Every biker needs a few bike locks. But how to choose the right one? Is there a bike lock that cant be cut? Thats what were going to talk about here.

I will introduce you to the main types of bike locks and the criteria to consider when buying a new one.

There are three most popular bike locks. We will see the advantages and disadvantages of each.

We will look at three main criteria for each type of bike lock.

• The first is security, as this is a crucial thing to have in a bike lock.
• The second is weight.
• And the third is the ease of use.

But first, know that no bike lock is unbreakable. There is no type of bike lock that is one hundred percent steel-proof.

No matter how secure a bike lock is, if a thief wants to get through your bike locks, he will find a way with the proper tools. The question is, how long does he need to break the lock?

A bike lock does resist a significant amount of time to discourage the thief from moving from your bike to another bike.

Lets not waste any more time looking at the three most popular types of bike locks:

•  The Chain lock
•  The U-lock
•  The Cable lock

My recommendations for the best bike locks under 50 Dollars:

• Sportneer Bike Lock
• UShake Bicycles U Lock
• Via Velo Bike Combination Cable Lock

Bike Locks Considerations

The vast majority of cable locks you can buy are just a way to convince someone not to put their greasy little paws on your bike.

However, even a bike thief with motivation problems can easily get through some of the cheaper locks on the market.

If you spend considerable money on a bike, you should know it wont be stolen. I mean, it has at least the minimum risk of being stolen.

I dont want to disappoint you, but there is not a single bike lock on this page that a determined person will not be able to cut.

It is impossible to design such a bike lock, and if someone claims to have designed a bike lock that cannot be broken, then you are talking to a liar.

More expensive bike locks are harder to break. They deter someone from even trying. If they want your bike, they will get through the lock.

However, remember that most thieves are opportunistic and wont even try when the lock is a little stronger than average. If they cant get it off in a few seconds, its not even worth trying.

On this page, I want to tell you five of what I think are the best cable locks on the market. Five of them in total.

Each has slightly different pros and cons, but Im sure youll be happy with whichever one you choose.

Theyre all pretty much the same price, so its a matter of finding the one that fits your preferences.

What should you look for when Buying a cable lock?

The main thing you need to look out for when choosing a cable lock is how easily it will break.

The thickness of the cable is pretty essential.

I think you should care more about how the cable was produced than how thick it is.

For example, you can have a single piece of thick wire. Thats much easier to cut than a braided wire.

The best cable locks on the market will use a braided or tightly interwoven wire.

You can always cut it with an angle grinder or something similar, but it will be nearly impossible to cut with a pair of bolt cutters. So youve set up your deterrent.

How you access the cable lock is also essential. It shouldnt be easy to drill the lock.

Many of the best cable locks on the market are oriented, so it is impossible to drill through. There will also be a plastic coating on the lock to help provide a little extra protection.

Im the type of person who prefers locks from larger companies. One of the main reasons you dont want to go cheap is that many more affordable companies are cutting corners on the production of their locks.

Think about it. If youre producing a lock on a budget, you probably dont want to spend much money to have many different keys available.

They may produce five or six keys to fix the entire range of locks. Thats not good because a thief can easily get hold of a particular key, and theyll have access to a good portion of all the locks that accept that key.

This is not the case with the more expensive cable locks on the market. Rather than having half a dozen keys that fit their locks, they will have hundreds.

So sure, someone could always get a key that fits their lock, but the hassle of getting their hands on that key wont be worth it.

Large companies dont just send out random keys. They need proof that someone bought the lock for which the key is required. So dont worry too much about that.

In my opinion, you should think about the brand of the lock instead. I know there are locks on the market that are a little cheaper than the ones on this page but are similarly constructed.

However, many people underestimate the importance of a brand when it comes to deterrence.

Remember, if a thief is confronted with two bikes, one with an unknown brand lock and one with an Abus lock, no matter how similar the two locks are, the thief will try the unknown brand lock.

Why? Because they already know the quality of the Abus, so theyre not willing to go after it. So yes, I guess thieves are somewhat brand-oriented when it comes to stealing. You wouldnt have thought that, would you?

Dont forget: always look for good reviews too. All the locks you find here have decent reviews, so you can be sure that people like them.

Best Chain  lock

The chain lock is probably the markets most secure type of bike lock.

Weaker chain locks can usually be broken with a good pair of bolt cutters and some muscle.

