REASONS TO BUY
Lightweight
Easy to use
Portable
Pretty fly for a bike lock
REASONS TO AVOID
Limited use
Expensive
Not as secure as it looks
TiGr mini Review
This slick-looking lock is a lightweight option for cyclists who prefer a U-lock design
Credit: TiGr
RELATED: Best Bike Locks of 2024
Our Verdict
The TiGr mini, made of titanium, is sleek and cool and looks unbreakable. While the last part is not correct, we nonetheless have an appreciation for this lock due to its lightweight, portable design that gives you a little more security than a cable lock. It's not the cheapest lock in our best bike lock review lineup by any stretch. We think this grants the TiGr lock a second look, especially if you're looking for a lock that you want to carry along with you. While this model looks secure, our testing showed that it failed to stand up to multiple typical tools among bike thieves. It succumbed to bolt cutters in just a few seconds. Therefore, we don't recommend it to secure your expensive or irreplaceable biking gear.
Our Analysis and Test Results
Performance Comparison
We really loved mounting this lock directly to the frame of our commuter bike. The frame size of this bike is 52, so keep in mind that smaller bikes will not have as much room for the lock as this one.
Credit: Rebecca Eckland
Security
This titanium loop and lock appear robust, and sometimes, that's all you need to deter a potential thief away from your biking gear. It fits around most frames and wheels, especially if you remove the front wheel and lock it to the back wheel. There's one huge caveat to this, though: if you have an aggressive mountain bike or a fat bike, there's no way this lock will go around both tires.
One of our critiques of this lock is its size. As you can see, you're limited on the amount of clearance...making sure you won't fit two mountain bike tires, the frame, AND a bike rack into the TiGr Mini.
Credit: Rebecca Eckland
When we pulled out our bag of lock-destroying tools, the TiGr felt much shorter than we expected. They easily survived the wire snips, but we could defeat it with a hammer and a hacksaw. We will admit if you position this lock off the ground, it will be much more challenging to defeat it with a hammer, and sawing it with a hacksaw takes about 10 minutes. But, it's possible, and a hacksaw costs less than $10, as does a hammer.
It only took a minute with our hacksaw to get this far into the lock.
Credit: Jenna Ammerman
Most surprisingly (and contradictory to a highly viewed video on youtube), this lock took no longer than five seconds for us to snip through it with 36" bolt cutters. Unlike locks like the Kryptonite New York Standard U-Lock, which requires two cuts to be entirely defeated, the TiGr only requires one cut to free a bike. A pro thief with the right tools could get away with your bike pretty darn fast with the right tool.
Bolt cutters 1, TiGr mini 0.
Credit: Jenna Ammerman
Ease of Transport
If bulk and weight make you balk at U-locks and chains, this is where the TiGr mini shines. At only one pound, you're not going to notice the extra weight of the lock much, no matter if it's mounted to the frame of your bike or in your backpack. Granted, you're not stuffing this thing in a saddlebag or your jersey pocket unless you have a ridiculously large saddlebag or jersey pockets, in which case you might get some weird questions like: "Is that a TiGr in your pocket or are you just happy to see me?"
This shows another angle of the lock mounted directly to the bike.
Credit: Rebecca Eckland
The bike mount was one of our favorite features. It's easy enough to secure to the top or down tube, replacing a bottle cage. We tested this on some pretty small bikes (a 48 size road bike frame), which still fit on the downtube. The bad news? You're out a water bottle, which isn't the end of the world for most commuters. If you're using the lock in conjunction with longer training rides, though, having only one bottle on your frame is a bummer, and you might look into wearing something with ridiculously huge jersey pockets.
However, the lock fits nicely into a backpack, and it doesn't take up more space than a book (not a hardbound dictionary), unlike some of those U-Locks out there.
Ease of Use
It doesn't get much easier than a lock and key, and the TiGr mini certainly delivers in that respect: the locking mechanism is high quality and easy to use (just don't misplace the keys!).
Unlocking and locking the TiGr mini might take a little practice at first. Once you've done it a few times, using this lock is as easy as locking your front door.
Credit: Rebecca Eckland
For those of you who have trouble with the pat-your-head-and-rub-your-stomach-type activities, there might be a bit of a learning curve on how to remove the lock (you have to squeeze and pull at the same time to release the lock and squeeze and push to reattach it). Still, like our reviewers, we are confident that you will get the hang of it rather quickly and enjoy the convenience of such an easy-to-use locking device.
The locking mechanism on this bike lock is easy to use.
Credit: Rebecca Eckland
Versatility
We didn't rate the TiGr mini as highly here as other locks included in this review simply because its size limits what you can lock your bike to (especially if you have a larger frame or wheels.) Even for a road bike, though, larger structures, like trees and lampposts, are obviously out of the question, so you better hope there's a bike rack where you're heading.
Its size limits what you can lock on your bike...and what you can lock your bike to.
Credit: Rebecca Eckland
Should You Buy the TiGr mini?
The TiGr mini is an impressively lightweight and portable lock that offers just decent security. Its limitations also include its size and shape, and it might not be suitable for fat or mountain bikes or areas that do not have bike racks. If you want more protection than a cable lock but hate the heaviness of other U-Locks on the market, this lightweight option might be just the solution to unlock the lock dilemma.
For average security at a low weight, the TiGr mini isn't bad. It was a snug fit to get two of these deep-dish aero wheels and the bike frame clipped to a rack, but it's possible.
Credit: Rebecca Eckland
What Other Bike Locks Should You Consider?
The Hiplok Original: Superbright is an award-winning wearable option that brings solid security wherever you roam. It's also slightly cheaper than the TiGr mini. However, if a lightweight, low-security option is what you seek, we suggest looking into the ABUS Chain Lock 1200 Web.
—Rebecca Eckland
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