The 9 Best Bike Theft deterrents (2023 reviews)

The deterrent is a must have accessory for your regular usage. This bike lock chain has a protective vinyl coating that keeps the steel cables tied together and shields it from the elements. It will take immense strength and specialized tools before it breaks, thanks to its thick material and design. It can even work with gates and fences as well as trash cans. It is suitable for use with grills, mowers, ladders, toolboxes, and other lawn or patio equipment at home.

This cable is more of a deterrent but not 100% theft proof. The vinyl coat keeps the cable from scratching your bicycle. This is the cable only with no lock included.

Why We Like This:

Plastic coating to keep cable from fraying or rusting
Lock up to 5 motorcycles or bikes etc
Great length for locking two bikes together

Best With integrated Lock: Kryptonite Great Bike Lock

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The kryptonite great bike lock is capable of outshining several other deterrent featured in this list in overall features in its price range. It might not be a U-lock, but it's a hefty chain with a solid lock. It comes with 2 ergonomic keys. The cloth around the chain keeps scuffs off your bike un-like a u lock. It looks like a good deterrent, wraps perfect around the top tube while riding.

In crime areas, this lock is heavy enough to deter casual thieves and light enough to carry on a stout belt or in a backpack. The chain and lock are very sturdy, just make sure the key is fully-seated in the lock before you try to turn it. The fact that you can protect your bike from theft for a small yearly fee is also really great. It is easy to unlock/lock, the only complaint is it has some weight to it.

Why We Like This:

Works great in cold and won't scratch your bike
Very heavy duty and doesn't scratch frame
Good investment for long term

Best For Quick release wheel: Abus Bike Theft deterrent

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We know from years of feedback from readers, customers and amazon sellers, what most people want in a convenient and appropriate deterrent. The abus bike theft deterrent is exactly that - it's a simple deterrent that hits all the right notes. This is a very heavy duty lock. It's heavy, coming in at about 3-1/4 lbs. It's light, and it locks and unlocks sooo smoothly. It has to be cut twice to steal the bike. It is the German construction, and the double end locks, requiring only one key and one key hole.

The inside dimension of this lock is exactly. It's easy to mount and rests sturdy. It's suitable for securing high-quality two-wheelers. It is number one against lock picking and it's extremely resistant to a grinder with a titanium blade in spite of its 16mm shackle.

Why We Like This:

Works to lock the front wheel to the frame
Tough lock for real protection of your bike
Super sturdy, lock mechanism doesn’t jam like kryptonite locks tend to

Best For children: Titanker Bike Theft deterrent

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The titanker bike theft deterrent is suitable and reliable and fits well with your daily usage. The Titanker high-quality chain lock offers perhaps the highest level of protection for your bike. It secures the bike and it's light weight, minimal security at best. It's lightweight, well designed, and the lock is buttery and springy. It's a bike lock that will fit most bikes.

It is perfect for motorcycles, e-bikes, skateboards, grills, scooters, doors, lawnmowers and many others. The length and flexibility of chain lock means that you can secure your bike to a wide range of objects. The dust cover can protect your keyhole from rain and dust. This won't last long against an angle grinder or even really dedicated use of a sledgehammer. It is lightweight, well designed, the lock is buttery and springy.

Why We Like This:

Easy to use, non marring, strong
Durable, reliable and secure bike lock
Good investment for long term

Best For garage: Kryptonite Bike Theft deterrent

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Kryptonite offers a variety of deterrent for personal choice and yet maintaining quality in all the variants. This is a huge, heavy, burly lock. It is a led light built into the key fobs and it takes 20 minutes with a grinder to cut through this. The locking mechanism alone would deter a theft because it’s complex but combined with the thickness of the chain would take a thief a considerable amount of exposure time to get past. This is great if you're just chaining your bike up when commuting or in a shared bike storage facility.

