Bicycle lock

[MJP]

Hi folks -

My daughter has bought her partner a road bike for Christmas and we want to buy him a good bike lock as a late present.

What do the bikers amongst our merry throng recommend as the most thief-proof on the market?

A belated Happy Christmas,

Martin.

 

[thetyreman]

I use

New York Fahgettaboudit Lock combined with kryptoflex cable

it's expensive but for me worth it, it weights 2KG though so will add weight

 

[MJP]

I use

New York Fahgettaboudit Lock combined with kryptoflex cable

it's expensive but for me worth it, it weights 2KG though so will add weight

Thanks TM.

Looking on Amazon, that seems to be a range of locks - is there one model in particular you recommend?
Martin

 

[paulrbarnard]

I have this one
Kryptonite New York Standard Lock with Flex Frame U-Bracket - Yellow, Standard Shackle: Amazon.co.uk: Sports & Outdoors

With the extra cable

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Kryptonite...DKJT4P4Q3S6&psc=1&refRID=8FFXNESVTDKJT4P4Q3S6
Depends on what road bike he has. If it’s a light weight racing machine he probably won’t be taking a lock with him but would probably like a heavy duty chain, padlock and ground anchor for home

 

[Inspector]

With the bike thieves availing themselves of battery powered disc grinders to cut through locks I was wondering how these locks stand up to them?

 

[MJP]

I have this one
Kryptonite New York Standard Lock with Flex Frame U-Bracket - Yellow, Standard Shackle: Amazon.co.uk: Sports & Outdoors

With the extra cable

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Kryptonite...DKJT4P4Q3S6&psc=1&refRID=8FFXNESVTDKJT4P4Q3S6
Depends on what road bike he has. If it’s a light weight racing machine he probably won’t be taking a lock with him but would probably like a heavy duty chain, padlock and ground anchor for home

Thanks Paul - this looks like the one the Tyreman recommended since it's 2kg, as he mentioned.
Forgive my ignorance -I'm not a cyclist - but I assume that you use the lock to disable the bike (lock the wheel to the frame?) and then the cable to fix the bike to something fixed like a bike stand - is that so?
In other words, what's the cable for?

Inspector - I should imagine that a disc cutter will disable ANY lock but around here the casual thief doesn't carry one, happily!

Martin.

 

[MarkAW]

What paulrbarnard said. Many cyclists don't need to lock their bike out and about as they start and finish their ride at home without stopping. At home weight isn't a problem, out and about it's a balance of risk vs weight. Generally the stronger the lock, the weightier it is

Cable is for the removable front wheel to stop that getting stolen. Back wheel and frame can be locked in one go.

 

[MJP]

Ah - thanks Mark.

it's all clear now.

OK, time to give my Prime account another bashing.
Thanks all.

Martin.

 

[Sandyn]

Just make sure it's insured if it's worth a lot of money. The reality is, there are no locks which will protect a bike from a determined thief equipped with the right equipment. Takes less than 2 minutes to pick the Kryptonite or about 2 minutes with an angle grinder. These locks will tend to be used to protect high value bikes, so thieves will gain the expertise to overcome these, because the reward can be very high, especially if stolen to order. Cables can easily be cut with bolt cutters in 5 seconds. no noise, no drama, so they will steal the wheels. They have quick release back and front. Some bike wheels cost over £1000!!! lol
If its a very valuable bike and you leave it locked in public and unattended it will eventually get stolen, or bits of it will.
A serious road cyclist will not carry a 2Kg lock and cables after spending hundreds, perhaps thousands to get the bike as light as possible. It just depends where you want to leave it and where it's being used. When I'm home, the bike is inside. When I'm out cycling, If I stop, I never let the bike out of site and when I leave it, I always set the gears wrong so if someone did hop on, they wouldn't make a fast getaway. I always assume there is someone near just waiting to steal my bike and think that way.

 

[MJP]

The reality is, there are no locks which will protect a bike from a determined thief

Thanks Sandyn.

You're right of course, any lock is just a deterrent, not a complete solution.

In this case, the bike will be used in and around Newport ( the one in South East Wales, not one of the many other Newports!), sometimes to do some local shopping, when the lock might be useful.

For longer rides out in the countryside obviously it's unlikely that he'll need the lock.

It just seemed like a good idea for a present - "he's got the bike, let's buy him a lock".

Martin.

 

[Sandyn]

In that scenario, a good lock and common sense will be good. The lock will deter the opportunist thief and leaving it in a very public place will deter anyone with an angle grinder, mind you, If I saw someone cutting a lock with an angle grinder, I probably would just leave them alone.... and call the police, by which time, they would be long gone. If the bike was very expensive, I would just get a cheap one for doing the shopping!

 

[paulrbarnard]

In that scenario, a good lock and common sense will be good. The lock will deter the opportunist thief and leaving it in a very public place will deter anyone with an angle grinder, mind you, If I saw someone cutting a lock with an angle grinder, I probably would just leave them alone.... and call the police, by which time, they would be long gone. If the bike was very expensive, I would just get a cheap one for doing the shopping!

Very true words. I would think twice talking a thief. I might shout a bit from over the road. I’m 60 so not up to anything too physical with a typical yob.
I use my lick on my commuting bike which is a twenty year old mountain bike, a good one but it doesn’t look it. The lock is to deter opportunist thieves if I go in to the super market. My road bike cost £5000 eight years ago weight next to nothing and yes the wheels were well over £1000. That never gets left unattended anywhere.

 

[Terrytpot]

All you can prevent is an ill equipped opportunistic theft for which any lock stronger than a weak chain or cable is adequate. Anyone determined will bypass any lock system with ease regardless of how much you spend.

