Security
- Thread starter dee0924
- Start date
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lenfield
Senior Member
Forget about cable-locks, they can be cut with a pair of wire-cutters. Get a D-lock that's at least silver rated, they provide the best balance between security and price. Gold rated locks only stand attack for 2 minutes longer but usually cost a lot more.
https://www.evanscycles.com/brand/lifeline/d-lock---sold-secure-silver-930033
https://www.evanscycles.com/brand/lifeline/d-lock---sold-secure-silver-930033
ebikeerwidnes
Guru
- Location
- Widnes
I presume the question is about bike locks
I reckon you need to look at where the bike is stored and where it gets left
then look at insurance and make sure that you comply with what they specify
It will probably be some sort old "Sold Secure" rating - mine needs Gold for the insurance if it is left outside the house
personally I use a gold rated D-lock if I leave it outside
and add one or two cable locks that a decent and well-equipped thief could get round in a few seconds
but it does add extra "pain the neck" value with would put off most morons just looking for a quick buck
As far as storage goes - House Insurance often cover them - I always contact them before I take it out and check the conditions
even if I am just renewing!
I reckon you need to look at where the bike is stored and where it gets left
then look at insurance and make sure that you comply with what they specify
It will probably be some sort old "Sold Secure" rating - mine needs Gold for the insurance if it is left outside the house
personally I use a gold rated D-lock if I leave it outside
and add one or two cable locks that a decent and well-equipped thief could get round in a few seconds
but it does add extra "pain the neck" value with would put off most morons just looking for a quick buck
As far as storage goes - House Insurance often cover them - I always contact them before I take it out and check the conditions
even if I am just renewing!
All uphill
Still rolling along
- Location
- Somerset
Good answers above.
What bike you have, where you leave it, and for how long and how often, are all important factors.
A crappy looking unfashionable bike is less likely to be stolen than a flashy new one
A bike left in a highly visible spot, among other bikes, is less likely to be stolen.
A bike locked securely for two minutes is less likely to disappear than one left for two hours.
Leaving your commuter bike in the same place everyday is asking for trouble.
I have occasionally wondered if taking the chain off the chain ring, and letting it dangle, would improve security.
What bike you have, where you leave it, and for how long and how often, are all important factors.
A crappy looking unfashionable bike is less likely to be stolen than a flashy new one
A bike left in a highly visible spot, among other bikes, is less likely to be stolen.
A bike locked securely for two minutes is less likely to disappear than one left for two hours.
Leaving your commuter bike in the same place everyday is asking for trouble.
I have occasionally wondered if taking the chain off the chain ring, and letting it dangle, would improve security.
Last edited:
mjr
Comfy armchair to one person & a plank to the next
- Location
- mostly Norfolk, sometimes Somerset
I have sometimes set the shifters to jam the chain (derailleur bike) or leave the clutch plate vulnerable to breaking (hub gear), so if scum nick the bike, they might at least injure themselves!
fossyant
Ride It Like You Stole It!
- Location
- South Manchester
The portable angle grinder is the issue - formidable bit of kit for £100...
Nothing really works well against one in public.
Nothing really works well against one in public.
This certainly seems to be the new front of the war against scrotes.
There are locks that resist angle grinder attack but they're typically pricey and heavy... not sure if the additional security is worth the drawbacks.
ebikeerwidnes
Guru
- Location
- Widnes
If you are looking at guarding against angle grinders then you are considering professional thieves coming equipped
Whetehr or not you need to go that far depends on where you leave it and for how long
round here most bikes I see are locked up with the cheapest cable locks - often combination versions
and they don;t generally get nicked
The pros probably look round the places that bikes are left all day
and then look for the most expensive
which menas that making it look cheap and rubbish will also help a lot
Whetehr or not you need to go that far depends on where you leave it and for how long
round here most bikes I see are locked up with the cheapest cable locks - often combination versions
and they don;t generally get nicked
The pros probably look round the places that bikes are left all day
and then look for the most expensive
which menas that making it look cheap and rubbish will also help a lot
PaulSB
Squire
- Location
- Chorley, Lancashire
The short answer is nothing will stop a determined thief. My security falls into two categories, garage and on ride.
The garage security should comply with the insurance company's policy. For me this is D-locks, concrete anchors and heavy duty chains. To this I add an alarm positioned so that touching any of the bikes activates the alarm. This alarm is so sensitive that simply slamming the door activates it. The door is also alarmed.
On a ride a simple cafe lock, if I'm solo the bike is never out of sight. With my buddies we stack and lock our bikes together in such a manner trying to move one wll mean moving all three.
I'm currently looking for a small, slim alarm to carry on rides. I believe this is highly effective in creating reaction time if my bike is touched.
