
The Best Bike Lock - percept
http://thesweethome.com/reviews/best-bike-lock/
======
deanclatworthy
Interestingly the lock they recommend seems to have some pretty bad reviews on
Amazon, with diagrams showing how the thieves defeated it:
[http://www.amazon.com/Kryptonite-Kryptolok-Standard-
Bicycle-...](http://www.amazon.com/Kryptonite-Kryptolok-Standard-Bicycle-
FlexFrame/product-
reviews/B005YPK8G2/ref=cm_cr_dp_qt_hist_one?ie=UTF8&filterBy=addOneStar&showViewpoints=0)

~~~
stolio
That twisted lock picture can only be done if the bike is improperly locked or
the thief was willing to destroy part of the bike while stealing it. (Or it
was an unusually talented thief.)

If you have your frame, at least one wheel and a secure post (preferably 3"
thick) going through your lock leverage attacks become very difficult.

------
darklajid
Hmmm.. I don't buy bikes anymore.

Bought two in Tel Aviv (after the one I brought from DE was stolen...). The
first one was stolen, secured with a 'secure' Kryptonite U-Lock in my
backyard. Brought the second back to Germany, after carrying it into my 2nd
story flat in TLV every single day and only using it during the day, keeping
it in sight.

Stored it in the (shared between 6 tenants) private garage/car park back in
Germany, locked with a U-Lock from Kryptonite. Gone one day.

Got a (crap!) bike as a present from my parents. Kept it in the (2 party,
single car) garage of my current plage, with a U-Lock from Kryptonite. Gone.

If you cannot/won't carry it in your apartment, don't bother. That's the
lesson I learned at least. That also means that you cannot use a bike as a
means of transportation if you want to go to a bar, watch a movie or
something.

It's hyperbole, but I sometimes think that the 'Wild West' way of treating
horse thieves could and should be adopted...

~~~
enoch_r
Hm, I've been riding bikes as my main transportation for a while; so far none
have been stolen (the most expensive bike I'm willing to lock up where I can't
see it was about $700 new). I lock it up at restaurants, symphonies, etc. in
areas ranging from downtown to residential, including some areas with high
petty crime rates.

Maybe your location has an unusual amount of bike theft, or maybe you've just
gotten unlucky. Or maybe I've gotten unusually lucky! But even if I expect to
get one $700 bike stolen per year, I'm going to save a _significant_ amount of
money over maintaining/owning/fueling/insuring a car.

I will say that so far I've never locked up a bike overnight--bringing it into
my apartment has always seemed like the normal thing to do.

~~~
darklajid
Location: I didn't name all the places, but I'm talking about Tel Aviv,
Cologne and Bochum in those cases - 'big' cities (TLV and Bochum aren't,
really. Cologne crossed 1mil again I think). Given that I rule out the
location or I just happen to hit bad locations, consistently.

Savings: That might make sense. For me each bike had a value beyond the money.
I picked it, really liked it. I was in a rage each time I lost it. Plus, in
Cologne and Bochum I'm issued a company car. No fuel, no maintenance, no ..
bike. Sad, but easier. Similar to your argument: The cost of a bike is
significant if the alternative is 'free'.

Apartment: Did that in TLV, as I stated. Afterwards I got kids. I don't have a
"do not touch" area anymore, if we ignore a couple servers and gadgets.
Storing a bike in my apartment isn't an option right now.

(I _loved_ my bike in TLV. Stayed for one year, rode to work every single day
- I think there were max. 2 occasions where I used the bus for some reason.
Now I'm certain that I cannot protect a bike, so I won't invest in one.
Thieves completely destroyed my fun here.)

------
binarymax
The only bike I've had stolen was a $600 hybrid that I bought when I first
moved to Boston. I parked it in the same place every day the entire summer at
a T station. Cops found shattered pieces from my U-lock and told me the thief
used liquid nitrogen.

~~~
grinich
In Cambridge, liquid nitrogen cheaper than milk.

------
nkangoh
This is slightly off topic, but why aren't folding bikes or scooters more
popular? Their folding mechanism allows you to take them with you which would
presumably prevent theft more than a lock. If a bike lock is the only thing
that's keeping your bike from being stolen it doesn't seem like it'll work
more than it just delays the inevitable.

Plus aren't locks really inconvenient to carry around with you? 10+ pounds is
a lot when your bike is only 20lbs.

~~~
nether
I say this as a proud Brompton owner, but to most people they're just weird.
They're also a bit more expensive, you get less bike for a given amount.
They're not that light. I often lock mine up outside because I don't want to a
haul a 26 lb block up a flight of stairs.

No lock weighs 10 lb (you can read the article), and 20 lb is a pretty light
bike. 3 lb lock for a 25 lb bike is more realistic (my roommate's 56 cm
aluminum road bike is 26 lb).

