Locks test 2011

Beat bike thieves with the right lock. With the help of the police, Rowan Lamont and Simon Vincett broke a range of locks to find the best.

It’s estimated that hundreds of thousands of bikes are stolen each year in Australia, and with more people riding that number is likely to increase. But choosing a good lock does a lot to prevent your bike being part of these sad statistics.

With the help of two police officers from the Melbourne West Bike Patrol, Ride On broke a range of new locks using the most common methods employed by crooks. Thinking like thieves, we used techniques that were quick, simple and least likely to draw attention to ourselves. If a lock showed resistance, we increased the severity of the tools and techniques we used.

It was shocking how simply and quickly some locks yielded. However, it was good to find that some mid-priced locks provided good protection and, therefore, represented very good value for money. You can view below the results of all 16 locks tested.

D-locks remain the best protection available, yielding only to an angle grinder. Some of the thicker and more expensive cable locks are difficult to break, though they can all eventually be cut through with bolt cutters.

As rule of thumb, the thicker the lock – the shackle, cable or chain link – the harder the lock is to break. Though, as the saying goes, the lock is only as strong as its weakest link: check for thin or weak points. Beware also that some cable locks seem thick on the outside but actually have just a thin, easily cut cable inside.

We found seemingly insignificant features help to make some locks a real pain to break into. A soft silicone cover on cables interfered with our cutting tools, and some more expensive cables had a combination of metal strands of different toughness which added another level of inconvenience.

An unexpected feature on some D-locks was once we cut through the bolt it would not rotate out of the way, forcing us to cut both sides, making twice the noise, and doubling the time and effort. These locks provide a serious deterrent to anyone thinking of pinching your bicycle.

Locking up wisely

Choose your lock according to where you need to lock up. If you’re leaving it at a high-risk site like a university or a train station then you’ll need some serious protection. A D-lock and a cable lock as well offers the most deterrence. A D-lock by itself is the next securest option.

If you’re locking during the day in a low-risk area you should be OK with the low-level deterrence of a cable lock. You should still use the best cable you can get.

If you leave your bike locked up overnight in public it’s at high risk, regardless of where it is and what it’s locked with. If you only lock up in low-risk situations you could choose to use a lighter lock.

Surprisingly, locking to an immoveable object is commonly ignored. Check the street pole cannot be lifted out of the ground, a fence railing is not rusted or weak, and avoid chain-link fences that can be easily snipped by an opportunist with a pair of pliers.

Quick release skewers make removing a wheel easy for you and a thief. If you have expensive wheels or are parking in a high-risk area, pop the front wheel off and lock it with the frame and rear wheel. Alternatively, you could replace quick releases with security bolts that require a special key to release.

Make sure you lock your bike by the frame and not just the wheel because a thief will release the wheel and take the rest of the bike away.

Bike theft facts

Acting Sergeant Shaun Hill, head of the Melbourne West Bike Patrol for Victoria Police, describes the scene of the crime.

“Bikes get stolen from many different locations, including people’s homes, garages, and lockup cages of apartment blocks. Many bikes are stolen when they are locked up on the street, as many people use cable locks which are easily and discreetly cut by thieves. With more and more people riding to work, police are finding that many bikes are being stolen from business car parks and bike storage areas.

“People assume that their bike is safe, but it’s still important to lock it up at home or in the storage cage at work. The storage cage may be a secure area, but thieves will follow other people in and steal bikes. If locking it up on the street, lock it to a parking rail and choose a place that is in good view of the public and well lit if it’s night time.

“If you are locking your bike up for more than two minutes while you go into a shop, then in my opinion a cable lock is inadequate. A good quality D-lock is your best bet against having your bike stolen.

During the locks test for Ride On I was very surprised that some of the more expensive locks were so easily and quickly broken. I also didn’t realise that not all D-locks were designed the same. Some D-locks are designed so that even when cut with an angle grinder the actual locking mechanism held together, meaning the lock had to be cut twice to be removed.

“It’s important to have all the details of your bike recorded at home. Things like the brand, type, size, colour, serial number, photos and any distinguishing marks (like your licence number engraved on the bottom) are important to have on record. That way if your bike is stolen you have all the details on hand to give to the police when making a report. Some great information is available at virtualbike.com.au.

