OnGuard Bulldog MINI DT 5015TC Bicycle U-Lock and Extra Security Cable

By 

K. Yasuhara (Seattle, WA) –

  

pros:

moderate weight: At about two pounds, this might be a lot heaver than your wimpy cable lock, but I think it’s well worth the additional deterrence/security.

small size: Just enough to fit around your seat tube and through your rear wheel, which suffices if you subscribe to Sheldon Brown’s method of bike-locking like I do (Google “sheldon brown lock strategy”). There’s not much room left for prying. The included cable is just enough to get through your front wheel and frame and around whatever you’re locking to. I usually can’t quite manage getting around a fat telephone pole with the provided length, so another foot would be nice, but I’ve had no problem getting around lampposts and bike racks. If you’d like to get the U-lock (vs. just the cable) around whatever you’re locking to, you should probably consider a model with a longer (and maybe wider U) shackle. You might manage to get this smaller lock around a bike rack bar and your rear wheel, but that’s pretty tight.

can’t be picked with a pen tube: I know from experience that the older Kryptonite locks and some other brands with round keys have this problem. OnGuard locks have a very different key design, and while I generally believe any lock can be picked, I expect OnGuard’s locks to be fully pen-resistant.

keyhole cover: Another nice plus is the simple but sturdy keyhole cover that’s easy to slide into place, even with gloves on.

key with light: One of the included keys has a little, amber LED in it, which is nice if you’ve locked your bike in a really dark location and have trouble finding the keyhole, but you really ought to avoid locking your bike anywhere that dark anyway!

scratch-safe surfaces: The only time I have to be careful about scratching my paint job is when the lock is open. The steel ends of the U shackle are (of course) uncoated, but otherwise, the shackle has a heavy rubber coating, and the crossbar has a plastic exterior that seems pretty sturdy and has held up well to over a year of usage. Nice, solid construction.

cons:

possible danger of bending/breaking key: You have to learn to be a little gentle with the lock mechanism. If you have the key all the way in, turning the key should be effortless. If you try to force it, the key feels like it could bend or snap (although I haven’t done this yet). Luckily, the lock comes with several keys, in case you need to learn this lesson the hard way. Similarly, when locking, both ends of the U shackle have to be fully seated in the crossbar, or the key will not turn. Bottom line is to remember that unlocking and locking are smooth and easy if the key and shackle ends are all fully in place.

wimpy bracket tab: Although the Amazon product info doesn’t suggest that this comes with a quick-release mounting bracket for frame attachment, the one I bought last year did. The plastic tab on the U shackle that slides into the mounting bracket snapped while I was riding, sending the lock into the street. I had the mount on my seat tube, and I think bumps caused the lock to bounce, stressing the tab in the bracket. The OnGuard site advertises a newer bracket whose lock attachment point might be sturdier, but if you insist on frame mounting, you might consider “hanging” the lock on the attachment point by putting the bracket on your top tube. Overall, I recommend carrying the lock in a bag, on a rack, or in a large pocket. (You could also stick it in the back of your pants, which I see some hip fixie riders doing around here, but I can’t imagine that’s very comfortable.) This was a minor concern to me, since I cycle-commute and almost always have a pannier.

Overall, I’m happy with this lock for medium security (i.e., not NYC) applications, and if used properly, you can generally ensure your bike looks a lot harder to steal than the others on your neighborhood rack. Consider adding a shorter, lighter cable to thread through your saddle rails, if you’ve got a pricey saddle.

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 Comment (1)

I bought this and works great, when locked but the key gets stuck when removing it as well the device that attaches to the bike does not feel well built and in truth is not. My u-lock twice fell of the bike while riding it and now it wont lock in place on the bike attachment. If you are a commuter you are better off just putting it in one of your panniers or leave it at work. But I due feel the u-lock as a whole is a very good lock and will prevent my bike from being stolen. I use Sheldon Brown’s locking method.

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