~~~
twic
Even 3 lb vs 25 lb is the wrong comparison. Why does the weight of the bike
matters? What matters is the total weight the rider has to move - which is
something like 25 lb for the bike, 20 lb for a bag, and 200 lb for the rider
themself. 3 lb is peanuts on that.

------
zw123456
The best bike lock I ever had was a crappy bike. When I was in college, I did
not have much money so I bought a used bike. It had a 3 speed Stermy Archer
shifter that did not work right, you had to set it in just the right place or
it would not work, the pedals will slip. I never locked it I just left the
shifter in the wrong place. A couple of times I would notice my bike laying on
the ground a few feet from where I left it, I always hoped that someone tried
to steal it, the pedals slipped on them and they landed their crotch on the
cross bar.

~~~
analog31
Sounds like your Sturmey Archer worked just fine. The most common older model
had a position between normal and high gear where the driver was disengaged
from the hub, and there were stories of crashses due to slipping out of gear
while honking up a hill.

I have those old hubs on a couple of my bikes.

Quite agreed about getting a crappy bike. A bike can be quite ride-able yet
still look crummy.

------
deegles
A friend of mine used a good U-lock and still had his bike stolen. The thief
used a portable plasma cutter in broad daylight. This was in SF.

~~~
bduerst
>This was in SF.

Sounds about right. A friend of mine had theirs stolen from their front yard,
broad daylight, by some people with a van.

------
djulius
In fact, even top notch locks can not resist a seasoned lockpicker. Here the
kryptonite new york lasts less than a minute :
[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LYv4uq_eML8](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LYv4uq_eML8)

------
patcheudor
I raced Cat 2 for many years with a carbon fiber Specialized Epic Allez with
all Dura Ace & Campy C-record components back in the early 90's while going to
university. The bike cost roughly $2,700 & I used it nearly every day to
commute. Not once did I ever lock it up anywhere. When I'd get to class or
wherever I was going I would remove both the wheels & lock them to the rack.
This whole process took seconds for removal & assembly with the quick
releases. I'd then cary the frame like a bag. At a bit over 14 pounds it
wasn't an issue to just take it with me. At one point I even had a clip to
attach it to my backpack. It sat quite nicely next to me at my desk, even in
lecture halls & was never really a problem. Only once in four years did a
university security guard ask me to take it outside and lock it up. I asked
why and he said: "university policy doesn't allow bikes in the building." I
responded that it wasn't a bike. It was a frame and would only be a bike when
assembled with wheels which it wasn't when in the building. He of course
thought I was being a smart ass and escalated the situation to a supervisor
who told him to back off. I honestly had more run-ins with business owners who
didn't like the fact I was wearing cleated shoes on their polished floors.

At the end of the day, I'd like to understand, I really would. Why do people
lock bikes they care about on the street? Is it simply a function of not
knowing how to use quick releases to pop the wheels off? Is it a space issue?
I lived in some pretty tiny places but there was always wall space &
toothpaste was always perfect for covering the holes for the bike wall rack
when I moved out. Never once did I loose a security deposit.

~~~
chriswarbo
Your approach requires a large up-front investment, especially for a student.
Lugging a heavy frame around isn't practical, and many would find it hard to
justify $2,700 for a carbon-fibre bike; I struggled to scrape together £280
for a bike this Christmas (the cheapest aluminium one I found).

Whilst it's sensible to keep them indoors at home, that's no guarantee; I've
had a bike stolen from inside my house.

My bikes seem to last ~1.5 years, so I chose new bike under that assumption.
For your bike's $2,700 I can get ~6 of my current bike, or about 9 years
worth.

~~~
Flip-per
I recommend buying second-hand bikes instead of cheap new ones. If you (or a
friend) know a bit about bikes you easily get better quality for lower prices.

~~~
dsego
Thus the circle continues.

~~~
mentat
Because the whole used bike market is theft? Please, that's just an
irresponsible assertion...

------
stolio
The last few "best bike lock" articles I've seen were frustrating; weird
"unpickable" key systems[0], or integrating the lock _into_ the bike frame so
breaking the lock breaks the bike[1]. Gimmicks come and go and it's how we
find new tech, but pragmatic real world tested results are what I want in
systems I really don't want to fail.

This one's a good lock, but I've had one for 6 years and I'll buy another when
it breaks so I'm biased.

