Considering a Kryptonite "Mini" U-lock

Brendan said:

I bought a Marin Muirwoods earlier this year and got a Kryptonite
Evolution "Series 4" U-Lock to secure it. The trouble is that it's
fairly big and heavy (about 5lbs with the looped cable I also
purchased).

Carrying it gets on my nerves as it's way too big to mount anywhere on
my frame or seatpost (it's a 15" frame so it's quite small) and I put
it in a rucksack as I don't have a a rack.

I am therefore considering buying the Evolution "Mini" (same security
rating - 9/12) to try and cut down the weight and hopefully allow me
to frame mount it. Sheldon Brown uses one and simply passes it around
the bike stand and through the back wheel (see:
http://www.sheldonbrown.com/lock-strategy.html ).
In contrast I tend to pass my larger lock round the bike stand,
through the back wheel AND either the seat stays or the chain stays.

My questions are:

Does anybody use a mini U-lock and how do you find it?

Yes, I have a Mini Evolution. It's fine, except quite often a bit more
inconvenient to use than a normal size U-Lock, especially when using
railings instead of proper bike stands.

Quoted message said:

Do you agree that Sheldon's method is as secure (or more so) than
passing a larger lock through the back wheel and the frame?

I suppose it is, though I rarely bother using that method, personally. I
have the rear wheel semi-secured with a Tranz-X security skewer.

Quoted message said:

Is there any other lock or locking method that I should be considering
before spending a further 30-odd quid on another, smaller U-lock (that
might not weigh that much less)?

A U-lock with a shorter shackle than the Mini Evolution would be too
impractical, I think.

~PB

Brendan said:

Do you agree that Sheldon's method is as secure (or more so) than
passing a larger lock through the back wheel and the frame?

Just about. You would find it impossible to cut the rim when it is
under tension from the spokes. Whatever cutting tool you used with
quickly bind under the pressure from the two sides of the rim. You
could in principle cut all the spokes first to release the tension and
then the rim to release the lock but otherwise you are going to have to
cut either the lock or the chain or seat stays to free the bike provided
the lock is around the segment of the rim between the chain and seat
stay. The only slight problem is to the uninformed it does look less
secure and so may be more of a temptation to try.

Tony

On Thu, 16 Aug 2007 08:28:42 +0100, Tony Raven <[email hidden]>

Quoted message said:

The only slight problem is to the uninformed it does look less
secure and so may be more of a temptation to try.

I think that that is a major promlem.

A locked bike needs to look secure as well as being secure.

Pete Biggs said:

Brendan said:

I bought a Marin Muirwoods earlier this year and got a Kryptonite
Evolution "Series 4" U-Lock to secure it. The trouble is that it's
fairly big and heavy (about 5lbs with the looped cable I also
purchased).

Quoted message said:

Carrying it gets on my nerves as it's way too big to mount anywhere on
my frame or seatpost (it's a 15" frame so it's quite small) and I put
it in a rucksack as I don't have a a rack.

Quoted message said:

I am therefore considering buying the Evolution "Mini" (same security
rating - 9/12) to try and cut down the weight and hopefully allow me
to frame mount it. Sheldon Brown uses one and simply passes it around
the bike stand and through the back wheel (see:
http://www.sheldonbrown.com/lock-strategy.html).
In contrast I tend to pass my larger lock round the bike stand,
through the back wheel AND either the seat stays or the chain stays.

Quoted message said:

My questions are:

Quoted message said:

Does anybody use a mini U-lock and how do you find it?

Yes, I have a Mini Evolution. It's fine, except quite often a bit more
inconvenient to use than a normal size U-Lock, especially when using
railings instead of proper bike stands.

Quoted message said:

Do you agree that Sheldon's method is as secure (or more so) than
passing a larger lock through the back wheel and the frame?

I suppose it is, though I rarely bother using that method, personally. I
have the rear wheel semi-secured with a Tranz-X security skewer.

Quoted message said:

Is there any other lock or locking method that I should be considering
before spending a further 30-odd quid on another, smaller U-lock (that
might not weigh that much less)?

A U-lock with a shorter shackle than the Mini Evolution would be too
impractical, I think.

~PB- Hide quoted text -

- Show quoted text -

Thanks to everyone for the replies.

Pete

When you say that the mini lock is "inconvenient", do you mean that
it's hard to get the bike close enough to railings to get the smaller
lock around the bike and the rail?

My Marin also has security skewers so I'm wondering what locking
method you use. Do you put the lock around the stays or the seat tube
rather than the rear wheel?

Sorry about my poor phrasing, I wasn't considering a shorter shackle
than the Evolution Mini - I just meant that it was smaller than the
full-sized lock I already own. If anything, I'm thinking I should also
be considering the mini with the long shackle. However, although this
might make it easier to lock to railings etc. It will obviously be
heavier and longer than the standard mini and frame mounting would
probably still be out of the question.

Maybe I should just shut up and use the lock I have. I've just weighed
it without the accompanying "kryptoflex" cable and it comes in at 3
1/2 lbs. They don't publish the weights of the locks on the Kryptonite
site so I might end up paying out for a mini lock that isn't that much
lighter, but is harder to use!

Quoted message said:

When you say that the mini lock is "inconvenient", do you mean that
it's hard to get the bike close enough to railings to get the smaller
lock around the bike and the rail?

I've got one, and I lock it according to Sheldon Brown's suggestion on
a railway platform every night. The shortness can be a bit of a bind
when there's another bike with pedals / helmet / handlebars sticking
out your side. ie it's a two minute lockup rather than 30 seconds in
this case.

