Everyone knows about strong D-locks such as the Kryptonite New York Standard, flexible chain and cable locks such as the Abus Granit Steel O Flex but folding locks? Until Abus emailed me about reviewing one, I’d never heard of them. My curiosity was firmly rattled so I happily said yes to send me one over.
A couple of weeks ago I got a knock on the door, signed the parcel and opened it up. What I saw inside shocked me. I didn’t know if someone had by mistake sent me Rambo’s knife or a bike lock. I mean, look at this thing!
Once the initial shock was over I thought about the two most important factors with a bike lock. Price and safety.
Before I tell you the price can I just check you’re sitting down. Okay, good. The price of this bike lock (The Abus Bordo Granit XPlus 85 CM Folding Bike Lock) is… £100. Yep.
The reason for this high price tag may be why it’s not carried in a lot of the mainstream bike shops (I couldn’t find it on Evans Cycles, Wiggle or Amazon). In comparison the Kryptonite and the Steel O Flex each cost around £55.
Update: This is now available from Amazon for around £60.
The second most important factor is safety. This comes with the maximum rating of 15 from the Abus team. It also has a Sold Secure rating of Silver. Therefore, it ranks mid-to-high in terms of security. In comparison both the Kryptonite and Steel O Flex both have the highest rank of Gold.
While other folding rivet style locks by Abus around the £50 mark have been known to be possible to break through in under a minute this one doesn’t mess around with your bikes security. In tests it was proven very difficult to break into this lock without the use of some seriously heavy machinery. Therefore, the Abus Bordo Granit Xplus can be used as your main lock.
The main benefit from this lock comes from the portability. It can fold down into a small size. The carrying case is also easy to attach to any bike frame with its Velcro straps. However, don’t expect it to be lighter than the other locks. It weighs roughly the same as the Kryptonite if not slightly more.
Another disappointment with the lock was also the fairly limited radius it covers. This was only slightly wider than a typical D-lock. In tests I also found it a little fiddly to use. By the time you had folded it out, messed around with the key and struggled to lock your bike you find yourself wishing you’d just brought your £50 cheaper D-lock with you.
Overall this is the first ever product by Abus I haven’t been too impressed with. The only person I can see that would find it useful is someone who is very keen on their portability and doesn’t want to carry their bike lock in a bag or around their waist.
The lock is available to purchase from Amazon for £60.
Update: A video by Thiefbusters shows that it doesn’t take long to cut through this lock. You can view this video here – make sure you turn on the English subtitles.
See also:
on a completley unrelatred note, you made the front page of Reddit.com this morning i noticed. Someone was asking if anyone could help him find the ultimate bicycle maintence manual that he once saw and turns out the link that was provided was to your manual! anyways keep upt he good work.
http://www.reddit.com/comments/cmbol/i_once_saw_an_ultimate_bicycle_maintenance_pdf_on/
Hah, always good news! Shame its directly to the PDF and not the page that features the eBook! But always happy to help 😉
I use a Kryptonite evolution series 4 as my main lock and an Abus bordo as my front wheel lock.
Using the 2 locks and locking the front wheel to the frame and a stand or railings stops the bike being twisted, as can be done on just one lock and being snapped off.
I would not use the Abus on its own as a twisting action on it would soon see it snap, but together they work very well and my bike has always survived even though it is locked up for long periods outside during the day and evenings.
Good advice John – can completely buy into the two locks thing.
Thanks for review. Rant following:
There’s something about bicycle accessory reviews that seems lacking. e.g. pannier reviews frequently don’t show the pannier hooks to the rack and use manufacturer photos.
Similarly, this review doesn’t show the lock in use. e.g. can it hold a bike in a rack or against a pole?
Thanks for describing your experiences though. And the londoncyclist free cycling eBook is awesome.
hi,
could any body give the measures of ABUS BORDO? (H x W x D). Thanks
could any body give the measures of ABUS BORDO? (H x W x D). Thanks
You mentioned in your article that it received a silver rating on Sold Secure. However, that rating is for the Bordo 6000 which has thinner plates.
Gold rating: http://www.soldsecure.com/search///abus-650085-x-plus.html
I have this lock. I also got it for free so aren’t biased by the high price tag. I can say it is pretty fiddly, but it does have big radius, certainly a lot bigger than a dlock. Thismeans its easier to wrap around your frame and wheel, rather than just one or the other. I use it in conjunction with a cable to keep the other wheel secure.
We just tested this lock, and it took 11 minutes and 40 seconds to cut through it with a simple tungsten saw. They cut ceramic tiles with it, and it costs some 8 quid in any tool store. Quite a disappointment!
Link to the video where this was tested: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wz2bdIgqMFQ
11:40 min is not so disappointing if you ask me. Such blades cut just about anything and you can only slow this by throwing more mass at them which would mean even heavier locks. If it holds up even better than a good d-lock I happily pay the extra $$ for a more compact lock on my frame.