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Bike Cable Lock: Buying Advice & Top 5 Reviews for 2017
With an immense number of product options available like chain locks and cable locks on the market to stop the bike thief. However, finding the right bike cable lock for your individual needs can be a cumbersome process as there are so many contenders.
With myriad brands producing specialized steel cables aimed at consumers looking to protect their bicycles and other valuable equipment, it can be more than a little frustrating knowing what product will best meet your needs.
Cable bike locks are highly versatile tools that offer many adaptability opportunities. Generally regarded as less secure than the more robust U-lock style bike locks, cable locks still remain a popular purchase for consumers looking for a convenient way to secure their valuables and to provide just enough deterrence to theft for peace of mind.
With the plenitude of options available on the market today, there are cable bike locks that come with keyed locks, integrated combination locks featuring four digits or more, armored coating for unparalleled protections, slide-style sizing, and even aggressively-themed aesthetic components designed to further thwart thieves.
Read on below for our top bike lock cable picks for 2017 and let us help you find the best bike lock for your individual requirements.
With plenty of options to choose from, our at-a-glance informative reviews with pros and cons will ultimately help you make the best choice for your security needs.
Read on below to learn more about the top 5 bike lock cables available on the market today in 2017!
1. UShake Bike Lock Cable
Topping best seller lists across retail sites throughout the Internet, the UShake Bike Lock Cable is a trusted consumer favorite backed by plenty of glowing reviews and product-affirming accolades.
Offering a lengthy 4 feet of self-coiling cable with fully resettable combination bike locks results in heightened security for users. An included mounting bracket measuring 4 feet by .5 inch ups the convenience factor for easy transport.
The combination lock has a 4-digit locking mechanism for ultra-convenient keyless use and offers users up to a whopping 10,000 numerical possibilities, thus making this lock code virtually uncrackable by thieves.
Fully resettable, your personal number combos can be set back to default within minutes. Despite primarily being used for bicycle security, the Ushake is also a popular option for consumers looking to add protection to their skateboards, ATVs, grills, sports equipment, lawnmowers, ladders, tool boxes, gates, and more.
Distinct from many competing bike lock cables, the Uhsake features cutting-edge performance with its top-of-the-line, premium-grade braided steel cables that are flexible, strong-cut for paramount levels of resistance and coated with durable PVC material to heighten overall durability and prevent scratches and dings.
Pricing | Weight | Dimensions | Length | Material |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Less than $15 | 0.7 pounds | 2 x 5.1 x 5.1 inches | 4 feet | Steel |
PROS:
- Best selling cable bike lock across many online retail sites
- Provides a full resettable lock to change your personal numerical combo
- The 4-digit locking mechanism offers up to 10,000 numerical variations making it virtually impossible to crack personal codes
- Flexible braided steel strong-cut cables for superior resistance
CONS:
- Buyers should be aware that they need to be careful when setting the lock code and remembering the code. If making a code by mistake, forgotten codes cannot be worked around
Master Lock 8417D Python Adjustable Locking Cable
This adjustable steel cable measures a robust 3/16-inch in width by a lengthy 6 feet. Eponymously named for its python-printed facade, this cable bike lock features an abundance of features including a pin tumbler mechanism that is 100% pick-resistant. Fully-coated cable and ultra-durable ABS-style lock cover bumper.
With an easy to use mechanism requiring users to merely pull the cable tight and lock it down, the Python secures all of your valuables with an adjustable cable allowance of anywhere from six inches to six feet in length, depending on the item you use it for.
Noted by many users to its ability to secure valuables and property tightly with threading mechanisms not found on competing cable locks, this cable remains a top value among those looking for the perfect combination of affordability, performance, and durability.
Pricing | Weight | Dimensions | Length | Material |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Less than $15 | 4.8 ounces | 7.3 x 2.4 x 3.9 inches | 6 feet | Metal and plastic |
PROS:
- The cut-resistant braided steel cable features vinyl coating to protect the cable from scratching any of your tools or equipment
- Comprehensive flexibility for a plethora of applications with its ability to secure property and values tightly with threading capabilities not found on competing cable locks
- Fully-coated cable and ultra-durable ABS-style lock cover bumper
- 100% pick-lock resistant
CONS:
- Many consumer reviews have noted included keys that do not work and require replacement from the company
Master Lock 72DPF Heavy-Duty Looped End Cable
Heavy, durable, and featuring a whopping 15 feet of your choice of self-coiling cable or braided steel cable, the Master Lock 72DPF has heavy-duty performance elements backing up its industrial appearance.
With its 10-millimeter diameter braided steel, this cable offers consumers an incredible amount of strength and durability. Self-coiling options create effortlessly easy storage opportunities for users and the protective PVC-style coating will protect your many tools and pieces of equipment from scratches.
