We just got our shipment of ring locks. Ring locks are tremendously popular in Europe, but largely unavailable here. They are bolted or clamped to the seat stays of a city bike and lock the rear wheel through the spokes. They provide an almost instant way to lock your bike.
Ring locks are not intended for high-theft areas or to lock your bike overnight. But in many towns, or out in the country when touring, they are all you need for a quick stop. What's great about them is that they stay on the bike. So when you run into a shop or Cafe a simple flick of a locking lever prevents the casual thief from riding off on your bike. For longer stops you can run a cable around a fixed object and lock it in the ring lock.
The lock is secured to the seat stays with the included clamps. These simply hold the lock in place; it's the steel ring bolt that secures the wheel. Some European bikes have mounting points so the lock can be bolted on.
Includes two keys. Weight is about 385g. $25.
26 January, 2009
Ring Locks are Here
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33 comments:
You might think about designing an elegant contructeur style integrated lock for your custom bikes as an option. Maybe the old Raleigh locking fork is as good as any?
How wide a tire could fit in that ring lock? That is, what is the width of the narrowest part, and what is the distance from closed ring to the other side of the lock (the vertical distance, in your photo)?
Do these have an option for an integrated chain lock?
The inside width of the ring lock is 60mm and the depth is 95mm, so they should fit over a 60mm fender with a 52mm tire.
These don't have an integrated chain lock. We got samples of that type and thought they were too heavy. We really didn't want a high security lock, but rather a light and simple one. If this model sells well we may stock the one with the chain too. Of course, you can use a regular cable or medium duty chain with any ring lock.
Does the key have to stay in the lock while it's open?
You can take the key out after opening the lock.
This actually can be a good way to be high security set up with an additional small u lock for the front wheel and frame. Then they can only take your cranks, seatpost and handlebars.
Here in LA, it's getting out of hand. With all the craze of fixed gear riding, you see beautiful track bikes locked up and that's been the problem. Thieves now have inventory to take advantage of and there not dumb. A 15mm wrench, a allen key set and a crank puller has ben going a long way. They don't bother with locks anymore and a lot of riders thought track wheels were too hard to steal. Not anymore, in my neighborhood (Santa Monica & Venice). I'm seeing more and more nice bikes partially missing locked up on a the sidewalk missing parts. Rear wheels missing, no cranks or handlebar/stem. I read on a local blog thieves would flatten the tires which make the owner search an alternative way to go home and hence give thieves more time to take parts.
Since the mountain bike faze passed, you would only see huffy's or cruisers. Now you see $2,000 bike all over the place with a lock only through the top tube.
It sucks because riding bikes instead of using your cars is gaining momentum. A lot of people are now riding (which is excellent) but always being in fear of getting your bike taken is killing the momentum. I now only ride a low cost fixed gear that looks like crap with a torx bolt for my seatpost and superglued my stem. My good bikes rarely see pavement anymore which is sad. I see our future like Amsterdam riding all the same looking junky bikes. Hoepfully we'll have the same amount of riders too.
I think locks like what you are offering here is great for low risk areas and in high risk areas with an additional lock. I'm glad to se you offering them
Cheers,
CB
CB: Pitlock makes skewers and aheadstem caps with special keys that can not be removed with an allen wrench.
I imagine if you are riding fixed without brake or gear cable, the handle bars remain open game.
Will it work with sidepull brakes?
Can the key be left in the lock while riding without falling out?
Any chance of a combination lock version, I'd almost certainly lose the key!
I'd like to see the return of the forklock of some sort. Not necessarily a keyed lock and not as a security measure but as a way of securing the front end of a front loading bike which can be a handleful when dismounting, maneuvering by hand, parking or locking to something.
I've seen only two recent solutions. Sacha White's wife's bike, which has a ss cylinder that is inserted into a hole in both the headtube and steerer, locking the front end and the brazed on fork stop used by the german company Tout Terrain. I've come up with a few inelegant and cumbersome solutions that rely on the front rack and the downtube shifter boss, nothing that works well.
Something that works like the Raleigh fork crown lock or the downtube mounted Rudge forklock could be handy. There is also the set up Peugeot used on the PX 50.
i've been craving one of these to free me of my rear-wheel-looping cable. nice price too. thanks.
