Which lock would you choose

[jago25_98]

I can't believe there's no mention of this in the FAQ.

Which lock would you choose for various uses. I think in terms of value that is being protected, so easiest to think in terms of $.

I'll kick the discussion off by saying let's say we're protecting a $150 bicycle. What lock would you choose and why? It's one thing to choose a lock but budget... then it's not so simple.

[squelchtone]

Hi and thanks for your question.

It's not in the FAQ because this isn't a consumer help site to choose a particular model and brand for a particular application.

We pick locks as a hobby, that's our thing, but we're glad to help the occasional person who stops by asking what they should get to protect their bike, car, home, boat, airplane, girlfriend's virginity, snow mobile, gym locker, dorm room, etc.

As this is your first post since joining in 2007, I'm gonna guess you are a hobby picker, but at the moment someone in your life is asking you how to protect their $150 dollar bike? Or is this simply a theoretical exercise?

A $150 dollar bike is... cant be that awesome to begin with, but I know thieves will steal anything that is not nailed down. I think we have to know a little more. Is this bike being locked at home to something? Is it in a nice neighborhood and being locked to a rack at the local junior high school? is it in New York City being locked to a street sign in Manhattan in the middle of a busy day?

Are you worried about someone taking off the back tire if the lock only locks the front tire and frame to the rack/tree/pole/fence?

Personally for that bike, I'd get an ABUS cable for $10 (like one of these http://abus.de/us/main.asp?ScreenLang=us&sid=9097864031902542410201174104143133&select=0104b09&artikel=4003318257186) it is long enough to go through BOTH wheels and the frame and still lock to something like a metal railing, fence post, sign, bike rack, etc.

and an ABUS 24/70 Discus padlock for $25, http://www.mrlock.com/10012.html?id=3RdJio3a which is hard to cut and not so easy to pick as compared to a Master Lock. (only issue I could see is that both cable eyelets may not fit into the horizontal shackle opening, so maybe another model would be better, something like this American Lock Series 50: http://www.mrlock.com/mfg/american/50.html

I don't know if this is what you're looking for, but that's my recommendation, and the point I guess is that each situation is usually so specific to the person that just one model of lock may not cover all the details.

Squelchtone

[jago25_98]

Thanks! That's funny because that's exactly the lock I bought today. I basically went for the cheapest non spring loader I could find.

It'll do. I wonder if there might be something slightly better. It's a common lock and it feels loose. Somehow it makes me think I could pick it. I guess this is good for anti bump which is all I was looking for; to stop the usual thief, I don't expect someone who can pick even a basic lock to be someone who's a thief.
There's so much play in the mech that it looks like a shim inside where the arm goes... might be able to push it open in combo with a bump.

re: 2007 join. I've admit I'm not a sport picker - I find reading about it fascinating but I don't find picking locks addictive. There's a security firm in the family.

I thought you might just link me to a wiki on locks and opinions somewhere because from the Toool competition videos I've seen mention of a relationship with some lock manufacturers.
Also, I wondered if as an off chance I might kick off a discussion on quality and design in general. That is, I wanted to see an experienced lock pickers opinion on lock manufacturer design regards locks of all levels just for interests sake, but taking into account prices as well. To be honest, I think I need to buy a book for that.

[fastcat]

My current lock of choice (from my limited picking experience) is the TriCircle 266.

We got it for around R100 (about $12) and its the only lock we have that I cannot pick consistently (in fact, I picked it by pure fluke once while listening to a lecture).


It's a little big for carrying around on a Bicycle, but if you need to chain up a trailer or lock a gate, its pretty darn good