This lock is good for two things. Knocking people out and securing bikes. I’m very glad to say I’m only planning on using it for the latter.
I’ve already talked about the first time I had a bike stolen and don’t want to talk about it again or my eyes will swell up. Hence, with my recent move to Swiss Cottage I decided it was about time to step up my bike lock to the next level. To ramp it up. To push the boundaries. To take it to the professional level. To go up to the next gear.
I think you get the picture.
The lock I decided to buy for myself needs no X-factor style introduction but I will give it one anyway. It has won many safety awards, kept many bicycles safe on lonely nights left outdoors and has made many would be bike thieves cry at their inadequacy. It is the Kryptonite New York 3000 NYL.
Okay, perhaps that is a little extreme. If a thief is dedicated enough they will get through any lock.
However, people smarter than me and with much deeper pockets have tested out the lock and they found it to be extremely resistant. The lock completely resisted the first attack which involves a hammer, a steel bar, bolt cutters, a chisel and an axe!
The second attack involves a portable angle grinder! It took a total of 1 minute 5 seconds to get through it which in the world of bike locks is a very long time indeed.
Therefore it is a lock that provides great peace of mind.
Comparison of different Kryptonite U/D locks
| Name | Price | Description |
| Kryptonite New York 3000 | £56.95 ($59.95) | 16 mm Kryptonium steel shackle. 4 by 8 inches. 11 rating |
| Kryptonite New York Fahgettaboudit Ulock | £52.99 ($68.02) | 18mm Max-Performance steel shackle. 3.25 by 6 inches. 12 rating |
| Kryptonite Evolution Series 4 | £29.99 ($43.85) | 14mm Max-Performance steel shackle. 4 by 9 inches. 9 rating |
| Kryptonite Evolution Mini Lock | £25.96 ($41.00) | 13 mm Kryptonium steel shackle. 3.25 by 5.5 inches. 9 rating |
| Kryptonite KryptoLok Series 2 | £19.95 ($28.04) | 13 mm Kryptonium steel shackle. 4 by 9 inches. 8 rating |
The Kryptonite New York 3000 lock comes with a bracket to attach to your bike, 3 keys including one with a tiny light and various guarantees. You get a free replacement set of keys as long as you have noted the key registration number (I’ve already lost one my keys!)
There is also a second guarantee though it’s one of those with so many terms and conditions you would struggle to get the money. Basically as long as you send back a copy of your bicycle receipt and some other documents to Kryptonite within a few days of purchasing the lock then you are guaranteed up to £1200 if someone breaks the lock and steals the bike.
Unfortunately I haven’t managed to attach the included bracket as it didn’t fit onto my bike frame so I’m just carrying the lock around in my bag.
What you need to ask yourself with this lock is how much you value having peace of mind against how heavy a lock you want to carry around. The Kryptonite New York 3000 weighs in at roughly 1.9kg.
I’ve been using the Kryptonite New York for about a week now and I’ve felt much happier about leaving my bike locked up. When locking the bike around just the frame I find I find the diameter large enough to lock it around most objects. When I use the proper locking technique which is around the back wheel and through the middle of the frame the diameter is a little short but this is a problem with all bike locks not just this one.
The below picture is a comparison of the Kryptonite New York 3000 with my standard D lock and as you can see it is a lot thicker.
I tend to complement the Kryptonite with a chain lock and I think I will be very surprised the day someone bothers to go to the trouble of breaking through both the locks.
Overall I’m happy with my choice though I probably would get most the security benefits with another one of the locks such as the Kryptonite Evolution Series 4 and at the same time benefit from a little less weight.
What I like about the lock
- Peace of mind – I know it is a beast of a lock that is not easy to crack
- 3 keys – I like the fact you get three keys and free replacement keys because it is the sort of thing I’m likely to lose
What I don’t like
- Weight – it is heavy to carry around and a big additional weight for anyone cautious of how much their bike weighs
- Size – not easy to carry around and takes up a lot of space in my bag but not majorly more than most D locks
Where you can buy the Kryptonite New York 3000
[button link=”https://www.londoncyclist.co.uk/go/krypto_new_york_3000_lock” size=”large” color=”green”]Buy now[/button]
Here is a quick comparison of some of the prices. Note: this is likely to change over time.
