anrque

Hi, I'm looking for some advice or ideas. The wife and I will be travelling to France and trying to take the Bromptons with us. We land at CDG and take a train to Colmar, so it is very multi-modal to get to our destination.

I'm just wondering if it is worth carrying these heavy Ulocks we have for the bikes. The bikes fold, so they come inside with us. Also, there are two of us, so if one person needs to go into a small cafe, one person can stay with the bikes. I'd rather not haul around a heavy boat anchor of a lock, packing our gigantic helmets is a pain too, but I think these are necessary evils.

So what say you? Anyone here travel with a folder and just skip the heavy lock? Thanks.

bargainguy

I traveled to France a decade ago with my Bike Friday Pocket Rocket. I share your desire not to lug around heavy locks.

I managed without any sort of lock. It was just me, so I didn't have anyone else to watch my bike. If a shopkeeper allowed, I'd fold my bike and take it inside. If not, I'd take the front wheel off, fold it, leave the rest just outside the door, and take the wheel with me. Much harder to ride away with a bike if it only has one wheel, though that certainly doesn't make it theft proof. Sometimes I'd velcro strap or bungee the rest of the bike together so it became a bit of a mess to untangle, much less unfold.

I was surprised how much resistance some shopkeepers had to a folding bike. Yes, I understand Europe has tighter quarters, but the whole idea of a folding bike is to take it with you everywhere. Not all shopkeepers allow this. I learned to frequent the ones that did. Less of an issue in the outskirts, away from major cities. It seemed the closer I got to Paris, the less accommodating the shopkeepers were.

Hope you have a wonderful time. I spent my week riding, touring museums and doing street photography. It was a blast.

HGR3inOK

Consider the Abus Bordo lock. See: ABUS folding locks - Locks / Bike Safety and Security
These seem to provide compact storage, light weight and good security.

-HANK RYAN-
Norman, Oklahoma USA

bhkyte

I almost never carry a lock on my folder. I know many people on these forums say they just take it everywhere with them. I have tried some cheap bike alarms with mixed results. Small combination locks are available with alarms.

Part of being "allowed" to take folders in to shop,cafes is not to ask,make it look an every day natural thing, carry it wheel it so it looks no effort. Not had any issues except the odd job worthy in Cival services etc. Who didn't stop me just did things there way. Put bike in office etc.
However, not travelled with a bike abroad and different cultures may have different ideas. Smaller folders don't usually attract difficulties, 20 inch folders are more difficult to make effortless and are that much bigger to make the difference.

I have a front rack on my birdie and as it pulls along like a trolley I think shop owner might react differently as many suitcases are pull along. So what's to complain against.

Winfried

Yes. There are times where you'll have to lock your bikes outside, such as museums or shopping together.

But it doesn't have to be heavy. I suggest a tight U lock so as to leave no space to insert a lever. Clearance shouldn't be more than 15cm/6". Suggestions: Kryptonite Evolution Mini 5, Abus U-Mini 401, Onguard, etc.

Although stylish, the Bordo from Abus is crap; Several riders lost their bike because of that lock.

Have a nice trip to Colmar, and around: If you have time, ride the "Route des vins" back to Strasbourg, and if you have the stamina, ride up the Château du Haut-Kœnigsbourg.

fietsbob

My Bike Friday has an Abus folding 'Bordo' lock pouch on its top of the main tube water bottle mount.

the pouch also straps on , if no braze ons there.

Cyclosaurus

fietsbob

NB this Stunt was a Bike Not locked to anything , and the other Bolt cutter handle was on the floor
and the show off was using Both hands and their Upper Body weight To Push the Upper-Lever towards the floor ..

there is NO 100% secure Lock .. bring the bike inside with you, thats why You got a folding Bike .

Mine is their top Granit Model the example is half the cost.

