Ottolock defeats thief...just

[Randy Butternubs]

After waiting for several months my brother finally received his Ottolock from the states. It originates from Kickstarter and aims to replace lightweight cable locks but with better security thanks to a mix of steel bands and kevlar fibres.

Unfortunately someone decided to have a go at it last night and it is no more.

He got caught out and ended up using it to secure an expensive bike in London at night, which is pretty far from its intended use I assume.

The would-be thief seems to have gotten frustrated and has tried to melt it apart, with no success. They came very close to getting through it but seem to have either given up in frustration or been scared away. Apparently it looked much more intact last night and they may not have realised how close they were to cutting it.

I know it's a bit iffy to make conclusions based on one event but here goes:

- I'm impressed by how tough it is. I've a fair amount of experience cutting different materials and it looks like a right pig to get through. They appear to have spent some time on it. I feel that it is probably much tougher than an equivalent weight cable lock.
- On the other hand, the fact that it was attacked just days after receiving it perhaps highlights the importance of a visual deterrent. It looks like a bit of a toy, but perhaps a black one would be better. An expensive lock than invites attack is a bit of an issue, even if they don't manage to nick the bike.
- Overall my impression is that it would make a good, if expensive, cafe lock. It might be good for touring cyclists too as it is light and convenient to carry. It is available in long lengths which would allow you to lock up to small trees.

I hope this is of some help to people who are considering buying one. I have no relation to the seller etc. etc.

 

[gaijintendo]

Maybe they just wanted to have a go on a new and expensive lock, to see how it fared.

Do they actually feel that light? My current cafe lock would also double as a hotel retractable clothes line, so could potentially do with an upgrade once the gadget funds return.

 

[Banjo]

Impressive that it survived. My bike was saved by a £2.99 Cable lock once . Outsside a leisure center I had passed it through the pedal and around a post.

Some kid grabbed the bike and ran towards a maze of paths but had a shock when the lock ripped it out of his hands. Couple of scratches on bike but it saved the day .Clearly wouldnt have survived an attack like the Ottolock did but coped with a casual scrote.

 

[Tangoup51]

I'm surprised too, after seeing many of those kinds of locks started up by college boys on kickstarter, I am impressed.

Still, while I don't want to steal praise from the lock I do think the only reason they didn't get through it is because they were spooked.
If someones using a flame to melt your lock, probably going to have more tools in your arsenal that'd attract alot of attention, plus the fact that they would of known that it was about to break, so had to bolt for some reason.

That said, I do agree with what you said. They shouldn't come in colours that'd make them seem feeble. Matt Grey, Matt black should be the only colour options IMO

But I wouldn't buy one even if the colours had the same strength appearance as hulk hogan, the reason being they are Kickstarter made which means they are very expensive as everything is sold at full production price + the profit gap, in total the ottolock (depending on the size you buy) ranges from £45-60

And I don't believe in "lightweight" locks, to me, a lightweight lock is the same as saying "light-weight brake mount thread inserts" or "lightweight cleat bolts"

Some things can afford to be heavy, especially when their job is demanding. But if you spend enough money it is possible for light-weight items to be light with no drawbacks, as evidenced here.

But obviously to achieve that you do need to spend alot of money. £45-60 for a lock that effectively is designed for cafe stops is a bit strong in the price field, especially when for less than half of that price you can pick up very small cable locks that have built-in alarms, which do the job of being compact, light and a very effective bicycle lock for short stops where you can see your bike, etc.

 

[Levo-Lon]

Ill say ill equipped opportunist trying to burn it speaks volumes about this parasitic nobbers skills

 

[gaijintendo]

...
And I don't believe in "lightweight" locks, to me, a lightweight lock is the same as saying "light-weight brake mount thread inserts" or "lightweight cleat bolts"
...

That's the crux of a lot of bike components. Lights are safety equipment. Your clothes are. Your brakes more obviously. Gears too - don't want to fly off because your chain dropped. Tyres too, got to have that magical grip. Wheels. Frame. Hmm... Saddle can protect your jewels.

Basically everything. Really helps with justifying purchases.

 

[DaveReading]

Light, strong, cheap. You have have any two.

 

[Cycleops]

Has anyone had experience of using the Litelock?

 

[Randy Butternubs]

Since the lock was toast I had a go cutting it up with various tools.

From left to right we have a junior hacksaw, side-cutting pliers, small bolt croppers and long handled end-cutting pliers. Ignore the cable lock.

Hacksaw - cuts through easily given very good support in a vice but is much slower and more awkward in other situations. When cinched tight to a pole I think it might not be possible to get a hacksaw on it at all. Even a tiny bit of wiggle makes it very difficult to saw.