[0] - [http://gizmodo.com/heres-how-you-pick-the-unpickable-bike-
lo...](http://gizmodo.com/heres-how-you-pick-the-unpickable-bike-
lock-1589949074) [1] - [http://www.npr.org/blogs/thetwo-
way/2014/08/22/342437221/com...](http://www.npr.org/blogs/thetwo-
way/2014/08/22/342437221/coming-soon-to-a-pole-near-you-a-bike-that-locks-
itself)

------
agumonkey
10 months old reddit thread
[http://www.reddit.com/r/MTB/comments/1yozc4/bike_thiefs_opin...](http://www.reddit.com/r/MTB/comments/1yozc4/bike_thiefs_opinions_on_bike_locks/)

------
zdw
I wonder what they think of a lock like this as secondary protection or as a
replacement for the cable:

[http://www.amazon.com/ABUS-Amparo-4850-Frame-
Lock/dp/B001BAD...](http://www.amazon.com/ABUS-Amparo-4850-Frame-
Lock/dp/B001BADNRA/)

It's permanently attached to rear fork and slides around to immobilize the
rear wheel. Of course, you wouldn't want to use it alone - you'd want a U lock
around the front wheel/frame/object as well.

This combo is what I was given for a city bike in europe, and it's painless to
use - you just turn the key and slide it through the rear spokes, and the way
it's attached it's hard to cut without removing it from the frame first,
unless you don't mind damaging the bike or wheel.

------
aranazo
It is worth mentioning that you shouldn't lock a bike around the seat tube. A
thief can cut the frame tubing much easier than the lock, disguise the break
by covering it with a u-lock carrying clamp and still have a ridable bike to
sell.

------
CyberPants
Someone please make these bike parking structures [1] and put them everywhere.
I would gladly pay to park my bike in one of these knowing it's secure, and
not having to carry a heavy lock around everywhere.

also, please improve upon the design [2]

[https://www.bicibox.cat/default.aspx](https://www.bicibox.cat/default.aspx)
[1]

[http://www.lavanguardia.mobi/slowdevice/local/20120802/54332...](http://www.lavanguardia.mobi/slowdevice/local/20120802/54332500393/usuarios-
bicibox-agresiones-estaciones.html) [2]

------
Oompa
If you really care, get the fancier lock (Kryptonite Fuhgettaboutit
([http://www.amazon.com/Kryptonite-997986-Black-
Fahgettaboudit...](http://www.amazon.com/Kryptonite-997986-Black-
Fahgettaboudit-U-
Lock/dp/B000OZ9VLU/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1420932077&sr=8-1\))) they recommend
and buy locking skewers. Then don't buy a new bike, but get a mid-80s steel
bike and call it a day. I've left bikes locked up in the worst neighborhoods
in SF overnight and haven't had shit stolen.

------
mcv
I used to use u-locks back in the day, but these days all bike shops in
Amsterdam recommend chain (8mm), so that's what I use: [http://www.hollandse-
bakfietsen.nl/wp-content/uploads/2012/0...](http://www.hollandse-
bakfietsen.nl/wp-content/uploads/2012/06/kettingslot-super-blocca-100.jpg)

------
atian
I use the Kryptolock Series 2 to lock up my cyclocross bike (CrossRip) on
campus, but the cable is annoying to carry around so I end up exposing the
back wheel more so to theft.

Thicker locks only increase the time it takes for a thief to cut through, so I
bring my bike inside if I don't plan on riding for a few days.

------
shiloa
Somewhat related: [http://seatylock.com](http://seatylock.com)

~~~
lern_too_spel
The design of this lock is fundamentally bad (too big, many weak joints), and
the video shows the designers don't know about the somewhat famous Sheldon
Brown method described in the article.

~~~
aranazo
I used the Sheldon Brown method for a while. Nobody stole my bike but I gave
up on it after getting a few broken spokes. A rigid lock resting on a
relatively weak spoke is asking for trouble.

------
tomjen3
I had hoped it would somehow make it more dangerous for the thief or render
the bike useless. The suggested model isn't going to do much but send the
thief down to the next unsecured bike, which means if everybody does it we are
no better of.

~~~
DanBC
People tinker their websites to remove "friction".

Aren't bike locks just a way of adding a bit of friction?

------
Corrado
I've been blown away lately with these bike stories on HN. For some reason, I
never imagined that "normal" people would spend $8,000 (and up!) on a bicycle.
I guess living in a big city is not something that I really want to do.

------
pkulak
I'm a big fan of the OnGuard Mini:

[http://amzn.com/B000FL3E8O](http://amzn.com/B000FL3E8O)

It's small (no leverage attacks), and reasonably light. I also leave a giant
chain lock in the bike room of my building at work.

------
scott_w
This article reminds me of the time I went for a ride with a friend down by
the coast. I hadn't bothered to bring my lock - I hadn't planned on stopping -
and he wanted to grab chips.

He offered his lock for both our bikes and pulled out his "decent lock" he got
for £8. Needless to say I volunteered to wait outside and guard the bikes.

------
dippyskoodlez
This is how you review bike locks.

~~~
gcb0
> review lots of locks

> end up suggesting one that is flawed anyway.

~~~
pat2man
No lock is perfect. You just need a lock that is better than the next guy's...

~~~
tomjen3
Nah, you need one filled with C4.

We used to hang horse theives no reason not to hang bike theives.

