Another Danneaux'mad update, lock edition this time 'round...
I was been pleased with my AXA Defender on Sherpa and moved it to the Nomad. Unfortunately, the Nomad's 19mm seatstays are really too large in diameter *and* spaced too far apart for any ready mounting solution to work with the AXA Defender, though I surely tried at some expense and effort. The AXA Defender now lives happily on one of my rando bikes made with standard diameter road bike tubing and 700x32C tires.
I looked at other ring-locks including the ABUS Amparo 4150 I have seen fitted to some Nomads, but I found it did not mount securely enough for me...the shackle is spring-loaded and caused it to "clock" around the chainstays when cocked or released. I think the Abus Amparo is a good lock, but its success depends in part on frame size and the seatstays on my Nomad are too wide apart where it would need to mount.
The solution for me came with Trelock's recent release of the RS 450 Protect-O-Connect Balloon edition ring lock, mounted on inverted Trelock ZR 20 Vario mounts. It fit my size 590M Nomad Mk2 to within 0.1mm -- spot-on, but only if I reversed the mounts top for bottom to pick up that wee bit of needed extra width.
The lock fits tightly and securely on the bike and has not moved or "clocked" around the stays at all in the last 6 months I've owned it. It clears the mudguards nicely and there is 14mm minimum clearance at the sidewalls of my fully inflated 2.0 Schwalbe Dureme tires. This will allow for much more mud clearance than the old AXA Defender. Wheel changes are a snap and mud clearance has not been a problem to date.
I again chose the key-retaining version so the key stays in the lock when it is unlocked. This means I won't forget it at home and the keyway is plugged against mud or dirt. I use a spiral wrap to hold the key to my wrist when off the bike. A little plastic clip also lets me snap it to a zipper pull or belt loop for extra security. It doesn't rattle in the lock while underway. I may shave the handle part of the key, as my baggy rain pants brush it lightly while pedaling.
Used alone, the ring-lock alone is not good security except for preventing snatch-grab or rideaway thefts -- the bike can still be carried away. For this reason, I also have three plug-in options:
a) Trelock's ZR 310 180cm x 10mm OD cable for securing the bike to a tree when I am riding in the backcountry, where I am unlikely to encounter people. This is the lightest but least secure option and allows me to secure the bike while using a primitive toilet or at a trailhead while I explore on foot. It stores on a Trelock mount atop my rear rack.
Weight: 430g/15.2oz
b) Trelock's ZR 355 Protect-O-Connect 150cm x 6.0mm diamater hardened chain with cover and storage bag. This is the one I am most likely to take touring, as it is a good compromise between lightweight, convenience, and security. It stores in my panniers inside a sturdy Cordura nylon bag. The bag also has velcro to attach it to a rear rack.
Weight: 1.63kg/57.4oz/3.58lb including carry bag.
c) Trelock's ZR 455 Protect-O-Connect 140cm x 8.5mm diameter hardened chain with cover and storage bag. I use it for securing the bike at home. it weighs a ton, but that doesn't matter as I rarely ride with it.
Weight: 3.0kg/106oz/6.62lb including carry bag.
Sorry, I did not weigh the lock and mounts before installation. Published weight for the lock alone is ~650g/23oz/1.4lb.
All three plug-ins use a 10mm plug that is secured when the ring-lock's hasp is thrown shut. Each is long enough to secure the front wheel *and* secure the bicycle to a fixed object even with loaded panniers. Each will also secure the anti-snatch cables on my Ortlieb panniers. The ring-lock's hasp secures a small-diameter cable run through the D-rings on my Ortlieb underseat bag and my saddle rails (thus also securing the Thudbuster LT suspension seatpost it sits on).
Why the ring-lock?
1) Where I live, snatch-grab thefts are a growing problem. I nearly lost the Nomad when I stopped at a bench to remove my 3/4 tights. With the ring-lock, I can quickly disable the rear wheel from rolling, making the bike unridable. This is also helpful when the bike must be left in the larger interior of a public restroom while I am using a stall.
2) Ring-locks with plug-ins effectively give me two locks for the price of one. If the plug-in is cut, I still have the wheel secured. If the wheel hasp is cut, the plug-in remains attached and secure.
3) The ring-lock secures the rear wheel nicely. It is really difficult for bolt cutter jaws to reach into the limited space where the hasp resides under the rim.
4) The ring-lock hasp provides a point to secure another cable or small chain,so I effectively have three locks for one key, not just two.
5) If I have to carry a lock anyway, the ring-lock and a plug-in are lighter than a heavy U-lock and cable or chain and the plug-ins allow me to tailor my options to the tour.
6) It is sometimes difficult to use a U-lock to properly secure a loaded touring bike. My panniers block most of my seatstays and make it difficult to use the "Sheldon Brown locking method" to secure the rear wheel to a post. I can thread the lock through a chainstay, but then it is oriented wrong. This means I still must depend on a cable or chain to secure the bike to a post, and sometimes it can be challenge to also capture the front wheel and my pannier anti-theft tethers.
I don't think a ring-lock even with a heavy-duty plug-in chain is as secure as a properly employed U-lock whose open space is filled in part by the detached front wheel. However, I think this is a better solution for me in general touring use where I need to accommodate and at least partially secure a full touring load when traveling solo.
Best,
Dan.