- Amazon.co.uk – £56.95
- Evans cycles – £79.99
- Wiggle – £71.99
- Jenson USA – $79.95
- Amazon.com – $59.95
My solution is to have a folding bike. It’s tucked under my desk as I write this and I cna think of only one place where they said you can’t take it in here, but they then found a place to store it.
I know folders are not what everyone wants, but if you commute, may be easier than being weighed down by mega locks? (And you save £100 a month on travel).
Cheers
Adam
Interested that the bracket didn’t fit your frame – it looked pretty universal to me.
If you do get it to fit, it’s worth noting that a spot of grease or butter(!) on the silver bracket retainer makes it much easier to get the lock in and out of the bracket. Makes the bracket less likely to die from the stress 🙂
Aaaaaaaaanyway I’ve used this lock for 6 years. Might just be a coincidence that my bike hasn’t been stolen, but hopefully I can put some of that down to this lock. Makes the abus locks look like cable ties.
If you don’t like carrying it in a bag you can also bungee it to your pannier rack. Voila!
Hi very interesting website. What concerned me is what you said about the Abus locks as I have just bought two (fairly highly rated) locks to protect my new bike. Are they no good? Please reply so I can go and switch them for the Kryptonite…
Thanks
Hmmm, maybe I’ll give the bracket another go. It did put a bit of a dampener on the Kryptonite New York 3000. I like your suggestion to put some grease on the silver bracket because I was finding it very hard to slide it on.
Great article, well written.
I am the MD of text-lock and we are soon launching our new product text-padlock, which is a padlock which can be operated remotely by mobile phone, leaving an electronic signature of anyone using or requesting access. Please see http://www.text-lock.com/text-lock_GSM_SMS_padlock.html for more details on the product.
I welcome your opinions on this and would be fascinated to see your views in this blog.
Oliver
Mounting problems (ooer) seem to be a common thing – I had problems mounting my Abus lock to my bike, too. The bracket was fine but on a small sized road frame there just isn’t room in the main triangle for the lock (bear in mind you need to be able to move it to get it in & out of the bracket).
I went for the bungee strap on the pannier rack option, but if you mainly go to one place where you need to lock it (eg work) then by far the most convenient thing is to leave the lock at work, secured to its rack, pillar or whatever. You don’t have to carry it around at all then!
Leaving the lock in the office is a good suggestion. I wouldn’t leave them attached to a or piller exposed.
These things are steel and they rust – water gets into the gaps where the two halves of the lock meet, and this causes corrosion that may fuse the two parts together. If the water freezes overnight, craaaack, broken lock.
Also – and you may want to take or leave this but I think it’s worth posting – I was told by a security guard outside Market Place – where I used to leave my Krypto – that theives, with enough time with a lock, do stand a chance of derriving the key number for them. May not be any truth in it but hey, doesn’t sound beyond the realms of possibility.
Martin lol at the adult humour – I’m having same problem with not enough room in the main triangle for lock, especially with a bracket the size of the Kryptonite New York 3000. I need to come up with some sort of new way of carrying it round when I don’t want to have to take a bag with me.
Agreed leaving bike lock at work is good suggestion if its indoors in which case you probably don’t need something with the strength of the Kryptonite
When I was in college I used to carry my U-lock… wait for it… around my neck! The bracket was too small to fit around my frame (cheap lock), too big to fit in my bag with my books and when I kept it on the handlebars it threw my steering off. Yes it looks a bit weird but then, what cyclist doesn’t?
The best place on most bikes for a U-lock bracket would be on the seat post (so the lock points back over the back wheel). But this is the place most people have their lights and mudguards, so there is not enough space. I have the same problem with trying to fit it in the main triangle of my bike (a mountain bike frame).
For the last few years I have always put my lock in my bag. I don’t feel the weight so much as if its attached to the bike. I use bags with an outer compartment which will take the lock, cable, lights etc.
One last thing, don’t force the keys on Krytonite locks. They are quite long so can break. The feedback I have heard from a bikeshop is that at the moment lots of people are coming in to get new keys. It should turn easily with no resisitance, if not check the key is in properly.
