If you have ever lost a bicycle to thieves, then you must be familiar to the sinking, gut-wrenching helplessness that comes with such theft. Although every bike lock can be broken through by a determined thief, a quality bike lock will reduce the risk of your bike being targeted by thieves. Even if for some reason your bike is singled out, a good bike lock will slow down the thief and might even frustrate the thief enough to leave it alone. Choosing the best cheap bike lock under $20 /$ 50 is not easy. The sheer number of bike locks on the market can make it hard to make the right choice. To help you make the right choice, we have compiled a list of the ten best cheap bike locks under $20/$50. Furthermore, we have created a buying guide to help you in choosing the right bike lock.

Features to Consider in Cheap Bike Locks

Before choosing the right bike lock, there are several factors you must consider. Failure to consider these factors can make you choose a bike lock that would not serve you correctly. In this section, we will consider one of the most vital factors.

Type of Bike Locks

There are three main types of bike locks available on the market. They are:

Cable Lock

Cable locks are lightweight bike locks that are very portable and can be easily affixed to different objects. They are flexible and often come as combo locks. If you stay in a low-crime area, a cable lock might be all you need to keep your bicycle secure. As they are often locked and unlocked via a combination lock, you do not need any keys.

Advantages of Cable Locks

Cons

Chain Locks

As the name implies, these locks are like chains. They are heavy, tough, and can be looped around a bike or several bikes at a time. Chain locks are usually made of metal and similar tough materials. It doesn’t use a combination lock like cable locks but prefer a padlock. Since the chain is made of a hard material, it can scratch the bike; therefore, it usually has a sleeve to protect the bike.

Advantages of Chain Locks

Disadvantages of Chain Locks

D-Lock

These locks are also referred to as U-Locks. They are so named because of their shape. In essence, there are simply giant padlocks. They are usually made of metal and have a removable crossbar. The crossbar is looped around the street furniture and the bicycle. Some manufacturers package them with a cable that can lock your wheels as well.

Advantages of D-Locks

Disadvantages of D-Locks

Best Cheap Bike Locks 2024 (Under $20)

1. Titanker Bike Lock Cable

Design
The bike lock is made of materials that are of high quality. It is made of solid zinc alloy. The lock cylinder and lock plug are made with an ABS shell. Overall, it is quite durable and safe to use. It might not deter desperate thieves, but it looks intimidating enough to deter petty thieves.

Also, it comes with flexible steel cables that offer cut resistance. The braided steel cable is durable. Adding another layer of protection is the inner core protection.

The lock comes in different color combinations to match your style. It comes in blue, pink, black, orange, green, and purple.

Performance & Features
To keep thieves out and provide you access to your bike, the lock features a combination lock. The unique combination is easy to set. If for some reason you forget your combination, the Titanker lock offers the Basic Self Coiling Resettable Combination. This feature allows you to reset the combination.

With the keyless combination lock, you do not have to worry about carrying around a bunch of keys.

The lock is easy to carry around as well. It comes with a mounting bracket that you can use. Simply install the bracket on your bicycle and take the lock wherever you desire.

We love the versatility the lock offers. Although it is primarily for protecting your bike, you can use it to secure gates, lawnmowers, ladders, grills, and so on.

2. Bell Catalyst Bike U-Lock

Design
The Bell Catalyst comes with a 12mm shackle that is hard to cut through. The bike lock comes in different styles. There are the 200, 300, 500, 550, and 750 U- Lock variants. The higher the number, the more the protection offered. Regardless of the variant you choose for your bike; you can rest assured that the lock will provide excellent protection.

Performance & Safety
The protection you receive depends on the grade you buy. We tested all models, and here are our results.

The 200 U-Lock has a steel shackle and a dual locking mechanism. The design makes it rather light yet effective.
If keeping your bike safe is very important due to the high rate of crime in your area, the 300 U-Lock is a great option. Aside from the 8″ steel shackle it as it comes with a vinyl crossbar and coating. The shackle coating protects your bike from scratches while riding.

It offers a high level of security. The lock is easy to set up. Aside from unlocking it with a key, you can set up a unique combination to keep your bike safe from thieves. Like the Titanker Bike Lock Cable, it has a carrying bracket which makes it portable and easy to carry around.

3. Etronic Security Bike Lock

Design
The Etronic Security Bike Lock is designed to keep petty thieves away from your bike. It comes in five different colors you can choose from, depending on your taste. It comes with flexible steel cables and a vinyl coating that prevents scratching. It weighs about 12 ounces, which makes it super-portable and convenient. The flexible steel cable on the lock measures 1.85 m in length. Altogether, it has a nice design that you might appreciate.

