Tarck Arts and Carfts. Post your home-built bikey stuff.

agree with this, although I have to believe the joints are the weak links on those locks.

I tried both the Bordo (folding) and the U Lock in the Granit XPlus line and found the Bordo to just be more fiddly for regular usage with all the moving parts. In the end went back to U-Lock

https://www.abus.com/eng/Mobile-Security/Bike-Safety-and-Security/Locks/Folding-locks/BORDO-GRANIT-XPlus-6500

Anyone used a combo U lock?

I have that exact combination U-lock and it’s great. I want to replace all my locks with combination locks, and I don’t know why I didn’t think of it earlier, except that I still had it in the back of my head that combination locks are some kind of kid’s toy. Now I feel the opposite way, that keyed locked are stupid and unnecessary.

The cable I bought separately, a decade ago, but it’s a steel coiled cable, so what could you possibly not know about it?

I’ve had this OCD fantasy of having like-keyed bicycle locks across the entire family for a few years now

…but…

still haven’t done it. I totally get wanting a combo lock.

Exactly. Every lock with the same “key” (combination). That’s my ideal.

when I was working in a shop (about 4 years ago), some guy came in and picked our onguard combos pretty easily. we reset the combo in the bathroom a few times and he got it each time in about 15 seconds, just applied some pressure while turning the rotors. We stopped carrying them after that.

That was a while ago though, so maybe they improved the design

I just picked up the Otto lock as my lightweight low security option, kinda want to to try that pressure trick.
I did notice it is very picky about having all the numbers align perfectly before releasing.

The only thing I don’t like about the combo lock so far is that the inner numbers are hard to rotate without mistakenly spinning the outside numbers.

[quote=Andrew_Squirrel]I just picked up the Otto lock as my lightweight low security option, kinda want to to try that pressure trick.
I did notice it is very picky about having all the numbers align perfectly before releasing.

The only thing I don’t like about the combo lock so far is that the inner numbers are hard to rotate without mistakenly spinning the outside numbers.[/quote]

I’ve been eyeing this lock. Would you recommend it?

Sure, seems fine for low security rides. We will see how it ages. My only worry is that it looks flimsy (and fluorescent) so I wonder how many thieves will notice it & give it a go (therefore injuring it). With the black aluminum palmy I was confident that it was inconspicuous yet serious looking despite being equivalently flimsy as the Otto. I’m just glad to be done with the barrel style keys / cylinder, utter garbage IME.

I got two from the initial Kickstarter offer. I did have one bad experience this past summer: I used the lock to secure the front wheel to the frame of my brother’s old Nishiki MTB with a Wald basket as it was being transported on a hitch-mounted car rack. I cinched it as tightly as possible and set off on a roadtrip to Spokane. As I was driving on the freeway, I watched the bike jostle around in the rear view mirror. Over the course of 30 minutes, I noticed that the front wheel started to move around more and more until it flopped over as if nothing was restraining it. I pulled over and found the Otto lock had worked itself loose, with the numbers not matching my passcode. I chalked it up to road vibration and the steady tugging of the front basket’s weight that made it loose.

I was going to email Otto about my findings but forgot about it till now. YMMV

Oh wow, that is good to know.

Yeah I know somebody over there. I got to feel the locks up this summer and decided I wouldn’t buy one because I’ve got a little cable and a small padlock that says “Wolfpack” or something on it and it’s been a lightweight theft deterrent that’s light enough to fit in a Jerz pocket or small interior rando pocket

They certainly look cool though

Agree with the hi-viz comment. It really calls attention to the lock, which as Squirrel said, can invite fuckery.

I have a black Rocky Mounts Carlito and it gives off a much more “serious” visual impression.

No way. I used to use a light krypto cable plus a Wolfpack padlock as a small light lockup setup.

Agree with the hi-viz comment. It really calls attention to the lock, which as Squirrel said, can invite fuckery.

I have a black Rocky Mounts Carlito and it gives off a much more “serious” visual impression.[/quote]

Oh yeah, forgot I had considered that one for a bit. Looks even sturdier than the Palmy
The thing that really drew me to to the Otto was the weight.
middle sized 30" is only 155 grams
Palmy is 283 grams
Carlito is 395 grams

Agree with the hi-viz comment. It really calls attention to the lock, which as Squirrel said, can invite fuckery.

I have a black Rocky Mounts Carlito and it gives off a much more “serious” visual impression.[/quote]

Oh yeah, forgot I had considered that one for a bit. Looks even sturdier than the Palmy
The thing that really drew me to to the Otto was the weight.
middle sized 30" is only 155 grams
Palmy is 283 grams
Carlito is 395 grams[/quote]

Yeah, hard to beat the Otto when it comes to weight. Is yours the newer version with the improved coating (on the lock head) and reinforced strap tip?

No way. I used to use a light krypto cable plus a Wolfpack padlock as a small light lockup setup.[/quote]
It is in fact the exact same lock. I’ve had it since 3rd grade and when you were here you said it was the same exact one you had


I have one of these, either as a second lock or as the only lock for non commuter rides where I wanna pop into a donut shop or something.
Its pretty fucking light, not as much as the otto, but looks like a real lock. I would absolutely buy another.

Is that aluminum?

That’s my other primary U-lock, actually. Got it on eBay for like $12 shipped, though the price has gone up a bit, and there are fewer color choices with my link. It would take about 30 second to cut through it with a dull saw blade, and you could probably deform it sufficiently with a pair of bolt cutters, but it looks like a regular u-lock, and that’s all it needs to do when I’m in the grocery store in broad daylight for 5 minutes.