Side-cutting pliers - Very hard work. I tried both nibbling at it and flexing the lock back and forth to fatigue it but neither method worked very well. I did manage to get through eventually by taking small bites and levering against an immovable object. I suspect this is what the thief was using.

Bolt croppers - These were highly ineffective. They made a cracking noise on the first cut but seemed to do relatively little to the steel bands. I think it was mostly just compressing the sandwich together without cutting.

End-cutting pliers - These were quite effective. I was able to nibble through fairly fast with the beefy head and long handles. However, the bulk of the head makes it hard to get a suitable angle on the lock and I suspect that when actually locked to a bike a thief might not be able to get the angle.

I have no other experience cutting locks and all the tools above were cheap and unloved. On the other hand, I feel a bike thief is unlikely to be rocking Knipex side-cutters and I was working mostly at a comfortable height with the lock in a bench vice.

I would love to know how easy a regular cable lock is to cut through for comparison but am unwilling to sacrifice one. The one in the picture is 8mm diameter and roughly the same length as the Ottolock and weighs 300g. The long Ottolock weighs about 240g so it is lighter while being (I strongly suspect) more resistant to attack. I feel that a huge advantage of the Ottolock over a cable lock is the ability to cinch it down tight - I don't think this aspect can be understated. A cable lock can generally have a loop pulled into a comfortable position to be worked on. When locked up tight I think one might be able to make it impossible for a hacksaw to be used and almost impossible for bulky end-cutting pliers or bolt croppers. Side-cutting pliers will slip in but as I found and as shown by the real thief is is not very easy to get through with these.

Overall, I am quite impressed and would rather like one. It is light and easy to pack whilst offering what I feel is significant resistance to petty thieves. However, I agree with @Tangoup52 that it is rather expensive compared to other options. I'll be keeping an eye out to see if we get a proper UK importer which should drop the price considerably.

 

[Randy Butternubs]

And I don't believe in "lightweight" locks, to me, a lightweight lock is the same as saying "light-weight brake mount thread inserts" or "lightweight cleat bolts"

The problem is that for out-of-city use which makes up almost all my cycling there are few convenient Sheffield stands. D-locks simply won't work as I need something that can wrap around a tree really or at least a fat lamp post or something. I've eyed up the Abus Bordo locks but these are also on the short side. That leaves, what, long cable locks?

In very rural areas a cable lock (or no lock) is probably fine but they become a bit sketchy as you get closer to urban centres. I have a relatively beefy cable lock but I'm not sure how secure it really is and it is very awkward to use thanks to its stiffness and its desire to spring back into a coil. It ain't light either, although that is not my main concern.

The Ottolock seems to hit a nice combination of being light and packable while still being a significant barrier to petty thieves. The rub is, of course, the price.

 

[classic33]

Has anyone had experience of using the Litelock?

Cut in less than 14 seconds. Now a court case in America because the insurance refused to pay out and the locks owner put the video* of the theft on YouTube.

*Blocked in the UK.

 

[Levo-Lon]

Its all about time and the right tool.
Few seconds and not too noisy..a petrol saw will eat any chain in under 10 seconds but makes a racket.
If your nicking a 8k bike or a 1k one its all you need im afraid


http://www.diy.com/departments/worx...mA&gclsrc=ds&dclid=CIa434KF2NgCFYaq7QodbFcGhA

 

[Deafie]

Cut in less than 14 seconds. Now a court case in America because the insurance refused to pay out and the locks owner put the video* of the theft on YouTube.

*Blocked in the UK.

Last time I locked my bike to a street sign like that it was with a Kryptonite lock and chain as well as a kryptonite D lock and cable and some bastard unbolted the sign and lifted it over the top.

 

[Slick]

Last time I locked my bike to a street sign like that it was with a Kryptonite lock and chain as well as a kryptonite D lock and cable and some bastard unbolted the sign and lifted it over the top.

I did the very same thing today, but I was aware of the weak link in this arrangement so managed to keep it in eye contact at all times. You really do need to try and think of every possible way it could walk.

 

[Randy Butternubs]

Its all about time and the right tool.
Few seconds and not too noisy..a petrol saw will eat any chain in under 10 seconds but makes a racket.
If your nicking a 8k bike or a 1k one its all you need im afraid

Yeah, if you have an expensive bike in a theft hotspot then battery powered angle-grinders are a worry. My understanding though is that most will run out of juice before getting through a thick-shackled double-locking D-lock. Or was it before getting through two such D-locks?

Clearly a lot of thieves have nothing but an old pair of side-cutting pliers though, or bolt cutters, so it is worth protecting against such tools.