Thanks for the review, noticed that you could have locked your bike to a thicker railing (or two thinner ones) in one of the pictures, and you could probably fill the u-lock up more by getting the pedal crank in as well.
Hi Paul, all good points. When I took the pic it was just to demonstrate the lock. Plus this is when it is locked inside my tower block so less need for strict security. Happy to admit however that at all times it should be locked to thicker post and usually it is.
I’m no bike thief but looking at that photo of your New York lock fixed to that railing….
well, I reckon I could bite through that puny bit of railing with my teeth, then walk off with your still-locked bike over my shoulder.
Haha!
Thanks for your article. It was most interesting.
Its interesting to read that it took testers >1 minute to cut the NY lock … my NY lock was cut in <30 secs with a portable disc cutter, there's photos and even a CCTV video to back it up too …
Thats pretty damn fast, I had a guy come in the shop who had to have his cut off his frame, says it took this key cutter hardware guy 10 minutes with an angle grinder.
Its all about the quality of tools I guess, but make no mistake even the best of locks will only keep a determined thief at bay for ~60 secs
Em whats the point in buying a 70 quid lock that cant be picked and takes like 8 minutes to angle grind through then lock it to a spindely fence that could be cut with a pair of bolt cutters in abour 5 seconds. U need to work on your locking. Its not enought having an expensive lock, you need to know how to use it.
Hah, love how that picture is still drawing comments! I know it’s locked to the fence that was very thin! It was just a quick pic I took for demonstration!
Also, if y’all look carefully, you can see that the bike is obviously in a balcony so its being stored at home….so…chill! Lol!
I have attached a bit of metal tube to the side of my panier with 2 jubilee clips. This allows you to attach a D lock passing it through the tube, no need for a plastic bracket. As the D lock is quite heavy it does not bounce around.
Hi all,
Can anyone let me know the inner measurements of the lock, so I can determine whether it’s wide/long enough for my new frame? It gives measurements on Amamzon but I don’t know whether they are inner or outer, and my old trusty Abus is now a tad too small for my new Giant frame! 🙁
Thx!
Dangers of leaving locks in a place accessible to the public and bike thieves.
You are reliant upon the lock being there, AND it being functional.
What happens if the lock doesn’t work, when you arrive with your bike? – You now have a bike and no usable lock.
I’m not going to suggest means of disabling locks, but I’m certain that this would be part of the bike thief’s standard skill-set.
Far better and less convenient to bring the lock with you and take it home or leave it somewhere safe when you leave.
============
PS I had a brief look at the TEXT LOCK, mentioned in one of the comments.
Is it SoldSecure rated? If not, it’s useless as primary bike security if you have insurance.
I very much doubt that an unprotected 10 mm shackle would stand-up to bolt cutters, or various other attacks known to me – and I am not a bike thief.
In particular, I suspect a freeze attack will almost certainly disable one of the Text Lock’s major advertised features, the tamper alert. If I were a bike thief presented with this lock, I would combine a freeze attack with a physical attack.
Remember, crooks buy these and then set about defeating them at leisure in their workshop.
Some of the suggestions for use made on their website are open to abuse by criminals – and it’s the criminals that cause the problems.
PPS SoldSecure’s website wasn’t working at the time of posting.
A search of SoldSecure indicates that the Text Lock isn’t approved. In-fact the Text Lock doesn’t seem to carry any security approvals.
The question is why?
Having had a carbon fibre bike stolen some years ago, I looked carefully into security. Most D locks can be opened if there is any space left in the centre, hence the need to fill this with something like the attaching post and front wheel. Also make sure that the lock cannot be held or rested against anything solid, that is how they are damaged by hammer attack. But I would not just rely on that, I also utilise a forged and strengthened chain covered in an old mountain bike inner tube, and use an Abloy padlock. These have been shown in tests to be better than many others and provided you get one with high shoulders to protect the shackle, they are quite effective. Sometimes called the ‘F off’ lock by thieves, cause that is all they can do. They are not widely available though and only good locksmiths keep them, plus they are not cheap. Having two or three different devices will not stop your bike being pinched, it is just more likely that the theif will go and look for an easier target. If they are hacksawing just one lock they can always say to passers by that they have lost their key, but having two or three to saw through is more likely to bring about suspicion. Leave your bike in an area with CCTV too, again not going to prevent the determined crook but the more deferents you have the better.
