8 Best Universal Bike Lock Mounts & Holders | U Lock Mounts (2024)

• By:James Grear
• Last updated:16/08/2023

You’ve come to the right place if you’re fed up with carrying a bike lock when riding because in this review, I’ve reviewed the best universal bike lock holders/mounts.

Heavy bike locks stowed away in a backpack can be uncomfortable to carry, which can cause pain in the lower back, making your time spent riding much less enjoyable.

Similarly, bike locks wrapped or dangled around the frame of a bike typically cause annoying rattling and can end up damaging your bike and its paintwork.

To help you find the ideal solution for carrying your bike lock, I got hold of 10 of the most popular bike lock holders and have tested them over the past month to see if they’re worth your money.

Below, I’ll talk you through my experience with each holder and any weaknesses I noticed. Alongside this, you’ll find several images of each mount so you know what to expect.

Before we dive into the review, I wanted to clarify that most of the lock mounts featured in this review are U lock/D lock holders.

Since folding and chain locks come in many different shapes and sizes, there aren’t as many options for universal mounting systems.

If you need some ideas on how to store a chain or folding lock, read my guide on where to put your bike lock when riding.

If you opted for a cheaper U lock, the chances are that it came with a similarly cheap mounting system.

Typically cheap bike lock mounts are made from lightweight non-durable plastic, and often break quickly, especially when exposed to the elements.

The photo above shows an example of several cheap bike lock mounts. These aren’t worth using as they usually don’t work well for long and often leave you fighting to remove your bike lock.

Most generic, low-end bike lock mounts simply won’t work with bikes that don’t have thin round frame tubes.

Until more recent years, bikes with thicker frame tubing were less common, but have become increasingly popular for their modern aesthetic, increased stiffness and improved aero performance.

The issue is, most cheap bike lock mounts don’t work with chunkier frames.

If this is an issue you’ve encountered, I’ve clearly marked several of the U lock holders below as being compatible with chunky frames.

Many bike lock mounts are fiddly not only to attach, but to operate as well.

Plastic lock release buttons will normally seize up fairly quickly, making it a real pain to remove a lock from the mount.

In addition, the majority of low-end lock mounting systems don’t hold the lock still when riding, producing annoying rattling sounds which will disturb your rides.

And worst of all, over time, rattling can cause cheap bike lock mounts the mount to weaken and break, potentially causing you to loose your lock altogether.

So, now that we’ve established the issues cyclists face with most generic bike lock mounts, it’s time to take a look at the 10 best bike U lock mounts on the market.

I’ve attempted to include as much information about each lock holder as possible as well as several images of them in action.

If you have any questions regarding any of these, leave me a comment down below and I’ll get back to you.

The Huldit is a patented bike lock holder with a simplistic, no-nonsense design that provides a fantastic user experience.

This bike lock mount comes in four different sizes: X Small, Small, Medium and Large, so the Huldit is capable of carrying almost any U lock out there.

I say almost because there isn’t a single mount on the market that could carry the Altor SAF, but apart from that, you won’t have any issues.

Durable Velcro is used to secure your bike lock to the top tube of your bike, whilst another smaller Velcro strap holds the shackle of your U lock to the seat tube, preventing any rattling when riding.

I’ve used and recommended the Huldit for several years and have never had an issue with this mount.

It’s compatible with chunky and skinny bike frames and holds locks securely in place while you ride.

I initially thought my legs would catch on locks mounted in the Huldit, but haven’t found this to be a problem, even with bigger locks such as the Kryptonite Fahgettaboudit Mini or the LITELOK X1.

Easily one of the best, if not the best bike lock mount on the market.

You can view the most up-to-date price for the Huldit here, feel free to use the code “bikelockwiki” at checkout for 10% off.

For further information, I’ve reviewed the Huldit in more detail here.

The Bike Walley leather bike lock holster is a real beauty.