But stronger chain locks usually have to be broken with power tools.

And the reason these are the most secure is because they are made from that heavy hardened steel.

These are generally the most secure types of locks. Because when a thief tries to use an angle grinder on your chain lock, it tends to move and jiggle, making it difficult to get through the entire lock with the power tools.

This makes them the most secure type of bike lock, though.

They are the most secure but also the heaviest. This means they will be very uncomfortable carrying this thing around while you are cycling.

Many people carry their chain lock by wrapping it around their waist or chest. But it still looks uncomfortable.

Depending on the length and strength of your lock, it can weigh between six and ten pounds.

Although they are really heavy, chain locks are pretty easy to use. And its straightforward to attach your bike to an immovable object.

Of course, the longer your chain, the easier it is to lock your bike, but you will have more weight with a longer chain. And it will be more difficult to carry while you ride.

So to find a good flexibility/weight ratio, I recommend you go for a lock with about three feet.

And depending on how strong it is, youre looking at about 10 pounds for a 3-foot lock.

Again, these are the most secure, and theyre pretty easy to use.

My recommendation: Sportneer Bike Lock

Best U lock

And I would say that U-locks are the most popular type of lock among commuters and people in the fixed-gear crowd.

And thats because they are a good compromise between weight and security.

As with chain locks, thieves can get through lightweight padlocks. U with simple hand tools like bolt cutters.

But they will have to use power tools to get through a reasonably heavy U-lock. These arent as secure as chain locks because a U-lock secures your bike to the rack.

And thieves can easily grab onto your lock and cut it with their power tools, and since its not as strong, its a little less secure.

But the advantage of your lock is that it doesnt weigh as much as a chain lock.

And depending on the length and strength of the shackle, the U-lock will be heavier or lighter and easier to carry, and it will be easier or harder to lock your bike.

It offers a pretty good weight and portability/security ratio, which is why U-locks are quite popular. Theyre not too heavy to carry, but they keep your bike reasonably secure.

It can be much more challenging to secure your rear wheel and frame to the bike rack with the inflexible shackle than to run a padlock through your bike.

Larger shackles will make it easier to lock your bike, but I think it adds unnecessary weight to your lock.

U-shaped locks are a good compromise between weight and security, but they can be harder to lock.

The downside of U-locks is their ease of use. Compared to chain locks and cable locks, U-locks are much trickier to use. They are inconvenient because they limit what you can lock.

Compared to a cable or chain lock, you can wrap it around just about anything you find around town to lock it. But with a U-lock, you have to find something thats the suitable diameter to put your bike next to.

My recommendation: UShake Bicycles U Lock

Best Cable  lock

There are a few different locking mechanisms for cable locks, but the general principle remains the same: you have a cable, a lock, and a cable lock.

Cable locks are the least secure of all lock types and can be easily cut with wire cutters.

They are best used as a secondary lock to lock your front wheel, saddle, or other accessories you may have on your bike.

If you dont want your bike stolen, it is best to use a U-lock or chain lock as your primary lock.

While cable locks arent very secure, they are light and weigh less than .5 lbs, making them portable and easy to carry around.

Thats an excellent convenience for a secondary: theyre light and easy to use but not very secure.

My recommendation: Via Velo Bike Combination Cable Lock

Master Lock 1 Python Cable Lock

Lets start with the Master Lock 1 Python, mainly because it is the first customizable bike lock on the market.

Now, Im going to assume that you are locking your bike. Im sure there have been many situations where youve found that your bike lock isnt long enough to secure it anywhere.

Python helps to solve this problem. You have complete control over the length of the cable. You can adjust it to make sure theres no slack (i.e., someone wont be able to cut it easily). With sizes available up to 30 feet, youll also be able to lock more than your bike with one of these babies.

The cable is 3/8″ in diameter and made of braided metal, ensuring it is cut-resistant.

If that wasnt enough, you could also use a plastic coating that makes the locking cable much harder to cut.

Pros

• Adjustable
• Solid metal lock

Cons

• The quality of the cable is sacrificed.

Kryptonite Kryptolock

This bike lock comes with a U-lock, which means that if youre not interested in buying a U-lock, you might want to look at one of the other four suggestions on this page, as the U-lock is going to add a bit more to the cost.

