No Free Rides

We tested the five strongest locks we could find, judging them on security, usability, and theft insurance — the maximum amount a lock company will reimburse you if its lock fails.

By Stan Horaczek-

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Our Testing Methods:
We needed a lock-picker, so we called Dave LaBarge, former world-champion safecracker. When not competing, he runs LaBarge Lock & Safe Technicians, in Watervliet, New York. We also needed muscle. We tried a two-by-four (a favorite of thieves), but since that didn’t budge any of the shackles, we resorted to power tools. We even attacked one with the Jaws of Life.

Expert’s Pick: Kryptonite New York Fahgettaboudit U-Lock
Theft insurance: $4,500
New York is a playground for bike thieves, and Kryptonite invites them to try with their top-gun U-lock. Its 18mm steel shackle (2mm thicker than the Squire’s) lasted longer under the knife than all but the OnGuard, and the lock refused to be picked. Add in the second-best theft insurance and it earns our nod. [$100; kryptonitelock.com] Security: 9/10; Usability: 7/10

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Abus Granit X Plus 54 U-Lock
Theft insurance: None
“Looks like you should be able to drill through the case,” said LaBarge. But even after punching through two layers of steel, the lock wouldn’t budge. Next we tried the power tool. It cut through the 13mm squared-off shackle more easily than it did the Squire or Kryptonite, but it took more time and made more noise than most thieves would tolerate. [$111; abus.com] Security: 8/10; Usability: 7/10

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Masterlock 8200D Pro Street Cuff
Theft insurance: $3,500
The cuff’s short link kept us from getting leverage for a prying attack or a good angle for our power tool. LaBarge eventually opened them using a locksmithing secret we can’t reveal — “not something the average bike thief is capable of.” More problematic: The cuff’s small opening wouldn’t fit around our mountain bike’s wheel. [$68; masterlockbike.com] Security: 7/10; Usability: 6/10

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Squire Paramount Plus U-Lock
Theft insurance: None
“I bet that will pick,” said LaBarge, and five minutes later, he had it open. Our brute force attacks didn’t go so smoothly — the 16mm-diameter steel lasted 13 minutes against our power tool. And the Squire’s bike mount is the best of the bunch, so you won’t leave it behind to protect your garage floor. [$100; squireusacyclelocks.com]
Security: 5/10; Usability: 8/10

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OnGuard Beast 5016L chain
Theft insurance: $5,001
LaBarge needed a power tool, a chisel, and 25 minutes to break one of the chain’s links. Hell, even the local firehouse’s Jaws of Life–esque cutters made only a small dent. And unlike U-locks, chains can wrap around nearly anything. The only catch: You’ll pay for great security with a hernia, as the Beast weighs 20 pounds. [$190; onguardlock.com] Security: 10/10; Usability: 5/10

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This article originally appeared in the April issue of Men’s Journal