LITELOK X3 Review

If you like to keep your finger on the pulse of the latest trends in the bike industry, you may have noticed some new designs and materials popping up over the recent years. Amongst the din of marketing hype, there are some standouts who claim that their locks even resist the all-powerful angle grinder. LITELOK, with their patent-pending composite material that they call “Barronium,” is the latest to make a claim. But they wouldn't be the first to overpromise and underdeliver. So we had to try our best to break it. We were believers after a few disc changes hadn't yet cut all the way through. The LITELOK X3 is the most difficult-to-cut lock that we have tested. And even though it's tough, it has a soft side. It's coated in a thick rubber that protects your frame or the contents of your bag when you're lugging it around. If not for the heaviness, jaw-dropping price tag, and lack of means to secure this super heavy and expensive lock to your bike, then this may have been our Editor's Choice. Yet, if your biggest concern is whether or not someone will be able to cut through your lock and steal your bike, then this is definitely the Top Pick.

Performance Comparison

Security

The LITELOK X3 was top of the class for security. It performed so well, in fact, that we had to reconsider what it means to be a worthy bike lock. The 24-millimeter (~0.95 inches) thick, round shackle is made from a super hard composite material and resisted our angle grinder, unlike the vast majority of bike locks on the market. Although in some testing, we used a battery-powered grinder with diamond-crusted blades to simulate what a thief may use on the street, in order to standardize the cut times, we used a corded grinder and top-of-the-line metal cutting discs. We actually made it as easy on ourselves as possible by clamping the lock in a vice and attacking with the best angles and pressure. And it still took the grinder almost four and a half minutes to complete one cut. And due to the anti-rotation design of the locking mechanism, you would have to make two cuts in order to get it free. By the time all was said and done, and the dust had cleared, it took almost 8 minutes and 8 grinder discs to fully defeat.

We're no experts in lock picking, but we weren't able to get in that way. No matter, though, since our research indicates that it's uncommon for a bike lock to be picked on the street. Most times, thieves use quicker and more destructive methods to break your lock. And speaking about the lock, the LITELOK X3 has a super smooth and functional keyway and comes with three unique keys.

Ease of Transport

If you're designing a lock that is the most difficult to break, then we imagine it also might have a tendency to be one of the heaviest. We found this to be true with the LITELOK X3. Ours weighed in at 4.7 pounds, making it one of the heaviest U-Locks we've tested. Further, this lock does not come with a bike mount. You'll need to purchase that elsewhere and hope it's compatible. On the plus side, the durable, soft rubber coating means it's not going to mar the contents of your bag, nor will it mar your paint if, like us, you decide at times to carry it draped over your handlebars. All that said, it's not the easiest lock to lug around.

Another thing that we noticed while carrying this lock around in our bag is that the rubber is sticky. While the rubber is soft and designed to protect your property, it will stick and rub away all manner of things, including our notebooks and papers. It's not the biggest U-lock, but since the manufacturer does not provide any means by which to secure it to the bike frame for transport, we were forced to carry it in our bag or hang it on the handlebars, which sometimes resulted in knocked knees or clanging on the frame as we rode through town. For the sky-high price tag, we wonder why the manufacturer chose not to include a mount.

Ease of Use

We found some positive and negative aspects of the LITELOK X3 in this category. The key mechanism is smooth like butter, but one of our keys gave us some resistance and would only turn halfway unless we flipped it around. This was only the case with one of our three keys. Even after a lot of use and abuse and exposing the key mechanism to all manners of dirt, dust, and water, the key continued to turn smoothly and without issue (other than that stated above). The only test that was problematic for this lock was the freezing rain test. We soaked down all its nooks and crannies, then put it in our freezer overnight before attempting to unlock it the next day. The bottom of the crossbar has openings so you can see the end of the shackle when it's locked. Due to this design, it allows a lot of water in, and once frozen, it wouldn't budge until thawed. You may want to consider a different lock if this is problematic for your intended use.

Wondering where else this lock fell short? Although the lock functioned smoothly the majority of the time, there was the aforementioned issue with one of our keys. While the size of the shackle was large enough for most bike racks that we tested, for such a high price, we wonder if the manufacturer could include a cable to secure our front tire as well as our rear tire and frame. Further, it was difficult to lock up our bike with 2.3" tires in some places. If you're riding larger tires, or your frame has a large tube, then you may want to take some measurements before dropping the dough on this lock sight unseen.

Versatility

The LITELOK X3 also underperformed a bit in this category, largely due to the size of the shackle and lack of accompanying cable. Together, these two attributes can make it difficult to use in some situations. Our 29" e-mountain bike was difficult to lock up to some racks. The large frame tube size, large tire size, and the placement of the battery made for a puzzle. In general, the oversized tubes of our mountain bikes (we tested 3 with this lock) made it tougher to find a good place to lock.

That said, the locking area is larger than some competitors and sufficient for most bikes in most situations. And, if you usually lock to large tubes or structures or at awkward angles, then you may want to consider an alternative. If you have to lock your bike to a weaker point because it won't fit around the thicker structures, then what's the point of forking out the extra dough for a beefier lock? During testing, we cut through a road signpost (that we purchased… not out on the street). It only took about 4 minutes to cut through, which is about half the time it will take a thief to cut through this lock. This is a point worth considering if you are worried about your property being stolen. It's worth taking measurements of your required locking space before making the purchase.

Should You Buy the LITELOK X3?

If your primary concern is the safety of your locked-up property, especially if you're locking up in a high-risk area, then no doubt this is your top choice. The LITELOK X3 will give you peace of mind, knowing that, more than likely, your property will be secure even if a thief tries to bust this lock. If you don't have the Benjis to fork out for this lock (what's the price of peace of mind?) or you don't want to carry around the extra weight in your bag, then you may want to consider a lock that's cheaper, easier to transport, and more versatile, then you may want to keep browsing the locks in our review.

What Other Bike Locks Should You Consider?

If you need a lock that's relatively secure and also versatile, check out our Editor's Choice Abus Ivera 7210. If you want a larger U-lock that fits just about any frame, and security isn't your top concern, then check out the Kryptonite New York Standard U-Lock.