Safety
It is a keyless bike lock; hence, security is provided via the combination lock mechanism. You can set your password by combining your favorite digits. The braided steel cable of the lock is strong and offers decent protection against cutting. With a clip mount, you can attach the lock to your bike with relative ease.

The lock is a versatile lock that can be used for locking gates, ladders, and other stuff in addition to bikes.
It should be noted that if you live in a high-crime area, you might be better off choosing a stronger bike lock. However, if you just require basic protection, this is the ideal lock for you.

Best Cheap Bike Locks 2024 (Under $50)

1. SIGTUNA Bike locks

Design
The bike lock isn’t the lightest on this list, but the number of buyers and positive reviews indicate that users enjoy using the bike lock. It comes with a 16mm steel shackle that is intimidating enough to deter most thieves. Aside from the 16mm steel shackle, it comes installed with an 1800 mm woven steel flex cable for an extra layer of protection.

Security & Features
The Sigtuna Bike Lock uses keys and bolt protection. This double security feature makes it provide excellent protection for your bike. Of all the cheap bike locks under $50, the Sigtuna bike lock is arguably the most secure that we have tested. The steel shackle is hard to cut through. The Double Bolt Locking Mechanism on the lock comes with an 8/10 security rating. As a result, it is resistant to pulling, leverage, jacking, and prying attacks.

Other features include 3 Abloy Keys that ensure you always have a spare key for the lock, a vinyl coating to prevent scratching during your ride, and bike mounts. The bike lock mounts are easy to install and durable.

All the parts of the lock have a durable coating to prevent corrosion and other forms of damage. The lock comes with a dust cover, and the steel flex cable has a durable coating.

We like this bike because the 1200 mm flex cable can be used to secure more than one bicycle at a time.
It is a versatile bike lock that can be used on fences, poles, and even lock two bikes simultaneously. Overall, you will be hard press to find a bike lock that provides this level of protection for under $50.

2. Master Lock Street Cuff Locks

Design
The locks are basically handcuffs. At least that was the initial impression we had when we got them out of the box. It is quite simple to fix. Attach one cuff to the fence, pole, or other stationary street material and attach the other cuff to the bike. The bike lock features a heavy rotating linkage that connects the two cuffs. It is made of reinforced, laminated steel. Thus, despite the appearance, it is quite sturdy and offers excellent protection. It weighs 1175g, which is relatively lightweight.

Performance & use
As pointed out earlier, the bike lock is easy to use. The laminated steel used in the construction makes it very strong. During our testing, we tried to pry the cuffs away from the bike and the pole, but with no success. We used a hammer to no avail. The rotating linkage also makes it quite tricky knowing the right spot to attack.

It is also resistant to levering. After minutes of trying this, the only success we had was in chipping the paint.

The cuffs are always full; thus, there is virtually no space between the cuffs to insert a tool to lever the cuffs.
Altogether, the bike lock is quite an innovative and secure lock. The only problem we had with these locks is that they only lock the bike’s frame to a point. To ensure that your bike is totally safe, it will be smart to bring a cable to attach to the bike’s wheels.

3. OTTOLOCK Steel & Kevlar Combination Bike Lock

Design
The Ottolock Steel & Kevlar Combination Bike Lock features a Cerakote ceramic paint finish that provides a durable, beautiful finish. At first glance, it is one of the most attractive locks we have tested. It weighs 151 grams, which is the lightest on this list. You can keep it in your pocket and pop it out when you need to keep your bike secure. This lightweight design comes in handy in many situations. Where most bike locks are anything but sleek, this lock flips the script!

Performance and Security
When it comes to bike locks, looks and attractiveness are merely a bonus. You might wonder if the Ottolock will provide adequate security or if it is simply a good-looking lock. Well, during testing, we discovered that this small lock delivers sufficient protection.

It comes with a combination lock that lets you set a 3-digit combination. It is made of Kevlar, which drastically enhances its resistance to cutting and damage. Once coiled to your bike, it is almost impossible to remove. It is super-easy to use, and the coil is extendable to fit through your frame and wheel.

The only gripe we had with this lock is that the 3-digit combination isn’t very difficult to decipher. Hence, if you will be leaving your bike unattended to for a while, you might want to add another layer of security.