This full-grain leather bike lock mount is the highest quality leather lock holder I’ve used to date and looks amazing, but even more so on any retro bike.

Unlike the Oopsmark Lock Holster, which uses thin securing straps, the Bike Walley’s leather measures 4.6mm thick, making it highly durable and resistant to adverse weather.

Of course, as a natural material, leather requires more care than the synthetic mounts featured in this list.

But don’t fret, premium leather conditioner is available with the Bike Walley, which will keep it in top condition rain or shine.

Attaching the Walley to your bike is fiddly if it uses chunkier frame tubes like mine. However, once it’s mounted in place, its adjustable strap will cater for almost any U lock.

Yes, the Bike Walley is significantly more expensive than any of the other mounts featured in this list, so it will most likely appeal to those who enjoy natural materials and the Walley’s suave, retro appearance.

To prevent the theft of the Bike Walley, a tube of Loctite can be added to your order and dabbed onto the securing screws to prevent unauthorized removal.

Like the look of this bike lock holster? Check the most up-to-date price here.

The Hip Bag from Crosstownbags is the comfortable, stylish way to carry your U lock, cycling accessories and other essentials when riding.

This handmade, upcycled hip/chest bag provides plenty of internal space for essential items like your phone, wallet, tools and replacement inner tubes.

The bag is made from super durable materials. The exterior is a waterproof Cordura fabric, whilst the inner lining also protects from the rain, ensuring everything inside stays nice and dry in adverse weather.

The Crosstown Hip Bag uses two durable buckles, one to hold the inner compartment closed, and one which holds your lock in position on the back of the bag.

When you’re ready to ride, slide your lock down the back of the bag into the holster, secure it with the buckle and off you ride.

If I’d known about Crosstown Bags while working as a cycle courier, I wouldn’t have hesitated to buy one. It’s ideal.

An optional carabiner provides quick access to your keys when operating your lock.

To push the bag to its limits, I tested it with the Kryptonite Fahgettaboudit Mini, which weighs 2kg and has no issues. Therefore most U locks will work well with the Hip Bag.

Saby, the owner of Crosstown Bags, also told me that if needed, he can make all his hip bags to order to cater for chunkier locks or increased storage space.

It’s expensive, but it’s handmade by an independent business and can be customised to your every requirement.

View the most up-to-date price on Etsy here.

The Zefal Doodad+ Straps aren’t intended to be used for mounting locks to your bike, but by utilising a few brain cells, one can easily turn these bike pump mounting blocks into a capable bike lock mounting system.

The Doodad+ Straps use grippy rubber blocks and Velcro straps to secure to your bike’s frame or handlebars.

Before trying this for the first time, I was sceptical about whether or not they’d be capable of holding chunkier locks. However, they didn’t struggle to hold the LITELOK X1, one of the heavier locks on the market (weighing 1.7kg).

Thanks to their simple design, the Doodad+ Straps are extremely easy to attach to your bike and can easily be adjusted to fit frames of different sizes.

Alongside the mounting location shown in the image above, I found the Doodad+ straps can mount lighter locks to your handlebars.

Mounting to your frame is slightly better for heavier locks, but both options allow you to quickly mount and unmount your locks when required for locking up.

The great thing about the Zefal Doodad+ Straps is that they’re easily the cheapest bike lock mounts featured in this list and are the best option for anyone shopping on a tight budget.

I previously thought they’d struggle with my chunkier bike frame, but their soft rubber blocks moulded to the shape of my bike and held all locks in place during my test ride.

During testing, I noticed the Doodad+straps prefer slightly thicker locks as they won’t rattle as much when riding, but smaller locks, such as the skinny Zefal K-Traz U13 S, worked just fine.

A great budget option.

If you don’t wear a belt, skip to the next bike lock mount in this list to save you time.

The Restrap Lock Holster is a British-made belt-attached bike lock mount made from highly durable material and is very reasonably priced.

Before using the Restrap, I assumed riding with a bike lock secured to your belt would be uncomfortable. Wrongly so.

