Customer Reviews

OnGuard PitBull MINI DT 5008 Bicycle U-Lock and Extra Security Cable

5 star:		(20)
4 star:		(21)
3 star:		(4)
2 star:		(7)
1 star:		(14)

 

 

This lock will definitely keep your bike safe. Don't be fooled by the name "Mini DT" because this thing is solid. To give you an idea, I weighed components:

U-lock - 2 lbs 5 oz.
Cable - 11 oz.
Combined - 3 lbs.

Dimensions of the U-lock:
Width - 6 in.
Height - 7.8 in.
Diameter of thickest part - 1.75 in.

Length of cable - 46 in.

The frame mount is pretty good (easy to install, you'll need a hex wrench though) and it comes with 5 keys (seems like overkill, but whatever.)

For the price and the free shipping, its a no brainer.

Get it and be done with it.

I would suggest before buying an OnGuard lock, visit the manufacturers website for security ratings. This specific u-lock is rated 4+ out of 5+. It has what OnGuard calls 4x power quattro locking system which provides greater pull apart resistance than their 2x system. The cable is there to allow you to secure additional items such as your seat/wheels. Before doing some research I was simply going to buy a large u-lock, but after reading, it seems the mini u-locks are more secure in the sense that they leave less room for a pry bar or jack attack. They also have the additional benefit of being lighter!

This is a solid lock, only bad thing (if you consider it a bad thing) is that it's just a tad too short. My bike has 2.25" tires, and the racks at school have very thick bars. The way I lock my bike is using the Sheldon Brown technique (google it), and it takes me a good five minutes to try to get it to lock because of the tight fit. This tight fit is actually very good, because it doesn't allow thieves to have enough room to stick in a bar to use a leverage to pry the bar open; however, given the amount of time I am fiddling with the lock to try to lock my bike, I probably look like a thief myself! People have successfully taken off the plastic cover off of the cross bar, which should give you more room, but then nobody will know you're using an Onguard lock. Sure you'll remove about a pound of weight off the lock if you took the cover off, but the thieves won't know that you're using an Onguard, so they'll attempt to break it, thinking that it's a cheap lock. Anyway, this is an awesome, sturdy, but heavy lock.

-comes with extra security cable
-includes 1 year free theft coverage on your bike when secured using the lock (altho if you read the fine print, it's redeemable only if the u-lock is actually broken apart and you can show that)
-nice set of keys, including one with a light
-nice finish on the lock
-the keyhole is weather-protected (the shinier middle part rotates to cover it)
-snug secure fit (tho make sure it's big enough for your locking situations)

I'd recommend this lock for anything up to medium-high level of security.

My whole life, people have made unflattering assumptions about my strength. This little Asian girl, they think to themselves, is surely incapable of throwing that ball weighing less than 1% of her body mass. News flash: I'm skinny, not crippled.

Well, thanks to this bike lock, those days are over. After my brand new OnGuard PitBull MINI DT arrived in the mail, I was quite eager to test it out. I grabbed one of the five conveniently-included keys and stuck it into the keyhole. I turned it, pulled it out, and was greeted by a piece of metal much shorter than the one I had glimpsed just 5 seconds before.

The process of unwrapping the lock from its unusually constrictive packaging (I guess that a company that makes bike locks feels they have to protect their reputation by rendering their products immobile even BEFORE usage) had triggered an unprecedented and untapped arm strength that had been lying dormant my entire life. By applying what I thought was a normal amount of force on this key for no more than three seconds, the metal twisted until it broke, leaving the bottom part of the key wedged securely in the keyhole. Sure, my never-used bike lock has been demoted to doorstop, but $38 is a small price to pay for the realization that I can now destroy pieces of metal as easily as I can waste time on the Internet.

I purchased this OnGuard Pitbull MINI DT 5008 lock after extensive research on the best locks and locking techniques available. I decided to use the Sheldon Brown method, which requires you to lock your back wheel to a rack or parking meter, making sure you pass through the rear triangle of the frame. A mini u-lock is recommended as it is harder for thieves to work with. However, the lock is so small that, depending where I can find to lock up, I can't get it to close using the Sheldon Brown technique and have to lock up somewhat more insecurely. The cable, while not capable of doing battle with a bolt cutter, is great for locking down my seat post - especially comforting given the rash of bike seat thefts in my area. The 5 included keys are handy so I can leave one at work, home, carry one, etc. Overall, a good value and exactly as described. I just wish I had bought a slightly larger lock given the dimensions of my bike/wheel and what I have to lock to.

This u-lock/cable fits my needs to a "T". The u-lock is just big enough to fit mtn bikes rear wheel and frame and the cable just works to secure my front wheel and seat/rack. It is definitely very solid. Extra sets of keys is a bonus. The mount doesn't secure the u-lock very well though. Comes off too easily but I added a velcro strap sold as a pump strap to secure it completely. The perfect combo for the quick errand or any other short-mid term security. Great price as well.

I got my MINI PitBull over a month ago, after shopping around and reading numerous reviews on different websites. I was looking for a reliable, well made lock that would not be too heavy or too bulky or cost a fortune even though I do have a nicer bike... And that's exactly what this lock turned out to be. It's fairly easy to mount and use, the mechanism is smooth and the cable provides lots of options for locking. Feels pretty solid overall, a good buy for the money

I really do like this lock, but b/c of its size, it does not fit on the frame of my (women's) bike, so I have to carry it in my backpack. It's also a bit on the heavy side.

For the money I don't think you can get a better compact lock. If you are looking for something smaller than the standard size, this is what I would recommend. I park my bike on a college campus everyday with this, and haven't had any problems (I did just get a On Guard Brute to supplement this lock, which I also recommend). It is on the small side, but I can generally fit my frame, rear wheel, and bike rack in it. It is tight though, and sometimes it doesn't fit. I am always able to get at least my frame to the rack though, it just depends on the size of the rack. My only complaint is the mounting bracket partially broke within a month of owning it. It still functions and holds the lock fine, some of the plastic holding the lock just chipped off, so it might not be functional soon.