In 2009, I bought a Kryptonite New York Standard bike lock. Since then, I’ve never had my bike stolen. No need to review further bike locks. The end.
But wait.. it’s now 2016. Have Kryptonite just been twiddling their thumbs?
It turns out the Kryptonite team has been harassing New York bike messengers with probing questions such as: what is the right length… (awkward pause)… for a bike lock?
As you can imagine, a New York messenger probably listed their bike lock priorities as follows:
- Balancing weight and security
- Quick and easy to use
- Fits a range of posts
- Orange is a good colour for a bike lock
Let’s take a look at how well the Kryptonite Messenger Mini+ hits these 4 important points.
Mini+ weight & security
As someone used to the 1.97kg heft of the Kryptonite New York Standard, the Mini+ feels delightfully light at 1.14kg.
As you would expect, with reduced weight comes reduced security. The Mini+ is rated 7 out of 10 by Kryptonite, compared to the New York Standard 9 out of 10.
This earns the Mini+ Sold Secure silver rating, as opposed to gold. It’s worth checking with your bicycle insurance company the lock rating they accept for coverage.
Is this enough to secure your bike in London? It’s intended for quick stops on its own and would be great for immobilisation when the bike is in sight but not within reach (think sitting in the park, pub garden, etc.). In combination with another lock, you’d probably be fine for longer. Everyone needs to make that calculation of how much weight they are willing to carry vs. the security offered.
It’s worth noting that Kryptonite offer a Global Anti-Theft Protection Offer. With the Messenger Mini+ you get £1,500 worth of cover. To qualify, you need to register on the Kryptonite website and pay a small yearly fee. I recommend checking the terms and conditions on the site.
Quick and easy to use
The Kryptonite Messenger Mini+ comes with an interesting new feature. It’s called the Extender and it allows you to lock your frame and wheel.
In practise, it’s a little fiddly to use. Inevitably, with anything fiddly that adds to my locking time, I ended up leaving the Extender at home, therefore turning the Mini+ into the straight Mini.
If you are locking your bike to a typical bike stand, then the mini is large enough to go through the rear wheel, frame and post.
Kryptonite also have another innovative new product called Gravity WheelNutz, which we’ll be taking a look at next week. In combination, this would mean you’d only need one lock to secure both wheels.
Fits a range of posts
Kryptonite have smartly increased the shackle dimensions, which gives a little more locking flexibility.
The Messenger Mini+ has a 3.75 inch by 6.5 inch locking dimension, which is a half inch wider than the current Evolution Mini.
In practise, this makes a difference and provides a decent range of locking options around London. You still won’t be able to get it around a lamppost of course. Only locks such as the Hiplock will be able to pull that off.
Orange is a good colour for a bike lock
The Kryptonite Mini+ is a nice, calm, safe feeling orange, which is important for a lock, especially when locating and excavating it from a large bag.
Beyond that, there are a couple of noteworthy features.
The first is a dust cover, which can be positioned above the keyhole. It’s a nice little addition, if not entirely necessary. After 6 years with the Kryptonite New York Standard, I’ve only needed to lubricate the lock once and it works as new.
With your purchase, you get 2 keys which come with a coiled wrist keychain. This is actually surprisingly useful. While fiddling with your lock, your keys can sit on your wrist.
Mini+ Review
As a long time customer of Kryptonite, the Mini+ is a welcome addition to their range.
It feels like a good balance has been struck between the internal locking dimensions, security and weight.
The Mini+ provides enough flexibility around London for locking options. Security is good, not great, so it’s not to be used in isolation. The upside of being a 7 out of 10 on the security scale is you get a lighter lock, which feels more convenient.
Overall, I’d be happy to recommend the Mini+ to friends and family. In fact, the lock is now securing my girlfriend’s bike and I feel confident that in combination with a Hiplock it’ll be safe.
As I said, we’ll be taking a look at Gravity Wheelnutz next week, which are designed with urban locking and utility in mind too and make they Mini+ a much more useable proposition.
The Mini+ is available on Amazon.co.uk for £35.95 with Prime delivery, huzzah!
Do you have a Mini+? What has your experience been with a smaller lock?
Just out of interest, was the lock given to you to keep by Kryotonite or Amazon, or was it purchased, full price?
I prefer the Abus Mini 401. I’ve seen quite a lot of these lesser ‘bent foot’ locks defeated.
We mentioned a few locks here – Original Kryptonite was purchased, Kryptonite Mini was sent to us by Kryptonite distributor in the UK for testing and Hiplock was purchased. Thanks for asking Roger!
