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Lockit

Locks group test

loseit
Bike crime is a constant threat, but with a solid and secure lock you can stop thieves from stealing your steed. Here are 16 of the top locks to help you keep your MTB safe
Words: Paul Smith Photo: Joby Sessions

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LOOK OUT FOR THESE

Only the very best products on test get the What Mountain Bike seal of approval

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Awarded to kit that receives a combined performance and value score of 18 out of 20 or higher This represents excellent value for money Our pick of the bunch and simply the best on test, regardless of cost

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February 2004 WhatMountainBike 53

CHOICE ###

ow secure is your bike right now? One of the worst things that can happen to a cyclist is that sickening feeling when you return to nd your lock on the oor, and your bike nowhere in sight. Most bike thefts are opportunist crimes. You pop into a shop for less than a minute and when you return your bikes gone. That might not have happened for less than a tenner and ten seconds of your time. Likewise, locking your bike up for a whole day while youre at work with

just one lock is asking for trouble. No matter how good the lock is, if someone has the time and the inclination they can get around it. A good quality lock or locks might cost you about 100 if you also buy a nice anchor to lock your bike to at home. It might take you 30 seconds to lock your bike up properly. But thats a tiny price to pay, considering your bike could be gone in seconds. Weve tested 16 locks of various shapes, sizes, and strengths to help you choose your security device.

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LOCKS
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ABUS GRANIT X-PLUS 54 SHACKLE LOCK 230MM

60 Zyro 01423 325325
Put simply, this is a great lock. The rst factor of importance is that the shackle itself is not made from a round bar, its square, and the U-section does not feature a round bend, its more parabolic then semi circular. These two details coupled with the slippery cover make it a difcult lock to physically break open. The lock unit itself is massively strong and also has some neat and innovative features. Abus uses what it calls Powercells to enclose each end of the shackle, so even if one end of the shackle is burst or cut through, the other end remains locked and because its square it cannot be rotated WMB VERDICT to open the lock. Add these features together with one of the One of the three best toughest lock mechanisms around (not only physically tough U-locks with an but nobody we contacted had ever seen one picked) and you incredibly tough shackle have a stunner of a U-lock. Also available in 300mm version PERFORMANCE 9 for an extra 2 and comes complete with easy-to-use frame VALUE 7 mounting bracket.

SQUIRE PARAMOUNT PLUS

43 Squire 01922 476711
One of the real heavyweights in the test. With a 16mm thick hardened boron steel shackle that locks into a hardened steel lock body, the Paramount Plus is one super tough lock. The six-tumbler lock takes a at key, and is shielded by a sliding dust cover. The lock WMB VERDICT mechanism has around 120,000 different combinations, making it Very heavy, but very, virtually pickproof. The shackle ts deeply into the lock body and is very strong. One of the a blind entry system that withstood all attempts at opening with best U-locks available high-pressure car jacks and bars up to six feet long. By itself this is PERFORMANCE 9 a stunningly good U-lock; add to it a cable lock of good quality and VALUE 8 you have the makings of fundamental security for your bike.

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40 AXA 01584 841051

AXA SECU CITY

Right up there with the best of them and excellent value for money. No matter what we did we couldnt break open the Secu City. The lock design is classic and simple, but the materials used are fantastically tough. Although the lock comes with a bracket to attach to your frame its not as WMB VERDICT good as some, such as the Kryptonite NY. But were just Massively strong, high quality lock, stunning nitpicking here really, as there is very little else to let the value for money lock down. Theres no dust or waterproof cover on the PERFORMANCE 9 lock hole, so keep the keyhole lubed from time to time to VALUE 9 prevent possible sticky-lock problems. Other than that, this is a belter.

SQUIRE URBAN PROTECTOR

30 Squire 01922 476711
If the huge robustness of the Paramount Plus (above) isnt your idea of something youd like to carry or have tted to your bike bracket, then the Urban Protector is an ideal lock, offering a nice balance between weight and strength. Our test model was 230mm long with a 13mm diameter hardened steel shackle, double locking WMB VERDICT mechanism, a keyhole dust cover and a new improved mounting bracket Strong and secure for to t it to your bike when not in use. The lock is a four-tumbler unit not its weight and ease of quite as secure as the six-tumbler unit found in the Paramount, but still day to day use virtually pick proof. Designed to be easy to live with day to day, but not PERFORMANCE 7 sold as being the ultimate in security, its a great lock that wed happily VALUE 8 use in conjunction with another.

