- Home
- Accessories
- Locks
Bike Locks
Bike theft is unfortunately a reality and the best protection against it is investing in the best lock for you. Our selection covers all angles from basic combination cable locks, ideal for school kids or as a second deterrent, to high tech smart u locks.
Bicycle Locks
Essential to secure your bike wherever you go, bike locks come in a variety of sizes, shapes and security standards. It can be quite daunting at first to know which type is right for you. When choosing a lock for your bike you should consider the following:
- The value of your bike.: Your lock should always match the value of your bike. It is recommended that you spend about 15% of the value of your bike on a lock.
- Where you are going to lock your bike: Urban areas are at a higher risk of bike theft than the countryside.
- Price: The more expensive a lock is the more protection your bike will get against thieves.
- How long are you going to leave your bike unattended for? Are you just calling it to the shop to grab some bread or are you leaving your bike locked overnight?
Once you have answered these questions, you should get a better view of the type of security level your bicycle lock should offer.
While there is a variety of security levels, there are only four main types of locks: D-Locks (also called U-Locks), Folding Locks, Chain Locks and Cable Locks. Some other locks do exists like very lightweight locks similar to cable ties, smart locks with built in alarms and linked to your smart phone and frame locks fitted to most electric bikes.
To ensure maximum protection, we recommend you use two different types of locks on your bikes which can’t be defeated by the same tool (bolt cutter, cold spray…) to increase your bike’s protection.
D-Locks
The D-Locks are classics when it comes to bike protection. Made of solid materials and no moving part outside the lock mechanism, they are an excellent starting point for the strongest resistance possible. They require a power tool to cut creating a great deterrent to thieves. We recommend combining it with a cable lock or a chain lock.
The one downside of the U-Locks is that they tend to be heavier and more expensive than other locks.
Cable locks
Cable locks are convenient and practical as they are lightweight and flexible. Ideal for basic protection, they are also a good addition to any D-lock.
On their own, they are perfect for low-risk environment and for young ones to secure their bikes in school.
Chain Locks
As secure as D-Locks if the chain and shackle are made of hardened steel, chain locks are a very convenient way to lock your bike to fixed objects especially the ones where a d-lock would not fit.
As for the D-locks, chains locks tend to be on the heavy side.
Folding locks
A popular alternative to chain and cable locks, folding locks have a low profile when folded making them perfect for commuters. In addition, they allow you to lock your bike around objects too big for U-locks. A great example of these is the Bordo family from Abus.
In addition to bike locks, we also recommend you keep a record of your bike's serial number as in the unfortunate case of theft, this can help the Garda retrieve your bike. When you purchase a bike from us, we keep your serial number in our file and can help you retrieving it in case you lose it.
Locking your bike
Once you have purchase your bicycle lock, it is also important to know how to use it properly. First of all, you should always find a well lit and well frequented area. Find a bike park rack or any other solid object to attach your bike too. Place your lock as high as possible to make it harder for thieves. Finally, try to lock your wheels too. For this we'd recommend you use a second lock.