When I purchased this lock, I actually bought two. I just moved to Chicago, with my girlfriend, and she needed a new lock. She had the older/cylinder(barrel) key kryptonite that you can open with a Bic Pen. I only had a flex lock, and my bike was stolen within the first month we moved here. I have bought a new bike, and Two locks. I'm now using this lock, in combination with the Bell MaxGuard Heavy-Duty Cable(12mm). I carry all this extra weight, because Chicago is 2nd in the nation(next to New York) for bike thefts. It works great alone, but I feel safe with the flex cable combined. There was another Kryptonite Evolution with a flex cable, but the cable was only 10mm.
If you are buying this for the insurance purposes, then I'd suggest looking at the fine print before hand.
The only other Kryptonite lock that is supposed to be tougher than this, would be the Kryptonite NY Fahgettaboudit U-Lock. It was $75 though, and this one was only $42. People wrote that they have problems trying to fit everything with the Fahagettaboudit lock. This one fits both heavy tread tires, my frame, and almost every post/bike stand that I've attempted.
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Kryptonite Evolution Series 4 Standard Bicycle U-Lock with Bracket (4 Inch x 9 Inch)Product Description: Big city cyclists need big city protection, as would-be thieves aren't intimidated by flimsy cables or weak U-locks. That's why serious cyclists turn to Kryptonite for their security needs. The Evolution Series 4 U-lock is a cut above other bike locks, with a 14mm hardened Max-Performance steel shackle designed to resist both cutters and leverage attacks. Ideal for anyone who lives in moderate to high crime areas, the Series 4 received a 9 on the Kryptonite 1-12 lock comparison system, which ranks the varying levels of security offered by the company's product range. A lock that ranks 1 on the Kryptonite scale might work if you live in the burbs and have a Rottweiler parked next to your bike or motorcycle. A lock that ranks 12, however, is built for maximum deterrence. The Series 4 also offers such security-enhancing features as a double deadbolt locking mechanism for extensive holding power; a disc-style cylinder with more than one million key variations; a reinforced anti-drill/pull cylinder protection system; and a center key location with a dual overhead cam locking mechanism that defends against leverage attacks. The Series 4 is about more than just security, however, with a sliding dustcover that protects and extends cylinder life, anti-rattle bumpers that reduce noise during transport, and versatile EZ mount transportation bracket. And as a bonus, the lock comes with three keys, one of which is lighted with a high-intensity bulb that makes it easy to unlock the Series 4 after dark. The lock measures 4 by 9 inches.
The Legendary Durability of Kryptonite Locks The first big test for Kryptonite locks came in 1972, when Kryptonite founder Michael Zane directed the Second Avenue Bicycle Shop in New York City to lock a three-speed bicycle to a signpost in Greenwich Village. Although thieves immediately stripped all of the bicycle's removable parts, the bicycle itself remained for 30 days and 30 nights. The publicity gave Kryptonite the boost it needed and forever changed the face of bicycle security. Twenty-two years later, Kryptonite returned to the streets of the Big Apple to test its latest innovation, the New York lock. In April 1994, the
New York Post laid down the ultimate challenge: Could Kryptonite's New York lock last 48 hours on the toughest streets of New York? In a city where more than 100,000 bikes are stolen each year, Kryptonite and the
Post locked a brand new, bright green Univega road bike worth $600 to a parking meter in the East Village--the Bermuda Triangle of New York bicycle thievery. For a full 48 hours, the bike remained locked on the corner of Avenue A and 11th Street. Zane and Neil McDaid, director of product development and design for Kryptonite, watched from around the corner as the bike came under every possible means of assault, stumping thieves at every turn. After 48 hours the bike remained intact except for the gear derailleur, which had been stripped off. The lock showed definite signs of abuse, but it had not failed. The New York lock had met the
Post's challenge.
Not satisfied with the length of the test, Zane moved the bike to SoHo for another six days and, finally, uptown near the Lincoln Center. Even in these high-theft areas the properly locked bike lasted another three weeks before being pulled off the streets by Zane and McDaid. The
Post also ran the New York lock through a battery of street tests using common bike theft tools: a 4-foot bolt cutter, a crowbar, and a hammer. The non-Kryptonite locks cracked in seconds, but all methods failed on the New York lock, even the monstrous bolt cutter, which was rendered useless with large dents in its jaws.
About Kryptonite In the early 1970s, Michael Zane was a free-spirited, bearded kid with a VW van and a big idea for a new kind of lock. He traveled thousands of miles showing the unique U-shaped locking device and spreading his passion for bicycle security to bike dealers all around the country and forged lifetime relationships. The company soon expanded its product line to include power sports, hardware, and snow sports security. Through innovative product designs, cutting-edge marketing savvy, legendary customer service, and pure fanaticism for security, Kryptonite grew with a cult-like following.
In 2001, the company that was started in a VW van was purchased by industry giant Ingersoll Rand and became a flagship brand in the company's Security Technologies sector. Publications such as
Bicycling,
Fortune,
The Wall Street Journal,
US News & World Report, and a host of others continued to tout Kryptonite products as the best on the market. The company's dedication to its customers is best represented by its actions during the fall of 2004, when it was discovered that the industry-standard tubular cylinder could be compromised, at times, with a household item. Kryptonite flew into action, created a voluntary lock exchange program, and replaced more than 400,000 locks in 21 countries for free. In essence, the company redesigned the equivalent of nine years worth of new products in just 10 short months. Kryptonite is the only company in the world that offered such a comprehensive plan to customers, taking its "legendary customer service" pledge to new heights.
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This chain is great.It would keep my bike safe from most theifs.But the disc lock is terrible for locking up chains.With the disk lock, the hook of the lock goes into the lock itself.Therefore, you have nothing to hook the chain on to!You are stuck trying to grip to ends of the chain, holding the two links in the perfect position to allow the lock's latch to slide into.And you have to balance the lock in place.While all that's happening, you then must turn the key to bring the latch outside of the lock and through the two chains.