Perfect for securing larger, bulkier items as well as offering industrial-grade protecting control over smaller valuables, the Master Lock 72DPF is a heavy-duty behemoth in a class all its own.
Pricing | Weight | Dimensions | Length | Material |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Less than $15 | 1.6 pounds | 3.5 x 10 x 10 inches | 15 feet | Vinyl-Coated Braided Steel |
PROS:
- Rust-resistance from galvanized steel cables
- Full vinyl-coated cable prevents scratching your tools and equipment
- Immensely lengthy 15 feet of security cable
- Optimal levels of strength and flexibility from braided steel
- User-friendly attached loops with scratch guards for protection and sleeves offering rust-resistance
CONS:
- Very heavy item
- Item is not foolproof. Can be cut by strong bolt cutters
Master Lock Python Trail Camera Adjustable Camouflage Cable Locks
Camouflage patterned locking heads adds a rugged look to these powerful cable locks offered by Master Lock. Coming as a complete set that includes two identically keyed locks along with keys, this set can be customized by ordering the keys and locks keyed differently for maximum levels of security.
Offering a fearsome look, these locks will make thieves think twice before attempting to steal your valuables. With the Master Lock Python’s fully adjustable locking mechanism, you are able to fully secure anything that is threaded through its Python-style braided steel cables.
Great for protecting bikes, treestands, all terrain equipment, tools, grills, ATVs, motorcycles, lawn mowers, furniture, skis, boats, and even leather jackets, consumers are able to find a wide variety of uses for these absolutely essential cable locks.
Pricing | Weight | Dimensions | Length | Material |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Around $35 | 1.9 pounds | 9.8 x 7.2 x 3 inches | 4 feet | Steel |
PROS:
- Two locks with one key opening both locks
- Fearsome and aggressive looking camouflage and Python design elements
- Cut-resistance from its thick braided steel cable
- Cable features patented mechanism with cable fully secure at positions ranging from one foot to six feet
- Offers multitude of locking positions
- Provides consumers with “Tiedown convenience” where the cable is able to be cinched tight for heightened security improved security
- Patented “Weather Tough®” lock is constructed from super-strong aluminum and alloy materials
- Advertised by Master Lock as the first and only adjustable locking cable on the market that always provides the right length and proper security for your specific application
CONS:
- Identically keyed locks may not be ideal for some users—keys and locks that are keyed differently must be special ordered
Kryptonite Kryptoflex 815 Combo Cable Bicycle Lock
The Kryptonite Krytoflex 815 Combination Cable Bike Lock is a great deterrent for thieves.
With its fully integrated resettable locking head that has 4 digits and provides seemingly infinite numerical combinations in addition to its flexing hinge mechanism that prevents leverage-style attacks, the Kryptonite Kryptoflex is a superb choice for those consumers seeking the ultimate combination of affordability and performance.
Reasonably priced, the Kryptonite Kryptoflex offers many of the same features as its much higher-priced competitors. Along with a 4-digit numerical lock that is fully resettable, consumers are provided with a protective vinyl coating to eliminate scratching, and infinite numerical combinations available for the utmost in security.
Pricing | Weight | Dimensions | Length | Material |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Around $10 | 0.7 pounds | 6 x 6 x 4 inches | 6 feet | Steel and vinyl |
PROS:
- Integrated 4-digit resettable locking head
- Flex hinge mechanism to eliminate leverage-style attacks
- The 4-digit locking mechanism offers up to 10,000 numerical variations making it virtually impossible to crack personal codes
- Very affordable
CONS:
- Many consumers have complained about not receiving the proper starting combination number to choose their own. The starting number on the sites instruction booklet lists it as 0005
For more valuable information on the different kinds of locks available on the market today, visit us at bikingtribe.com. With our crew of highly-trained specialists, we are among the leading sites online for information pertaining to bicycles, security, performance, and more.
Bike Wheel Lock: A Look at Wheel Locks for Bike Touring
When you are going on a bicycle tour, the chances are you are worrying about whether or not your bicycle wheels will be missing when you come back. Most bikes nowadays are fitted with a quick release skewer to easily allow you to remove your wheels without the use of tools. While they are incredibly helpful if you end up with a flat tire, they are also an easy way for people to steal your rear wheel bike tires, the bike wheel, or even the entire bike frame itself from the bike rack.
So, how do you prevent this from happening if you have a bike with wheels that have a quick release skewer, or even just plain old wheel attachments? The best thing that you can do is to purchase a quality bicycle lock for your wheels.
