Masterlock Street Cuff lock

Master Lock's Street Cuff is basically a pair of handcuffs for your bike. One end goes round the frame and the other round a Sheffield stand, railing or other bit of street furniture. There's a hefty rotating linkage joining the two cuffs together and the whole thing is made from hardened laminated steel.

Attacking this lock is a tricky task. you can't twist it because of the articulated joint in the middle, and you can't lever it open because the small diameter of the cuffs means the standard tools won't fit inside. We gave it a good old go with the big croppers but only managed some cosmetic damage, and trying to prise the rivets apart wasn't successful either; it survived the full 5 minutes intact, and the locking mechanisms still worked too.

What you can't do, obviously, is lock your wheels up too; at least not without carrying a cable to slot through the cuff. That's a disadvantage, and so is the fact that the design does limit your locking options a bit. Neither is insurmountable though, and if you want a decent town/pub lock then the Street Cuff is certainly worth considering.

The Cuffs aren't particularly heavy at 1175g and they fold down pretty small too; they come with a bottle cage mount as well which is handy. They're not cheap at RRP but a quick dart online suggests you can have a set for about £50, and at that kind of money they're good value.

Verdict

Innovative and secure bike lock for town duties