Location, location, location: You should lock your bike to a secure rack in a high traffic area if possible. This alone will deter many opportunistic thieves as it is simply not worth the effort to attract attention.
Use a bike stand over a more vulnerable anchor point as it should be properly secured and bolted into the concrete. This isn’t always the case – I recently found a stand in my area with a loose screw at the base – so keep your eyes peeled.
Lock types and positioning: There are many ways to lock your bike securely, some of which depend on the type of lock you use and the bike you are locking.
For a regular-sized U-lock, you should usually lock the bike by the frame and rear wheel if space allows. Some methods recommend locking just the rear wheel, but this can put the rest of your bike at risk. U-locks should not rest on the ground, especially concrete or asphalt, to prevent thieves from attempting to break the lock with a hammer or using leverage devices such as a jack or iron.
If you have a quick release wheel, consider a double lock like the Kryptonite Evolution Mini-7 with flex cable (although this is not a drag-resistant lock). Alternatively, you can use multiple locks, such as a drag-resistant lock for the frame and rear wheel, and a chain or cable lock for the front wheel.
Chain locks can be good for securing your frame and wheel, but they do have their drawbacks. They’re usually quite heavy, especially the thicker ones that stand up better to heavy bolt cutters. Also, they’re generally not nearly as grinder-resistant as our top picks. Again, keeping the chain off the ground helps deter bolt cutter thieves.
Security tags and trackers: A key trick for tracking your bike is to use a Tile or Apple AirTag hidden somewhere on the frame or under your seat so you can keep an eye on its location. Unfortunately, this method has some real limitations.
Both AirTags and Tile devices are limited to the range of their Bluetooth antennas. Tile devices have a maximum range of 400 feet for the Tile Pro, while the Tile Mate and Slim offer 250 feet. Apple doesn’t specify the range of the AirTags, but it’s also limited by Bluetooth. Most tests put it at around 30 meters or 100 feet.
AirTags and Tiles both offer some tracking capabilities when they’re out of range. AirTags can connect through the Find My network and anonymously track other people’s Apple devices, while Tile devices can track the device’s last known location in a similar way through Android phones, but it’s far from perfect. Neither system offers real-time GPS tracking, and both systems require other devices to track.
AirTags support ultra-wideband technology for precise tracking (supported by iPhone 11 or later), which can locate the device more accurately than Tile trackers. The downside is that AirTags will ring for security reasons when moved away from your phone, which can alert thieves to their presence.
There are also real-time GPS trackers like the Invoxia, which charges an annual subscription fee. These devices are more expensive but potentially more effective because they don’t rely on Bluetooth but use real-time GPS location tracking. They are generally larger and harder to hide than AirTags or Tiles.
What about smart locks? Smart locks are relatively new to the bike lock scene and haven’t made any major waves yet. Smart locks like the I Lock It Plus (which we didn’t test) offer conveniences like keyless opening via your phone and even a smart alarm with up to 110 decibels of shrill sound. However, you’ll probably have your keys with you on most rides and alarms can be accidentally triggered, which can cause more problems than they solve.
Even the more expensive smart locks we’ve seen aren’t snag-proof, so you’re sacrificing some security for convenience. As mentioned above, we recommend that you make sure any lock you choose has an independent security rating from Sold Secure and/or ART to ensure objective testing for the best protection.