Since there are so many different types on the market, it can be pretty overwhelming trying to figure out which one is a good buy. We are going to help you out. In this article, you will find a guide that will help you find the right type of bicycle lock for your wheels and help you protect your bike wheels!
Cable Locks
While cable locks do help to prevent your bike from being stolen, they also tend to be super easy to cut with wire cutters. Cable locks tend to be a cheaper option when compared to most other bike locks, which is a plus for most people but don’t just buy it because of that reason. They are a good buy if you are not too worried about your bike pieces being stolen in the area that you are. However, if you are really worried about your bike being stolen stay away from cable locks.
Wheel Locks
Wheel locks are also known as o-locks, ring locks, and frame locks. These types of locks are found on all bikes in the Netherlands, Japan, and most of Europe. These types of locks attach directly onto the frame of your bike to help prevent it from being stolen. Once it’s installed, you will just insert your key and push down the level so that a metal ring slides between the spokes of your back tire to prevent it from being stolen.
They are incredibly convenient too because they are installed right onto your bike. No longer will you have to worry about ensuring that you packed your bike lock when you go on trips or lugging around heavy chains. It’s right there on your bike, all you need is the key.
While these types of locks are great, they are not ideal for overnight security in a big city; anyone could just lift up the back wheel of your bike and be gone. They work best for if you are just stopping for a little break, running into a shop, or taking in a view.
D-Locks or U-Locks
These types of locks are more secure than cable locks, plus more than likely if a potential thief were to see one of these they would walk away. Instead of a cable that can easily be cut with a wire cutter, these types of locks use metal as the loop and then have a lock attached to it. Because of this, they can easily resist just about any type of tool that someone would use to remove it.
If you decide to go with this type of lock, you need to find one that leaves little to no space between it and the area that you are locking it around; this helps ensure that your bike is safe.
Some downsides to D-locks (U-locks) are that they are incredibly bulky and heavy. Therefore, they are rather cumbersome to carry around when you are on a bike tour. They can also be rather expensive and might not actually work to protect the area of your bike that you are hoping to protect.
Heavy Chain Locks
These are a great buy if you are living in a big city and are worried about your bike wheels being stolen. They are incredibly durable and keep your bike secure—you can leave it on overnight and know that everything will still be there in the morning. They resist any type of tool that someone would use to remove it, just make sure that you get a padlock that is just as sturdy.
While these are incredibly secure, they can be super expensive and heavy and bulky to carry around on your trips.
Locking Wheel Skewers
Locking wheel skewers disable the quick release skewer feature on your bike which prevents thieves from using that convenient function to steal your wheels. They are easy to install and they don’t take up any extra room on your bike or on your person. Plus, you can use them on your seat if it has a quick release skewer as well!
A downside to this type of lock is that they can require a special wrench that comes with it in order to install. If you lose this wrench, then you are either stuck without the quick release function on your bike, or without a really good bike wheel lock.
Bike Lock Keys vs. Combinations
Keyed locks are exactly as they sound: Bike locks that require a key to unlock it. They are easy for someone to pick if they want to, sometimes all they need is a ballpoint pen. They usually come with two keys so that you will have a backup if you lose one, but you could also get a new one made by a key maker. You will find these types of locks on U-locks and chain locks.
Combination locks are locks that require a certain code to be entered into them in order for them to unlock. They are super convenient because you don’t have to try to remember to grab your lock keys as you are leaving, but they can also be annoying because you should remember a code. They are a step up from keyed locks, but they can have the same issues as them. You will usually find these on cable locks.
Keyed locks and combination locks work well if you are really not worried about it being picked or if you live in a low crime area, but not ideal if you live in a big city with a lot of theft.
In the end, it’s up to you and your needs to help you figure out which bike wheel lock is perfect for you. But, hopefully, this guide helped make it a little easier for you when you’re out shopping!
How To Open A Bike Lock
While some bike locks may be impossible to open, other locks still have a few weaknesses that can be exploited. Should you ever lose your key of forget your code, you might still be able to unlock your bike lock.
We can find a few different bike locks on the market today. Some work with a push button system and a key, other with a code and the last ones simply rely on the key lock to keep thieves out. Understanding the weaknesses of your own locks will ensure that you could use them in a better way or even motivate you to buy another lock.
The folding lock, for instance, might be impossible to break open and the reason of this is that it is made from solid steel and there are no weaknesses in the links. You will need to rely on lock picking.
Key locking mechanisms
These are the most commonly used locking mechanisms. They are cheap and easy to use and you simply need to pop a key inside and you will have it unlocked. But this could also be unlocked using a simple lock picking kit or just a crochet needle.
The crochet needle can used as a substitute for a key, while a simple flat metal object will provide the added support needed to open the lock without breaking it or even making any noise. This poses a huge threat to bikers and it can be done in less than thirty seconds.
