If you ever happen to ask a bike thief about his failed attempts in deciphering bike locks, he or she will tell you that it’s the Kryptonite KryptoLok Series 2 U-Lock Cable that just doesn’t give in. And it’s true. The Kryptonite KryptoLok Series 2 is the best bike lock you can find that will give you the most bang for your buck. The best bike lock proves its credibility when you know that it’s being used by bike thieves for their own rides. Ironically, and quite strangely, there’s nothing more reassuring than that.
The Kryptonite KryptoLok Series 2 has a typical U-Lock shaped design and is accompanied by a 4-foot cable to lock up your entire bike, including the wheels, saddle, and panniers.
This best bike lock has a design and structure that is simple yet secure and intrinsically devised yet classic, which is why the Kryptonite KryptoLok Series 2 has been recognized as our best pick for the best bike lock category. The product has a 13 mm hardened steel shackle which secures the KryptoLok against leverage attacks, hacksaws and, most importantly, bolt cutters. The 4-foot long cable that is 10 mm thick guards the wheels and seat of the bike very effectively. But one important note to keep in mind, as far as the 4-foot long cable is concerned, is that it can be sliced through and doesn’t provide as much safety and practical security as the rest of the special features found in the best bike lock.
You will be satisfied to know that Kryptonite KryptoLok Series 2 is pretty easy and convenient to carry in a bag without causing any trouble. Additionally, another key characteristic of the KryptoLok is that the classic U-Lock model comes with 2 sets of keys, unlike other U-Locks. The Kryptonite safe key program that is present in the best bike lock enables you to register your keys on the website so, if at any time in the future, you happen to misplace or lose your key, Kryptonite will immediately send you the replacement keys.
We have tested the Kryptonite KryptoLok Series 2 model several times over a span of many weeks and months but never have we encountered a problem with usability, functionality and superior-quality design and efficiency. The lock does not need to be subjected to constant maintenance, like cleaning or lubricating it. Even if it is kept outside your house under extreme weather conditions, it will still continue to perform as efficiently and flawlessly as a brand new lock.
Another great yet premium buy on our list of the best bike lock is Kryptonite 997986 New York Fahgettaboudit U-Lock. Our research team tried very hard to break the lock in various kinds of ways that one can possibly think of but, fortunately, they were all unsuccessful in breaking the thing and successful in bringing to you the best bike lock for your precious ride. Due to its specialized mini design, this best bike lock is popularly sold as both a bicycle lock and a scooter or motorcycle lock. And by chance if you happen to own at least 2 out of these 3 means of transport, then you’ve laid your hands on an all-round product that will definitely give you your money’s worth.
If you live in a metropolitan city and have a knack of leaving your bike outside most of the time, then the security features offered in the Kryptonite New York Fahgettaboudit are simply perfect for you. This best bike lock is specially created and designed not only to protect your ride from bike thieves but also to withstand the hustle and bustle of larger or metropolitan cities. It is well-constructed keeping convenience in mind as the lock can easily be carried on the frame while riding. The Kryptonite New York Fahgettaboudit has a locking capacity that is comparatively larger than all the other best bike locks on our list. With this lock, you can secure both the wheels and the frame, which is a very rare characteristic found in bike locks.
Our best bike lock that is also moderately priced is Cocoweb Heavy Duty Bike Lock. Apart from its budget-friendly price, the Cocoweb Heavy Duty has the kind of strong and bulky construction you would expect from the best bike lock. It has a large diameter that contributes to its brilliant design. You will be quite impressed with the lock attachment and also the fact that the lock and holder are equally strong and sturdy is yet another one of its special features that make this bike lock an exceptionally cost-effective buy that is as good as any other best bike lock on our list. You will not have to worry about the lock and the holder’s efficiency at all as they hold up pretty well when you’re riding the bike.
The Cocoweb Heavy Duty Bike Lock is created with superior quality materials and construction that make this product so unique and it’s exactly this high-quality construction that has led to the bike lock’s huge success and popularity. Molded from solid steel, the economically best bike lock has a weight of only 3 pounds. Another great feature of the Cocoweb Heavy Duty is its scratch-resistant PVC coating that protects the bike surface from scratches, which is a concern that troubles many biker riders. It comes with a longer shackle so you can easily lock the entire bike. And as the name suggests, the Cocoweb Heavy Duty Bike Lock is indeed manufactured for a heavy duty undertaking.