The garage security should comply with the insurance company's policy. For me this is D-locks, concrete anchors and heavy duty chains. To this I add an alarm positioned so that touching any of the bikes activates the alarm. This alarm is so sensitive that simply slamming the door activates it. The door is also alarmed.
On a ride a simple cafe lock, if I'm solo the bike is never out of sight. With my buddies we stack and lock our bikes together in such a manner trying to move one wll mean moving all three.
I'm currently looking for a small, slim alarm to carry on rides. I believe this is highly effective in creating reaction time if my bike is touched.
Andy in Germany
Legendary Member
- Location
- Rottenburg am Neckar
Ultimately, even a high-end lock can be cut: we have to collect all the abandoned bikes in Tübingen once a year, and my lads slice U-Locks in seconds with a battery powered cutting disc. Of course this can attract attention, so they're still better than a cable.
Honestly, the best option for parking in the city is to have a less expensive bike that bike thieves won't want to steal, or a folding bike , and then use the most solid lock you can afford/carry.
If you can park your cheap bike next to a nice new e-bike, that'll distract thieves too...
Profpointy
Legendary Member
apart from the good lock advice upthread, another possibility is to have a "good bike" for long rides, or if you are reasonably confident with the location it's being chained up but, if you have the space, also have a "pub bike" for shorter trips if it's likely to have to be left somewhere a bit more sketchy. You still need to lock it, but it hurts less if it's nicked, and the risk is reduced further if it is chained up next to nicer bikes!
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ebikeerwidnes
Guru
- Location
- Widnes
Apart from anything else
If you have a super light speedy bike
and lock it up in town then you have to carry a heavy U-lock which counteracts hundreds of pounds worth of "Lightness"
and ride it on city roads that are ofen "not that good"
better to have a half decent bike which looks rubbish for the city
possibly buy a cheap used one and put decent wheels and tyres on it
I believe there is also a way of painting it so it looks rusty
If you have a super light speedy bike
and lock it up in town then you have to carry a heavy U-lock which counteracts hundreds of pounds worth of "Lightness"
and ride it on city roads that are ofen "not that good"
better to have a half decent bike which looks rubbish for the city
possibly buy a cheap used one and put decent wheels and tyres on it
I believe there is also a way of painting it so it looks rusty
Profpointy
Legendary Member
There's a saying that all bikes weigh 40lbs. If you have a 20lb bike, then you need a top quality and chunky 20lb lock to secure it. With a 30lb bike a 10lb lock suffices. And if you have a 40lb bike then it really doesn't need a lock !
Dave2plates
Regular
Standby to never hear from @dee0294 again
froze
Veteran
- Location
- Fort Wayne, Indiana
There is a lock on the market that can defeat an angle grinder, this lock is the absolute best lock bar none.
OnGuard RockSolid 8590, based on independent 2026 destructive testing. It literally turns grinder discs to dust and outperformed every other lock tested under timed angle‑grinder attacks! It cost $270, in America it's available only on E-Bay and at Walmart but not in any store, online only.
There is another one that comes super close to the OnGuard and that is the SkunkLock Carbon V2; it too turns grinder discs to dust. This lock is less expensive than the OnGuard at $184.
Neither of those two locks are lightweight, but you can't get a lightweight lock and expect it to stop anything, both are D locks, so if you need to lock up the bike either put your front wheel to the rear area of the bike so that the lock will go through both wheels and the frame or take the front wheel with you.
Those locks are for high crime areas, they're a bit of an overkill for low crime areas. Even though I live in a city of 250,000 people the bike theft type of crime is quite low, so all I use to use when I commuted to work was a 3 foot long Abus 6KS Security chain with a Master Lock resettable combination pad lock 1.2 x 2 x 3.87 inches model M175XDLF; both only cost me under $50, and never had any problems; that chain and lock will deter anyone who doesn't have an angle grinder. When I go touring/camping on a bike I take that same lock, but I use a vinyl covered security braided cable that is 1/2" thick and 5 feet long because it's a lot lighter than the chain, plus with the length I can lock it to a park bench or park table. Sure, a cable is fairly easy to cut, but this is only for when I'm sleeping, I never really leave that bike out of eye shot. Thick cable like mine are not slackers against cutting, any bolt cutter smaller than 24 inches won't cut it! You can nip away at with wire cutters; small hand tools will offer the theft a lot of pain and time to cut it; but they are easier to cut than most other bike locks except for cheap thin wire locks, or those super lightweight ZipLock looking locks.
You have to pick your lock based on the crime in the area in which you live and how paranoid you are.
