- Stolen bikes rarely come back
- The test: chain locks are four times gut
- Both padlocks are also four gut
- folding locks are like one folding rule – easily breakable
Bicycle thieves have been in business for a long time. Pedelecs, cargo bikes and racing bikes worth thousands of euros – or just parts of them. The trade with stolen goods makes increasingly valuable booty. On 110 million euros he appreciates General Association of Insurers (GDV) the damage for 2021. In individual cases it was in the Average 860 euros, almost twice as much as ten years ago. You can only protect yourself from theft with good ones bike locksbut none are 100 percent secure. Now she has Stiftung Warentest tested the latest models. If you want to read all the technical details of the test design and the tips, you can download the results as a PDF to download. The test is chargeable (4.90 euros). In addition to bicycle locks, Stiftung Warentest has also tested children’s bicycles – this shows that the cheapest is the best bike.
Stolen bikes rarely come back
In Germany, exactly 233,584 bicycles were stolen in 2021. That goes from the police crime statistics (PKS). In the statistical average it is 27 bicycles per hour. Leipzig, Munster and Potsdam are the theft strongholds in relation to the number of inhabitants. The chance of getting a stolen bike back is slim: In Berlin, the clearance rate last year, despite an increase compared to the past, only 4.6 percent, in Hesse it is almost 10 percent.
police and the General German Bicycle Club (ADFC) recommend one in their need coding, in order to be able to clearly assign a bike to the owner. a feast anchored GPS transmitter helps to find a stolen bike. Investigating on your own is not a good idea. You better call in the police. The perpetrators include opportunistic thieves who just needed a bicycle professional gangswho are specifically on the lookout for high-quality bikes.
Sometimes a bike lock helps. These are usually included Codes provided by the manufacturers of security locks. They classify their security systems into different levels. Some scales have 15 levels, others 10. And some only six. However, there is no uniform safety standard for the industry. Of course, that doesn’t really help anyone. However, one thing is clear: High-level bike locks come at a price.
Chain locks are four times good
According to Stiftung Warentest, two chain locks are in direct competition. It’s about company models Kryptonite. Namely the test winner of Kryptonite Keeper 785 at the super price of 40 euros and around Kryptonite New York Fahgettaboudit at the top price of 116 euros. Chain locks can be used flexibly and are robust. The models showed weaknesses Trelock and Axa on: They were easy to crack. In the model of Abuse the testers found pollutants, which explains the poor ranking. This model scored “good” in the other three categories.
The test winner is:
- Kryptonite: Keeper 785
- Rating: good (1.6)
- Price: approx. 35 euros*
Kryptonite: Keeper 785 – watch directly here
- Kryptonite: New York Fahgettaboudit
- Rating: good (1.7)
- Price: approx. 116 euros
Kryptonite: New York Fahgettaboudit – watch direct here
- Axis: Newton Promote+ 2 100/9
- Rating: good (2.0)
- Price: around 40 euros
Axa: Newton Promoto+ 2 100/9 – view here directly
- Trelock: BC 680
- Rating: good (2.1)
- Price: approx. 46 euros
Four models are only defective
- Trelock: BC 380
- Abus: Granit CityChain XPLus 1060/110
- Axa: Clinch+ 85 black
- Abus: Steel-O-Chain 8807K/110 BK
*Price determination on the internet at idealo, cheapest price on March 19, 2023
Four padlocks are also good
Rigid metal brackets, i.e. the padlocks, are particularly strong. This is the most secure lock and therefore the test winner Kryptonite: New York Lock. However, it is also the most expensive model at 105 euros. The inexpensive model is also stable Trelock U6 Plus with 50 euros. U-locks are very stiff and the options for connecting them are limited. Short, narrow temples are particularly unwieldy.
The test winner is:
- Kryptonite: New York Lock M18-WL
- Rating: good (1.7)
- Price: approx. 105 euros*
Kryptonite: New York Lock M18-WL – view directly here
- Abuse: Granit XPlus 540/160HB300 + USH540
- Rating: good (1.8)
- Price: approx. 88 euros
Abus: Granit XPlus 540/160HB300 + USH540 – view here directly
- Trelock: U6
- Rating: good (1.8)
- Price: approx. 63 euros
Trelock: U6 – view directly here
The price-performance tip:
- Trelock: U4 Plus
- Rating: good (2.0)
- Price: around 50 euros
Trelock: U4 Plus – view directly here
Only satisfactory are:
- Kryptonite: Keeper 12 STD
- Abus: Ultra 410/170HB230+SH34
- Soil: Newton UL-230
The model is defective:
*Price determination on the internet at idealo, cheapest price on March 19, 2023
Folding locks are like a folding rule – easily breakable
They can be opened like a folding rule. In addition, it can be used flexibly and is compact: therefore easy to transport. The security of departure is not given in all, like the model from Abus Bordo Lite proves: The experts in the test laboratory cracked it quickly. Although the experts did not find a folding lock that was burglar-proof, it was still rated good six times. This is the cheapest model Trelock: FS 380 Wheat with about 55 euros.
The test winner is:
- Abus: Bordo Granit 6500K/90 BK SH
- Rating: good (1.9)
- Price: approx. 110 euros*
Abus: Bordo Granit 6500K/90 BK SH – view here directly
- Axa: Fold Ultra 90
- Rating: good (1.9)
- Average price: approx. 77 euros
- Kryptonite: Evolution 790 Folding Lock
- Rating: good (1.9)
- Price: approx. 84 euros
- Kryptonite: Keeper 510 Folding Lock
- Rating: good (1.9)
- Price: around 60 euros
- Trelock: FS 580 Toro X-Press
- Rating: good (1.9)
- Price: around 85 euros
- Trelock: FS 380 Wheat
- Rating: good (2.0)
- Price: approx. 55 euros
Axa’s model is only “satisfactory”: Fold Lite 100. And Abus’ model is “poor”: Bordo Lite 6055K/85 BK SH.
*Price determination on the internet at idealo, cheapest price on March 19, 2023
Conclusion – double is better
Bicycle locks are designed to prevent theft. But not all models offer the same protection – some are cracked in seconds. The General German Bicycle Club (ADFC) recommends never leaving your bike in an unsupervised place to protect it from thieves and to secure it on the frame and wheels with at least two locks. A secure bike lock is of course a prerequisite for a safely parked bike. But there are also limits, as the test by Stiftung Warentest shows.
Are you interested in product tests and do you trust the results of Stiftung Warentest and Ökotest? Then you will find further evaluations here that might be relevant for you:
*Note: In the editorial office, we are always looking for useful products for our readers. The links provided in this article and marked with a shopping cart symbol or an asterisk are so-called affiliate links/advertising links. If you click on or make a purchase through one of these links, we receive a commission from the retailer. This does not change the price for you. Our editorial reporting is fundamentally independent of the existence or amount of a commission.
#Bicycle #locks #Stiftung #Warentest #test #winners