This is a surprisingly comfortable way to transport a bike lock and is one of the faster mounting options in this list, since the lock is held in place by a strong double elastic strap.

The one obvious downside of this bike lock mount is that you need to wear a belt for it to be a feasible option.

Restrap recently partnered with LITELOK to produce a LITELOK-branded version of their strap for the X1.

Riding with the 1.7kg LITELOK X1 strapped to my belt was perfectly comfortable, as was the lighter 1kg Seatylock Mason.

The Restrap Lock Holster is hand-made and comes with a lifetime guarantee.

It’s great to see companies standing behind the quality of their products, rather than opting for the lowest possible warranty period.

Check the most up-to-date price for on the Restrap website here.

If you want to mount your bike lock to the back of your saddle, the LockRockIt is your best option.

This simple yet effective mounting system uses two rubberized steel hoops to suspend your lock from your saddle rails, keeping it out of the way while you ride.

Attaching the LockRockIt to your bike takes two minutes and requires a hex key to tighten the three hex bolts to your saddle rails.

Mounting can be slightly fiddly the first time around, but it’s self-explanatory and compatible with conventional bike saddles that use two saddle rails.

The LockRockIt doesn’t prevent rattling on bumpy sections, but for most road rides, it keeps rattling and swinging to a minimum.

To further increase this bike lock mount’s grip on your lock, you should pull/push your lock down into the open end of the LockRockIt’s loops.

The mount will then open slightly and tension down around your lock, helping to hold it still.

With low-profile saddles like mine, you may be able to feel the LockRockIt if you sit right on the back of your saddle, but I didn’t find this to be an issue, and it wasn’t uncomfortable during testing.

Bear in mind that each LockRockIt is sent from China, which is a bit of a shame each unit needs to be shipped halfway around the world, and thiswill normally take two weeks or more.

Locks do have to be unlocked to mount with the LockRockIt, but this is something you’ll get used to as you lock/unlock your bike.

The only place the LockRockIt is available is on their website, which, I admit, looks like a scam website from the early 2000’s, but once ordered, your LockRockIt will arrive in 2-3 weeks.

If you can cope with rattling when riding, then the Kryptonite Transit H Bar is a decent option for most U locks.

Since the Kryptonite Fahgettaboudit Mini isn’t supplied with a mount, Kryptonite released this mount separately, giving cyclists a way to transport the Mini without a backpack.

This kryptonite bike lock mount has an adjustable silicone pad which makes it compatible with a wide variety of locks, kryptonite or not.

If you use a chunky lock like the Fahgettaboudit Mini, you can remove the pad, whereas with most bike locks, the silicone pad is placed underneath the lock and helps to dampen any rattling sounds.

Both locks I tested this mount with did rattle, but didn’t get in the way when riding and were held in place by the adjustable Velcro straps.

The mount is secured by a single hex screw and is adjustable to handlebars of all sizes by adding/removing its rubber spacer.

After using the mount several times, I noticed that the silicone lock pad had been damaged slightly in two places.

This damage is mainly due to the fact that it’s a bit of a struggle to replace the pad after it’s been removed. But to be fair, you won’t constantly be removing and replacing the pad like me.

Overall a good option which is compatible with a wide variety of locks, rattling will have to be ignored, and if you can’t, then check out one of the other options in this list.

Another affordable mount, but not the top performer.

The ULAC U Hold is ULAC’s spin on the Huldit mount.

This U lock holster functions similarly to the Huldit, but does a few things differently, and to be honest, It’s not quite on the same level.

Unlike the Huldit, where a lock is simply dropped into the mount, two extra Velcro layers are used by the ULAC holster in an attempt to secure your lock in place.

I actually found that both of these Velcro additions made the mount fiddly to operate and didn’t provide much in terms of noise reduction.

To insert your lock, you’ll have to undo two velcro sections and then close them again once you’re ready to ride.