4. Kryptonite Keeper 785 Integrated Bicycle Lock Chain Bike Lock

Design
The Kryptonite Keeper 785 Integrated Bicycle Lock Chain Bike Lock is made of triple heated boron-manganese steel. This chain lock comes with a 7mm four-sided links that add a layer of durability and resistance to force. Kryptonite is one of the best bike lock manufacturers on the market, and with this chain lock, they once again prove their mettle. The chain links are housed in a nylon-webbing sleeve. Hence, when you are riding, the chain lock doesn’t chip the bicycle paint.

Performance and Security
The 7mm four-sided chain provides excellent protection from theft. It has a deadbolt design and an end link design. The end link design is important because, in previous versions, the spot between the lock and the chain is vulnerable to attack. Hence, the end link design eliminates the vulnerability.

The disc-style cylinder is created to be picked and drill resistant. With an 85cm chain length, it can go round the wheels and handle with ease, thus enhancing security.

5. Kryptonite Evolution 11-14mm U-Lock

Design
The Kryptonite Evolution 11-14mm U-Lock is the second product from Kryptonite on this list of the best cheap bike locks under $20 / $50. It features a similar design to former iterations from Kryptonite; however, it offers better protection for a slightly higher price than its counterparts.

Security
The Kryptonite Evolution Series 4 comes in a sturdy design. The shackle is a millimeter thicker than that on the already impressive Kryptolok Series 2. It is made of hardened steel which offers excellent protection from cutting and angle grinding. To add a layer of security, the shackle has a dual bolt design. Hence, any potential thief will have to cut the lock twice to be unlocked. Furthermore, because of the dual bolt design, it is harder to use leverage attacks on the lock.

It has an oval shape which increases the protection offered.

Ease of Use
One flaw we found in this bike lock is the weight. However, if you are used to U-locks, it’s not exactly a surprise. U-Locks often come with increased weight, and the Kryptonite Evolution Series 4 is no different. To help you with transporting the bike, Kryptonite has included a carrying system. The mount can be installed on your bike, and it allows you to fasten the bike lock to anywhere on the frame.

The bike lock can be locked to many types of street furniture. Bike racks, railings, street signs, and so on are the different spots you can easily fix the lock to. The keyhole comes with a dust cover that protects the hole from dirt and other particles that might jam the mechanism.

6. Kryptonite KryptoLok Integrated 9.5mm Chain Bicycle Lock

Design
The KryptoLok Integrated 9.5mm Chain Bicycle Lock is a decent bike lock. It has 9mm links to offer protection. Compared with many budget chain locks, it offers a lot of protection. It has a weight of 1.77 kg and a total length of 55 cm.

The 9-millimeter chain links are made from triple heated manganese steel.

Security
According to the company, the security rating is 6/10. While this isn’t the highest we have ever tested, considering the price it comes at, it is quite secure. And according to Sold Secure, it has a silver rating. This gives an idea of the level of security it offers.

During testing, we observed the chain lock to be quite durable and hard to destroy. It offers decent resistance to levering, although a quality bolt cutter will shear it in two. The end link design of this chain eliminates any vulnerability.

Its disc-style cylinder is pick resistant. It has a certain heft that makes it feel really durable. It is also drill resistant to offer total security. The lock head is integrated with a deadbolt to make it impenetrable as well.

It features a weather-resistant nylon sleeve that protects the chain from the elements. The sleeve also ensures that while riding, the chain doesn’t chip the paint or scratch your bike.

During testing, we observed that this chain lock doesn’t have a dust cover for the keyhole. This means it is susceptible to jamming due to dust or debris.

7. Kryptonite Kryptolok Series 2 Standard Bicycle U-Lock

Design and Construction
The lock weighs around 1.6 kg which might be a tad heavy for some folks. It might be a burden carrying it around in a backpack. Thankfully, it has a mounting bracket in the package. Therefore, you can easily attach the lock to the bracket. The bracket is versatile and can be used with different tube styles. It doesn’t get in the way of your cycling and features a 360-degree rotation system. It has a 13 mm hardened steel shackle to protect the bike. The U-bend makes it hard to use a bolt cutter.

Security and Use
One of the tools used by thieves in breaking a lock is the drill. Thankfully, you do not have to worry about a drill-wielding thief when you have this lock. The disc-style cylinder on the lock is drill resistant. It is not only resistant to drills, but also to blunt force like that from a hammer.

Furthermore, it is designed to prevent leverage attacks. During our testing, we tried these methods to no avail. The bike lock is highly versatile. There are different ways to lock the bike, and each way grants you protection.
The steel shackle of the lock is coated with vinyl to prevent scratching of the bike.