The advantage you will have with the folding lock is the weight and you will be able to place the lock in an uncomfortable situation that may make it harder to break open and uses up more time to try and get it in the perfect position.
Push-Button Key locks
We highly recommend these locks and they are much harder to pick. The lock needs force to open and to get to the key holes and this will make the job a lot harder for thieves. They will need to push down the button while searching for the exact spot to turn and force open the lock.
This lock is much safer, but definitely not impenetrable and thieves may rather choose an easier lock to deal with than these sophisticated locks. We would like to encourage you to consider one of these locks as they are not really more expensive, but they definitely are more sophisticated.
Coded locking mechanisms
Personally, we believe that these are the easiest to crack and you could crack them by guessing or simply by pulling on the locking side and turning the dials until they fall into their respective holes. The coded system works by using holes to mark the coded and the dials that are not part of the code will be harder to move when you pull the side that locks.
Many companies have also started experimenting with a mixture of the two locks. Thus, you will need to get the correct dials in place to have access to the key holes. This may work for safety, but not for speed and you might be left vulnerable in the open for an easy mugging.
Final Thoughts
It has become ever more crucial to pick the best and safest locking option. The lock should provide you with speed and also with maximum security. If your lock is easy to open for you, just think how easy it will be for criminals to open as they have a lot more experience than you have.
We definitely recommend the push-button key locking mechanism. This will bring you safety and also ensure that you have quick access to the unlocking part as well.
If you can combine this with a great folding lock that is heavy and features durable links, you will be able to have an impenetrable locking feature on your safe and you could gladly park your bike in some of the more dangerous locations.
We would like to thank you for reading this article and we hope that you now have a better understanding of how easy it could be to break your lock and simply steal your bike. If you have any more questions, we would like to encourage you to let us know and we will be happy to assist you.
How Bike Locks Works
Not all bike locks are the same and they are all made by different brands. The chain lock and the folding lock, both use different methods in order to offer you and your bike protection. Understanding the core fundamentals of bike locks could help you make a better and more informed choice when it comes to picking your very own bike lock.
We have decided to break down a few of these lock types and explain these fundamentals to you. It is also worth noting that not all of the locks are the same and that two chain locks, for instance, may look the same, but they could possibly be made from totally different materials.
Once you grasp these differences, you need to start looking at the lock type and the locking mechanism to determine if it will be the best lock for your needs.
The Chain Lock
The chain lock is the cheapest and most commonly used lock type on the market. The lock usually features a coded locking mechanism, but the more expensive and heavier options could possibly feature the added cylindrical key lock. This is great for withstanding prying and will also make it easier to open.
The coded locking mechanism has been proven to be full of flaws and thus we do not recommend going with the cheapest bike lock. Paying a little more may save you the extra expense of needing to buy a new bike if yours get stolen.
Furthermore, these locks are easy to mount and they are usually resistant to any attempt to cut them. This lock will be great if you keep your bike secure in a locked area like schools, but not necessarily in the open world.
Folding bike lock
These are heavier and more expensive, but they are also extremely trustworthy. The link system is able to fold open and then go around the entire bike to keep it safe and secure against any form of attack. We highly recommend this locking type in areas of high danger and the lock may even be big enough to intimidate the thieves to rather choose a different bike.
These locks usually feature key locking systems and strong cylindrical holding element that will make prying impossible and even rendered equipment that is dependable on leverage useless. These locks are also made to be weather resistant and the fact that they could easily fold will make them great for attaching to your bike.
Finally, they may be more expensive, but we believe that the price will even itself out over time and thus leaving you with the best and most functional lock on the market.
Mounted bike lock
These locks are quite affordable and they are made from durable and high-quality steel materials. With this type of lock, you will need to mount the PVC attachment and then the lock can be added using this features. This will protect your bike from damage and also ensure that the lock is securely tightened with no way to pry open.
These locks may be harder to use at first, but once you understand and trust them, you will never need to buy another lock again. In our review, we mentioned one of these locks that have been made from titanium, thus giving you the benefit of being lightweight and easy to carry around.
Even children will be able to quickly and efficiently mount this locking system and keep their bikes secure and we recommend this in all situations. The lock usually features a key locking mechanism that should make it harder for thieves to try end steal your bike.
Final Thoughts
We highly recommend doing the right research and understanding the fundamentals of bike locks. This will ensure that you have the knowledge to make an informed and educated decision when deciding to buy your bike lock.
We would like to recommend the folding bike lock as our personal favorite, but you may also find a lot of quality in the other locks.
We would like to thank you for reading this article and we would like to encourage you to let us know about any questions in comment section and we will be happy to assist you.