Or just buy a Brompton…….and take it with you, but still lock it in your office if there is open access.
Would you care to share which Abloy padlock and chain you use?
Im also curious about Text-Lock not being supported by SoldSecure. The NY 3000 is a beast of a lock and as for taking up a lot of space in your bage – its worth getting a bigger man bag to cope with the bulk!
Cycle thefts are on the increase massivley so in London (people are even pinching Boris’ bikes) so you cant take any chances if your bike is worth a few bob.
Hi very interesting reading.
I have just bought two Abus locks to protect my new bike. An Abus Mini ULock for the back wheel and an Abus Ionus Chain lock which is a rather weighty piece. Anyone have any experience with these locks and know whether they are any good? I’m keen to know quickly so I can replace them if need be.
I am also considering having my bike marked and registering it with the police.
Reading up about all these bike thefts is really worrying me about riding my beautiful new bike to work!
Please help!
Ta
Goonz
Goonz,
I’d check to see if they’ve been tested by SoldSecure, essential if you’re insuring or intending to insure your bike.
http://www.soldsecure.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/03/catalogue-2010-website-copy.pdf
I looked for and failed to find these locks on the Abus website. I found them on Evans’ website but I noticed no mention of any security rating. It’s hard to tell whether they’re much good or not, but it seems they’re probably not Sold Secure approved, let-alone Gold-rated – because that would be a selling-point. Maybe not secure enough for an expensive bike in London.
Good luck!
Hi
Has anyone any experience of the Squire Paramount Plus U-Lock? Also a Sold Secure Gold Rating lock but a little cheaper than the Kryptonites. I am not however worried about price but can anyopne recommend it?
Thanks
I really like your writing style, fantastic information, thanks for posting : D.
This lock did a great job of keeping my pride and joy safe when I lived in London, sadly the dang key broke inside the lock after about a year! Had to use an angle grinder to get the bike off the rack in the end, worryingly took the grand total of about 30 seconds to cut both arms. Guess it just goes to show you no lock is safe with enough time / the right kit.
I bought this lock based on your review to protect my new racer. It’s my first road bike and I’ll be commuting into work in London, so it made sense to me to stay on top of security. I found it on eBay for £45 including delivery – so anyone looking for this should hunt for a deal. Totally worth it in my opinion. Thank you.
@Howard – actually, the bracket is universal on Kryptonite locks but there might still not be room in your frame to fit it – you need to have room to slide the lock off the bracket, too! I know – I ride a Mongoose Crossway 300 and there doesn’t appear to be anywhere on the frame that I can fit the bracket and have room to actually take the lock off it. Does anyone (Andreas?) have any suggestions about what to do other than just lug it around in my bag?
1. “Unfortunately I haven’t managed to attach the included bracket as it didn’t fit onto my bike frame so I’m just carrying the lock around in my bag.”
Those D locks may be great (i.e. really strong) but I found them difficult to attach to the bike. If I managed to do just that they usually rattled (noise!) whenever the road wasn’t super smooth and that rattling eventually made them come loose because if it isn’t fixed but moves/rattles it will eventually destroy the mount. That’s why my bike is locked with an Abus Bordo. The lock can be folded and be put into a pouch which can be installed inside the frame in place of a bottle holder (use bottle holder screws, if a bottle fits the lock will fit too)
2. “Basically as long as you send back a copy of your bicycle receipt and some other documents to Kryptonite within a few days of purchasing the lock then you are guaranteed up to £1200 if someone breaks the lock and steals the bike.”
So what happens if they only cut the railing/the thing the bike is locked to?
There are two Master Fortum U-locks gold rated by Sold Secure. Whether this is none of them isn’t clear.
I think I’d pass on eBay for something this important. How much is your bike worth?
Unless you know this seller, it probably is worth avoiding. Buy your locks from a trusted dealer, it may cost a little more, but at least you’ll have some comeback.
Hi I’m a locksmith and i can crack this lock in 43 Secs.
