Customer Reviews

Master Lock 8290DPS 22-Inch 9-Link Street Cuffs Lock

5 star:		(16)
4 star:		(11)
3 star:		(5)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(6)

 

 

The bic pen thing.. you've read about it. You've seen people on youtube open a lock with a pen cap. Truth is, sure, it can be done but not usually as easily as some make it seem. It can take for ever to do it, and you can't really perfect it, because your pen gets mangled each time and each lock is a touch different.
One of the first things I do when I get a lock is get out my picks (pro and home made) and go at it. Sometimes (as in this case) I bought it almost for the sole purpose of defeating it. First, the bic pen. Ok, firstly, I couldn't find a bic pen, at work, at home or at my neighbors house, so I went out and bought a pack. That defeats one of the first T rules, "tools". When I got the bic pen home, I found it did pretty well fit on the lock cylinder ALL other pens did NOT fit at all. I've opened old u-locks and "the club" with a bic pen, but this thing, just wouldn't go. I believe the dead pins actually lock the cylinder when pushed in that far (there are 4 dead pins at 10 2 4 and 8 o'clock, pretty sure). I did get some pins to set (i heard them snap back when I removed tension) but could not get it to open. That defeats the second T... "Time". What area do you live in where you can have someone going at your bike for 10 minutes without someone asking a question. Wherever that is, forget about it, your stuff's getting stolen. So, I broke out the pick set. I am sure I will get this open, I've opened every lock I've owned and quite a few others, but this one is being a pain. It'll probably be easier once its broken in and operating more smoothly. I do have the talent. Done it before; but couldn't easily get into it. The third T, Talent, iffy.. but kinda not a thing. So, its secure from the lock point of view. Well, at least as secure as every lock on the market to include the precious NY lock thing.
Another point on the lock picking. Used it to secure my motorcycle. The lock cylinders were facing the motorcycle and would not be pickable with picks and rough with a bic pen if it would work. The picks would be VERY tough without a clamp/vise to hold them. I used my toes and got tired of holding it.

As for the durability of it. Pretty sure a 2.5lb hammer would take the chain off the cuff with several, really well placed wacks with a good solid something to leverage against, but I'm making assumptions on what the properties of the metal in the cuffs are. This would in turn destroy any bike frame, but might be doable on a solid motorcycle part. It wouldn't open the cuffs. They're not opening shy of cutting or lock picking.
The links themselves have a spacer wedged into them to prevent using a screwdriver or similar to pop the links apart; which would be hard to do anyway, small hole big heavy link and rivet.

Given my garage/workshop, I could be into these things fairly easily, but it would be fairly noisy.
Given them attached to something valuable on the street, I'd be trying to get the bike rack or whatever apart before I tried dealing with these.

This is a great lock for that cool look and ease of storage and mobility. It is also great because there are many ways to lock your bike with the street cuff. Especially when you have to lock your bike onto bike rails on campus, etc. Sometimes that traditional U-lock gives you a headache trying to figure out how to lock your bike. Overall, for the first impression part of this product I give it an A+.

But....

From what I understand, a security locks main purpose is to secure your investment. In this case it would be our bikes. So what is the point of having a security system if it doesn't protect your investment? Masterlock did do a good job by innovating a security system based off traditional handcuffs. But did they know that there is a very fatal weak point in this product?

The actual incident I encountered....

I have had my bmx for roughly one month and I used the Masterlock Street cuff for my security. One day I didn't feel like hauling my bike 3 flights of stairs to my apartment. So I cuffed my bmx to a 6 foot masterlock street chain that was securing my motorcycle. Next day my bmx was gone. The thief had cut right through the link of the street cuffs. (I have made a website in order to show some pictures of the street cuffs cut in half.)

In conclusion....

The main purpose of a security system is to secure our investments. If the product can't serve the main purpose of a security system. Then it fails to even be considered a worthy product to purchase.

(...)

After a thief defeated my $45 U-Lock to steal my my $1,500 bike I started researching alternative security measures. I learned online that U-Locks can be defeated a number of ways... the easiest way is to straddle the "U" part with a small jack, and then bend the shackle until the lock can be compromised.

My research has convinced me that Street Cuff locks are THE best option out there... there's no place for a thief to even PUT a jack, and no way for him to get any leverage to break it with his weight or with a crowbar, sledgehammer, etc. Most thieves will have a jack handy for U-Locks and/or a bolt cutter for cables... they'll give up on these at first glance! Any experienced thief will move on to something he can steal easily with tools on hand.

I wouldn't waste your money on the SS version, by the way... not much extra security for a lot more money, and they're heavier and more likely to scratch your finish. But having the 9-link version's extra reach really helps for those times you can't get your bike *right* against an anchor. The 9 links also make it very easy to lock a friend or spouse's bike up at the same time.

It's a pretty sweet lock. Heavy duty! The only reason I didn't rate it 5 stars is that it's heavier than I expected and it can be a bit cumbersome at first. I'm a bike commuter so I use it everyday. Now I actually have a pretty slick system where I can leave it locked to my bike 24/7. When I ride, the lock is latched on my bike's cross-tube and down-tube so it's out of the way. It's super easy when locking my bike -- I just unlatch it from the down-tube and lock it to the bike rack. It's a bit pricey if you don't get it on sale. Mine was 60% of MSR -- worth every penny!

The lock is definately sturdy albeit quite heavy. The plastic body that wraps the metal isn't durable. Mine is already breaking off and I only used it once. Needless to say, I am not impressed with how long that part lasted. I will probably end up breaking it off and just continue using the lock without it. Other than that I would expect that it will protect my bike. After all, I could only give a full review if someone actually tried to steal my bike.

Great concept - it really speaks for itself (five stars in my book).

BUT......

This model is really, really meant for something with an engine. This lock was so heavy that I felt it would be "un-proportional" for my bike... I would really like to have this product made very, very light and even retractably long (with an alarm)... Then you would really have a STELLAR product...

Something with a retractable cable between the two cuffs and the whole thing having an alarm - BINGO (right on the money).

I purchased this for my Harley Motor cycle and it worked great. Then my son took it and started using it on his $1500 road bycle. This lock is very easy to use and the "STAINLESS STEEL" chain, 9-Links are very strong. (for the guy that said it is "Pot Metal" all metal is melted in a pot?) I went to the Master Lock website and found the $3500 Master Lock Anti-Theft Guarantee. Master Lock is putting their "money where their mouth is" on this lock.
We own a few 8290DPS Master Locks now and use them on all of our bikes.
Good work Master Lock.

I recently bought a Goped ESR750EX, SLA for work purposes.

As this is an electric scooter, the normal U-locks aren't very optimal. Similarly steel cables are less than ideal.

Given that the scooter is over $1000 new, security is an issue.

This handcuff style lock works great though - I am able to lock one cuff over the central support column and another around either bike-style racks or parking meters/posts.

So far, so good.

I have not had a single problem with these locks. Their uniqueness is a great theft deterrent in and of itself. The only problem is that everyone likes to stop you to ask where you got them.

This is the third pair of street cuffs I have purchased. They work really well for securing bikes/scooters as a central location to another object. The locking mechanism of one of the initial two cuffs, however, wore out after ~1 year of use (and chronic exposure to ice and rain in the mechanism).