These are excellent security features in providing a deterrent for theft. The whole thing is extremely heavy and long but very good. It is perfect for those who want the ultimate in theft deterrence. It takes 20 minutes with a grinder to cut through this.

Why We Like This:

Great heavy duty lock and chain
Highly recommended to keep your bike safe at home
New and hot release

Best For High Theft risk CITIES: via Velo Bike Theft deterrent

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Next on the list, we've got yet another deterrent that manages to win our hearts. It's the via velo bike theft deterrent and it's widely considered as deterrent that has the most suitable features. This bike lock will definitely keep your bike safe. It provides a strong and durable barrier against theft and harsh weather conditions. It provides an additional layer of security to make it harder for opportunistic thieves. The cable is strong and just the right length to secure your bike without being too bulky to bring along on a ride. This securely locks the frame and rear wheel to a bike rack, stairs or whatever.

This bike lock is very strong and durable. It's tough, simple to lock and flexible to mount in several locations. The lock itself is well built, sturdy, and great for commuting around the city.

Why We Like This:

Secure storage but easy to access with the the included storage mount
Love the extra security and durability
Not super heavy, and the locking mechanism works very smoothly
Very durable but also very heavy

Best Amsterdam style: Seatylock Bike Theft deterrent

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Seatylock line of deterrent come in a pretty wide variety of styles, so you can definitely find one that suits your individual preferences and needs. This is a beast of a bike lock but HEAVY. It's extremely similar to the Kryptonite Evolution and just slightly thinner than the kryptonite fuhgeddaboudit lock which The Lockpicking Lawyer uses. It does have an automatic closing shutter for the keyhole, presumably to protect against dust, and other debris. It's a great length so you can wrap it around the bike very securely.

This lock fits in a backpack or wraps around a bike frame so it's easy to carry with you. The chain covering is done very well, combining a neoprene type material with silicone covers at both ends. The Viking lock itself has a magnetic closure making it very easy to use. It does have a magnetic closing system, which works very nicely. It is perfect as a deterrent for bicycle thieves.

Why We Like This:

Comes with 3 keys and there's a registration system in case you lose them
Excellent deterrent, peace of mind, best to wrap around shoulder for transport
Strongest folding lock ever with maximum security level of 18/

Best For Rad power Bikes: Seatylock Good Lock

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The seatylock good lock is satisfactory and appropriate and fits well with your regular usage. This is a much better lock than the Bordo alarmed lock. Everything from the bracket to the mounting hardware and the lock itself is made from some type of nylon that doesn't scratch the paint on the bike. It does not rattle, bounce, or make noise of any kind while riding. It will scratch paint on bikes.

The lock itself is a beefy 3 lbs, 10oz. The lock is sturdy and convenient to fold and store or unfold and lock. It will be really hard for an opportunity thief to crack this lock. It is easy to use and comes with a carry case that mounts onto the bike.

Why We Like This:

Great mounting system and a very secure lock design
Very nice, very sturdy, a bit heavy but very secure
Heavy-duty means that it is designed to stand the stresses of demanded use

Best For Folding Bikes: Skunklock Bike Theft deterrent

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Not everyone likes to purchase deterrent for their regular usage, but the skunklock bike theft deterrent would be an anomoly. This lock fits the majority of motorcycle discs and rotors and is designed with motorcycles/scooters in mind. It is heavy at 4lb, but it is much bigger than most 3-4lb high-security locks. It includes 3 spare keys and unique key-code for key replacement. It is permanently sealed requiring a thief to physically cut the lock to release.

This lock holds up against their angle-grinder. There are 3 keys in the packaging, and comes with a card with a code on it, presumably for key replacement. It is best for folding bikes, mountain bikes, road bike, electronic bikes (ebikes), motorcycles etc.

Why We Like This:

High-security cylindrical disk locking mechanism with intelligent key replacement program
Housed within a heavy duty thick and strong
Pressurized chemical deterrent fights back against thieves to protect your bike