In fact i did this with a friend in Manchester’s st Ann’s sq i cannot give any details on the tool i used but i can tell you how we set it up.
first my mate locked up his bike with the krytonite NY, i later came and put my bike next to it and locked it up, as i did this i got a good look at the lock and key-way, then got a cup of tea drank it and went back to my bike made it look like i was removing my chain and inserted the tool and unlocked the NY 3000, removed my bike rid off and my Friend returned and retrieved/stole his own bike. (Two man operation)
The tool and technique take time to master so do not panic, but to put this into perspective i can pick 30 padlocks in 5 Min’s fourteen of said locks are CAT 3 to 5!!! abloy, Yale, master etc.
“No crime was committed it was undertaken to see just how simple it would be”
I use this lock all the time, it does the job as a visual deterrent if nothing else. I mounted my bracket sideways on the seat tube, facing the non-drive side of the bike. A bit of fiddling with the supplied Allen key and various angles, and it holds the lock nicely by the wheel. I don’t have a rack on this bike and it works very well, but on other bikes I just strap it to the rack
On the recommendation of this blog, I’ve been looking for this lock for a while. And today I found it. That is to say, I found it at a reasonable price in my local bike shop.
They said that it had been marked down due to it not selling. The owner put this down to not being situated in London. Anyway, I snapped it up at a balmy £49.99. Steep still. But I know I’ve got a bike lock to last me forever now.
Thanks!
My first bike in London was stolen with a Kryptonite Kriptoflex lock security in place in a week, so for my current bike I use Abus Granit Citychain 1060 and Abus Granit X-Plus both gold security level.
Kryptonite keys are junk and they know it. So, be careful that the key doesn’t break off into the lock. My lock of theirs was from the late 80’s, but their keys are still junk (many reviews about this exist on the web.)
I actually recommend getting 2 locks and a cable. Why? They won’t bother with your bike because it will take them too long to break into. You do want to take off the front wheel, and lock it to the back wheel and pole. If you put BOTH locks around the bike such that they go through the frame, back wheel and pole at the same time, they won’t be able to just cut through one lock and then take their time removing the other lock in private.
The cable: What I did, was wrap that cable around the tire, bike frame and pole many times, in a convoluted, tangle way. My bike never got stolen at the University, even though several other bikes were stolen. The police even questioned me, thinking I might know something or be a suspect, but when they found out how I locked up my bike (I showed them), they realized that my method was why my bike never got stolen. It would take too long to untangle the cable. Lastly, anything that can’t be locked down, should be brought with you. I’ve seen seats stolen from bikes.
I should add, that I carried the locks in a bike basket or in my backpack. I found that the lock holder that Kryptonite lock came with, bent easily, and caused the lock to get in the way of pedaling. The cable wrapped around my seat post.
I used to keep my U lock in the front basket of my old rod brake Raleigh and once had to use it for that other purpose mentioned when cycling from college in Hackney, very effective.
In the photo the railing looks a lot easier to cut than the lock.
I once saw a policeman in Hackney walk straight past a youth in a hoody who was carrying the largest bolt cutters imaginable, not a word spoken.
Unfortunately this lock didn’t come with a bracket. Any ideas on where I can get hold of one?
Thanks
On the subject of carrying the lock, if you have a pannier rack you can attach a bit of metal tube using hose clips, then insert and lock the D lock into the tube and let it hang on the side of the rack. You may have a problem if you use the sides of the rack for hanging pannier bags etc.
In NYC it’s best to use 2 locks…because it takes longer to break 2 locks than 1 & when thieves see 2 locks, they move on. And, try to make your bike look as ugly as possible. My bike is great but looks like hell. So far so good.
What people seem to overlook is the strength of what you chain your bike to.
I’ve seen all sorts of D-Locks holding nice bikes to a fence or item that could be cut through very easily. £1500+ Bike D-Locked to the wire around a tennis court!!!
That also needs to be considered!
What’s your other D Lock? It looks like an Abus? The bottom looks like that of the Extreme 59 but the shackle looks smaller? Cause I have the Extreme 59 and the shackle is massive!
Bike Locks that is stainless steel, hard and thick enough to secure your bike is perfect for me. The article you reviewed is perfect too, But I also agree with the cons of this product. If you feel the security of your bike, then no need to worry at all.