Apart from that, the U-Hold functions well and its two sizes can hold locks measuring from 125 to 150mm wide (outer shackle width).

Reduced lock compatibility compared to the Huldit, which comes in four different sizes, but the U-Hold is slightly more affordable.

I also found at one point that the U-Hold’s additional security strap was very difficult to undo, but this is common with brand-new Velcro and will likely loosen over time.

I’d take the Huldit over this for its better user experience, but if you’re on a tighter budget, the U-Hold is a capable bike lock mount, and its latest price can be viewed here.

The Kryptonite Transit Flex-Frame U-Bracket is supplied with many of Kryptonite’s popular U-locks, but it’s also one of the reasons why people end up looking for alternate mounting options.

Unfortunately, alongside being fiddly to mount to the frame of your bike, the FlexFrame U lock mount struggles to hold locks securely in place, which makes the mounting system awkward to operate.

When mounting or un-mounting a lock, even when tightened down completely, the FlexFrame mount turns from side to side very easily.

You’ll then need to re-adjust the mount to ensure it doesn’t get in the way during your journey.

Another downside of the Kryptonite FlexFrame mount is that it’s only compatible with U locks using circular shackles up to 16 mm thick.

Unfortunately, if your lock’s shackle isn’t circular or is thicker than 16mm, you won’t be able to use the FlexFrame.

Honestly, unless you specifically want a Kryptonite mount to match your lock, I’d look elsewhere.

The Huldit or the LockRockIt offer improved reliability and versatility.

I reviewed the Oopsmark U lock holster a long time ago and had mixed feelings about this mount.

The Oopsmark bike lock holster can be mounted in two locations: the back of your saddle (with saddle tabs) or bike racks (panniers).

Made from vegetable-tanned leather, this bike lock mount looks great on retro bikes and is secured in place by two adjustable leather straps.

I have to admit, attaching the Oopsmark to your bike is rather fiddly since you’ll need to thread the leather straps through several holes before securing them in place with two very small screws.

Once secured to your bike, the Ooopsmark does provide quick and easy access to your lock. Drop it in, and off you go.

Unfortunately, despite what their website says, I found that this bike lock holder didn’t prevent rattling when riding on bumpy sections of road.

The Oopsmark website advises cyclists to use the mount with locks no heavier than 2kg. I’ve seen reports of the leather straps snapping, which may have been caused by using locks that are too heavy.

To round it off, I found it was quite a hassle to remove locks from the holster when mounted behind the saddle, as the angle of the mount meant that the lock sat below the back of the saddle.

This was based on testing with a Specialized Langster; all bikes have different frame geometry, so will produce different results.

I’d recommend checking the Walley Leather if you’re after a leather lock holster or the LockRockIt if you want a saddle mount.

The Restrap Fast Straps are a grea way to mount many accessories to your bike.

These tough Hypalon straps come in various lengths, but the small size is all that’s required for mounting a lock to your bike.

I found that locks mounted relatively easily to my handlebars with the Fast Straps, but they’d also work well with a pannier.

Only an honourable mention as they’re not designed for mounting heavier items, and anything over 1kg is a bit of a push for these straps.

Very affordable, though and extremely versatile.

If you’ve been looking for a new bike lock mount, I hope this guide has helped you find one that’s suitable.

I included a range of mounting systems on purpose to provide at least one suitable option for everyone.

Out of all of the mounts featured, my favourite is the Huldit, it works with almost any bike, apart from those with super chunky frames and requires no fiddling to mount your lock securely in place.

Otherwise, the Crosstown Hip Bag is a comfortable, stylish way to carry all of your essentials when riding, but it’s understandably towards the higher end of the price range.

Let me know which mount you chose and why in the comments section below.

Or if you chose a completely different mount, let me know the make and model, and I’ll test it out myself and add it to the review.

• 8th Dec 2023: Improved layout to provide increased readability across all device types. Added comparable ratings to aid reader comparison and understanding of product performance.