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GROUP TEST

BASTA CLICK
30 Basta 01584 841051
Costing more than the AXA SL 7 (over the page) youd expect the Basta Click to be better, but it isnt. Fitting as it does on the brake bosses, it would be a silly thing to use this device by itself, as you could just unscrew the bolts and leave the wheel behind with the lock still WMB VERDICT attached. When its on the bike it doesnt fair well Busted with a hammer against a regular hammer either. But... used in quite quickly, ideal conjunction with another device, such as a good as a secondary quality U-lock, its a further deterrent, and something device though PERFORMANCE 5 the thief will have to deal with thus spending more VALUE 6 time on your bike which is not something they want to do. Its also easy to t and simple to use.

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KRYPTONITE NEW YORK 3000

60 Madison www.ultimatepursuits.co.uk
With a 16mm diameter hardened Kryptonium steel shackle and a host of improvements, the New York is back at the top of the U-lock pile. A new Piksafe disc-style cylinder lock would take even a master locksmith an absolute age to try and pick, and the lock bar itself has been further strengthened with a steel sleeve completely covering it. The lock is a double-deadbolt design, making twisting the shackle WMB VERDICT The benchmark by out of the lock body more or less impossible with any bar that which all other locks can be carried undetected (under a jacket/coat for example). should be judged Comes complete with three keys, one of which features a handy PERFORMANCE 9 little light to see the lock at night and it also has one of the best VALUE 7 and most universal brackets available. All in all the New York 3000 has just become the best U-lock currently available.

SPECIALIZED WEDLOCK
50 Specialized UK 020 8391 3500
Six hardened steel plates are linked together with hardened steel orbital rivets in this lock to form a strange looking loop which folds down small to t in its own rubber case. Although the design means its not the toughest lock around its quite tricky to get enough WMB VERDICT leverage on it once its tted to a bike, although if Mid level only, use with something you do manage to get enough leverage it doesnt more substantial if stand up to abuse for too long. But, as a mid-level leaving your bike bit of security it works ne, and added to a for longer periods U-lock it offers a very different challenge to a thief PERFORMANCE 6 who has come armed to attack a U-lock. Its not VALUE 6 too heavy, packs down small, and is easy to use.

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MAGNUM ULTIMATE ATB

20 Moore Large & Co 01332 274200
Made from square section hardened steel, the Ultimate ATB is similar to the Abus Granite X-Plus 54 in the way it has a square section shackle, but its not parabolic in shape at the loop and so it wont be strong as the X-Plus 54. Coming complete with a whopping ve keys WMB VERDICT Top quality features, and its own two-way tting bracket, the Magnum is a nice and weatherproof, great lock for the money. The construction is rst rate, very tough and the lock stood up to all the abuse we could throw at PERFORMANCE 8 it with normal thief tools. A Sold Secure rating would be VALUE 10 nice, but as it is, this is one very tough lock indeed.

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LOCKS
SPECIALIZED RAPPER
30 Specialized UK 020 8391 3500
A Kevlar-core is wrapped around with braided steel cable, and surrounding this is a series of interlocking hardened steel cups that are articulated. The weak part of any cable lock is always the part where the cable ends and the locking stub is tted. After quite a lot of abuse with a regular hammer the Rapper was still in one piece, although more determined attempts did eventually break it and separate it from the lock body. The lock body itself is pretty tough, though, and stood up to a hammer attack nicely. As a secondary security device this is ideal, but by itself its not a lock to rely on. WMB VERDICT A great addition to a good primary lock, easy to use and a neat LED in one key for night time unlocking PERFORMANCE 6 VALUE 7

AXA SL 7

20 plus SD cable 17 AXA 01584 841051

Although most of you will be thinking an immobiliser is a rather stupid thing to t to a bike, when used in conjunction with a good U-lock or WMB VERDICT cable lock theyre actually a smart idea. It gives the thief Surprisingly tough, easy something else to have to work around in order to ride off on to use and t much your bike rather than carry it. The SL 7 is a very neat unit indeed, better with the optional and we tested it here with the optional SD cable that plugs into the top and measures a cable though handy 1.8m. Our initial reservations were soon brushed aside though, and the Sold Secure PERFORMANCE 7 Silver rating is indeed true its a bugger to try and beat. With the addition of the SD cable its VALUE 7 options are greatly expanded, making it a good addition to other primary security devices.

