Bike security - 13mm or 16mm D-lock

[Wooky72]

I've seen recommendations on here for the Abus Granit X plus 54 D-lock.

I've also read that D-locks should be a minimum of 16mm thick to be any good-
...............however the Abus Granit is only 13mm thick.

I'm looking to buy a really good D-lock, but getting confused with all the options!
Any advice appreciated

 

[eddieo]

I think they need to be 18mm to resist croppers.

I have the Abus and other locks, but if buying again I would get a top quality 18mm D lock

 

[Mussels]

There's more to it than the thickness but as a rule 13mm is OK for cafe stops but if leaving it outside work all day 16mm and over is recommended.
Don't get a D lock that is too big, leaging space to fit a fist in will allow a bottle jack to be used.

 

[Wooky72]

Thank-you for the replies - so in 16mm D-locks I've seen a Kryptonite New York Lock 3000 and an Oxford Magnum.

 

[Mike63]

I've seen a Kryptonite New York Lock 3000

...I've got this...weighs a ton and you'd think it was impervious to any attack.
...generally I use a lighter D lock plus a 16mm cable.

....Mike

 

[Mussels]

Thank-you for the replies - so in 16mm D-locks I've seen a Kryptonite New York Lock 3000 and an Oxford Magnum.

I'd avoid Oxford, a lot of their security stuff is rubbish. The New York 3000 stuff is good, Abus do good D locks as well.

 

[Sevenhills]

Hi

I just use a cheap Tesco combination lock, but its always brought inside overnight. Is one lock enough if someone really wants to steal it? I have had just one wheel go missing when I used to leave my cycle outside overnight.

S

 

[Alex728]

What are the wider Abus models? Any recommendations?

I saw a comnment on a Dutch cycling forum recently which said "in NL today you often see people who spend €20 on a bike and €50 on a lock"

 

[eddieo]

Try the "search" function, many useful threads on locks and security....

 

[Wooky72]

Abus locks

Looking at the Abus website, they have 3 very high security D- locks.
The first one is for bikes & motorbikes, the last two are actually motorbike locks.

1) Granit X-plus 54 - 13mm thick, about 1.5kg for the 23cm long x 10.8cm one. Security rating: 15

2) Granit Power 58 - 16mm thick, about 2.5kg for the 26cm long x 8.3cm one. Security rating: 20

3) Granit Extreme 59 - 16mm thick, about 2.9kg for the 26cm long x 11.1cm on. Security rating - 25

Now these last two are very heavy indeed! Is that going over the top for a bike? !

 

[Deleted member 4366]

I've been using an Oxford roller lock on my motorbikes for years. They have rollers that turn if you try and hack-saw them. They are about 25mm dia, so can't be cropped. They are flexible, so that you can wrap them round lamp posts etc. and, if you get a long enough one, can be put through both wheels and the frame and around a lamp post. Main problem is that they are a little heavy for a bicycle. Here's there bicycle version, which follows the same principles:
Oxford Revolver Cycle Lock | £26.95 | Cycle Security | Bike Lock | Keep Your Bicycle Safe

 

[Mussels]

I've been using an Oxford roller lock on my motorbikes for years. They have rollers that turn if you try and hack-saw them. They are about 25mm dia, so can't be cropped. They are flexible, so that you can wrap them round lamp posts etc. and, if you get a long enough one, can be put through both wheels and the frame and around a lamp post. Main problem is that they are a little heavy for a bicycle. Here's there bicycle version, which follows the same principles:
Oxford Revolver Cycle Lock | £26.95 | Cycle Security | Bike Lock | Keep Your Bicycle Safe

Does yours have the round key lock? If so it's useless and can be opened by a 10 year old with a biro.
Roller locks are not as good as they seem as bolt croppers can be forced between the armour plates, under that they are pretty weak. I've heard of one of these types of lock that is effective, I don't remember which but I bet it's not Oxford.

 

[Mike63]

you often see people who spend €20 on a bike and €50 on a lock"

...talking to a guy I knew...he'd bought a bike from 50 cycles for 2K
..."I hope you have a good lock" I said...he showed me one I think he'd bought from a £ shop...I could've cut it with scissors.

 

[allen-uk]

I know I keep pushing these reviews, but they are worth downloading and keeping for future reference:

Have a look at these:

http://dl.dropbox.com/u/1503128/test...20part 1.pdf

http://dl.dropbox.com/u/1503128/test...20part 2.pdf

(They're both PDFs each several pages long, so will take a minute or two to download to your machine. Patience!)

They look at loads of locks, including most of those discussed above, and tell you how long each holds up against a) a professionally equipped thief, and b) most opportunist amateurs.


Allen.

 

[eddieo]

Well worth repeating Allen, and why I reminded pep's to use the search function

 

[Scimitar]

I know I keep pushing these reviews, but they are worth downloading and keeping for future reference:

Have a look at these:

http://dl.dropbox.com/u/1503128/test...20part 1.pdf

http://dl.dropbox.com/u/1503128/test...20part 2.pdf

(They're both PDFs each several pages long, so will take a minute or two to download to your machine. Patience!)

They look at loads of locks, including most of those discussed above, and tell you how long each holds up against a) a professionally equipped thief, and b) most opportunist amateurs.


Allen.

Getting a 404 for both of those links.

 

[eTim]

Oh dear, time to roll out the Almax videos again.... Almax Movies - Almax Security Chains - Video Content ..... once you've watched them crop through everything (except the Almax) then go and search Youtube for how to open D-Lock's with a bottle jack........sigh!

So if you go and spend your hard-earned on a D-lock, make sure you know the correct technique for locking it to avoid bottle jack attacks.

 

[Wooky72]

Bike insurance

Allen-uk, getting error message on your PDFs, - and I couldn't open them before when I did did my searches on this issue either!

Have found out that my home insurance won't cover electric bikes so have to get a separate bike insurance. I found this really useful:

Bicycle insurance

ETA seem to be the most comprehensive, though they require a Gold-rated Sold Secure lock, and as I've already read on here and elsewhere, the Sold Secure approved locks aren't necessarily the best ones.

But at least that limits my options

 

[eddieo]

Nooooo...Just change your home insurance company

 

[allen-uk]

Indeed there are, 404s that is. I'll sort em out and get back.


A