Who will love the TiGr Blue Lock?
Anyone looking for a strong lock that is lightweight should consider this new model from TiGr. The TiGr Blue is much much stronger than the titanium versions and is the best protection I have found available at this light weight.
TiGr Blue Lock Discount Coupon Code
Get a 5% discount off your order at TiGr Lock using this coupon code: oneradwheel
TiGr Blue Lock Review
The TiGr Blue is my third TiGr Lock. I own and use the two previous titanium versions: the TiGr mini+ and the TiGr mini. Both of the titanium locks have performed well. They are light weight and easy to use but the resistance to cutting attacks is low.
When this new TiGr Blue came out I was excited to get my hands on it. Aesthetically, it is very similar in design and appearance to the other TiGr locks but the material is different and that is the key to making this a great lock.
Later in this article I will be showing how the TiGr Blue metal is far superior to the Titanium as I put it up against a hack saw and two different bolt cutters.
I try to cut the TiGr Blue Lock
I asked the folks from TiGr lock to provide me a sample of their high carbon steel so I could perform my own cut tests. They provided me with a piece of the metal and I took a brand new hack saw and two different types of bolt cutters to see if it would survive.
The high carbon metal shackle is treated with a special coating to prevent corrosion. Then the entire lock is covered in a shrink wrap type material to help further protect the metal and to prevent the lock from scratching your bicycle.
The sample I tested composed of only the high carbon steel and did not include the outer shrink wrap.
Hacksaw attack on the TiGr Blue Lock:
I used a brand new Craftsman hacksaw with a carbon steel blade that I purchased at my local Lowes. I went at it for several minutes and it barely cut less than a millimeter into the TiGr Blue metal.
My saw blade, on the other hand, was completely dulled by the attempt. The TiGr Blue was the clear winner.
Bolt Cutter #1 Attack on the TiGr Blue Lock:
Because the biggest bolt cutter that Lowes had in stock when I was there was an 18″ set by Kobalt, that’s what I started with. If I were a thief, 18″ seems like a nice size bolt cutter that I could carry around discreetly with me as I look for potential targets.
I tried multiple times with these bolt cutters and nothing more than shallow dents were made. The TiGr Blue material held up.
Bolt Cutter #2 Attack on the TiGr Blue Lock:
After perusing some websites on how to become a bike thief (you can learn how to do just about anything on the internet) I found that the bolt cutters I had initially used were probably underpowered for the job.
I needed a highly rated 24″ bolt cutter so I ordered a double compound HK Porter 24″ set from Home Depot. It was their highest rated bolt cutter and I was able to pick it up a few days later.
This HK Porter set felt very heavy duty. At double the cost of the previous bolt cutters, it also felt double the weight and more than double the strength. I felt pretty confident I would be able to cut through the TiGr Blue sample but to my surprise the metal held up through the multiple attacks.
While the dents were deeper into the metal from these bolt cutters, the integrity of the metal held up and no cuts could be made.
I can confirm that the high carbon steel used in the shackle of the TiGr Blue is extremely strong.
Cut attacks will damage the outer coating of the lock which is put there to prevent rust and to protect your bike from getting scratched, but as far as protecting your bike or Onewheel from getting stolen, the TiGr Blue Lock has improved upon its greatest weakness from prior models: it is now much more resistant to cut attacks.
Because the steel is so thin, the lock is lighter than its Titanium predecessors and because of the high carbon steel, the TiGr Blue is more cut resistant than before.
My Lock History
To give you some quick background, I ride Onewheels and before the TiGr Lock, I had been using a combination of cable locks, folding locks and U-Locks to keep my Onewheel safe during prolonged stops at the park, library, or coffee shop.
I don’t live in a high crime area and I take extra precautions to ensure that my Onewheel is safe such as never allowing it to leave my sight for any prolonged period of time even when it is locked up.
The reason I switched to the TiGr Lock was because the newest version of the Onewheel called the Onewheel Pint is smaller than the previous models of the Onewheel and the U-Lock I had been using no longer fit between the wheel and the rail on the Pint.
