Leaving a bike unsecured outdoors is like leaving a stack of money on a bench with a sign that reads, “Don’t take me.” Bicycles (and electric bicycles) are amazing machines, but one of their downsides is that they’re incredibly easy to steal. Because thieves are most often lazy opportunists, they target the bikes that look the least secure. More than 2 million bicycles are stolen every year in North America, and less than 5 percent of them are recovered.
While nothing can prevent a really determined thief from making off with your bike, you can deter many of them by securing your bike properly with a strong, well-designed lock. Locking up your bike takes only a few seconds, so you should always do so when it’s unattended. These are the best locks I’ve used. I’ve also included some tips for locking your bike up properly.
Updated October 2022: We’ve added the Kryptonite Fahgettaboudit Chain 1410, Hiplok DXF, and Abus Ivera Steel-O-Flex 7200.
Special offer for Gear readers: Get a 1-year subscription to WIRED for $5 ($25 off). This includes unlimited access to WIRED.com and our print magazine (if you’d like). Subscriptions help fund the work we do every day.
If you buy something using links in our stories, we may earn a commission. This helps support our journalism. Learn more. Please also consider subscribing to WIRED