sorry if this is the wrong place to post this, but which bike lock would be good for a college campus (it's close to a big city)? i just recently got my bike stolen, but got the exact same one (bike is in the last pic) and i don't want to get it stolen this time. i have the budget for any of these locks, but it's not ideal to drop $160 on just a lock being a broke college kid, so what should i do? should i just bite the bullet and get the super expensive one? it's a common occurrence on campus for bikes to get stolen.
by whypersephone
23 Comments
oh also, the new one is a hand me down it just happens to be the same oneðŸ˜
the $650 price tag on that bike is a joke right?
nice step thru ebike! I guess the $70 orange kryptonite at the top of picture 3 should work.
Sorry about your bike. Happened to me a few times. Pretty challenging times.
Get the u lock with flex cable.
How is that bike $650 or is this the reality of the US’ new economics?
The kryptonite chain weighs a ton. I ordered one, it arrived and was so heavy I returned it without ever using it. However, that is the lock recommended by lockpicking lawyer. I opted for a folding lock by Abus, it’s a decent compromise. Lighter than a u-lock, stronger than a cable, can lock to way more places than a u-lock. I also don’t leave it unattended for long periods and do not live in a high theft area. YMMV
New York I love you..
get a $160 bike to ride to school
[https://thebestbikelock.com/](https://thebestbikelock.com/) has some good advice. Avoid no name brands.
All of them
Pic 1 and 3 have the same Kryptonite Mini lock with cable, but the one in the first pic is $36 more. I would suggest you don’t get the one in pic 1.
Of the ones you put, I would get the orange mini with the cable since it is stronger and costs less than the gray mini with cable. But I would get the orange mini in the 3rd pic, not the 1st pic.
Get a tiny folding bike and never leave it outside.
I own both the chain lock from your first picture and a kryptonite U lock. For practical purposes the U lock is better but if you want protection, that chain lock is better than all the U locks you pictured.
The lockpickinglawyer himself in one of his videos mentioned that kryptonite chain lock model as the only lock he would use.
I have the 1090 chain lock and use that 90% of the time. I use my U lock on my club bike(can’t carry the chain easily) ; and double up, using both locks when parked at night or in sketchy areas.
If parked over night outside, i use the heavy new York kryptonite chain with mini-u, plus whatever other locks I’ve got.
I have the big chain lock and I love it. So easy.
Get a cheaper bike. Use the money saved to buy a diamond rated lock. Heck with the money saved you could buy the best lock on the market. That way you have extra peace of mind, and the lock investment will actually do its job.
Definitely not the one with that you have “Saved for later” or that is “Sponsored”. They seem to mimick Litelok X1 and Hiplock, but only god know what is inside those.
What lock you need, depends on several factors. The most important one: In big cities like London, some doctor or engineer in a hoodie will come and use cheap battery powered angle grinder with diamond disc and just cut the lock off one after another. They really dont give a *. Bystanders will not intervene for their own safety.
Then, where you park: is it inside, or outside, is in dark, is it in busy area and well lit area…
No lock will make it safe, if bike is outside on the same spot all the time. You might deflect the random attacks, where they just steal all the bikes with shitty locks. But being a new bike, you might get targeted, in that case no lock makes it safe.
So to cut to the case, if you park outside, avoid having nice bike, buy a used one, cheap, uglify it, and spend the money on making it tehnically functioning. Only then it make sense to buy someting angle-grinder resistant (check for tests online for angle grinder resistance). IMO, no one is picking locks nowadays, it is just bruteforce: large bolt cutters for broke junkines and angle grinders with diamond discs for organized massive stealing.
Also learn how to lock your bike: you need TWO locks! and where to park it, etc… there is ton of info if you google.
Targeted thefts (like very expensive bikes – like 10.000 EUR) might also happen with dedicated hydraulic claws, which firefighters use to save people from car crashes. No lock can withstand that.
No lock will prevent your bike from being stolen.
You need a secure place to keep your bike. What are the circumstances under which it was stolen?
Does your college have any secure bike parking?
The chain is the best, but even better is to use two different types of lock, e.g. a D-lock and a chain.
But when it comes to college campuses, the best policy is to have a beater, that no one would bother to steal (and still lock it up well)
And never, ever, leave it locked up in an insecure area overnight.
Realistically, the brand of the lock makes little difference.
(so long as it isn’t totally garbage)
The type of the lock is more important.
Generally, U-locks are better than chains.
But, the best solution is to just get a cheaper bike.
If you need to leave your bike un-attended for long periods of time, there is no lock that guarantees safety.
It is common to have 2 bikes, a good one for having fun, and a cheap one for when you are commuting and have no safe place to store it.
if you can afford a better lock its worth it so
Look at how other people lock their bikes, and do whatever you need to make your bike one step more difficult to steal than theirs. Also with those insane prices I’d start buying used stuff off eBay 🫡 should be plenty of people getting rid of old bike locks
Sorry that almost everyone here is only discussing the bike and it’s price, not your question.
The idea for bikes and locks is that even the strongest lock can be cut through under 1-2 minutes, regardless of the brand. Usually a U-lock is one of the strongest constructions, but they are rigid and heavy, which makes carrying them difficult and you need to find a place where you can actually lock the bike to something suitable. The cable part is absolutely useless against thieves, so that’s just for show. Then a good quality chain can also work, but they might be heavier than the U-lock. From the list above I would probably go for that one.
Rather think with the head of the thieves: which bike looks like it will have the best resell value as opposed to the effort and risks? Sometimes small tricks can help a lot: intentionally making your bike appear uglier / older / more used (e.g. tape, paint, hiding branding), trying to lock it close to CCTV or a building entrance where you have 24h personell around, etc. Extra points if the other bikes nearby look more appealing to thieves. Philosophy: you don’t necessarily need to run faster than the bear, just faster than the slowest person running from the same bear.
Ask at your university for advice on bike storage – nowadays many institutions have infrastructure to encourage biking around campus. If you absolutely need to leave it somewhere for a night, check if there is a resident living nearby and if you can lock it up in their yard. People can be really kind sometimes
I have both of the evolution locks, chain and u lock. Still have my bike. The chain is supposed to be quite resilient