Review of OnGuard Akita 5041 Bicycle Combination Cable Lock

OnGuard Akita 5041 Bicycle Combination Cable Lock
By: OnGuard Average Rating: 4.0 Total Reviews: 13
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Failure

On: 2008-10-07

After just 2 weeks in use, the lock seems to have reset internally and cannot be opened. No amount of jiggling, tugging, respinning the cartridge or trying numbers "one off" worked. Fortunately, it was very easy for campus security to cut the cable (as I guess a thief could). Maybe it was too cold--30F tonight.

A real waste of $15.

Easy to use, nice long cable

On: 2008-09-09

Ive been using this lock steadily now for a couple of months, and I have nothing but praise for it. First, the lock itself is easy to set and use. The number dials move smoothly, and the numbers are large and clear and easy to read. Second, the cable is relatively long compared to most bike locks I see and allows you to wrap it easily around thicker poles/trees, or lock several bicycles together. Third, the velcro straps make it very easy to attach the lock to your bike to store while riding. (After trial and error, I discovered it worked best on my bicycle to strap it to the handlebars.)

Would this lock stop a determined thief with heavy-duty bolt-cutters? Probably not, but little would. For the price, I think this lock is an exceptional value and highly satisfying.

Junk. Almost ruined my vacation.

On: 2008-09-04

This thing is a nice looking piece of junk. I set my combo and used it to lock 2 bikes to the bike rack on my car when I went on vacation. At our first stop, it worked just fine. But when we reached our final destination, the lock was somehow "stuck" and would not come open.

We tried everything - we moved each digit of the combo up one and down one, we wiggled, we jiggled, we spun the tumblers and retried again and again, but it would not open. Something internally had gone wrong with the lock during the journey, and our bikes were now "trapped" on the car. As I did all of this, and the sun began to set, I was filled with a growing sense of dread that my vacation was gonna be ruined by some cheap crummy bike lock.

After full desperation set in, I ended up cutting through the cable with a pair of snipers I borrowed off a stranger. Once I finally resolved to take this "drastic step," however, it was surprisingly easy. Of course, this makes me wonder how much I was really protected by this thing in the first place.

In the end, this $13 piece of crap almost ended up ruining my vacation - and the only thing that saved me was the fact that its not very good protection from theft in the first place. Bah.

Best cable lock I've had

On: 2008-07-21

FIrst things, first. If a bike thief really wanted your bike, hell get it no matter what kind of lock you have. Think of bike locks in general as just a "deterrent." That being said, I only use this lock for use on quick errands and areas of high foot traffic. If you plan on leaving a bike anywhere long, Id suggest a U-lock in conjunction with a cable lock.
Ive had another combo cable lock in the past. This one is the best. The combo was so easy to set. I like the use of a combo lock since I never have to worry about losing a key. The only way I can lose my combo is if I lose my mind. The lock mechanism has great engineering/machining by the way the combo numbers spin and the way it smoothly locks together. The length is perfect for locking up your quick-release wheels. This comes with two velco tethers to securely keep the lock together instead of just one.

School Lock

On: 2008-07-12

So far, this cable lock has kept my bike safe from other college kids at school. I use it to protect my Schwinn mountain bike. So far, so good.

Difficult to Pick or Cut

On: 2008-06-25

In NYC you need a good strong lock for your bicycle. The cable is strong, and the combination lock cannot be picked. I highly recommend it.

Pleasantly surprised

On: 2008-04-11

I bought this lock because I needed a lightweight lock to travel with. Judging from the picture I thought the cable would be easy to cut with bolt cutters. That is not the case with this lock, since the cable is encased in a hard plastic shell.

So if a thief is carrying bolt cutters strong enough to cut this lock/cable, then guess what, the thief is going to steal your bike no matter what kind of lock you have with you.

Solid product

On: 2008-03-28

Bought this to have for my new bike. This is a very solid product and I feel it would do what it is intended to do.

Bike Stolen after 10 minutes

On: 2008-03-05

This happened the first time I used this lock. I chained the bike in front of a Best Buy and while I was inside (10 min), the bike got stolen. Very disappointed.

Very Substanial

On: 2008-02-08

I bought on-line sight-unseen. This cable lock is larger than the picture appears. Excellent quality for the price and I like the ability to set the lock to any combination/code.

I was planning to coil it up and carry it in my seat-bag, but its way too big. However, Ill find another use for it. Except for the professional thief, this thing should deter most criminals and send them looking for an easier target.

This company makes good stuff!

Rob

Robust and easy to use

On: 2007-08-13

Robust and easy to use wire lock. I use it to lock down my bikes on my bike rack and it does the job.

A good medium security bike lock

On: 2007-06-01

Altogether, this is a well-put together lock. I like the fact that it has a changeable combination and requires no tools to do so, just a little lever on the inside mating face. Considering the thickness of the cable, the thickness of the lock=pin seems a little on the wimpy side. still, I twisted and yanked as hard as I could on the thing and nothing happened to it. The lock has an intimidating look to it as well. Id say that if youre in anywhere but a notorious high-theft area, this lock will work well for you. Its pretty light weight. Just dont count on it not being cut by a large pair of bolt cutters if you ride in really bad areas.

Excellent

On: 2007-01-26

Does the job well and slightly easier to use (visibility of numbers) than the more expensive No. 1 brand I also bought. Price unbelievable right now.

Excellent

On: 2007-01-25

Does the job well and slightly easier to use (visibility of numbers) than the more expensive No. 1 brand I also bought. Price unbelievable right now.