Bike Lock

Bicycle locks only provide some level of protection for your bike safety. Its actual major role is to discourage thefts.

All bike locks can be broken. This is a fact. How fast is just a matter of tools and skills.

Since all types locks are mechanical in nature, thieves can also pick them.

Therefore, it is highly important that you invest in the best quality when getting a bike lock. Compared to your precious bike parts that cost thousands, a decent bike lock that costs only $30 to $100 is nothing.

Why Use Bike Locks?

If you always park your bike outside, you must use a bike lock.

If you live in a bad neighborhood or state where bike crimes are rampant, get a bike lock.

If you have an expensive bike that has a $500 price tag or more. You should get bike locks if you love your bike, especially if it's your first.

Things You Must Do First

Apart from using bike locks, you should also insure your own bike.

Make special marks on your bike frame and other components.

Then, take photos of your bike with the bike lock before leaving it. The photos can be future evidence.

Some lock companies even require you to register your lock keys and your bike serial number.

Types of Bike Locks

Cord lock (or cable lock)

This type of lock is nearly useless. You will only encourage bike thieves to steal your bike if you use it even on a cheap bike. Just try using a simple tool like a wire cutter from the hardware shop to cut it. You will find it only takes one snap, very effortless. Avoid the cheap ones at all costs.

If you still insist on buying a cable lock, you can.  But never use it as your primary or only lock. Cable locks only work best when used along with a U-lock.

It's only advantage is it's lighter than the U-lock.

Cable locks should only be used when you are going somewhere quickly (e.g. getting something at the 7-11). If you need to park your bike somewhere about more than 1 hour, then you should use U-locks.

Again, you don't want to get a cheap one.

Chain lock

This is the second weakest bike lock of all. It is often made from steel with a basic padlock. Due to its sturdy and heavy appearance, you might think the padlock is tough to break or pick, especially when you invest in a good quality one, but the long chain lock is fairly weak. This renders the chain lock useless. A bike thief can simply use a bolt cutter or hand saw or even a vice grip to cut through your steel chain.

U-lock

U-locks provide you the best locking security for bikes these days. When detached, it becomes 2 parts, a U-bar and a horizontal bar. A U-lock is the most expensive lock.

How to use it?

Lock your bike's rear wheel, near the seat tube in the middle. You might think the thief could cut off your rear wheel and tire. In reality, there are the seat and chain stays blocking the rear wheel. Locking at the wheel near the seat tube also discourages the thief because he would have to carry the bike if he were to cut off the entire rear wheel.

U-locks often come with a security cable.

Security cable

What is a security cable? It is just an extension for a U-lock. Note that it is just a cable by itself and does not have any lock mechanism. You can use the security cable as an extension for your lock. For example, you lock your bike at the rear tire or seat tube. You can use the security cable to connect the front tire to the lock at the back.

How to Buy

Avoid locks that use cylinder lock mechanisms. These keys have the round shape. If you key resembles a hollow cylinder, thieves can break your bike lock with just a pen cover! This is because pens can have a hollow cylinder. For a professional thief, they could simply weld a hollow cylinder device that acts as a key and steal your bike in 10 seconds.

Invest in higher end locks. The quality does matter. If you use cheap locks, you risk jamming your key when unlocking or locking it, not to mention you make thief's job easier.

This brings a need to purchase lubricants. Buy only lubricants made for bike locks. Jammed keys or locks? Apply a drip of lock lubricant. It is also great to use in winter, where the environment temperature is low.

Look for locks that have insurance coverage in case a theft really happened. But you have to perform registrations and paperwork and invest much more money. Before signing any contract papers, be sure that you read them thoroughly and understand every clause and sentence.

Some bike locks come with the anti-pick feature to prevent thieves from picking your lock. As a word of warning, this feature is a double edge sword. For example, if you insert the key halfway and turn it, the inside plates will be misaligned. How to solve this? You should then insert your key and adjust each plate using your key as you go deeper.

Appearance wise, heavy and strong looking locks might discourage thieves. But you shouldn't depend on the appearance factor alone.

Most cycle locks these days are scratch-free. When you lock your bike, the heavy lock won't affect your bike frame's paint.

In terms of size, you are better off getting the smaller ones. Bigger is not better in this case. Small bike locks are more portable and potentially weigh less. A small lock is also harder be tampered with compared to a large one because it is attached closely to the bike. There is less room to work on it with a closely fit bike lock.

You will also find some keys to be lousy in quality. Usually, this is the case even with an expensive bike lock. You have to understand that this is normal. Some keys might also have a small lighting device attached to help with your insertion point.

There are generally 2 types of locks; the standard double lock (for U-lock) and combination lock. The one with combination should come with a reset feature in case you forget your pin number.

Last of all, most high end locks come with a mounting bracket. This way, you can attach the lock onto your bike frame. But, most of them in the market these days cannot last long due to their material, plastic, which breaks easily after you use them for some time. So, you have to put it in your bag or lock it to other parts of your bicycle.

If your lock is jammed, you should demand for a refund or exchange.

How to Lock

For best security, you must lock both your rear and front wheels. You can do this with a U-lock and a security cable (or another U-lock). Better still, get a 3rd bicycle lock to secure the top or bottom tube of the frame. This results in 3 bike locks or 2 locks with a security cable in total. Of course, lock your bike to a fixed object like a pole or thick fence.

Pay attention to where you lock your bike to. If it's a pole, make sure the pole you lock to is very high. Otherwise, the bike thief could just carry your bike, sliding along the pole to the top and cycle away with your bike. If you lock it to a fence, make sure the fence is thick enough too.

Don't leave big spaces for thieves to work on.

How to Prevent Theft

Prevention is better than cure. Sometimes a bike lock can't save your bike 100% of the time. Therefore, avoid parking your bike in somewhere very isolated with few people.

When you park at somewhere, the thief could determine where you went and have more confidence to steal. For example, if you park your bike near the cinema, then the thief knows he has plenty of time to commit crime.

If you can, ride a cheap bike if you plan to park outside.

Reserve your expensive Trek or Look road bike for cycling tours and sprint rides. The more expensive your bike, the more likely it will encourage bike thefts.

Always park your bike in open areas where there are plenty of people walking by. If you can, park at spot which is monitored by CCTVs or surveillance cams.

Never park it in dark areas (alleys, isolated roads) where people won't notice your bike.

Tools Thieves Use

If you see some suspicious people carrying these tools, you have to be careful.

• hammer
• bolt cutter
• vice grips
• hand saw
• hand grinder

Conclusion

In the end, investing in an excellent sturdy bike lock can be great to discourage, delay and avoid a bike criminal. When you hear a bike lock manufacturer saying that their lock is 100% safe, it is not a good advice at all. Any locks
can be broken by using an electrical power tool.

The best way is still prevention. Think twice about parking your $1000 bike outdoors every single time. If you can, don't create a situation for thieves to do their job at the first place; parking your bike outside. Only park outside if
you have to.

However, you can solve this problem completely if you buy a folding bike. You don't have to lock these bikes because you will be bringing them to anywhere you go.

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