Wednesday, March 01, 2017

Lock Time

The Rocky Mounts "Hendrix" foldable lock.
I have always been intrigued by these folding lock deals I've seen for years. I was never around anyone that had one or that had any feedback on one, so I never pursued the getting of one. I needed to have a bit of a push one way or the other to know if these things really worked or not. Maybe you've wondered about these things too. Actually, I have an old cable lock, but I was wondering about something like this because it looks burly and harder to break. Well, I got more than just feedback from someone. I actually was offered to try a lock out.

Rocky Mounts, normally known for their line of racks, just introduced a line of bicycle locks to secure your bicycle whilst out on errands, commutes, training rides, or just to insure your bike stays put in the garage. They graciously sent me their Hendrix model to check out.

So, it comes with a holster which is mountable to a set of water bottle cage bosses and three keys. I like keys myself, since numbers tend to get forgotten or mixed up. Especially if I were to go awhile without using the lock. Keys stay on key chains until called upon. I have that dialed. You may be different.

Anyway, this guy gets a "7" on a scale of 1-10 for security with a ten being most secure. I can dig it. 7 is good enough for around here. It is made from steel. 3mm thick rubber coated steel plates. That's pretty tough sounding.

It seems to me to be pretty easy to unlock and lock, so I will have to see how it works on some errands and what not coming up here. I am also probably going to lug it around on gravel rides so I can use it when I stop for coffee when I get back to town. I shouldn't have to worry about my bike getting jacked while I get juiced up on java now.

My townie, the Big Dummy.
Mostly this will get used on trips with the Big Dummy though. I mounted the holster to one of the many bottle mounts this bike has. That way I won't have to search in those cavernous bags for the dang thing when I want to lock up. I also have a longer cable lock to string through the wheels and whatnot for even more secure parking action. But that said, I expect that I will have some decent "peace of mind" feelings now when I get out and about with the Big Dummy.

Once this weather straightens out a bit more, I will be doing just that. There are growlers to be filled, groceries to be toted, and who knows what all I'll be doing with the Big Dummy around town now that I have this folding lock. That will be a good thing. Will the lock work? Well, in a way, it already has.

You see, if you don't have a good way to secure your rig on errands, or at a coffee stop, or if you want to stop on the way to work to grab a sandwich, well.......you probably won't do anything but ride. That's great, (the riding part), but you will use your bicycle more if you have an easy way to secure it while you go inside businesses and other places. With this $69.99 retail lock, you could have the peace of mind, and more importantly, the choice, to actually use a bicycle for practical things. So, by just having the means to secure your bike makes the device you secure it with "work".

That said, I'll be back later with the "how it worked out" thing after I've lived with this for a while.

NOTE: Rocky Mounts sent the Hendrix lock at no charge for me to check out and review. I was not paid nor bribed for these words and I will strive to give my honest take throughout.

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