The purpose of the cable lock here is to provide your bike with a little more protection. The U-lock can fit in many more places than a standard U-lock.

This means that there are more points that a potential thief would have to cut through to gain access to your bike.

As you may have guessed, since this is a Kryptonite lock, it is made of some of the best materials on the market, which means you are protected. All the parts of this lock are virtually impossible to cut.

Pros

• Complete bike lock set
• Patented Kryptonite technology

Cons

• You may not need the U Lock

LIMINK Bike Lock

This is going to be a bit of a weird lock. However, I should mention it because some more tech-savvy folks will be interested in something like this.

The LIMINK bike lock doesnt have a key or combination. Instead, youll need to connect it to a smartphone.

Your smartphone will act as a key for it. Press a few buttons on the app, and your lock will be opened. However, remember that your bike will be somewhat locked if your phones battery runs out.

This cable is also incredibly thick. Seriously. The only way someone will be able to break into this bike lock is if they spend forever attacking it with an angle grinder, but I doubt that will happen anytime soon.

I love that. Despite its technology, you can also use it in all conditions. Rain, snow, or shine, this lock will always work.

Pros

• You dont have to worry about losing your keys
• Heavy-duty lock

Cons

• Is this technology unnecessary?

Ardent Cable Bike Lock Combination

If you have multiple bikes, you can opt for this bike lock. It is long enough to keep two or three bikes chained together.

However, if you only have one bike, you may want to go with one of the other options on this list. I think there is too much slack if only one bike is chained together, making it more difficult to use.

One of the things that attracted me to this Ardent cable lock is that it is one of the best cable locks on the market that uses a combination.

I dont know how many of you use combination locks, but you know how difficult they can be to set.

However, this lock is ergonomically designed, and the raised numbers will make it easy for you, even when the rain is coming down on your head.

Pros

• Quality lock
• Pleasant combination change

Cons

• Too long for a bike

Thule 6-Feet One Key System

Thats because this lock uses the Thule One-Key system. You can change the cylinder so that all your locks have the same key. This makes using your locks remarkably convenient. Even if you dont use this feature, you still have a quality bike lock.

The cable is thick and almost impossible to break. However, dont forget that its the fact that it uses a unique key system that drives up the price. So, if you dont have a use for it, opt for one of the other bike locks.

Pros

• One key system
• Thick cable

Cons

• A bit expensive due to the one-key system

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Questions to ask before buying a bike lock

The value of your bike?

Is your bike expensive enough for the thief to steal and resell at a high price to make it worth the crime?

If you dont have a good idea of what your bike is worth on the resale market, you can always look at some of the used bike websites and see if you can find a bike similar to yours and see how much it is worth.

Another way to get an idea is to compare your bike with the other bikes locked up in the areas where you usually lock up your bike.

Is your bike more expensive than the average bike that is usually next to it? Because the most expensive bikes locked up in a particular area are the most likely to be stolen.

Bike  theft statistics  in your area

Some cities have a much higher rate of bike theft than others. But also in each town, there are usually areas with many more stolen bikes than others.

So its a good idea to research the areas where you typically lock up your bike the most to see if theres a lot of bike theft.

Security cameras are also related to this issue. Are there a lot of security cameras in the areas where you typically lock up your bike? The security cameras were not put there specifically to catch bike thieves, but they still do an excellent job of discouraging people from stealing bikes.

How long do you leave your bike unattended?

Are you someone who usually leaves your bike for 10 or 15 minutes?

Or do you use your bike to commute to work, so you ride your bike to work and leave it locked outside your workplace for the entire day?

Since bike lockers are only there to save you time, leaving your bike unattended for longer, you will probably need a better quality lock to ensure it stays safe all day.

In my situation, 90% of the time, I leave my bike in the garage. And during the day, I leave it in the underground parking lot of my work building. So I use a basic cable lock.

I dont feel like a highly secure bike lock system, so what Im looking for in a bike lock is something that can be quickly locked or unlocked but still provide moderate security. So I use a basic cable lock.

CONCLUSION

So those are the three most popular types of locks that people use.

If you care about your lock, I recommend using at least two good locks and spending at least 50.

If you can spend about $75, thats even better if you want to keep your bike.

And as a general rule, the heavier the lock, the more secure your bike will be, but carrying that lock around will be more of a hassle.

So its essential to research and find the right balance between security and portability.