Recommend me a bike lock.

[Simbu]

So my new bike is on order and arriving in a few days. It's time to invest in the right security.

Budget is £80.

Current thought is:

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Kryptonite-York-Fahgettabo...

and

http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B000NOO3ZQ/

Are there better options for the money?

[Rocksteadyeddie]

Does it need to be portable? If not get a motorcycle lock. Way more secure than any bike lock.

[47p2]

I've heard that 2 different locks of different thickness and material is the way to go as opportunist thieves won't have the tools to cut through both types. Plenty info on the net about locking up your bike

[donfisher]

Simbu said:

So my new bike is on order and arriving in a few days. It's time to invest in the right security.

Budget is £80.

Current thought is:

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Kryptonite-York-Fahgettabo...

and

http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B000NOO3ZQ/

Are there better options for the money?

That's a great combination imho. The only trouble is the dlock won't fit around absolutely everything.

[GuinnessMK]

We had a break in a few weeks back, where they cut through all the padlocks to get into the shed with bolt croppers.

The bike that was secured with an Oxford D Lock and cable lock around the wheels got stolen. Not sure if they managed to open the D lock, but they cut through the cable and left it on the floor.

The two bikes that were locked together with an Abus Granit Steel-o-flex were left behind.

The rubber covering on the lock was cut through, but the lock itself wasn't damaged.

http://www.amazon.co.uk/ABUS-Granit-Steel-O-Flex-1... it looks like a load of steel cable protected by a spine of interlinking steel sleeves. Too wide for bolt croppers as it looked like it had slid out of the jaws, and the steel sleeves just span where they had tried to saw through it.

All our bikes are now secured with these, direct to ground anchors.

HTH

[RealSquirrels]

I also have good experiences of abus locks, bds tried to knock by bike from a locked bike shed. They got the wheels, since I hadn't locked them the frame was locked with an abus d lock, which now bears marks from where it's been hit with a hammer and where they've tried to cut/saw through the d part. Only the plastic sleeve is damaged.. It still works and still locks.

[donfisher]

WeirdNeville said:

I thnk the "Fahgettabout it" is a really small D lock isn't it? Get one with a bigger shackle. You need the D-Lock to be the thing that locks your bike to the immobile hoop/bike stand. No point in having the strongest D-Lock in the world if it's still on your bike as they load it into the Van....

The Kryptoflex cable is exactly what I have and it does it's job well.

The one in the link is a small D-lock. It will fit to the bike and round narrower posts like the ones that have parking hours on them. It goes on every proper bike stand I've used and if you're in luck you can get it through the back wheel as well. It struggles with wider lampposts though. I think the one you're thinking of is the tiny one that works more like a padlock and goes with the big FO chain.

[Mr Will]

WeirdNeville said:

I thnk the "Fahgettabout it" is a really small D lock isn't it? Get one with a bigger shackle. You need the D-Lock to be the thing that locks your bike to the immobile hoop/bike stand. No point in having the strongest D-Lock in the world if it's still on your bike as they load it into the Van....

The Kryptoflex cable is exactly what I have and it does it's job well.

Small is good, D-Locks are most secure when there is little spare space inside them to get tools in. A lot of big ones can be burst open if you leave enough room for certain tools to be used inside the D.

My recommendation is a Kryptonite Evolution Mini and a separate cable with it's own lock. Two locks requiring two different tools is always better than one.

[Simbu]

Thanks for all the feedback chaps! Following suggestions of a larger lock (although I appreciate this allows more leverage to potential thieving scum) and some decent reviews I've changed the D lock to this: http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B000P1PZLS

I'm fortunate to have a decent bike lock-up at home and work, so realistically it won't be often it'll be put to the test.

Everything arrives Tuesday, can't wait to get out on the new wheels!

[Gizmoish]

WeirdNeville said:

Mr Will said:

Small is good, D-Locks are most secure when there is little spare space inside them to get tools in. A lot of big ones can be burst open if you leave enough room for certain tools to be used inside the D.

My recommendation is a Kryptonite Evolution Mini and a separate cable with it's own lock. Two locks requiring two different tools is always better than one.

You say that, and I agree you don't want a "huge" shackle, but in reality it needs to be useful first and foremost. If it's too small to go through the frame and around something, then what's the point? It's a big padlock.

The only things that will break a decent normal sized D-Lock will break a small one too: that is, and Angle grinder, a "jaws of life" grade set of bolt croppers, or a welding torch.

If you're on about using a car jack or crow bar, only very cheap D-locks fail using those, there are far quicker ways to break them.

You missed out what I'm led to believe is the quickest way to blow a normal sized shackle: hence the advice to fill the inside of the shackle as much as possible...

[Gizmoish]

WeirdNeville said:

Go on, Pm me and I'll tell you if I've tried it.

YHM. Curious...

[Rocksteadyeddie]

And I think that is the end of that then! Cheers for posting Neville.

By way of support here is the video of a chap stealing bikes in plain sight in New York. I'm sure all major cities have the same level of apathy.

[Simbu]

I was chatting to a friend of mine who is a police officer who said if someone really wants your bike, they'll take it. But when it comes to opportunist thieving scum, the game is to make your bike the least attractive option to try and steal.