Review of OnGuard Akita 5042 Bicycle Combination Cable Lock

OnGuard Akita 5042 Bicycle Combination Cable Lock
By: OnGuard Average Rating: 2.5 Total Reviews: 3
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Simple Lock, A Couple Problems, Good Support

On: 2008-05-28

I bought this lock about a week ago from a local bike store. It worked fine - simple operation, easy to set my own combination. Then two days ago the last digit began sticking. I could turn the other three with no problems, but the fourth required a lot of force to turn, and no matter what digit I turned it to, the lock would not open.

Frustrated, I called Todsons support department (Todson is the parent company that makes OnGuard locks), sat on hold for a couple minutes, and then described my problem to the representative. As I gave my name/address information to him, I began thinking: Great. Theyre gonna set up some support ticket and two weeks later theyll tell me theres nothing they can do. Immediately after I gave him my information, I heard a phrase that was music to my ears: "Well send you a new one at no charge. It should arrive within a week."

The lock malfunctioned, but Ill get another for free. Medium- to low-quality lock, but excellent service.

OK For A Trip To The Grocery Store In Smallville

On: 2007-07-27

I am getting back into cycling again after a decade plus and one of the first things I knew I had to do was get a new lock. After all the scares about bic pens, Kryptonite locks, shims and YouTube lockpicking tutorial videos you cant take bike locks for granted anymore.

I mistakenly ordered this Akita lock without really thinking about anything but not wanting to worry about needing a key, and only considering stuff like riding to the supermarket in the suburbia where I now reside. On a bright, sunny day with lots of people in the parking lot I am sure this lock would be fine for your average casual rider. But the second I saw it come out of the box I laughed. I would not want this securing my bike without me there to keep an eye on it for more than maybe ten minutes anywhere else. One good chop from a pair of Mad Maxs bolt cutters and the bike would be gone. This lock is only useful for defeating thieves who have no tools, or no opportunity to use them.

Once I thought about it, I also didnt like the "re-settable" combination, meaning that if you forget the combination you enter the lock can be fiddled with and told to accept a NEW combination -- Excuse me?? Whats to stop someone from buying an identical lock and learning the trick & just entering their own combination while you are waiting in line at the post office like some kind of a schmuck? To be secure it seems to me that the only way the lock should work would be by a pre-set combination: There shouldnt be a way for it to open under any other circumstances.

So back in the box to Amazon, some school kid can use this to lock up their bike when riding to baseball practice, for which it would probably be quite suitable. But for my needs I chose an OnGuard Mastiff chain lock instead which are at least immune to bolt cutters. Someone trying to pick it would also have a bit of a time doing so. It costs $30 more but a new bike would cost $200 more. I am giving this a rating of three stars only because I can see how it might be useful to someone else with less concerns about where they might end up riding to. I used to ride everywhere, plan to again, and would prefer having a lock that will give more assurance the bike will most likely still there when I turn around to come back.

Not worth the headache

On: 2007-07-23

Setting up your personal code is a complete pain. The lock broke while I was trying to set the code, so I never actually got to use it and had to return it to amazon. For a while I thought it was just bad luck, but I have a friend that just bought the same type of lock from another vendor and it also broke while they were setting the lock. The locking mechanism just seems to be cheaply made.