You can choose U-locks if you’re living in a place where bike thefts are common because U-locks are more secure.
Bikes are a cheap form of transport because they don’t require gas or expensive maintenance, and cycling has fantastic health benefits. But what if your bikes get stolen? According to crime reports, bike thefts are common, and having poor or no locks are the primary reasons for bike theft.
A good bike lock can prevent the theft but remember that no lock is unbreakable. Every bike lock can break, but the sturdy and robust bike lock will significantly reduce the risk of your bike getting stolen. So, how to choose the best bike lock?
Well, in this piece, we’ll talk about what type of bike is the best and how to the best bike lock. Let’s begin!
As we discussed above, no lock is unbreakable, and with the right tools and experience, any lock can be broken. When it comes to the locks made with hardened steel material, they’ll require more advanced tools like an angle grinder, which produces lots of noise while cutting. Thieves will likely go for the less expensive locks, which involve fewer efforts and no noise.
Your location where you park your bike the most depends on what type of lock you’ll need. Places like college campuses and big cities require more security and expensive locks. You can also use multiple locks that require different tools; it is a brilliant strategy to keep robbers at bay.
Here are four different types of locks in order of more secure to least secure.
U-locks are the most widely used locks by bike enthusiasts. It is one of the most secure types of bike locks. These locks use hardened steel material which can resist chisels, hammers, and bolt cutter. It comes in U-shape, and the primary goal is to limit the robber’s leverage and not provide him enough space to work or inset a crowbar.
U-locks are available in different sizes, and you should select the size that provides less space to the robbers to work. These locks are available in large sizes as well, and they not only lock your frame, but your bikes wheel too with a fixed object. Finally, these locks can be broken using advanced tools like an angle grinder.
RELATED: The 5 Best U-Locks for Bikes
Chain locks use hardened steel material, and these locks are good enough for high-crime areas, and they’re number two on our list. These locks are designed to resist all types of hand tools such as a hammer, chisel, and hacksaw.
There are different variants of chain locks available in the market you make sure to purchase the robust one, the downside of chain locks is that they’re heavy and you cannot carry them everywhere.
Folding locks are famous because of their portability. These locks are compact, they can be easily folded, and you can store them in your bag or mount them on your bike.
Folding locks come in large sizes and can easily reach the frame and wheels of your bike. The pivot points of folding locks are vulnerable to different tools such as bolt cutters, power drills, and angle grinders.
There are different lightweight locks options available, and because they’re lightweight, they’re compromised when it comes to material.
These locks are recommended for light security such as a quick trip to Walmart or coffee break because lightweight locks are easy to cut, and they don’t resist much to simple hand tools such as hacksaw or bolt cutter.
RELATED: The 5 Best Lightweight Bike Locks
As we are saying again and again that all bike locks are vulnerable to both hand tools and power tools. Similarly, the locking mechanism of all the bike locks can be picked by professional thieves.
But more modern locks are difficult to pick, and they require a lot of skills, and amateur thieves cannot pick these modern locks.
If you’re looking for the best the lock, then it depends on the area or location where you’re living or where you park your bike more often. You can choose U-locks if you’re living in a place where bike thefts are common because U-locks are more secure.
If you live in an area with low or no bike thefts, you can go for lightweight locks or chain locks.
Bike thefts are common, and if you’re not using the correct bike lock, then the chances are that your bike will get stolen.
Invest in the best bike lock, or you can use multiple bike locks to keep your bike secure from bike thieves. Happy cycling!
RELATED: The 5 Strongest Bike Locks
| Rank | Company | Country |
|---|---|---|
| #1 |  Volkswagen |
Germany |
| #2 |  Toyota |
Japan |
| #3 |  Stellantis |
Netherlands |
| #4 |  Mercedes-Benz Group |
Germany |
| #5 |  Ford Motor |
United States |
| Rank | Company | Country |
|---|---|---|
| #1 |  Michelin |
France |
| #2 |  Bridgestone |
Japan |
| #3 |  Continental |
Germany |
| #4 |  Goodyear |
United States |
| #5 |  Sumitomo |
Japan |