OXFORD CABLE LOCK

12 www.oxprod.com 0870 990 9620
Despite claming a diameter of 12mm, the actual wire inside the plastic shroud is only 6mm. Considering the price of the lock, though, this is no bad thing, just a little misleading. With a handy 1.8m length and coming complete with two different brackets for mounting to your bike it all seems good. But... we broke this lock in seconds with a WMB VERDICT normal everyday hammer. The problem lies in the very thin lock Poor. Only acts as a barrel casing. It appears to be made from 1mm thick cheese like deterrent, and can be alloy, and it burst open and let us rip the lock apart in less than smashed in seconds seven seconds. Basically, turn your back on your bike locked with PERFORMANCE 2 this, and itll be gone. Fine as a deterrent, but even a thief with a VALUE 7 simple house brick could smash it off your bike in an instant.

MAGNUM PRO TITAN

16 Moore Large & Co 01332 274200
The Pro Titan is 15mm braided steel cable measuring a handy 1.8m long. The cable is wound to be self-coiling, which can be a pain sometimes as its ddly to pull it WMB VERDICT out straight, which is made even harder once you have cold Well made, but a little hands. Despite the strong cable and very well made endings, we too weak when managed to bust the lock open in a few seconds using a hammer. attacked with Again, this is one of those locks that should be used in a hammer conjunction with a good quality U-lock and not relied on to secure PERFORMANCE 6 your bike by itself. The mounting it comes with is neat though, and VALUE 8 will t almost any bike, thanks to its dual position system.

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GROUP TEST

KRYPTONITE FAHGETTABOUDIT
99 Madison www.ultimatepursuits.co.uk
Quite possibly the toughest bit of security you could put on a bicycle and would even be suitable for motorbikes. The chain itself is made up of six-sided 11mm diameter hexagonal links made of triple heat-treated boron manganese steel (which even angle grinders struggle to cut). The chain is made so the space inside the links is insufcient to get anything, such as a crow bar, inside to apply leverage, and WMB VERDICT Heavy, but surprisingly even if this were possible its so strong its doubtful one thief easy to carry over your could exert enough force to burst a link open. With a 13mm steel shoulder. Tough as a shackle and the Picksafe lock mechanism this has all the features bloody tough thing of the New York 3000 lock ut in a smaller padlock shape. If you PERFORMANCE 10 really dont want your bike to be stolen, then you should have one VALUE 7 of these and attach it to something suitably tough like a proper ground anchor.

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MAGNUM CHAIN + ULTIMATE PADLOCK

50 Moore Large & Co 01332 274200
This is a bit of a bargain really. A hardened steel chain with links made from 12mm thick rod, it comes complete with its own well-secured cover and a bomb-proof padlock. Like all the Magnum products which use a key, it comes complete with ve of the buggers. The chain and padlock are designed WMB VERDICT to work together to give next to no room for a bar to be put Brilliant value, and between any of the links to enable twisting. Although we did damn tough too manage to get a bar in there, it was so small in diameter that PERFORMANCE 9 the bar bent and nothing happened to the chain. The padlock VALUE 10 is really tough too, and withstood all kinds of abuse, including a high-speed drill.

ABUS COMBIFLEX 202

13 Zyro 01423 325325
Small and light enough to be taken with you on any ride, and thats the whole idea here. This lock is not for securing your bike when its going to be left unattended for long periods of time: its for locking it to something, or your mates bikes when you stop at the caff for a cuppa and cake. Using a 90cm long 2.5mm diameter plastic coated cable, its long enough to lock quite a few bikes together, or to go through your own frame wheels and through something secure. The reset-able three-digit combi lock unit cant be put under tension and picked easily, just remember to keep it out of sight of prying eyes when you use it. For the money, this is a must-have item. WMB VERDICT Perfectly strong and mobile for the pub/shop stop, but not for locking bikes all day PERFORMANCE 8 VALUE 9

ABUS WBA100 GROUND/WALL ANCHOR

50 Zyro 01423 325325
Its no good having a great lock and then having nothing secure to use it on when you get home. Too many bike thefts happen when bikes are locked up together in a simple wooden garden shed. To counter this youre best off using a properly designed anchor system. This offering from ABUS has a massive 16mm hardened steel shackle, which has an opening large enough for any lock or chain WMB VERDICT system currently available. It comes complete with four extra long bolts which One of the best anchors available, simple as that need a 16mm masonry drill bit and a good quality hammer drill to t. With the PERFORMANCE 8 right tools its a simple anchor to install properly, and thats the key right there. VALUE 7 Take your time tting it properly and itll deter even the most determined thieving scumbag.