The final option, if you have super nice bike, is to buy a standalone bicycle insurance policy, these will usually let you insure it for a stated value, so you can get enough coverage to pay for a brand new bike should it get stolen; or some homeowners policies will offer the option of a bicycle rider which usually means no deductible, but you have to get it appraised, so it will only be covered for that amount which when something is appraised it is done so at the used value thus you won't have enough money to get a brand new bike. And all insurance policies will require you to use a lock that they recommend, usually they'll recommend several different types. You will need a police report, or a file number, you should take pictures of the scene just in case.
LASTLY, BUT AN IMPORTANT READ: insurance that might come with a lock are a joke! There are a lot of loops you have to jump through to get a bike covered, these loops are so restrictive that most bikes will not be covered! Here is a list of those loopholes.
You must register the lock within 7 to 30 days of purchase, you must upload the proof of lock purchase, serial number and photos of the lock, failure to do any of that and it's too bad for you.
You must use the lock exactly as specified, meaning the lock must go through the frame to an immovable object, no quick release parts left unsecured; use the correct locking technique which varies by company. If the thief removes the pole or a sign or even a rack your claim is denied because the object was not secure! If you only lock the wheels or only the frame, you are denied.
Upon theft of bike, you must send in the original key, the broken lock, and the key number card, the original packaging the lock came in with bar codes intact, and the original receipt, lose any of that stuff and the claim is denied.
Must have a police report filed within 24 hours, which can be highly problematic because a lot of police agencies in large cities, at least in America, will NOT come out to take a report and hand it to you; of course, failure to do so claim is denied.
You must take photos of your locked bike every time you lock up your bike, those pics must show bike locked correctly, the object it is locked too, the location up close, medium range and longer range so they can see the if the area was exposed to the public and how well the lighting was, if not, claimed denied. Then if the bike is taken you have to take photos again of the broken lock or broken whatever it was attached to, and those pictures must show the site undisturbed, you can't move them around until after the pics are taken, failure do any of that and the claim is denied. If you parked it at night, you must take pictures at night, not during the day, if they deem the place you locked it up was not visible to foot traffic, claim denied.
Then you must prove the bikes value, you must have the bike purchase original receipt, OR a professional written appraisal, as well as any upgrades receipts. If the bike was bought used or can't prove its value your claim is denied.
They will deny coverage depending on which area you live, such as:
Canada
Some EU countries
Asia
South America
Coverage will be denied depending on how old the lock was at the time of theft. Most companies only cover the lock for 1–3 years from the date of purchase:
Kryptonite — 1, 2, or 3 years depending on lock tier
OnGuard — 1 year
ABUS — 1–3 years depending on model and region
Litelok — 3 years
If you are one day past those time frames, claim denied, this forces you to buy a new lock every X number of years, which in turn spins a profit for the lock company.
All those denial rules are not on the packaging generally; you have to go online to get the in-depth do's and don'ts from the company's website.
If you think you have followed ALL their rules and they still deny you claim, you will have to get a written letter from them stating why, then you might be able to take them to small claims court, but must bring in the printout of their rules and demonstrate to the judge you followed all the rules as written in their warranty statement and show all the proof you sent them. A lot of people have taken these lock companies to small claims courts. Some years back Kryptonite got into huge trouble in court, they had to change some of their restrictions and the way the restrictions read.
If by some super slim chance they accept the claim, then the payouts are as follows:
Kryptonite: $500–$5,000 depending on lock tier
OnGuard: $1,500–$2,000
ABUS: €500–€2,500
Litelok: £1,500–£3,000
And you must pay a deductible of $50 to $200 depending on the model, and of course that has to be paid before they pay you instead of them deducting the that amount from the claim check which is the way homeowners insurance or standalone bike insurance will do.
Most people will end up getting a free lock as a booby prize, big deal!
Don't buy one of the locks I mentioned and expect to get a claim paid out should the bike get stolen, buy the lock because of its high anti-theft rating.
OnGuard RockSolid 8590, based on independent 2026 destructive testing. It literally turns grinder discs to dust and outperformed every other lock tested under timed angle‑grinder attacks! It cost $270, in America it's available only on E-Bay and at Walmart but not in any store, online only.
There is another one that comes super close to the OnGuard and that is the SkunkLock Carbon V2; it too turns grinder discs to dust. This lock is less expensive than the OnGuard at $184.
Neither of those two locks are lightweight, but you can't get a lightweight lock and expect it to stop anything, both are D locks, so if you need to lock up the bike either put your front wheel to the rear area of the bike so that the lock will go through both wheels and the frame or take the front wheel with you.