What you should know before buying a bike lock
Cycling is becoming increasingly popular in urban areas due to its health benefits and other traffic concerns. And now with the development of bike lanes in many streets, roads as well as highways, cycling has become pretty safe and convenient too. So that means an upsurge in bike thefts. But we can always take all the precautionary steps to avoid such tragedies from taking place. Even though now there are professional bike thieves who are well-equipped with the most modern and efficient tools and lock cutter, the best bike lock can withstand all such kinds of physical strain. But there are a few features you should keep in mind in order to purchase the best bike lock on the market, the kind that simply won’t budge even if an organized gang of bike thieves is trying to break it open.
Is it easy to use?
The best bike lock shouldn’t just protect your bike, but it should also be easy to use on a daily basis. This is one of the most important factors to keep in mind when buying a bike lock. Otherwise, you will be spending way too much time in securing your bike every single time you decide to leave it outside. And this can be quite annoying and inconvenient. You should be able to quickly lock and unlock your bike without any glitches in the mechanism. One of the features to look out for in the best bike lock is a sliding dust cover that is located on top of the keyhole. This cover protects the lock from extreme conditions such as bad weather and also decreases the high chances of the lock’s mechanism failing to function as smoothly and efficiently as it should.
How secure is it?
Once you’ve figured out what level of security you need for your precious ride, you should spend some time in weighing your options when it comes to buying the best bike lock that unconditionally secures your bike against all kinds of theft strategies. It’s true that every bike has its own unique security system construction, so it’s important to pick the best bike lock that has been subjected to many lock-cracking tests and has emerged victorious in most or all of them. Every best bike lock’s performance in such lock-cracking tests determines how secure the bike’s lock mechanism will be.
Is it easy to carry?
More often than not, comfort and convenience trump usability and efficiency. So why should it be any different for the best bike lock! The best bike lock is one that is also easy to carry around in a bag. And if it’s easy to carry then you will always have it with you. Hence, bike thefts can be avoided more often. You’re more likely to leave a bike lock behind due to the amount of inconvenience and frustration it causes when the safety product’s a tad difficult to be carried around. The best bike locks are either cable models or U-locks. Cable models are flexible and have a lightweight so they can easily fit in your backpack, while, on the other hand, U-lock versions are far more convenient due to their ability to clip onto the bike frame instead of being carried around in your backpack.
How can I know how strong a lock is?
Based on your needs, you’ve decided what level of protection you want your bike to enjoy. Even so, you still can’t seem to figure out how secure the best bike lock can actually be or whether the best bike lock that you selected will be able to provide the kind of protection you need or not? These questions can be really confusing and can totally mess with your head when you’re trying to purchase the best bike lock from a sea of options available. When we carried out our lock-cracking tests, our conclusions proved quite helpful in answering the questions you have in mind about the security of the best bike lock.
Our research team concluded that almost all bike locks, even the best ones, will give in if the thief is highly experienced with the right kind of lock-breaking tools and ample of time at hand. So if you really want to protect your bike from such professional thieves, you better buy a bike lock that takes some time to break open. The better the lock, the more time the thief will take to bust it open. And that buys you more time. So you’ll know whether the best bike lock that you selected is strong enough or not based on its thickness. A bulkier lock has a tendency of resisting the modern and powerful tools that expert thieves now use to hijack your ride.
Our lock-cracking experiments’ conclusions also point out to the fact that chain links and shackles, which come along with U-locks, can easily be sliced into with bolt cutters, a very common tool used by most bike thieves, if they have a diameter of less than 13 mm. Similarly, chain links and shackles with a diameter anywhere between 13 and 15 mm can also be cut into with the use of large-sized bolt cutters, a heavy-duty equipment used by professional gangs. So the only 100% guaranteed and safe chain links and shackles of the best bike lock are the ones with a diameter of 16 mm thickness. These are impossible to bust open with any kind of a bolt cutter.
Our best pick: Kryptonite KryptoLok Series 2 U-Lock Cable
Jen’s Top Pick: Kryptonite KryptoLok Series 2 U-Lock Cable
The Kryptonite KryptoLok Series 2 U-Lock Cable has a simple yet classic design and this best bike lock comes with a 4-foot cable that you can easily use to lock up the entire bike. It is our best pick for this very reason. A great quality product that is well-constructed in order to secure your bike in the best possible manner. After carrying out multiple tests and runs, we have concluded that a U-lock mechanism is a more practical option; as such type of a lock can be used wherever you go. So the Kryptonite KryptoLok Series 2 U-Lock will serve you regardless of where you go.
The most important factor to talk about when it comes to the best bike lock is its security features. The Kryptonite KryptoLok Series 2 locks in pretty tightly on both the sides. The locking mechanism is so secure that even if you try to slice through the lock with the help of a grinder, it won’t budge. And, by chance, even if the thief somehow manages to cut through the lock, he or she will require a hammer to pound the lock ends off the bike rack. Fortunately, bolt cutters and hacksaws failed to work on this best bike lock.
