Does a Lock Like This Exist?

Thargor

I bought that lock in Aldi today because it looked small and light but still an okay shackle/D-lock but I returned it straight away because it wasn't going to mount on my frame with a water bottle in the cage (Boardman Comp).

Is there any kind of small lock available at all that would be as reliable as a D-Lock? I know it would limit your options for what you can lock it to but it would be such a plus not having to carry a backpack on rides just to carry a lock that adds 3kg to my weight (Magnum Plus from Halfords). Im picturing a small tough round loop of metal, or just a normal shackle lock would be fine as long as it was small enough to mount on a frame, anybody ever see anything like that?

endacl

I wouldn't rely on an Aldi lock....

Fwiw, I use the abus bordo granit x-plus. Folds down to nothing, and sits neatly into a holder attached to the bottle cage mounts. Plus a new York fahgeddaboutit. Possibly overkill, but no problems so far....

If its neatness you're after, the bordo is great. Don't skimp on the locks.

I picked up an aldi (armoured?) cable lock a few years ago, as a result if a sudden brain fart in the shop. Never used it, and tried out of interest to break it there a couple of months ago. Took about 10 seconds with a pliers. Not a bolt cutter. Plain old pliers. Pliers was also from aldi though.

Moral of the story is: aldi. Good pliers, bad locks...

Darkglasses

Kryptonite Evo mini?

Thargor

Those granit x-plus's look amazing but Im not spending that much...

Darkglasses wrote: »

Kryptonite Evo mini?

A 1KG Kryptonite, and not too dear either, this looks like exactly what Im after, can you or anyone else confirm that this will mount to the seat tube with a bottle in the cage on the downtube please? The top tube on Boardmans is diamond shaped and hard to attach stuff to with the brake cables.

Darkglasses

Thargor wrote: »

Those granit x-plus's look amazing but Im not spending that much...

A 1KG Kryptonite, and not too dear either, this looks like exactly what Im after, can you or anyone else confirm that this will mount to the seat tube with a bottle in the cage on the downtube please? The top tube on Boardmans is diamond shaped and hard to attach stuff to with the brake cables.

I can't imagine why it wouldn't, those Kryptonite lock mounts can be turned in any direction, so it doesn't need to interfere with the bottle cage at all. I suggest mounting it like this:

Thargor

Just ordered one from Amazon, should have checked this ages ago, thanks!

cdaly_

If you've a bit of cash to spare, you might consider a TiGr lock...

blorg

Depending on where you leave your bike and how nice it looks a shít lock can be enough. I have used shít locks for over a decade with no incidents of theft. I wouldn't be leaving my expensive race bike overnight in town but I have a hack hybrid that I did leave there frequently, with no issues. It didn't look expensive but rode very well.

Edit: fixed profanity.

Thargor

cdaly_ wrote: »

If you've a bit of cash to spare, you might consider a TiGr lock...

Those are stunning, I remember that on Reddit Cycling a while ago and its the reason I browse Kickstarter regularly these days, Id love to but I just don't have the cash.

One thing I would worry about is it attracting thieves who might have left your bike alone with an ordinary shackle lock on it, they might see it as a bit of a challenge to see if they could rip it off with their bare hands especially if they were in a group, I think if I was spending that much on a lock Id go with the Abus Bordo Granit x-plus that Endacl posted.

blorg wrote: »

Depending on where you leave your bike and how nice it looks a shít lock can be enough. I have used shít locks for over a decade with no incidents of theft. I wouldn't be leaving my expensive race bike overnight in town but I have a hack hybrid that I did leave there frequently, with no issues. It didn't look expensive but rode very well.

Edit: fixed profanity.

Its for my Boardman Comp which I use as a commuter but is a very attractive bike that looks more expensive than it is, its a year old now and its still shiny and new looking, I wouldn't be able to sleep if it was locked up outside on some street anyway so that's never going to happen.

Very happy with the EVO Mini and its on the way now anyway thanks.

fergalr

cdaly_ wrote: »

If you've a bit of cash to spare, you might consider a TiGr lock...

