Bike theft continues to rise at an alarming rate, and it’s more important than ever to always lock up your pride and joy with the best bike lock. According to the Bike Index Annual Bike Report, there was a 15% increase in bike thefts and almost 20,000 bikes reported stolen in the US in 2024. With 40%+ of owners not even reporting the theft of a bike the actual number is significantly higher.
There are tons of bike locks to choose from and making the right choice could make all the difference to your bike being where you left it or being gone forever. Handily we’ve tested plenty of the bike locks and one of the best budget bike locks that provides a medium level of security is the OnGuard Pitbull STD U-Lock.
On review, we gave it a solid 4 out of 5 stars and it also has over 500+ 5-star ratings on Amazon – who have this on sale right now, with a 33% off reduction.
All bike locks are not all made equal and some locks can stand up to considerably more punishment than others. What we liked about the Onguard Pitbull Std U-Lock was its security vs cost performance. The Pitbull delivers Diamond-rated protection (in Sold Secure’s independent tests) at an affordable price, which means it’s a sound choice for cyclists needing peace of mind and wanting to meet bike insurance requirements.
It also features an X4P Quattro Bolt locking mechanism that secures the shackle on four sides – designed to withstand leverage and twisting attacks. The lock’s 14mm hardened steel shackle is claimed to be thick enough to resist bolt cutter attacks, while the Z-cylinder is designed to protect against picking, as well as pulling and drilling.
If you are looking for a bike lock with added beefed-up security, we’d recommend the sibling of the Pitbull – the Onguard RockSolid U-Lock. It is top dollar though at a whopping $249.95, but has claimed angle grinder resistance with a proprietary coating to deter angle grinder attacks for maximum theft protection.
If the worst comes to the worst you’ll want to be covered by the best bike insurance so you’re back on two wheels as quickly as possible.