Those locks are for high crime areas, they're a bit of an overkill for low crime areas. Even though I live in a city of 250,000 people the bike theft type of crime is quite low, so all I use to use when I commuted to work was a 3 foot long Abus 6KS Security chain with a Master Lock resettable combination pad lock 1.2 x 2 x 3.87 inches model M175XDLF; both only cost me under $50, and never had any problems; that chain and lock will deter anyone who doesn't have an angle grinder. When I go touring/camping on a bike I take that same lock, but I use a vinyl covered security braided cable that is 1/2" thick and 5 feet long because it's a lot lighter than the chain, plus with the length I can lock it to a park bench or park table. Sure, a cable is fairly easy to cut, but this is only for when I'm sleeping, I never really leave that bike out of eye shot. Thick cable like mine are not slackers against cutting, any bolt cutter smaller than 24 inches won't cut it! You can nip away at with wire cutters; small hand tools will offer the theft a lot of pain and time to cut it; but they are easier to cut than most other bike locks except for cheap thin wire locks, or those super lightweight ZipLock looking locks.
You have to pick your lock based on the crime in the area in which you live and how paranoid you are.
The final option, if you have super nice bike, is to buy a standalone bicycle insurance policy, these will usually let you insure it for a stated value, so you can get enough coverage to pay for a brand new bike should it get stolen; or some homeowners policies will offer the option of a bicycle rider which usually means no deductible, but you have to get it appraised, so it will only be covered for that amount which when something is appraised it is done so at the used value thus you won't have enough money to get a brand new bike. And all insurance policies will require you to use a lock that they recommend, usually they'll recommend several different types. You will need a police report, or a file number, you should take pictures of the scene just in case.
LASTLY, BUT AN IMPORTANT READ: insurance that might come with a lock are a joke! There are a lot of loops you have to jump through to get a bike covered, these loops are so restrictive that most bikes will not be covered! Here is a list of those loopholes.
You must register the lock within 7 to 30 days of purchase, you must upload the proof of lock purchase, serial number and photos of the lock, failure to do any of that and it's too bad for you.
You must use the lock exactly as specified, meaning the lock must go through the frame to an immovable object, no quick release parts left unsecured; use the correct locking technique which varies by company. If the thief removes the pole or a sign or even a rack your claim is denied because the object was not secure! If you only lock the wheels or only the frame, you are denied.
Upon theft of bike, you must send in the original key, the broken lock, and the key number card, the original packaging the lock came in with bar codes intact, and the original receipt, lose any of that stuff and the claim is denied.
Must have a police report filed within 24 hours, which can be highly problematic because a lot of police agencies in large cities, at least in America, will NOT come out to take a report and hand it to you; of course, failure to do so claim is denied.
You must take photos of your locked bike every time you lock up your bike, those pics must show bike locked correctly, the object it is locked too, the location up close, medium range and longer range so they can see the if the area was exposed to the public and how well the lighting was, if not, claimed denied. Then if the bike is taken you have to take photos again of the broken lock or broken whatever it was attached to, and those pictures must show the site undisturbed, you can't move them around until after the pics are taken, failure do any of that and the claim is denied. If you parked it at night, you must take pictures at night, not during the day, if they deem the place you locked it up was not visible to foot traffic, claim denied.
Then you must prove the bikes value, you must have the bike purchase original receipt, OR a professional written appraisal, as well as any upgrades receipts. If the bike was bought used or can't prove its value your claim is denied.
They will deny coverage depending on which area you live, such as:
Canada
Some EU countries
Asia
South America
Coverage will be denied depending on how old the lock was at the time of theft. Most companies only cover the lock for 1–3 years from the date of purchase:
Kryptonite — 1, 2, or 3 years depending on lock tier
OnGuard — 1 year
ABUS — 1–3 years depending on model and region
Litelok — 3 years
If you are one day past those time frames, claim denied, this forces you to buy a new lock every X number of years, which in turn spins a profit for the lock company.
All those denial rules are not on the packaging generally; you have to go online to get the in-depth do's and don'ts from the company's website.
If you think you have followed ALL their rules and they still deny you claim, you will have to get a written letter from them stating why, then you might be able to take them to small claims court, but must bring in the printout of their rules and demonstrate to the judge you followed all the rules as written in their warranty statement and show all the proof you sent them. A lot of people have taken these lock companies to small claims courts. Some years back Kryptonite got into huge trouble in court, they had to change some of their restrictions and the way the restrictions read.
If by some super slim chance they accept the claim, then the payouts are as follows:
Kryptonite: $500–$5,000 depending on lock tier
OnGuard: $1,500–$2,000
ABUS: €500–€2,500
Litelok: £1,500–£3,000
And you must pay a deductible of $50 to $200 depending on the model, and of course that has to be paid before they pay you instead of them deducting the that amount from the claim check which is the way homeowners insurance or standalone bike insurance will do.
Most people will end up getting a free lock as a booby prize, big deal!
Don't buy one of the locks I mentioned and expect to get a claim paid out should the bike get stolen, buy the lock because of its high anti-theft rating.