Vehicle Reviews | Vehicle News | Vehicle Information

I purchased both this lock, and the Kryptonite Evolution Series 4 Standard Bicycle U-Lock with Bracket (4-Inch x 9-Inch). These are the two locks that are considered to be near the top of the list for U-Lock security.

The very top is the Kryptonite New York Fahgettaboutit Mini Bicycle U-Lock (3.25 x 6-Inch), but I decided against that one due to weight and cost issues. My bike is old and new was only about $1000 when new, and so it isn’t going to be the target that a more expensive bike would be.

Between this lock and the Kryptonite Series 4, both are high security. The reason I was in the market for a lock was that I had a cheap U lock cut with a pair of bolt cutters by an apartment manager unhappy that I had locked a bike to a railing. He sliced through that cheap U-lock silently, like butter, and both of these locks have been tested against that and neither lock was cuttable by bolt cutters. However, both can be defeated by a determined thief with power tools and a couple of minutes.

Both locks give you several sets of keys (at least 4) and let you either write down a code or register the code and they’ll send free keys if you ask. Both locks include one lighted key, but the thing is huge and takes up so much room on my key chain that I took it off because I’ve really never needed the dim light it provides. Nice concept, but worthless – you can feel the key hole if it’s pitch black.

Neither lock has a decent mounting system. They both come included with one that really only works on a 21″ frame, the biggest bike for the tallest riders, because it needs too much space to pull out to mount it on the seat tube. Me and everyone else I’ve seen just ends up hanging the lock over their handlebars. The lock is rubber coated so it won’t scratch your handlebars. If you do that, and you will, be sure to remove the mounting piece on the U lock that clicks into the mounting bracket. Click the bracket onto it and twist the mounting piece off. The mounting piece can be seen as the thick collar over the left post of the U lock where it meets the cross piece.

There are three basic differences between this lock and the series 4. First is the size. The Bulldog barely fits over my mountain bike tire and the smallest pole, like those used for no parking signs. It DOES fit over a parking meter, but many parking meters have had a pipe slipped over the pole that holds them to prevent people from hacksawing the meter off and this lock will not fit over that outer pipe. The series 4 is big enough to fit everything. UPDATE May 2009: They increased the size of the Bulldog Mini lock a bit and that problem is solved with the newer version.

Note that it isn’t necessary to lock both your tire and the bike frame unless your frame is really expensive. Just lock the part of the tire that is inside the frame triangle underneath and behind the seat. The bulldog can’t fit over both the tire and the seat tube, while the kryptonite can, but it isn’t necessary. A thief would never take the time and effort to try to cut all the spokes, and bend the rim to force it through the frame triangle, and if he did he’d wreck half the cost of the bike.

Second is the key and locking mechanism. The Bulldog has a key that breaks off easily and the lock has to be fully seated to work. That means you have to shove the crosspiece in as hard as you can and shove the key in as hard as you can to turn the key without breaking it. Because of the small size, it’s not always possible, and you find yourself looking for another pole about 10% of the time. The series 4 has a much stronger key and the mechanism is more forgiving – it doesn’t need to be shoved in and is therefore easier to use. Because it fits around everything, that makes it really easy to use.

The last issue is weight. Here is where the Bulldog has the Series 4 beat. The Series 4 weighs about 3.5 lbs and the Bulldog weighs about 1.75 lbs. It makes enough of a difference that I find that the Bulldog mini, with all of its faults, gets the nod and that’s the one I tend to use. Now that they’ve made it larger, it’s probably a bit heaver, but the increase in size makes it more desirable, so I’d still recommend it over the Evolution Series 4.

I also have a thin (3/8″) 6′ cable, much thinner than the 7′ OnGuard Akita 5043 Bicycle Security Cable (Lock Not Included) that I place over the ends of the U lock before I lock it that fits through the front tire, and the seat and the mountain bike rack on the back of my bike to keep them from walking away. 6′ is the minimum size you need to go through everything. The 7′ cable is great for length, but really thick and inconvenient to use. Last time I checked, they did not sell a 6′ thin cable on Amazon – bike stores are the only way to get one.
Rating: 4 / 5

The newer Bulldog MINI is distinguished by TWO yellow end caps and a different mounting bracket using a metal piece on the U-lock. Apart from the bracket, OnGuard claims the difference is mostly cosmetic, but OnGuard also indicates that the anti-theft insurance and guarantee terms differ between these versions. Moreover, OnGuard flatly states that the newer version of the Bulldog MINI is the one that should be purchased if this model is desired. If/when this seller distributes the new version, the photo should be changed. Note that the new Bulldog MINI list price is $35 list price, and that is the price for which it is sold at local recreational equipment stores. So paying that much (w/ shipping) for an older version might not be the best deal.
Rating: 4 / 5