I use a 401 too as my ‘carry around’ lock, together with an Abus-branded cable (front wheel + frame + stand and round to back wheel and the lock, with the lock around the frame and the stand). Its light enough to put in a pannier (it doesn’t have a frame-mount anyway), and seems tough enough (opinions and reviews differ on its ‘Sold Secure’ rating – I think its actually a ‘gold’).
So what are the mounting options?
All U locks look much more secure than cable locks. So for cycle touring where weight is a real penalty and I’m not leaving the bike alone in a big city, I bought an Ortre B15U U Lock which weighs 0.5 kg for $30. Its internal dimensions are 2.8″ x 5″.
Thanks Andreas. I bought this lock on the strength of your review, and used it today. Really impressed.
The Anti Theft Protection Offer absolutely should not be a reason to buy this lock. As well as the extra payment and the onerous paperwork to claim (do you have a recent dealer appraisal of your bike’s value?), you need to have the broken lock to claim. Thieves usually don’t leave the locks behind, else it tips off other riders that thieves are active in that location.
I’ve used a Kryptonite mini for a few years now, the size/strength combo is obviously it’s winning features. Having used several locks throughout my career I’ve settled on this. Ok sometimes there isn’t a pole right beside where I’m going that’s compatible but most times it fine. I’d never leave a good bike for too long anywhere.fair enough if it’s a jelopy. If I was locking my bike up all day I’d deffo take something stronger, lock the wheels being a no brainer to. Quick and easy to use ? If you find any lock complicated to use you have fluked your way past millions of other more deserving sperms and do not deserve your place on earth! Fits in back pocket nicely, and also some nice belt holders on the market now as well.
That is a ridiculous way to lock up a bike. If you go through the chain stays near the top of the wheel you get the frame and rear wheel. Your photos are showing locks going through spokes! I see this all the time – almost nobody thinks when they lock up a bike. Then they use a useless cable that a small child could cut through with simple tools to hopefully secure the wheel(s). THINK! Where is the wheel and frame close together? At the rear. Which wheel is worth a lot more? The rear. You could use the bottom part of the frame and wheel but then your hands will be covered with grease from the chain. So use the part of the frame higher up. Away from the chain and you don’t have to bend down as far. Then get skewer locks for your front wheel, seatpost and headset. Hopefully they’ll have smaller ones for the gear changer (front and rear) mounts later. Also for your brake levers on the handlebars. Right now they all can be easily taken if the thief has just a hex key and wire cutters. One the smartest tactics to discourage theft is to remove the front wheel (if your lock wheel is secured by a U-lock) and seat and bring both inside with you. Now they can’t ride it away (unless they work in a circus and can ride on the back wheel!).
What? No Edit button? 2nd to last sentence should be:
One the smartest tactics to discourage theft is to remove the front wheel (if your rear wheel is secured by a U-lock) and seat and bring both inside with you.
Not sure what photos you are looking at, but the wheel lock seems trapped by the stays in the top pic and around the seat stays in the second. Not only the spokes in either.
If this page wasn’t so useless I could edit my comment. I was a little hasty.
Yes we all see the lock around the stays so the frame is secured.
But you don’t lock a wheel by the spokes! If the bike is jostled even a bit the lock will bend the spokes. You always lock the wheel by the rim, not in the middle near the oily, greasy, chain.
The most efficient way by far is to go through the rim and rear stays securing the frame and rear wheel which is far more valuable than the front wheel. Ever tried to match the wear of a used freewheel to your chain after your rear wheel was stolen? So much fun. Skip city! Most people bite the bullet and get a brand new chain and freewheel. All because they didn’t pay attention to their rear wheel.
By far the most secure scenario is to remove both the seat and front wheel and bring them in with you. You could go nuts and elect to bring in the rear wheel but removing the real wheel is a lot more hassle than the front. Plus the rear is easier to lock with a smaller lock as the wheel is close to the rear stays; unlike the front and the main triangle of the frame.
What we REALLY need is a flip down bar mounted/adhered/welded on to the front forks and rear stays that locks the wheels. It would be very light. Then you could bring a U-lock like a Kryptonite Mini or even their tiny motorcycle u-lock to lock one of the rear stays to a pole. That’s efficiency!
Check out the locking skewers on Ebay and Aliexpress. I’ve seen them as low as $5/pr though at that price they are probably pretty sketchy. Maybe $10-20 gets some reasonable quality.
How fragile are your spokes?!? On many bikes, they are under tension and fairly thick so you have to try quite hard to bend them.
Much like your good point about keeping the lock off the oily chain, you also don’t lock around the dirty tyre and rim if you have another option!
I disagree about removing the wheel and seat post. That is not practical and is mostly only done for expensive bikes so it just attracts the thieves to your bike because it suggests it is expensive.
The best quick security is a ring lock with plug in lasso chain, but it is no D lock.