Sports & Recreation

Bike lock?

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  • Jul 26th, 2015 5:07 pm
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Jul 7, 2014
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Bike lock?

Hey all,

can someone recommend me good U lock under $50? Im thinking of getting 2 locks, 1 u lock and cable. Doesnt have to be a combo. Thanks
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Whitehorse
Two different, separate locks is generally a good idea. I have been successful with that approach. I also chose my helmets such that I can put my u-lock through a hole in the helmet when I lock the bike to a fixed pole.

I think the Kryptonie KryptoLok Series 2 is a good choice in security for money, but it always depends on what kind of bike you want to lock up. If you have a 300 Dollar Walmart bike, I wouldn't get a $50 lock. If you have a 5k bike, a $50 lock is not enough.

The KryptoLok Series 2 often comes with a cable as well, but I use a separate cable lock, with its own, separate key.
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Alvord wrote: Sucks that there is a $5 fee to register..
If you're actually serious about biking around, it's worth the one-time membership fee.
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sokolov wrote: Two different, separate locks is generally a good idea. I have been successful with that approach. I also chose my helmets such that I can put my u-lock through a hole in the helmet when I lock the bike to a fixed pole.

I think the Kryptonie KryptoLok Series 2 is a good choice in security for money, but it always depends on what kind of bike you want to lock up. If you have a 300 Dollar Walmart bike, I wouldn't get a $50 lock. If you have a 5k bike, a $50 lock is not enough.

The KryptoLok Series 2 often comes with a cable as well, but I use a separate cable lock, with its own, separate key.
lol, Kryptolok Series 2 U-locks suck. They're so vulnerable to bolt cutter attacks, it's a joke:



Any Kryptonite with a bent foot shackle is vulnerable to leverage attacks too, and that includes the Kryptolok 2:



Only U-locks with double-bolted shackles and a minimum shackle thickness of 16mm are worth buying, IMO.
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urameatball wrote: http://www.mec.ca/product/5019-941/magn ... 0002+50529

Ulock and steel cable for 30 bucks.
Its really popular with downtown commuters, I see them everywhere. I use it on my old mountain bike and so far, I'm happy with it.
OP, this is one of the best deals for a lock system in Canada. IMO however, if you don't mind the extra weight, I'd recommend getting this one instead. It has a 16mm shackle, so no manual bolt cutter in existence can break through it: http://www.mec.ca/product/5019-938/magnum-3000-u-lock/

If you really want a cable to go with it, I'd recommend one of those $3 cable locks for Dollarama. No cable lock is worth more than $5 because they're such a joke to cut through:
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TSDH wrote: OP, this is one of the best deals for a lock system in Canada. IMO however, if you don't mind the extra weight, I'd recommend getting this one instead. It has a 16mm shackle, so no manual bolt cutter in existence can break through it: http://www.mec.ca/product/5019-938/magnum-3000-u-lock/

If you really want a cable to go with it, I'd recommend one of those $3 cable locks for Dollarama. No cable lock is worth more than $5 because they're such a joke to cut through:
So the MEC u lock is better than kryptonite?
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Alvord wrote: So the MEC u lock is better than kryptonite?
It's a better value than a Kryptonite lock of an equivalent security level. A Kryptonite lock with a shackle thickness of 16mm (Kryptonite New York U-lock) costs anywhere between $90-$120.

There's a bit of a tradeoff though. The locking mechanism in the Magnum locks are more prone to rusting and jamming. Make sure to lube the lock internals at least once per month or after everytime its exposed to heavy rain.
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TSDH wrote: It's a better value than a Kryptonite lock of an equivalent security level. A Kryptonite lock with a shackle thickness of 16mm (Kryptonite New York U-lock) costs anywhere between $90-$120.

There's a bit of a tradeoff though. The locking mechanism in the Magnum locks are more prone to rusting and jamming. Make sure to lube the lock internals at least once per month or after everytime its exposed to heavy rain.
Thanks for the info :)
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I'm also in search of a lock for my bike and read the reviews of the Magnum U-lock featured in the MEC link.

A lot of people there are complaining about rust and jamming.

What I'm wondering is how likely this is to occur in general. I can only assume that the folks who encounter rusting are those who lock their bikes outside frequently (in accordance with their level of cycling activity and lifestyle).

For me, my bike is stored in my garage (no lock required) and I don't commute to work on my bike, so the lock would spend very minimal time in use out in the elements.

In general, I just want something to secure my bike if I park it outside of the grocery store.

With regular lubricant and maintenance, this lock should be able to suit me without any concern of rusting or jamming, right?
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Redguard wrote: I'm also in search of a lock for my bike and read the reviews of the Magnum U-lock featured in the MEC link.

A lot of people there are complaining about rust and jamming.

What I'm wondering is how likely this is to occur in general. I can only assume that the folks who encounter rusting are those who lock their bikes outside frequently (in accordance with their level of cycling activity and lifestyle).

For me, my bike is stored in my garage (no lock required) and I don't commute to work on my bike, so the lock would spend very minimal time in use out in the elements.

In general, I just want something to secure my bike if I park it outside of the grocery store.

With regular lubricant and maintenance, this lock should be able to suit me without any concern of rusting or jamming, right?
TSDH wrote: Correct. I'd recommend using this Teflon lube as well: http://www.lowes.ca/hardware-lubricants ... 94580.html
Thanks TSDH, i purchased the 16mm lock you recommended.

And Redguard, MEC offers free shipping over $50 so for filler items, i bought a first aid kit, http://www.mec.ca/product/0101-030/cogh ... irst%2Baid :)
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Alvord wrote: Do these MEC locks twist if they are cut?
No, the shackles lock at both ends so a theif would have to make 2 cuts to remove them.
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Alvord wrote: why use dry wax lube instead of wd-40?
Wd-40 is a degreaser, not a lubricant. It'll remove rust that might be jamming a lock mechanism but it wont actually stay around to lubricate it.
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TSDH wrote: Wd-40 is a degreaser, not a lubricant. It'll remove rust that might be jamming a lock mechanism but it wont actually stay around to lubricate it.
What about silicone lube? 1 spray in the key hole should be good enough right? Where else would I need to lube?
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Alvord wrote: What about silicone lube? 1 spray in the key hole should be good enough right? Where else would I need to lube?
I wouldnt recommend silicone lube, especially if its the "wet" type. 1 spray into the keyhole, 1 spray into the holes where the shackle inserts into the crossbar, followed by turning the key inside the keyhole a few times should be good.

Using teflon lube has an added benefit of being THE ideal dry lube to use on a a bike drivechain.

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