What makes the Kryptonite KryptoLok Series 2 easy to use is the way the “U” shape is conveniently bent to secure the bike. It has a 13 mm hardened steel shackle which can easily withstand leverage attacks, hacksaws, and big-sized bolt cutter attacks. Additionally, the strong steeled crossbar found on the Kryptonite KryptoLok Series 2 offers added protection and safety to the bike as it has the ability to defy hammer blows as well. The product has a high-security disk style cylinder that is impervious to picking and drilling too.
The Kryptonite KryptoLok Series 2 has a super-easy functionality that makes it the best bike lock to use on a daily basis. We prefer this best bike lock’s bent-foot technology and design over all the other locks on our list as they make the regular use of the lock easier and more secure.
Flaws that can be overlooked
Every product comes with its pros and cons but how those flaws actually impact the functionality and use of that particular product in reality truly determines whether those flaws are deal-breakers or not. As with the Kryptonite KryptoLok Series 2, these flaws are definitely not deal-breakers. Even though this best bike lock’s one side of the “U” is bent, which makes it susceptible to be cut through with the use of a grinder by an expert thief; we still stand by the Kryptonite KryptoLok Series 2 as being our best pick on the list. This is solely because we know and have proved that this particular U-Lock offers an outstanding security rating as the locking mechanism is built pretty solidly and will protect your bike in 9 out of 10 circumstances. Additionally, the manufacturer offers a fine theft protection program which clearly shows that the company is dedicated to providing not only the best bike lock but also their willingness to back the lock.
The thing about bike thieves is that they don’t have a habit of carefully selecting what type of bike they would like to steal. It’s not like shopping, they just go for it. But with the Kryptonite KyptoLok Series 2, which comes with a highly useful 4-foot cable, the smart thief would take a step back in order to consider stealing your ride. And that’s only because the 4-foot steel cable can prove to be quite a weighty and tiresome code to crack for even a professional bike thief. So for every one flaw you have two upsides that tip the scale towards making the Kryptonite KryptoLok Series 2 the best bike lock pick on our list.
A costlier but unique pick: Kryptonite 997986 New York Fahgettaboudit U-Lock
Step-up Pick: Kryptonite 997986 New York Fahgettaboudit U-Lock
The Kryptonite New York Fahgettaboudit U-Lock, which has been dubbed as “Forget about it” by many lock-cracking testers and researchers around the world, is our second best bike lock on the list. The reason why it’s not the first one is merely because of its price. It is slightly higher than the price of Kryptonite KryptoLok Series 2, which points out the very fact that our team of testers tried really hard to bust open this best bike lock but none of them were able to remotely come close to breaking it. The mini Kryptonite New York Fahgettaboudit U-Lock has quite a challenging and complicated design structure that makes it impossible for thieves to break into. It is specially made for regular use for someone living in a metropolitan city or for someone who is in the habit of leaving his or her bike outside more often. The security features present on this best bike lock are apt for such an audience. The Kryptonite New York Fahgettaboudit is as versatile as it is mini, which means that you can use this lock on a bike, scooter or motorcycle.
The lock on this bike has a mini design and construction of only 3.25” x 6” and a diameter of 18 mm thickness. By far, the Kryptonite New York Fahgettaboudit is the toughest best bike lock our team of testers has unsuccessfully tried to break. The company provides an exceptional bike protection program which adds more safety and credibility to the product. You would be surprised to know that this best bike lock, unlike our best pick, the Kryptonite KryptoLok Series 2, scored a 10 on 10 on the security front. This led us to understand more of why this product was named after New York! It is definitely made for the hustle and bustle kind of an atmosphere which is only found in the Big Apple.
The Kryptonite New York Fahgettaboudit can easily fit into your bag due to its compact design. It can also be quite easily and conveniently clipped onto the frame of the bike while riding. The lock is a tad heavy and bulky so as to cause a great deal of trouble to the thief who’s trying to steal your precious ride.
One of the most important factors found in the best bike lock is its efficient and smooth-running locking mechanism. So expect no kinds of unpleasant surprises here as the Kryptonite New York Fahgettaboudit has a lock that works pretty flawlessly even under extreme conditions.
A budget-friendly pick: Cocoweb Heavy Duty Bike Lock
Budget Pick: Cocoweb Heavy Duty Bike Lock
Isn’t it great when you can get a heavy-duty best bike lock at the most economical price? That’s the beauty of the Cocoweb Heavy Duty Bike Lock. Heavy-duty means that the lock will shield your ride from bike pirates for long enough. The company is known to manufacture locking mechanisms that have been the most efficient on the market. And that’s only because these types of U-locks are made from a top-notch quality of materials that not only provide the required protection but also enhance the tough nature of the bike’s design and structure.
