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The Insider Pick:
The best bike locks are backed up with a guarantee, have thick steel shackles or cables, and they make stealing a bike a long and arduous task. The Kryptonite New York Fahgettaboudit Mini Bicycle U-Lock has all of these features along with anti-theft protection, easy mounting, and a double bolting system.
Whether you live out in the country or in a major metropolitan area, there is no bike lock system that will stop a well-equipped thief. However, there are a number of locks that will either slow down or completely discourage a criminal.
Though some thieves will try to drill the lock, the most common way bikes are stolen is when crooks cut through the lock’s shackle, cable, or chain. Of these options, the shackle of a U-lock is the hardest to cut through. The thicker the steel, the longer it will take to get through. Also, if the lock has a double bolt system, then the robber will need to make two cuts to free the bicycle.
If the idea of slowing down a thief or hoping to just discourage them with a bulky lock is not enough to let you rest easy, there are a few products you might consider adding to your bike protection arsenal. Though they are still relatively primitive and expensive, GPS tracking devices can help you track down the location of a stolen bike.
Of course, locating your bike is half the battle. We do not recommend confronting thieves. The Scout Universal Vehicle GPS Tracker is one of the highest-rated trackers available. But, as with most GPS Trackers, you will have to pay a monthly service fee. You might also consider the Pinhead Bicycle Locking Skewer Set to thwart wheel thieves.
The bike locks we review in the following slides were chosen based on their price, durability, manufacturer guarantee, and reported performance based on thousands of reviews and ratings from experts and novices. Read on to see which one is best for your needs.
Although the Kryptonite New York Fahgettaboudit Mini Bicycle U-Lock is our top overall bike lock, in the following slides, we give reasons why you might want to consider the Kryptonite New York Standard Bicycle U-Lock, the UShake Bike Lock Cable, the Kryptonite Kryptolok Standard Bicycle U-Lock w/4-foot Flex Cable, and the Sigtuna Heavy Duty Bicycle U-Lock with Cable.
The best bike lock overall
Why you'll love it: If you live in a high crime area, the Kryptonite New York Fahgettaboudit Mini Bicycle U-Lock does an excellent job of warding off criminals and protecting your bike.
Kryptonite is the top name in the bike lock industry. That’s why we’ve included three of its locks in our guide. One of the factors that set Kryptonite apart is its Anti-Theft Protection Offer. Basically, when you get your lock, you must register it with the company right away. Then, if your bike is stolen while it is covered by the anti-theft protection, the company will pay to replace your bike. For the Fahgettaboudit Mini, the first year of registration is free. After that, it is $24.99 for five years of coverage.
The New York Fahgettaboudit Mini offers the highest level of security of any of Kryptonite’s locks according to the company. The shackle is made of 18-millimeter hardened “MAX-Performance” steel. For extra security, the crossbar has an oversized hardened steel sleeve. The lock comes with three keys, which disengage the lock using a high-security disk-style cylinder. The cylinder is protected by a sliding dust cover. And, the center keyway is designed to make leverage attacks difficult.
Many industry experts state that the New York Fahgettaboudit bike lock is one of the best options on the market. The only reason The Sweethome rated this model as its second pick is that it is so heavy at 4.55 pounds. Other than that, the reviewers liked that the shackle is thick and would require a thief to make two time-consuming cuts to steal a bike.
Consumer Search found this to be the top option for the above reasons as well as the location of the keyway in the center instead of the side, where most locks locate it. The Best Bike Lock ranked this Kryptonite model the most secure U-lock.
Around 84% of the reviewers on Amazon give the Fahgettaboudit Mini either four or five stars. Buyers are impressed with how heavy duty and secure the lock appears. The biggest complaint is that the U-lock is fairly small. This is helpful for security, but it does make it hard for you to lock up all of the elements of your bike, including your seat post and seat. Users recommend that you buy multiple U-locks or a cable to lock to the U-lock. Also, one verified purchaser pointed out that Kryptonite does not honor any guarantees if you do not register your lock.
Pros: Takes longer to cut through than any other lock
Cons: Small, heavy
Buy the Kryptonite New York Fahgettaboudit Mini Bicycle U-Lock on Amazon for $74.59
The best standard size U-lock bike lock
Why you'll love it: The Kryptonite New York Standard Bicycle U-Lock is large enough to easily lock your bike to most racks, and it offers you protection that rivals our top pick.
Whereas the Fahgettaboudit Mini features 18mm hardened MAX-Performance steel, the shackle for the Kryptonite New York Standard Bicycle U-Lock is slightly thinner at 16mm. The other major difference is that the New York Standard is larger at 4 x 8 inches versus 3.25 x 6 inches.
This gives you more options for locking your bike up, but it also makes it easier for criminals to get bolt cutters and other devices around it. Other than these two differences, the two models are essentially the same, including the center keyway, double deadbolt, and high-security disk-style cylinder.
Outdoor Gear Lab tested out the best locks on the market, including the Fahgettaboudit Mini, and the New York Standard got the highest score. The reviewer said it is the best lock for biking in urban areas. The Best Bike Lock included this Kryptonite lock in its short list of the best standard size U-locks because of the anti-theft protection as well as the double deadbolt locking and 16-millimeter-thick shackle. The Bike Tool Box recommended the New York Standard to anyone who wants to protect their bike in cities with high crime rates.
Of the users who reviewed the New York Standard bike lock on Amazon, 62% gave it five stars. Buyers comment that this Kryptonite lock is heavy (it weighs about 4.45 pounds), which makes them feel more secure. They also like that it’s easy to install the lock mount on your bike, and the lock can even be mounted on the side so the space inside your bike frame can be reserved for a water bottle or other accessories. One user did have trouble keeping the mounting assembly on tight.
Pros: Large enough to allow for more locking configurations, requires thieves to make two cuts to remove
Cons: May have trouble keeping mounting bracket in place
Buy the Kryptonite New York Standard Bicycle U-Lock on Amazon for $71.80
The best bike lock on a budget
Why you'll love it: If you live in a moderate-to-low-crime area, the UShake Bike Lock Cable is an affordable alternative that offers a variety of locking options.
The UShake Bike Lock Cable is made of flexible steel cables that measure about a quarter of an inch (6.5 millimeters) in diameter. The cable is covered with PVC coating for an overall thickness of 12 millimeters. The cable is four feet long and recoils back into its original shape. The four-digit combination lock has 10,000 possible passcodes. This lock is the lightest option in this guide at 0.7 pounds, and it mounts to your bike with the provided bracket. UShake stands behind this product with a six-month warranty.
TBPR Reviews has the UShake Bike Lock Cable as number two on its list of the best bike locks. The reviewers like it because of the hard-to-crack lock, six-month warranty, and flexible braided steel construction. A Secure Life ranked this model as the best cable lock because you don’t have to carry around a key, and it comes with a mounting bracket. However, it lost points because the lock isn’t durable and isn’t ideal for high-crime areas. Folding Bike List also rated this UShake product as the best cable lock because of the toughened steel cables and the 10,000 combination possibilities.
The UShake Bike Lock Cable has more than 1,600 five-star reviews on Amazon. Users like that you can set the combination yourself so that you can remember it. The mounting bracket appears to remain stable even after plenty of jostling. Many buyers have used a couple of these locks in tandem to create a longer cable or for added security. Yet, reviewers comment that they are sure crooks could cut through the cable easily with the right tools.
Pros: 10,000 possible combinations, four-foot reach
Cons: Cable locks are relatively easy to cut
Buy the UShake Bike Lock Cable on Amazon for $10.97 (originally $21.97)
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