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LOCKS

What you need to know

Our top lock choices, what makes a good lock and some hot tips to beat the thieves

WMB OVERALL VERDICT

What were trying to persuade you to do is run two different kinds of locks on your bike. Although this might be heavy and cumbersome at times, it will secure your bike from all but the most determined and professional thief. Of the Ulocks tested wed say the AXA Secu City is the overall winner its as good as the Kryptonite New York 3000 and the ABUS Granit XPlus, but much cheaper. For the ultimate, though, the Kryptonite New York 3000, Squire Paramount Plus and the ABUS Granit X-Plus are the best U-locks, with the Magnum Ultimate ATB a very close runner up, but with no Sold Secure rating its unproven despite being very good in our tests. For permanently mounted security the AXA SL-7 is a neat bit of kit, and the SD cable makes it even better. The new Abus compact retractable wire lock is a great idea, plus its compact, tough and affordable. For the ultimate lock, though, you need the Kryptonite Fahgettaboudit chain, with the Magnum chain and padlock close behind.

ANCHORS
A lock is only as good as the thing you fasten it to. There are a whole bunch of anchors available on the market, such as the Excellent ABUS and Kryptonite offerings and most are available in either cementin-place or bolt-in-place versions. Although these are expensive they are very good. On the budget side, though, Squire have just released a real bargain into the shops with the 6 wall or oor mounted anchor. Although not as complex as the other offerings, when tted properly using the security bolts its a great bit of kit. Remember, though, that an anchor is only as good as your workmanship in tting it. If you make a bodge of drilling holes then it can be ripped out of the ground. If you mix your concrete so its too sandy then it can be broken up quickly and easily. Take your time and use your common sense, read the instructions carefully and youll end up with a highly secure place to lock your bike(s).

Squires 6 anchor will do the job

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The Axa Secu City U-lock is our all-round best buy

but this Kryptonite anchor is seriously heavyduty

SOLD SECURE
Northumbria and Essex Police established Sold Secure in 1992 with the help and backing of the Home Ofce. Sold Secure is now administered by the Master Locksmiths Association and works from purpose built laboratories in Daventry, where it liases with insurance companies to collate the latest information on criminal methods. Information gathered in these labs is passed on to security manufacturers to enable them to produce more effective products and only the best locks manufactured then get the Sold Secure seal of approval. If you have your bike insured then contact the insurance company to see what locks they approve. If you use a lock that is not approved by your insurance company (even though it might be a great lock) then your insurance could be classed as null and void. Theres a complete listing of all Sold Secure cycle locks on the Sold Secure website, (www.soldsecure.com) complete with the relevant ratings and contact details.

QUICK TIPS
Fit two different kinds of locks (such as a U-lock and a cable lock), and the seasoned bike thief will realise itll take far too long to steal your bike and move on to the next. Also use two locks which have two different types of key. Pay attention to what you lock your bike to. Its no use locking it to something which can easily be snapped/cut/pulled out etc. Write down your key numbers and keep those numbers somewhere safe along with contact details for your lock manufacturer. Try to change where you lock your bike once in a while, and use sensible, well lit places which are usually busy all the time, not just in the morning, lunchtime, and in the evening. If you lock your bike in a shed/garage then make sure that this place is secure too, and try not to leave tools that a thief can use (to break your lock) in the same place that you leave your bike.

DONT LEAVE IT
If you lock your bike up in a regular spot and you dont want to be carrying your heavy lock home every night then do not leave it locked to the bars where you lock your bike. If a thief wants to practise picking a lock then he/she wont have to buy a lock, they can just sit overnight and practise on yours. Then when theyve learned to pick the lock guess whos bike isnt secure the next day? If at all possible leave it inside where you work, or carry it with you. Sure it might be heavy, but taking it denitely beats losing your bike Carry locks with you at all times as leaving them behind gives thieves ideas