Can I just put in my 2 cents that these are great locks (though I've never seen one in which the key could come out when the lock was unlocked)!
It's the ideal second lock. I use a U-lock for front tire/frame/object and one of the these to lock the rear wheel to the frame. It works in New York City.
They won't work over really huge fenders, but they will on just about everything else.
And as long as they're rare in the US, they have a much greater deterrent value than they have back in their home countries.
And yes, the price is very good.
Can you please tell us where thry are made? It would be nice if listed country of origin on your site like rivendell.
Very nice, thanks for stocking these!
The key is a snug fit so it probably won't fall out while riding, but I'm not sure.
They are from Taiwan. Always listing country of origin encourages nationalism and punishes good companies in "bad" countries.
Your comment about LA thieves reminded me of another use for this type of lock that would have saved my unfortunate friend down here. His bike was on the rack of a bus when at a red light someone just grabbed it and rode off with him watching helplessly through the window-if the rear wheel had been locked the thief would have been in for a nasty surprise.
Being European, I can tell you that locks of this type can mostly be snapped by hand, if not outright sliced by a slow turning spoke. I do not trust them, even in a low-risk environment.
This type is a lot better. Or why not the brake booster version ?
I've used those ring locks and they are strong enough to discourage anyone without tools. You can't snap them with your hands. They are great for most civilized places.
I once had a Raleigh with a fork lock, what a delightful thing to use!
FYI if you need a key for one they're the same as many British Leyland (MG, etc.) glove box and trunk locks. I found an old MG guy who made me a key from scratch based on the numbers on my lock cylinder.
@ PCM, if the key doesn't come out when it's not locked, you are walking around with a loose little key when it IS locked: easy to lose and a real pain in the backside. I have both a Trelock RS 306 with removable key and an AXA Defender with non-removable key; a removable key, whether locked or unlocked, is much better!
/me again, forgot to mention the logical reason: you can't put the one sort of key on a keyring! probably obvious. keyrings are good. ring locks are good. thank you, chris.
alex.
I agree with the country of origin statement, letting people vote with the dollar is up to them to decide. The idea of not listing country of origin seems slight of hand, please leave the choice up to your customers.
Will the ring locks work with Deep-Vee style rims ?
The depth of the inside of the ringlock is 95mm. I suppose it can work on a bike with deep v's.
Just drill a hole through the rim for the ring lock to fit through! Weight savings, water drainage, and a place to keep an emergency $20!
Thanks so much for stocking these locks! I have two comments which I hope will be helpful to others:
1) Yes, the key can fall out. I lost a key from a ring lock once this way, after more than a year of riding with the key in the lock.
2) Unfortunately, I could not get this lock mounted on my husband's aluminum-frame mountain-type bike. The ring was big enough, but the seat stays were too fat and too far apart for the mounting straps. The lock mounts easily on bikes with a "classic" steel frame. Maybe I can persuade my husband to get a nicer bike to go with his lock!
Do you have a link to mounting instructions? I'm not sure how the "cuffs" are supposed to attach (also, are they really secure?) Is there a way to use cantilever studs or the brake bridge? I'm confused.
The mounting straps sit inside the ring lock and thread 'ball' end through the slot in the lock. the tail side of the strap goes on the inside of the seat stay.
There are no provisions to mount from the brake pivot bolt, or canti brake studs.
in about 2 minutes or less these ring locks are cracked. living in germany i often see stolen bikes standing around - beeing stolen on a saturday night to get a free ride. if it has to be a ringlock lookout for axa. they ´re more robust. on the other hand: if you are commen with loosing your keys , these pictured ringlock might be your choice. cheers, holger
Could you post some better photos for installation? I'm not quite clear which way the plastic straps fit from the current photo. It also looks like I'll need to add some padding so that it doesn't rattle around the fender installation screw.
A dumb question, which is bumping an old post, but this is the easiest place to ask: what is the key blank type? I have this lock (bought here, woo!), but would like a few duplicate keys, which would be easily done at a hardware store if I knew the right blank.
What is this lock made from. It looks like two sheet metal pressings surrounding the lock mechanism.
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