Published January 9, 2012 12:00AM
Which Bike Lock Is Best For You?
A primer on the three toughest types of locks
Foil the crooks (Photo: Jake Stangel)
The U-Lock
Difficult to cut, reasonably portable
Best In: Moderate-crime areas
What to Look For: A flat-key locking mechanism; cylinder locks are easily picked.
Our Favorite: Blackburn San Quentin ($90; blackburndesign.com)
The Chain Lock
Extremely cut-resistant, heavy
Best In: High-crime areas
What to Look For: Reinforced links made of high-quality metal
Our Favorite: OnGuard Beast 5016 ($140; onguardlock.com)
The Cable Lock
Easy to cut, lightweight
Best In: Low-risk towns and as a backup for a heftier lock
What to Look For: A cable at least 20 mm thick, threaded through overlapping steel jackets, and a flat-key mechanism (avoid combination locks)
Our Favorite: Kryptonite Hardwire 2018 ($65; kryptonitelock.com)
