Security ratings Abus vs Kryptonite

[Naranja_CT5+]

I?m looking at the security ratings used by Abus and Kryptonite and it seemed quite different. Abus is claiming 12 out of 15 levels and Kryptonite is 6 of 10. They are both U-lock designs. Abus is also cheaper.
I grew up grew up watching ads on how good Kryptonite is. Until videos of how easy to defeat the lock mechanism by a simple BIC pen. I know it?s YouTube it could be fake. And the technology used are new but the damage was done. In my mind is it really wise to buy a Kryptonite?

Getting back to security ratings. Where/who come up with this number? Is it US standard vs European standard.

I am ready to try Abus only because they are a bit cheaper.

[handlebar]

https://wiredgrip.com/bike-lock-ratings/

This article mentions 4 of the rating organizations: Sold Secure, ART, VdS, and Thatcham.

It also mentions ISO, ASTM, and CEN standards.

I saw a youtube video where a cyclist used a very good lock to secure his bike to a rack, I think in London, with lots of pedestrian traffic. He returned with a cordless angle grinder and, with people all around in broad daylight, cut the lock and rode off. The secret was that he wore a fluorescent yellow reflective vest such as cops and utility workers might wear, so passersby paid no attention.

In America, cars were not as popular as bicycles until 1919. Cars became practical in part because for decades, bicyclists had campaigned for better roads. In my town, the roads are so bad that anyone on a bike raises eyebrows. That's my primary security. Loading a bike onto a truck would be more conspicuous than simply defeating a lock and riding away.

[handlebar]

I didn't realize that CT5+ means RadCity, and I didn't know what model Abus lock you meant. My Radmission is like a one-speed RadCity, and I love the Abus frame lock.  It's much more convenient than the big U lock and cable I got for my Radrunner, and it might be harder to reach with an angle grinder.

Amazon has several models, including a Kryptonite version. I may buy the chain extension so I can secure it to a post besides locking the wheel.

[Ddaybc]

Naranja_CT5+ either lock company is a good choice. They have many choices and a large variety of security levels. I suggest choosing the highest security level one can when buying a lock. If I had access to an Abus folding lock I would have bought it. However I only had access to a Kryptonite chain lock when I bought mine. I use a chain lock simply because using an angle grinder on a chain is a bit harder than on a U lock. It's not much of a difference but every little bit helps.

FWIW the "Lockpicking Lawyer" uses a Kryptonite chain lock on his bike.

One could look into the LiteLok 1 or LiteLok 3 U locks. They are designed to be more angle grinder resistant than standard U locks. According to some tests I've seen, the LiteLok 3 is VERY hard to grind through. However they are expensive!

[Naranja_CT5+]

I use a chain lock simply because using an angle grinder on a chain is a bit harder than on a U lock...

It is a balancing act between my sense of security and cost.
I am guessing the more expensive, the better the quality of metal which probably equates to more weight. The bike already weights a lot.
A folding and frame lock are under considerations.

Thanks for the input

[handlebar]

I read of a used-bicycle dealer with hundreds on display in a Canadian city. With such a turnover, everybody knew he was fencing stolen bikes, but nobody could prove it. A better lock might stop a thief without the proper tool, but he is likely to bring the proper tools if he knows where he can get a good price for your bike.

One night in 1982, someone siphoned gas from my motorcycle by my bedroom window. I was offended until I realized this was not the work of a thief. A thief would have rolled my bike down the street and started it up; the key was in the ignition. This gentleman had settled for $1 worth of gas and made sure I'd have enough left to ride in style to the gas station. Like the Pink Panther, he'd left his calling card, in this case an open filler cap. It was the Reagan Recession, and I suspected Johnny Cash or Ray Charles. "Lord I'm no thief, but a man can go wrong when he's busted."

On the other hand, he may have been a professional who thought my BMW would be a white elephant. I don't compete to make my stuff appeal to thieves. I ordered a white front rack for my white Radmission, but they sent orange. I left it that way because it's better. It makes the bike easy to spot and probably less desirable to someone buying a used bike. If a thief removed it, he'd have to find a way to remount the headlight. Both bikes have seat posts bent way back, and a thief would probably figure he'd have to come up with a straight post to make a bike salable to the average buyer. The back fender of the Radrunner has an "Old Guys Rule" little bumper sticker that a neighbor gave me. A thief would see the complication of removing it without damaging the fender. Both bikes are single-speed, which could be a deal-breaker for someone wanting a used bike.

I've thought of a cool way to make a bike less appealing to thieves: deflate the tires when I park. Besides being unable to ride off, a thief would consider the complication of two punctured inner tubes. Thieves don't normally carry pumps, but I think I could buy a pocket-sized rechargeable pump.

The Canadian who had such a big used-bicycle business is out of business. I think he and several suppliers were arrested. About 2015, police departments across Canada got on board with a bicycle registration database. If a bicycle is registered, possession can be proof of theft, and the owner can be notified. Some Canadian cops look for used bikes online and check the serial numbers.

In 2015, bike theft in Canada was on a trend to double by now. Instead, it's been halved. I've read that few American police departments have signed on because bicycle theft has a low priority.