OnGuard Beast 5017 Bicycle Chain Lock Review

The OnGuard Beast 5017 gets top security rating for protection in high crime areas, so urban cyclists might want to consider springing for this one. With a price tag of about $55, it's outside our Cheapism niche but within range of other hefty chain locks.

Indeed, the OnGuard Beast 5017 lives up to its name. It weighs nearly 10 pounds, measures 3ft-7in, and is a 12mm titanium-reinforced steel chain with short hexagonal links that can thwart thieves who try inserting their nefarious tools. The lock itself has the recommended double-lock mechanism and a reinforced protective sleeve on the crossbar and cylinder for added durability. Rubber end caps and vinyl finishes keep all that metal from messing with the paint on your ride. The OnGuard Beast 5017 is also water- and heat-resistant, and sports a rotating dust cover that protects the lock cylinder.

OnGuard Beast 5017 reviews on Amazon have nothing but positive remarks about the Beast. New York City cyclists write in OnGuard Beast 5017 reviews about trusting it to guard their ride in the most public places, with one commenting on Amazon that he doesn't think a thief's tools could possibly cut through the chain. A Totalbike.com user says (http://www.totalbike.com/reviews/B000FL3EB6/Locks/) the interlocking links work better than the standard chain positioning. The OnGuard Beast 5017 does take its share of dings, however; some users carp about the relatively short chain and all that metal making the Beast heavy and hard to carry.

If you live in an urban area and your budget allows for something a little more expensive, you might want to make friends with the OnGuard Beast 5017.