I'd hold off on that, until its got some sort of security rating, or audit, from an independent source.

The design is cool, but novel security designs need to be attacked for a while before they are trusted.

Looks really nice, but I'd be wondering whether the cylinder could be levered off the end somehow, or whether a bolt cutters that closed all the way would go through it.

Gallus

Need a new lock also and been looking at the Kryptonite Mini. There is a Mini 5 and Mini 7.
I can only see the mini 7 on amazon but have been looking for the mini 5.
Does the extra length in the 7 allow room for jacks to be used going from peoples experience?

Also is there anywhere in Dublin selling the mini 5?

Thargor

I thought they got rid of those older generation kryptonites because it turned out they could be opened with a cheap plastic pen jammed in the keyhole?

Gallus

Going by their website one is not a newer generation to the other, but could be wrong.

The mini 5 is the standard and then the mini 7 offers extra length in the shackle. Think there is also a mini 9 which offers more length.

Thargor

Ah right thanks, just from reading all the reviews of the 7 that I went through before I bought it Id say you'd be really pushing it going for anything shorter, the 7 is a great lock but barely long enough for everyday use was the general opinion.

Thargor

Has anyone ever installed the Mini 5 bracket on a bike? Been at it for an hour and it just makes no sense, there doesn't seem to be a way to get it on, there obviously is but its nothing like other things you might have mounted on a bike, its just a nylon strap but theres no way in hell it could stay on the way they describe in the instructions.

Darkglasses

I've installed the mount for the normal Kryptonite Evo, I presume it's the same. IIRC, you have to attach both ends to a bigger plastic bit that attaches to the lock. First, use the stepped side to get it roughly to how tight it needs to be to the seat tube. Then with the other end of the strap, you use an allen key to tighten a nut and bolt to make it ultra-tight to the bike. Use rubber strips to pad out the tube as necessary, to make it fully secure.

Is the mount like this one? If so, what specifically is happening so that the mount isn't working?

Thargor

No that doesn't sound right sorry, the first bit of the instructions clearly says the strap and piece of rubber are all you need to secure it to the seatpost then you just screw the bracket itself in, see this pic:

http://imgur.com/ADiLX

But no matter how I rap them around the tube theres no way in hell its tight enough to get it to hold a lock, any clues?

Gruser

Thargor wrote: »

No that doesn't sound right sorry, the first bit of the instructions clearly says the strap and piece of rubber are all you need to secure it to the seatpost then you just screw the bracket itself in, see this pic:

http://imgur.com/ADiLX

But no matter how I rap them around the tube theres no way in hell its tight enough to get it to hold a lock, any clues?

I put one of these on a fortnight ago. I agree with you that it doesn't feel right, but once you actually follow the instructions up to screwing the bracket on to the parts you have already mentioned its feels far more sturdy.

Two weeks of cycling with it on the lock doesnt move let alone come off.

Gruser

Thargor wrote: »

No that doesn't sound right sorry, the first bit of the instructions clearly says the strap and piece of rubber are all you need to secure it to the seatpost then you just screw the bracket itself in, see this pic:

http://imgur.com/ADiLX

But no matter how I rap them around the tube theres no way in hell its tight enough to get it to hold a lock, any clues?

Just saw you mention seat post - have you tried putting it on the frame instead? The seatpost maybe a lot thinner.

Thargor

Gruser wrote: »

I put one of these on a fortnight ago. I agree with you that it doesn't feel right, but once you actually follow the instructions up to screwing the bracket on to the parts you have already mentioned its feels far more sturdy.

Two weeks of cycling with it on the lock doesnt move let alone come off.

But it will fall off with gravity sitting in the hallway any way I try it, the strap goes through the metal bit once only, there's no way to loop it back through again like you do with some straps or anything, it passes through the piece of metal once and it can slip out as easily as it slips in, the instructions make no sense whatsoever.

I meant seattube not post sorry.