Why I ditched my old bike lock for this award-winning FoldyLock
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The weather this spring has been great for getting out and about on two wheels. Cycling really is a superb pastime, a great way to keep fit, and a new perspective on our surroundings.
I've also been using my bike to beat the roadworks in my local town centre recently, and loading it up with shopping to save getting the car out and queuing in traffic.
While this has been a wonderfully sustainable way to get around, it's highlighted a bit of an issue. Parking a bike up in town centres is a bit of a gamble.
It dawned on me that the cheap bike lock I bought on eBay several years ago was doing very little to protect my unnervingly valuable e-bike from light-fingered baddies who could be making off with it in minutes. So it was obvious I needed to up my game a little bit.
Initially I did what anyone else would do and popped into a bike shop to ask to see their most secure locks. Every single one I was recommended was either massive, or hideously expensive.
My bike's quite heavy, so I don't want to add more weight. And if I pack a big bike lock in my paniers, it leaves less room for beer. I mean, apples.
I also don't want to spend hundreds of pounds on a bike lock because that leaves less money for wine. I mean, celery.
So I did a bit more research. And the bike lock that kept coming up in searches for the most compact, most secure, and best value was the FoldyLock series. I just had to put one to the test.
I chose the "FoldyLock Forever", because it can be bought for around ÂŁ100, and it claims to be the "world's strongest folding lock". There are plenty of others for less than ÂŁ100, but I figured it would be a great benchmark.
And folding locks really appeal to me because they're extremely compact, they can mount in the same place a water bottle goes, and they open out to 90cm and beyond in diameter.
In pretty much every destruction test I've seen, FoldyLocks have outpaced their competitors, and they come with all sorts of awards and accreditations.
My first impression of the FoldyLock was that it's quite heavy. Tucked away in its carrier it feels incredibly solid. Reassuringly so, in fact.
It mounted very easily to the two bolts that used to hold my bottle cage, and it takes some force to get it in and out of its holster, so it doesn't feel like it's going to fall out any time soon. The same, incidentally, can't be said for Abus's Bordo 6000K, which I've also tested and quickly got sick of.
The FoldyLock comes with three keys, some other kit to mount it in different places on the bike, and a card with a unique code in case you lose the keys. There are even a few cute stickers, but they're really not my bag.
Some models, such as the neat FoldyLock Compact, come in an array of colours, but I was perfectly happy with the black.
When you come to use a FoldyLock, it really is as easy as pulling it out, letting it flop into a loop, uncoupling the lock, and routing it around your bike.
For most uses, a 90cm diameter will be fine, but there have been occasions where it's felt a little short.
And that's largely because it's so substantial. The lugs that make up the hexagonal loop are coated in a reasonably soft nylon material to prevent scratching your bike, but these coatings alone feel like they'd take some punishment at the hands of a would-be thief. Beneath these is hardened steel, and you only have to watch the testing videos to see how strong they are. That's why they keep winning so many awards.
The lock is incredibly robust, but still simple to use and, when it comes to folding it up again, it falls into place quite nicely. Which is more than can be said for some of the circular types I've tested.
There isn't a lot more to say about the FoldyLock. It lives up to its claims and then some. It's by no means overhyped, it's built incredibly well and I can't really find any way to fault it.
Ultimately, my bike hasn't been stolen. And given there's apparently one stolen every minute in the UK, the FoldyLock has clearly been doing its job.
Yes, they're quite expensive, but you can't put a price on peace of mind.