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On a visit to Amsterdam last week I noticed the majority of bikes around the city have those frame locks: permanently mounted to the rear stays, a locking bar that immobilises the rear wheel.
I know little about these. Are they worth adding to a hack/commuter as a second lock, in addition to a chunky U-lock? I guess several thousand Amsterdamers can’t be wrong…?
This sort of thing, around £20 upwards: https://www.abus.com/uk/Consumer/Bicycle-locks/Frame-Locks
Yay or nay?
Try picking up a dutch bike and running with it to a van and speeding off in the streets of amsterdam.... lock effective.
Try picking up almost any reasonable bike and run with it to a waiting van then driving off in most british towns... Lock innefective.
In a see of identical bikes they protect from casual jump on and ride away (also i think there is a legal requirement to have a lock in amsterdam, so minimal on frame thing would make sense).
My e-cargo bike has one built in. Great as something that stops the bike being moved and you never forget it or can't be bothered with it (as can happen with a lock). The key stays in it while it's open so it's the work of about 10 seconds to lock it.
As to how effective it is - ultimately you can get through anything especially with a battery angle grinder but they're often in an awkward place to access which helps. Although if the bike is able to be moved you could still pick it up and run off with it if the bike is light enough (no-one is ever going to do that with the e-cargo bike!)
My commute bike has one, I concur with the comments above, placement and awkwardness to cut is probably their biggest strength over heft.
To prevent pick up and run off theft, you can get plug-in chains that stick in a port opposite the key. I reckon these are a good idea as once you've cut the chain, the wheel is still locked. Steel chain | ADAPTOR CHAIN | for frame locks | ABUS https://share.google/Wwq0QxXS1bHtDlyJz
For a quick stop outside a shop OK. Not effective otherwise. I bought a second hand bike which had one on it locked - no key. I can't remember what I used but no problems getting the lock off in my shed.
PS Yes it was somebody's stolen bike probably but I bought it at an auction being sold off on behalf of Edinburgh police. Presumably recovered by them but unable to trace owner.
I doubt they add much on top of a chunky U lock.
For a reasonably secure yet also reasonably compact solution for my gravel, I bought an Abus Bordo Lite. Straps neatly to the frame.
I use mine when popping into the coop for some milk but still get out the big lock when I’m doing the big shop in Tesco
Thanks all.
I think I'll look into one more. I'm keen to secure my commuter/hack with more than one lock (to make it more of a faff to target and hopefully make someone move on to the next bike with less security). I don't fancy carrying something else hefty in addition to the U-lock I already carry, so one of these probably fits the bill.
To prevent pick up and run off theft, you can get plug-in chains that stick in a port opposite the key. I reckon these are a good idea as once you've cut the chain, the wheel is still locked. Steel chain | ADAPTOR CHAIN | for frame locks | ABUS
Thanks, I was planning on getting one of those with whatever frame lock.
Think the other thing to consider is the risk/volumes of bike theft in your area. I live in mid Cheshire and use the wheel lock on its own for short periods and the additional chain for longer jobs. If I was locking it up on the middle of Manchester even for a minute, you're right, this would definitely be a second line of defense!
Good point. I'm being overly cautious! Very risk adverse, it's a medium-ish Scottish town not big city. Not expensive bike and I've "shitified" it as much as possible by covering all logos/branding making it look as plain as possible, doing what I can within reason.
My son left his bike parked in his front garden in Paisley unlocked for 2 or 3 years before it was stolen. By a guy in a delivery van. All the lazy bugger had to do was park it behind the 6ft gate in his back garden and it wouldn't have gone.
I park my bikes in Glasgow regularly for short periods of time with either a Bordo lite or a padlock and chain. Worst I have had was the attempted theft of my front light in Cambridge St. I saw it being stolen from the pub I was in and recovered it.
Back in the days when I took bike theft reports almost all bike thefts in the Glasgow area were either unlocked, from sheds, garages, or closes, or high end bikes.
I think if you park an unfashionable crappy looking bike with a decent lock in it in Glasgow for short periods during the day the risk is quite low.
As it happens before my light was stolen the guy and checked to find it was locked to a fence. Unlocked it would be gone. Half decent lock enough to stop it.
I bought an Abus Bordo Lite
Bordo lite
That's an interesting option, thanks both - wasn't aware of that. Lighter than frame-mounted wheel lock when an extension chain (to lock the bike to something solid) is added in. Currently lugging a 1.5kg U-lock in my bag so this is mighty tempting.
Can even get it cheaper in a 60cm kids' version with symbols instead of number digits 😀
Abus Bordo Lite (keyed) ordered. Thanks all.
Only slightly more expensive and no heavier than what I was looking at, and more versatile.
There's still an awful lot of bike theft in the Netherlands but there are so many bikes that it gives the impression of safety in numbers. I wouldn't trust one of those frame locks to do anything