For a budget-friendly product, the Cocoweb Heavy Duty Bike Lock has a pretty impressive high-quality construction made of solid, sturdy steel. A special feature that we came across during testing this best bike lock is its superb scratch-resistant PVC coating. Now this magical coating prevents the bike from getting any scratches on it. Another yet brilliant feature of the Cocoweb Heavy Duty Bike Lock is the comparatively longer shackle that you can freely use to lock your bike completely. The shackle measures 8” x 4.25”.
The highly beneficial U-lock is equipped with a weather guard which protects the lock from destructive elements, accompanied by high rust and erosion-free possibilities. The best bike lock that is also a pretty cost-effective purchase has the perfect diameter of 12 mm, which rounds up to 15 mm with the PVC coating. Since it is the best heavy-duty bike lock, one may think that it must be difficult to carry around but that’s completely untrue. The Cocoweb Heavy Duty Bike Lock is pretty easy and convenient to carry around. Unlike other U-locks on our list, this best bike lock comes with a bike frame attachment bracket and three additional spare laser-cut keys.
The pocket-friendly price of this best bike lock makes it a great buy as the kind of quality that you get in exchange for the price is unmatched and admirable. The lock mechanism of this product will definitely give professional thieves a reason to question their lock-breaking skills. Inevitably, there are downsides to every bike lock, even the best bike lock. But if you are willing to ignore one or two flaws that don’t really matter, then this product is the ideal choice for any bike.
Other best bike locks
It’s always better to have all your options laid out in front of you before you make that purchase. So keeping that in mind, we decided to extend our best bike lock list to give you a few more great choices, because investing in the perfect kind of bike lock that suits your security requirements and safety needs ought to be given as much attention as the entire bike itself. Just remember that the bare minimum that any best bike lock should do is secure the bike frame along with the bike rack and both the wheels. The best bike lock that has a gold sold secure level ranks the highest in strength while bike locks with the bronze sold secure level is the lowest.
Master Lock 8200D Street Cuffs Lock
Isn’t it beneficial when you buy the best bike lock that a thief hasn’t seen and worked with very often? This Master Lock 8200D Street Cuffs Lock is an exceptionally brilliant choice with some additional theft-proof features. With a single link chain, it is pretty easy and swift to secure your ride using this bike lock.
Knog Bouncer U-Lock
The Knog Bouncer U-Lock is the smallest best bike lock on our list. But don’t be mistaken, it is as strong and powerful as it is small. This sturdy lock is constructed using hardened steel and has a valuable scratch-resistant silicone coating. You will love how easy it is to slide this best bike lock, unlike other U-locks where you have to angle them in.
Abus Bordo Lite 6150 Lock
The fiery red Abus Bordo Lite 6150 Lock is built with steel and offers a combination lock, something that is not found in any other best bike locks on our list. This foldable lock is comprised of coated steel bars that easily fold down to a perfect size in order to fit in your backpack. And you will definitely appreciate the ability to mount this best bike lock to your water bottle lugs.
Kryptonite Evolution LITE Mini 6
Kryptonite’s yet another best bike lock; the Kryptonite Evolution LITE Mini 6 is the lightest scaled-down bike lock you’ll ever find. It is created using 11 mm hardened steel with special anti-rattle bumpers that are built on the lock in order to reduce the rattling sound, especially when you’re cycling on an uneven or unsteady surface. This best bike lock is a very handy-sized version of a classic lock.
Wrapping it up
We know that it can get really confusing when you’re deciding to buy something useful to protect your precious belongings. But you need to accept the fact that no bike lock can ever be 100% secure, despite what their manufacturers have you believe. So make a wise and well-informed decision of investing in at least one of the many best bike locks that we have mentioned on our list, as these might not provide guaranteed protection for your bikes but they will definitely stand the test of time, making it extremely difficult for bike thieves to break them open easily. It’s always better to give those crooks a hard time before they crack the deal. Such a precautionary step buys you time, which can lead to unsuccessful bike thefts.
To carry out our bike lock-cracking tests most thoroughly in order to present the best possible results and conclusion, we made sure to set a time limit for busting open the best bike lock. And the ones that surrendered comparatively later than the rest are all on our list and can be safely considered to protect your bike from getting hijacked. The Kryptonite KryptoLok Series 2 U-Lock Cable gave in the latest, followed by Kryptonite 997986 New York Fahgettaboudit U-Lock and then our budget-friendly pick, which is the Cocoweb Heavy Duty Bike Lock.