 

[Sandyn]

My road bike cost £5000 eight years ago

Lol, my car isn't worth £5000!! but I can appreciate how good a really good bike would be. When I thought about it, I decided it was more cost effective to keep my old road bike and just lose weight myself. So now my gross cycling weight is 4.5Kg less and it didn't cost me anything . Your bike must be down in the 7Kg region? I've never been on a really good bike. It would be really interesting to see what difference it made to my performance.

 

[glenfield2]

Locks and chains are heavy and awkward to carry if you’re out on casual rides - one of these makes a very handy ‘coffee stop lock’ to secure a bike against the casual thief while you’re round the corner buying a Mars bar. A sort of giant cable tie basically.
https://hiplok.com/product-category/security-ties/

 

[paulrbarnard]

Lol, my car isn't worth £5000!! but I can appreciate how good a really good bike would be. When I thought about it, I decided it was more cost effective to keep my old road bike and just lose weight myself. So now my gross cycling weight is 4.5Kg less and it didn't cost me anything . Your bike must be down in the 7Kg region? I've never been on a really good bike. It would be really interesting to see what difference it made to my performance.

It is an absolute joy to ride. I call it a perpetual motion machine. I was very over weight before I bought it. I started off using my mountain bike on a turbo trainer until I could manage about ten miles. Then I started riding it outside. I used to cycle when I was younger and got the bug again. I cut a deal with my wife that I could buy my dream bike once I could cycle 100 miles. It took me three months to get there. I went on to loose 15kg and complete many century rides. I’ve put 5 kg back on, we’ll probably more with Christmas but I’m continuing to love my dream bike.

 

[Sandyn]

is an absolute joy to ride. I call it a perpetual motion machine.

I would love to have a go on a really good bike, They have an unmistakable sound, just really smooth. I usually hear it when they pass me, lol
I'm 68, I try to do 100 miles a week. This summer was really great, I was hitting an average of 17mph on my rides, but now back to just over 15 in the winter. I couldn't justify spending a lot on a bike now, too old and too many other things to buy . I've only done 100 miles once, just to do it, It was real fun, but I was totally exhausted at the end. The longest I do is about 70 mile rides, during summer. The weather is just too miserable to do it just now. I have never used a turbo trainer. I can ride outdoors for hours, but 10 min indoor and I just get fed up. Mind you today, I could be persuaded, I'm just getting ready to go out, snow on the ground, down at 0C. miserable!!!!

 

[Ollie78]

Might be better getting a tracker fitted, then you might get it back after its pinched.

Ollie

 

[paulrbarnard]

I would love to have a go on a really good bike, They have an unmistakable sound, just really smooth. I usually hear it when they pass me, lol
I'm 68, I try to do 100 miles a week. This summer was really great, I was hitting an average of 17mph on my rides, but now back to just over 15 in the winter. I couldn't justify spending a lot on a bike now, too old and too many other things to buy . I've only done 100 miles once, just to do it, It was real fun, but I was totally exhausted at the end. The longest I do is about 70 mile rides, during summer. The weather is just too miserable to do it just now. I have never used a turbo trainer. I can ride outdoors for hours, but 10 min indoor and I just get fed up. Mind you today, I could be persuaded, I'm just getting ready to go out, snow on the ground, down at 0C. miserable!!!!

I admire your fortitude. I’m most definitely a fair weather cyclist. I used to commute all weathers and all year but have worked from home for the last fifteen years so lost the habit and desire to feel uncomfortable.
I have a very nice pain cave setup. I bought a Wahoo kickr when they launched back in 2014. I have a super cheap bike permanently attached to it. I was a beta tester for Zwift and wear my virtual Zwift beta kit with pride. My wife and daughter use the turbo setup too.

 

[Jacob]

I would love to have a go on a really good bike, They have an unmistakable sound, just really smooth. I usually hear it when they pass me, lol
I'm 68, I try to do 100 miles a week. This summer was really great, I was hitting an average of 17mph on my rides, but now back to just over 15 in the winter. I couldn't justify spending a lot on a bike now, too old and too many other things to buy . I've only done 100 miles once, just to do it, It was real fun, but I was totally exhausted at the end. The longest I do is about 70 mile rides, during summer. The weather is just too miserable to do it just now. I have never used a turbo trainer. I can ride outdoors for hours, but 10 min indoor and I just get fed up. Mind you today, I could be persuaded, I'm just getting ready to go out, snow on the ground, down at 0C. miserable!!!!

Plenty of good bikes as you go above say £500. After that it's the law of diminishing returns - less and less worth it unless you are into racing.
Didn't stop me splashing out £1500 ish Spa Cycles Titanium Audax! Lovely bike, strictly roads or good surface trails. Dawes Galaxy for touring, winter (and slightly rougher tracks but couldn't compete with a mountain bike).
Tried a trainer when I was recovering from leg injury - but very boring and gave it up as soon as possible.
We we've found is that however crarp the weather after about 10 minutes or so you are starting to enjoy it. Somebody will say "quite nice out isn't it" and everybody groans! If it's really bad you just come home sooner, or get better set up with weather gear.
In fact - the less you feel like venturing out the better it feels when you finally face the elements! Never regretted it, even when having to push home through heavy snowdrifts, as has happened once or twice!
PS just remembered - I was about 68 when I bought the Spa bike - never too late
PPS Sandyn 15mph average is fairly nippy! We used to do Audax and the bracket speed for most rides is slower - 15 - 25 kilometres/hour (including stops). Home | Audax UK - The Long Distance Cyclists' Association