Best gravel bikes 20211/9/2024 However, in general, if you’re only going to buy one bike lock, then I would recommend you get a u-lock. And their limited size and shape means you’ll find less things you can secure your bike to. They're generally cheaper, lighter and a little bit easier to use than chain locks, while still providing a high level of protection.īecause of their rigidity they can be more challenging to carry than chain locks. Good u-locks provide a nice balance between price, practicality and security. There are four, well established types of bike lock to choose from: But if we look at the advantages and disadvantages of each type of lock it should quickly become clear which is the best one for you. Obviously this will depend on your individual circumstances. Or one that’s difficult to carry, complicated to secure or that severely limits the places you’re able to lock your bike. So it’s important you don’t choose a lock that’s too heavy or too small. And that’s when your bike will be stolen! Because the type of lock you choose will determine how easy it is to use. Step 2: Choose the right type of bike lock You might be OK with a Bronze rated lock in a really low risk area, but I don’t feel comfortable recommending locks that can be so easily defeated.Īnd there’s such a huge variety of locks at different sizes, weights and prices, that you should be able to find one that’s rated Sold Secure Silver or better, that suits your specific circumstances. I don’t recommend Sold Secure Bronze locks for any circumstances because they offer very little practical protection. There are tons of different cycling and product review websites which publish articles describing how they attacked a few bike locks with different tools, in order to tell you which one is the best. This is actually a really common situation, and is useful way to filter locks further by security. However, we can use their ratings in conjunction with Sold Secure to get a more granular idea of a lock’s security.įor example, if two locks both have a Sold Secure Gold rating, but one's been awarded 2/5 stars from ART while the has 3/5 stars from ART, then the second lock is obviously the most secure. 5 stars for motorcycles (parked at home)ĪRT test and rate far fewer locks than Sold Secure and their classification is narrower.1 star is minimum security (“take away security”).In Step 2 I’ll introduce the various different types of bike locks and show you how to choose one that suits your individual needs.Īnd in Step 3 I’ll explain how to choose the right size lock for the type of bike you ride and how you like to secure it.ĪRT employ both machine tests (tensile strength, torsion strength, cutting, corrosion, dust and freeze tests), and tests by engineers (brute and intelligent attack tests) to produce their ratings: So in Step 1 we’ll work out what level of security you need and I’ll explain how to find locks that will give you the right amount of protection. They include how expensive your bike is, where and how you use it, and how much money you can afford to spend.Īnd that’s a lot to think about! But if we work through the next 3 steps it’s actually pretty simple: Your individual circumstances are very important here. They'll also be easy for you to use on a daily basis. If none of my top 6 picks seem quite right for you, don’t worry! If you keep reading, I'll guide you through 3 simple steps that guarantee you’ll find the perfect lock for both you and your bicycle.Īs I’ve already said, the best bike locks won’t just protect your bike. How to choose the right bike lock for you That's because it's very secure and despite being a practical size, (which doesn't limit where or how you lock your bike), it’s still comparatively light. And while we wait for the first angle grinder proof lock to become widely available, it continues to be the best bike lock in 2022! The Abus Granit X Plus 540 has been the best all round bike lock for the last seven years. With that in mind, I recommend 6 of the best bike locks below, based on their security level and my user tests.īut if none of them seem quite right for you, don’t worry! After these picks I’ll show you the three simple steps that will guarantee you find the perfect bike lock for your needs. ![]() And I've been testing bike locks and writing about bicycle security since 2015, so I know what I'm talking about! I'd say that this balance between strength and practicality is essential. The secret to success is choosing a lock that’s both secure enough to protect your bike and easy enough to use on a daily basis. And the wrong decision can have disastrous consequences! Finding the best lock for your bicycle can be tricky.
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