Of course my train station bike isn't one I'd be really surprised at
losing, and because it's clamped so tightly to a bike hoop I wonder
whether it gets a bit of a bashing from folks trying to get dlocks
through next to it.

I like it - I did bend a key though. That's all I can say against it.

Brendan said:

When you say that the mini lock is "inconvenient", do you mean that
it's hard to get the bike close enough to railings to get the smaller
lock around the bike and the rail?

Exactly. Sometimes I lift the bike up and hook it by the handlebars over
the railing to get the bike close enough. But maybe I should remember
Sheldon's wheel method and give that a go more often.....

(We shouldn't use railings anyway as they're not secure things to lock bikes
to... remembering Borris Bonehoned's recent experience).

Quoted message said:

My Marin also has security skewers so I'm wondering what locking
method you use. Do you put the lock around the stays or the seat tube
rather than the rear wheel?

Yes, or even the top tube sometimes.

Quoted message said:

Sorry about my poor phrasing, I wasn't considering a shorter shackle
than the Evolution Mini - I just meant that it was smaller than the
full-sized lock I already own. If anything, I'm thinking I should also
be considering the mini with the long shackle. However, although this
might make it easier to lock to railings etc. It will obviously be
heavier and longer than the standard mini and frame mounting would
probably still be out of the question.

Maybe I should just shut up and use the lock I have. I've just weighed
it without the accompanying "kryptoflex" cable and it comes in at 3
1/2 lbs. They don't publish the weights of the locks on the Kryptonite
site so I might end up paying out for a mini lock that isn't that much
lighter, but is harder to use!

As well as saving weight, I like my 900-gram Mini because I can put it on
the seat tube yet still have room for a bottle cage there as well. (Helps
that it's a big frame).

IIRR, weights are/were on one of the Kryptonite sites, somewhere. Have
another butcher's.

~PB

Brendan said:

Does anybody use a mini U-lock and how do you find it?

Sometimes a little inconvenient, but not enough to outweigh the
advantages of small size and lower weight. The interior diameter is
exactly the same as the diameter of standard street-sign poles, so it
just fits around them, but only exactly horizontally, so it can only
lock a sloping or vertical tube. There wouldn't be room for very fat
mtb-style frame tubes either (although you could use the stays).
Sheffield stands etc are no problem. Getting close enough to railings
etc can be a bit tricky.

cheers,

Finlay

Brendan said:

Does anybody use a mini U-lock and how do you find it?

I've got one, It's a lot smaller than a full size u-lock, much easier to fit
in opackets or a bag. It sometmes take a bit more jiggleing to get round
everything and closed up.

I should imagine it would be a fair bit harder to break as theirs less
leverage and less space to get tools in, but it may seam smaller and
therefroe weeker to dim thieves.

Quoted message said:

Do you agree that Sheldon's method is as secure (or more so) than
passing a larger lock through the back wheel and the frame?

Yes

Quoted message said:

Is there any other lock or locking method that I should be considering
before spending a further 30-odd quid on another, smaller U-lock (that
might not weigh that much less)?

Leave the big lock locked to wherever your leave your bike and carry a very
small padlock to put round the chain and chainring for poping into shops.

--
Andy Morris

AndyDotJinkasAtgooglemail.com

Love this:
Put an end to Outlook Express's messy quotes
http://home.in.tum.de/~jain/software/oe-quotefix/

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Thanks again to everyone for the advice.
I'll probably try a mini lock and might go with the OnGuard Bulldog
Mini as I've read a couple of good reviews and it seems reasonably
priced here: http://www.discountbicycles.co.uk/biz/product.php?xProd=1733&xSec=4080

What has been frustrating is not having any definitive figures for the
weight of the various locks. I cant find any on the manufacturers
sites (Kryptonite or OnGuard) and when figures are given on individual
sellers websites, they seem to vary a lot.

Brendan said:

What has been frustrating is not having any definitive figures for the
weight of the various locks. I cant find any on the manufacturers
sites (Kryptonite or OnGuard) and when figures are given on individual
sellers websites, they seem to vary a lot.

Kryptonite Evolution 2000 is 715g (NB not current model - they have at least
changed the lock itself, I have the old easily-pickable version)

cheers,

Finlay

Brendan said:

Thanks again to everyone for the advice.
I'll probably try a mini lock and might go with the OnGuard Bulldog
Mini as I've read a couple of good reviews and it seems reasonably
priced here:
http://www.discountbicycles.co.uk/biz/product.php?xProd=1733&xSec=4080

What has been frustrating is not having any definitive figures for the
weight of the various locks. I cant find any on the manufacturers
sites (Kryptonite or OnGuard) and when figures are given on individual
sellers websites, they seem to vary a lot.

Mini Evolution is 900 grams.

~PB

Thanks for the figures Finlay & Pete.

In the end, I decided to try the Bulldog Mini DT which comes with a
looped cable (I already own a similar Kryptonite cable but I've
learned that I don't really need the 7' version I bought!).

I'm hoping that the two together will be about 1/2 the weight my
current Kryptonite lock and cable setup and, just as importantly, take
up a lot less rucksack room (or even frame mount!).

For most of my trips into town (shopping , libraries etc.) there are
proper bike stands at the destination, so I'm hoping to use Sheldon
Brown's "back wheel only" method.

Thanks again for everyone's input.
Brendan