Which Bike Lock Is Best For You?
A primer on the three toughest types of locks
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The U-Lock
Who Pinched My Ride?
A revenge-fueled report from the seedy underbelly of urban bicycle theft.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)