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Frame lock that can lock without key inserted

Bicycles Asked by newenglander on March 6, 2021

Does a frame/wheel lock that can be locked without the key being inserted exist? And if so, how secure is the lock itself (I heard that this style of locks that can be locked without the key inside are more susceptible to picking than normal style locks)?

Ring type bike lock (Wikipedia user Hustvedt https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Bike_O_Lock_Japan.jpg), CC-BY-SA-3.0

These locks are variously named ring locks, cafe locks, O locks and defenders.

Update: There is another style of lock that is similar to the one picture above, but it has a straight locking bar instead of curved one. This type can be locked without the key inside, but it’s not as easy to close and open due to the bar not being curved.

straight locking bar

3 Answers

I've seen these advertised recently:

https://www.litelok.com/

You can lock them without using the key, and allegedly they are super mega secure.

Answered by ilikeprogramming on March 6, 2021

Abus has several frame locks: https://www.abus.com/uk/Mobile-Security/Bike-Safety-and-Security/Locks/Frame-Locks

They distinguish between 2 variants. For one variant, you can remove the key when the lock is unlocked. The other variant does not allow you to remove the key when the lock is unlocked. However, I am not sure, whether or not you can lock it while you have the key removed. But maybe the variant where you cannot remove the key would already help you, as you can never forget to take your key with you.

Answered by Thomas on March 6, 2021

You should note that non-key-retaining locks that don't involve a separate lock-actuating lever are susceptible to shimming.

Before buying a lock, you should always google or YouTube search to see if your lock can be easily shimmed or bypassed.

Ps I would not worry too much about picking unless it's a tubular lock, as most thieves will prefer to use physical force (cutters, grinder) as they are much faster (5-30 seconds) than picking (1-5 minutes in ideal circumstances; 3-20 in non-ideal).

Answered by RoboKaren on March 6, 2021

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