"Our leitmotif is: a bad "U" is better than a good cable", announces Nicolas Martin straight away in the midst of dozens of bicycles and spare parts from the "Maison du vélo" in Valence, in the South of France.
And next to him, a dozen bicycle locks are placed on a workbench, ready to be tortured.
Independent lock testing
When it comes to bike locks, Nicolas Martin knows all about it: since 2004 with Hervé, Marie-Claude and others, they have tested more than 450 bike locks according to a very precise protocol that has remained secret, so as not to give ideas to potential thieves.
These three volunteers between 50 and 60 years old are part of the "anti-theft commission" of the FUB, the Federation of Bicycle Users which has 460 local associations.
The "Commission anti-theft" is also the only independent body in France which assesses bicycle locks and which is recognized by insurance companies.
The "U" lock, a safe bet
“All brands have their own rating system for the level of security,” explains Nicolas Martin as he sets up a large Decathlon brand chain on the test rack. “Our system is simple. If the lock is resistant to a small tool less than 35cm long, it gets “1 wheel” and if it is resistant to larger tools, such as large bolt cutters, it gets “2 wheels”. Barely finished his sentence, the Decathlon chain shattered. "This one won't have the '2 wheels' label", smiles Nicolas.
Comes the turn to test two "U" of the Kryptonite brand.
A bolt cutter will get rid of the first one in less than a minute.
"For a lock that costs around 45 euros, it's rather a bad surprise", announces Nicolas.
The second, sold for only ten euros more expensive, will withstand all the tests of the "Anti-theft Commission" and will obtain the 2-wheel label.
It will pass all the tests… Except that of the grinder, the nightmare of all cyclists who value their bike.
"A grinder, it cuts any lock"
"We know that it's useless to test with this tool, no anti-theft resists a grinder for more than a few tens of seconds", explains Nicolas Martin, "it's just a quantity of steel to saw". Faced with this pessimistic observation, we tried to find answers from lock manufacturers. And for Abus, one of the leaders in locks in the world, the answer leaves little room for interpretation: "No lock is inviolable", explains learnedly Torsten Mendel, the German brand's communication and marketing manager. , "it all depends on the time and the tools available to thieves".
Torsten Mendel and Nicolas Martin, however, both recommend “U” type locks, the most likely to resist thieves for a long time.
And among the other advice collected from them, that of always hanging your bike in a busy street, on a fixed object like a pole or a light.
“U”s at all prices
Today, a connected “U” lock, that is to say one that unlocks via your smartphone, costs around 200 euros.
It's probably a bit of a gadget, but fortunately it's not the only one on the market.
The "U" rated 2 wheels by the FUB start at around 30 euros only: it is therefore not necessary to spend too much to secure your faithful steed.
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