Name: Altor SAF
Brand: Altor
Availability: OutOfStock
Rating: 80 (25 reviews)

80/100

BikeRide Score

Users (24 ratings)

Experts (1 review)

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Facts

Lock Type

U-Lock

Brand

Altor

Weight

13.67 lb

Diameter / Thickness

80, 14 mm

Width

9.5 Inches

Height

11 Inches

Color

Black, White

Material

Aluminum, Steel

Summary of Reviews

We have read all expert and user reviews on the Altor SAF. In summary, this is what cyclists think.

8 reasons to buy

With an 80 mm outer shackle, testers took more than an hour to cut through the Altor SAF. It exhausted multiple angle grinders, multiple blades, and multiple batteries in the process.
Both sides of the shackle lock into the crossbar, requiring thieves to cut it twice.
With an uncommon ‘disc detainer’ lock mechanism, an expert lockpicker says the SAF is unlikely to be picked.
The SAF is covered in a “cushion” coating, to protect your bike’s frame.
Owners report the SAF does fit around standard parking meter poles.
The SAF comes with 4x ‘disc detainer’ keys.
Despite its “ludicrous” size, the SAF does fit in a pannier.
Many users believe the burly looks of the Altor SAF can scare off thieves.

4 reasons not to buy

At 3.2” thick, 9.5” wide, and 13.7 lb, the Altor SAF is huge, heavy, and not very portable.
Users say the 3.2” shackle is too large to fit between most standard bike spokes.
With its wide shackle and moderate internal width, owners have limited options for attaching the SAF to their bike frame and lock points.
One tester claims to be able to “easily” break the SAF, using a 12-volt drill.

Bottom line

Altor’s SAF is designed to resist the efforts of portable angle grinders. This cartoonishly beefy lock is shod with an 80 mm outer shackle made of semi-hollow aluminum, in addition to a beefy 14 mm internal steel shackle (wider than the ABUS Granit XPlus 540). This can take multiple blades, multiple batteries and over an hour to break through. When it comes to the SAF’s bulk, e-bike owners are less bothered than pedal-powered riders. This lock is intended for riders who can leave it in place, to tie up their bike in the same location every day.

By Owen Jesse

Expert Reviews

80/100 based on 1 rated expert review

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The Best Bike Lock

Level 5 expert

The Strongest Bike Lock

Level 5 expert

By effectively nullifying angle grinder attacks it deserves it’s place in this list. I must stress: the SAF is absolutely massive. This is not a portable U-lock. And neither is it a U-lock that offers lots of flexible locking options.

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Bicycling

Level 5 expert

Watch Us Cut This “Angle Grinder-Proof” Bike Lock

Level 5 expert

What was that? 6 batteries, 4 blades, 2 angle grinders, a lot of sweat on me and probably a lot of attention drawn to this lock. That was 1 hr 10 mins of cutting. An unbeatable theft deterrent.

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LockPickingLawyer

Level 5 expert

MASSIVE Altor SAF (“Strong as F***”) Bike U-Lock Picked

Level 5 expert

Because the tool required to open this is so uncommon, I can tell you the chances of this being picked on the street are essentially zero.

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What's Inside?

Level 1 expert

What’s inside the UNCUTTABLE Lock?

Level 1 expert

It’s all it’s cracked up to be. That’s how you steal a bike. You cut the frame off, because the uncuttable bike lock is too massive. Either way that’s too much work.

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Popular Mechanics

Level 1 expert

The Best Bike Locks for Keeping Your Wheels Safe – Most Indestructible: Altor SAF

Level 1 expert

Practically, it’s undefeatable. Using a cordless angle grinder, it took six batteries, four abrasive cutting discs, and no small amount of cursing to get through the gargantuan shackle. The downside is that, at 13.8 lb, it’s not exactly portable.

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