I dont Choose to live in a town that has a Hot market in stealing/stripping bikes , Like Eugene or Portland.

sdwphoto

.I have a Brompton and it never leaves my sight.If they don't let me in ,and to be honest that has never happened yet, then i go elsewhere.I never carry a lock.At present I go to the movies with it,shopping ,restaurants,libirary, dentist office,Costco,Lowes etc.That why I bought a folder.
If I had to go some place I had to leave it outside it would only be a place where I could see the bike at all times. I have armoured cable lock the kind has the cable inside a flexable armoured tube.It won't stop them from cutting the lock but it would give me ample time to get out side and get my hands around their throat.

dadbar

I keep a Kryptonite lock mounted to the back frame of my folder where it is out of the way.

HGR3inOK

That may be a bit harsh.

The Abus U-Mini 401 that you suggest is rated by Abus as an 11 on their 1-to-15 security-level scale. I believe there are currently nine different Bordo locks with security level ratings from 6 to 15. (And I believe the Bordo 6000 in the video above is a 10.) FWIW, we are in a university environment. Oftentimes a student going to class in unable to find a place to use a U-lock, and a mini-U can be even more of a challenge. The locks that we sell the most of are Abus covered chains with a level 6 or higher rating. We have sold several Abus Bordo locks with security ratings of 7 to 9. I am not aware of any thefts in this area of bicycles using a Bordo lock. Of course, individuals walking around with a set of 30" bolt cutters in Oklahoma will find they are outnumbered by individuals walking around with a Glock 9mm.

-HANK RYAN-
Norman, Oklahoma USA

Winfried

I wish I were.

The mfg's scale doesn't matter. I trust Sold Secure and ATR a lot more than manufacturers.
https://www.soldsecure.com/search?all...62&grading=303
Stichting ART | ("Alle typen sloten" > "Beugelsloten", click on "Tonen")

The problem with the Bordo is all those joints. The less parts that can fail, the better. And the less space there is between the lock, the frame, and the rack to which the bike is locked, the better.

FedericoMena

Last month I took my Brompton to Gothenburg, and last year I took it to Strasbourg (close enough to Colmar). I did take a cable lock (horrors!), and found it useful exactly twice on each trip. Both times it was to leave the bike parked outside while shopping. It was summertime, so for dining I could usually grab a table outside, fold the bike and park it close to me.

I've found that the bike is already enough of a pain in the ass to drag around when folded, that a lock in my bag is not a big extra.

If wherever you are staying lets you leave the folded bikes securely somewhere in the ground floor, do it - just to avoid hauling them upstairs.

(... or not. I changed a flat in my hotel room, and while it was cramped quarters, it was nice not to do it in the street.)

You don't need helmets in Colmar. Enjoy the peace and the infrastructure

HGR3inOK

Well, Sold Secure has Abus Bordo models on their Bicycle Gold, Bicycle Silver and Bicycle Bronze lists.

I don't disagree. But in some situations, a U-lock is not usable while a folding lock, chain lock and/or cable lock is. This is often the case on our local university campus.

-HANK RYAN-
Norman, Oklahoma USA

anrque

We will be starting in Colmar but also in Strasbourg and finally Paris at the end of the trip before coming home to Portland where we know all about stolen bikes. We are not riding from place to place. It was just to have the option of going on bike rides when we are in different places. We've traveled many times and have found the thing that kills us after a few days is the amount of walking that we did from sun-up to well after dark. So just hoping to mix things up a little.
Thank you for your responses about the locks. I would agree with you about the helmets as well. i grew up without one and have still never had an accident, however my wife is more cautious and this would be a pointless argument.

2_i 

Currently we use Abus Granit X-Plus 1060 chain with our Brompton and take it along with the bike onto trips. However sturdy and convenient, it is on the heavy side. A chain lock is a bit wasteful in its very design. For the second Brompton we are likely to go with the folding lock Abus Bordo Granit X-Plus 6500 that is significantly lighter and easier to mount on the bike. Contrary to another poster, I trust Abus' self-assessments and I stick to their locks nearly exclusively.