If you’re like me, you’ve forgotten your keys more times than you can count. When that sucks the most is if you’re on your bike , miles from home and they keys you’ve forgotten belong to your bike lock, meaning your choice is to either leave your valuable two-wheeler unsecured, or ride all the way back home to hunt them down. Fortunately for people like us, there’s a solution. A U-type bike lock that unlocks with your fingerprint. I recently got the BenjiLock Fingerprint U-Type Bike Lock to test and review. I’ll tell you all about my experience and whether I think it’s a good buy for you.
Benjilock Fingerprint Bike Lock review
The BenjiLock Fingerprint U-Type Bike Lock has a biometric scanner in one end of the the lock, allowing it to be used without a key. Benjilock also claims the locks have a cut strength of 18,000 pounds and that the cylinder is drill-resistant
How does the BenjiLock Fingerprint Bike Lock Work?
You’ll program a principal user’s print and can add nine more so the lock can easily be shared with family or friends.
If there’s a problem unlocking the lock with the fingerprint scanner or the battery happens to run out, the BenjiLock can also be opened with the included set of two keys.
Setting up BenjiLock Fingerprint Bike Lock
Setting up BenjiLock Fingerprint Bike LockFor the initial setup, there’s a bit of a sequence to go through to program the principal user. Essentially unlock the lock, hold the “preferred fingerprint” to the lock until the blue LED light flashes. Then tap that finger to the sensor ten times, holding until the blue LED turns solid. That fingerprint is now the “master user.” If you see a red LED, you’ll need to repeat the process until the scanner has a total of ten successful blue light reads.
Once you’ve stored the initial fingerprint in the BenjiLock, you can use that fingerprint to enter the setup mode to add additional fingerprints, so there’s no worry that a thief could add their own fingerprint while you’re away. If you ever need to delete a single fingerprint, you’ll need to reset the lock and go through the entire setup process a second time.
The U-Lock has a small moveable cover that rotates over the scanner so that it’s not in plain sight. Unfortunately within moments of me using and programming the lock, it broke off and was not able to be replaced. So already I’m a little miffed at the durability.
Directly beside the scanner itself is a USB-C port for charging. BenjiLock claims the lock will last between six and eight months before the lithium-ion battery needs to be recharged with the included USB-C cable. I’m still working my way through this to prove it out.
Lock the U-lock by sliding the curved side of the shackle into the lock first, then the straight side. The lock should engage automatically with a beep and a red light.
Benjilock doesn’t open correctly?
Also, when opening the lock, you sometimes need to wiggle or twist it a bit to get it to fully disengage. So well known is this problem, Benjilock has included a sticker on the lock to tell you about it.
How well does BenjiLock Fingerprint Bike Lock work?
I ran numerous lock and unlock tests and it seemed to open and engage every time without trouble; except as noted above where if you slip while re-locking you need to start over.
These little quirks aside, the lock seems durable and operates well and it will be a lifesaver for me when heading out with my bike. Downsides? The cheap cover has already broken off so I hope getting exposed to the elements doesn’t ruin the sensor. And the way it’s constructed doesn’t seem like it will fit with traditional U-lock brackets or mounts, and this one doesn’t come with a special bracket, so I need to carry it in a basket or bag. The 8” shackle is also a bit on the small side and might be a tight fit for larger bikes.
Overall though, this lock is working well for me and I can recommend it for you.
The 8-inch BenjiLock Fingerprint Bike Lock is comparable to other high-end U-Locks selling for about $79.99 US or $99CAD.