Searching for my perfect lock
In searching for a lock I had two main criteria:
- The lock work on the Onewheel Pint.
- Provide more security than a cable lock.
I found the TiGr Lock and it has been perfect for me. The TiGr Lock is designed for bicyclists in mind, but it crosses over nicely to the Onewheel world.
Why Titanium?
Previous models of the TiGr lock were made of Titanium. Titanium is great for its amazing strength to weight ratio as Titanium is very strong for the weight. Titanium is also resistant to corrosion and oxidation.
Therefore Titanium is a great metal to use when you need something strong and lightweight such as in the aerospace industry or if you need something that will be constantly exposed to a corrosive environment like seawater such as the propellers or hulls of ships.
Titanium is even favored for use in biomedical implants used in the human body because of its strength, light weight, and the fact that titanium does not react adversely in human tissue or corrode when placed as an implant.
With just how amazing Titanium is, why would the folks at TiGr Locks look for another metal for their novel lock design?
While Titanium certainly has its strengths, when YouTube lock picker and lock destroyer, BosnianBill got his hands on the TiGr Lock, he exposed some weaknesses in the lock. Because of the thin design, BosnianBill was able to cut through the lock with a hacksaw and with bolt cutters.
I asked Jim Loughlin, Cofounder and Partner at TiGr Lock and he assured me that their locks passed their in house testing and testing by third party companies that specialize in testing and rating locks such as Sold Secure and the ART Foundation.
Jim also said that no lock is perfect and that their focus is to bring a lock that is light, easy to use, and provides the security level of traditional U-Locks.
The Next TiGr Lock: Blue is Better!
TiGr is committed to bringing us an “elegant” bike security system that is lightweight and easy to use. With the TiGr Blue, they feel they have improved the safety of the TiGr Lock by making it more resistant to cut attacks.
As you could see in my cut test, the new TiGr Blue is significantly more resistant to cut attacks.
TiGr Blue Locking Mechanism:
The design of the shackle is striking, but the locking mechanism is ingenious with these TiGr locks. Because the design is so great, little has changed with the locking mechanism other than the addition of some knurling to make the lock easier to hold on to in cold and wet weather.
I do love the elegant design. When you push the locking button down a bolt extends out between the two ends of the shackle which then prevents the shackle from coming apart until the bolt is retracted. It is a simple yet very effective design.
The TiGr Blue Lock Flaws:
The best thing about the TiGr Locks is also one of their biggest flaws. TiGr calls their locks “elegant” and I have to agree, they are very elegant locks. Unfortunately, motivated thieves may look at the thin metal and find it tempting to try to steal.
While I have shown that the TiGr Blue shackle will stand up to most cutting attacks, the plastic covering will be damaged in most attacks and this will disrupt the protective covering that prevents corrosion of the steel material.
The TiGr Blue is not the most protective lock on the market but I would argue that this lock offers the most protection in its weight class.
Conclusion
The TiGr Locks are now my go to lock because they are light, easy to keep in my backpack, and they work on all my Onewheels, even my Onewheel Pint.
The TiGr Blue is an improvement over previous generations and it is the lock that I trust with my Onewheels and bicycles.
I can go to the park or to the library and lock up my Onewheel with confidence. While no lock is perfect, the Tigr Lock is a good blend of convenience and security.
Click here for more information and current pricing on the TiGr Blue. The TiGr Blue is also available on Amazon.
I ensure that I never leave my locked up Onewheel in unnecessarily dangerous situations. If in doubt, I stay nearby to keep an eye on my investment or I take it with me. Read more on Onewheel lock safety here.
TiGr Lock independent testing results:
They say ART Level 2 is appropriate for bicycle security, ART level 3 and 4 is appropriate for mopeds and motorcycles.
A motorcycle helmet provides more protection than a bicycle helmet, but I’m not going to wear a motorcycle helmet when I ride my bike. Similarly, I really don’t want to carry a motorcycle lock while I ride my bicycle either.
The TiGr locks have been some of the lightest locks around. Now, with the TiGr Blue, we have a very light, very strong, and very elegant locking solution.