Whether at the street lamp or in the basement, against bicycle thieves usually only helps a good lock. Above all, ironing, folding and chain locks promise security - but often wrongly, as a study by Stiftung Warentest shows.

The testers examined 20 locks - using methods that bicycle thieves use: They used the tools to handle the locks with special tools, bolt cutters, pliers and battery-powered angle grinders. Every fourth lock could be cracked surprisingly fast. The folding lock Luma Carpenter and the chain lock Abus Tresor withstood the attacks only a few seconds.

In addition, the locks were examined for handling, pollutants and durability - such as corrosion resistance.

These five locks scored in the test with the overall grade "good":

  • Abus Granit Xplus 540 / 160HB2 (padlock, grade 1.6)
  • Abus Bordo Granite Xplus 6500/110 (folding lock, grade 1.9)
  • Decathlon B'Twin 940 (U-lock, grade 2.0)
  • Abus Citychain 1010/110 (chain lock, grade 2,0)
  • Kryptonite Kryptolok 990 (U-lock, grade 2,0)

Good locks do not cost the test results according to three-digit sums. So the price of the Decathlon B'Twin is 36 euros, the Kryptolok 990 is available for around 50 euros. The most expensive model (Abus Bordo Granite Xplus 6500/110), however, costs a whopping 128 euros.

Who sets exclusively on theft protection and puts less emphasis on pollution-free and comfortable handling, may find even more suitable models. In our picture gallery we listed the castles, which according to Stiftung Warentest are hardest to crack and score between 2.0 and a smooth 1.0 in this category:

photo gallery


9 pictures

Ranking: These locks are the safest

The bottom line is that weight seems to protect against theft. Thus, the eight particularly well-protective models weigh between 1.3 and 2.6 kilograms.

Ironically, the heaviest castle tested is an exception - the chain lock Dr. med. Mabuse III of the manufacturer XLC. The castle, named after a literary thug, weighs 2.9 kilograms, but scores badly against the risk of break-ins with a grade of 4.2. On top of that, it did not open after the corrosion test.