“Many bikes that are stolen do get recovered, but unfortunately since many people don’t have a detailed description of their bike when they report it stolen, it’s often difficult to return the bike to the owner when it’s recovered. Having your licence number engraved on the bike makes it much easier for police to identify the owner and increases the chances of you getting your bike back if it is stolen. If you don’t have a licence you might like to use the licence number of a relative or friend.

“If your bike is stolen, report it to the police. When making the report ensure that you have a comprehensive description of your bike, as well as the time, date, location and method of how your bike was stolen. Having a photo is also handy.”

D-locks

Vulcan VLS101B Supreme 2000

$40

954g, 80 x 140mm

Shackle had to be cut twice to release bike

96% Excellent value for money

For retailers www.bikecorp.com.au

Abus Granit X-Plus 54

$199

1397g

Square-section shackle must be cut twice to release

96% The best D-lock money can buy

For retailers www.southcottcycles.com.au



Tioga TLSHS short

$30

789g, 110 x 245mm

One cut releases the shackle

Cylinder key lock may be prone to picking

92% Impressive performance for this price

For retailers www.bikecorp.com.au

Kryptonite Evolution mini 9

$100

1089g

One cut releases the shackle

89% Performance justifies Kryptonite’s strong reputation

For retailers call Cassons on (02) 8882 1900



Abus Bordo 6000

$190

920g

Resisted all types of non mechanical attack

Convenient size for carrying

Equivalent to a D-lock for protection and more compact.

88% More compact than a D-lock and offers more locking options

For retailers www.southcottcycles.com.au

On Guard Bulldog DT 5010

$60

1254g

The lock mechanism became damaged but did not yield during tests

One cut releases the shackle

76% Overpriced for the performance offered

For retailers www.apollobikes.com

Cables

Kryptonite Hardwire 2018

$100

1950g, 200cm x 18mm

Long, two-metre length

The key lock can be fiddly to use

Toughest cable on test

88% The best an armoured cable can be

For retailers call Cassons on (02) 8882 1900

Kryptonite Krypto Flex

$20

354g, 120cm x 10mm

A tough cable providing above-average resistance to cutting

Good soft coat to protect your frame and add cutting nuisance

A longer length would be better to secure both wheels and frame

88% Value-for-money additional cable

For retailers call Cassons on (02) 8882 1900

Vulcan VSL367 Extreme 1000 key lock

$40

974g

Cable offered good resistance to cutting

Handy, long length

Lock was well made and very tough

88% Excellent value for money

For retailers www.bikecorp.com.au

Knog Kabana

$50

468g

Small and light

Shortish length

Silicone provided an extra nuisance to cut through

80% Funky and effective

For retailers www.apollobikes.com

Abus Steel-O-flex 1025 X-Plus

$179

1832g

A multi-layered large diameter was difficult and time consuming to break through

Lock was very well made and extremely tough

Only one metre long

80% Top performance for top dollar

For retailers www.southcottcycles.com.au

Kryptonite Modulus

$50

754g

Two cables provide double the protection because both must be cut

Cables are shortish but enable securing both wheels and frame

Cable socket remains mounted on your frame

76% Fresh and effective new approach that works well

For retailers call Cassons on (02) 8882 1900

Vulcan VSL501 Ultimate 3000 key lock

$45

547g

Wide diameter outer is difficult to get cutters around

Lock provided good resistance to attack

Useful length and good flexibility

76% Overall good protection for a good price

For retailers www.bikecorp.com.au

Tioga TLK1218 key lock

$30

421g, 180 cm x 12mm

Cable offered above average resistance

Lock provided good resistance to being broken

Useful length

76% Cheap, moderate protection

For retailers www.bikecorp.com.au

On Guard Doberman combo

$30

413g, 185cm x 10mm

Lock broke apart from hammer blows

Cable offered minimal resistance

Good long length

44% Offers a low level of deterrent

For retailers www.apollobikes.com

Knog Ringmaster cable and padlock

$90

588g

Good long length

Cable offered poor resistance to attack

Padlock offered no resistance, surprisingly easy to break

36% Pretty, but poor protection

For retailers www.apollobikes.com

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