The 5 Best Bike Locks For Londoners

Bike locks can be tricky in London. Sometimes it may seem that whatever you do, your bike will always get stolen. You can see some tips on how to avoid getting your bike stolen in this video. No bike lock is impenetrable, even the most heavyweight bike locks can be removed in less than a minute with the right tools. However, the formula bike thieves use when targeting your bike is simple: the time it will take someone to remove the lock, weighed against the value of the bike. Knowing that is the key to getting the right lock.

If you use the right bike locks and are careful with where and how you lock your bike, you lower your chances of having your bike stolen. When it comes to London, different bike locks stand out for different reasons, whether it is their sturdiness or convenience. Here are five bike locks that could decrease the likelihood of your bike being stolen!

1. On-Guard 8012 Bulldog

This is both heavy-duty in comparison to other locks on the market, but lighter than a few of the locks on this list. In London, a lot of people with bikes tend to commute for a longer period of time. Usually, this means they are looking for something convenient (i.e. not massively heavy) but also heavy-duty enough, so that their bike lock won’t be targeted by thieves.

A U-lock usually provides a good balance between convenience and security in terms of bike locks.  This one also comes with a cable for extra safety. This lock is a good option because it can be strapped/attached to a lot of different frames, so it’s not in the way when it’s not in use (i.e. when cycling). You can see an example of how you could do that in this video.

2. Onguard Pitbull 8005

Another U-lock, this one more heavyweight than the previous one. Again it comes with a cable for extra safety. It has a certification “Sold Secure” which is always a good thing to watch out for when buying bike locks.

3. Hiplok DX

Bike locks with a ‘Gold’ Sold Secure certification are the best bet. This is one of the best U-locks you could get for your bike. Keep in mind, it will be one of the heaviest as well. That’s usually how the safety of locks is determined – the heavier, the safer.

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4. OnGuard Mastiff 8019

This is one of the most secure locks on the list and the most inconvenient to carry around. Chain locks are generally the safest options, so if your number one priority is safety, look for those. However, carrying around a chain lock can be really inconvenient, so you might be better off carrying around two or three other locks instead of one of these bike locks.

5. LITELOK

This is not the safest lock on the list, but it’s probably the most convenient. This lock might not do on its own, though. You might want to combine this lock with a few other locks. Though this rule generally applies to all of these. The bike locks you are using depends on the bike. If you have a cheaper bike you can get away with cheaper locks, if you have an expensive bike, you should invest in better bike locks.

Here’s another good video on how to (almost) never have your bike stolen, which gives good tips on locking your bike properly and the importance of investing in good bike locks.

What bike locks do you recommend? Are any of them on the list? Share in the comments below.

Featured image source: https://unsplash.com/photos/v4HbRw0IJ20