TC1

It's 34* F, and it broke cleanly right in my hands, after being outside for about forty-five minutes. At least it didn't cost me a bike.

( And yes, before anyone asks, I have heavier-duty locks for other situations -- this one was just for suburban usage. )

veganbikes

That is why I never sell cable locks, they are so easy to get into this one didn't even require any tools it froze to death...poor guy.

For those looking for a light duty lock ABUS Bordo Lite would be my top recommendation as light or potentially lighter than some cables, easy to carry and a lot more secure and resistant to freezing to death!

skidder

If metal cable can snap at 34F that's a pretty poor quality metal alloy the manufacturer used. I'd expect that at below -300F, but none of us would be around if temps regularly got that cold here on Earth!

Mtracer

The cable looks slightly rust colored at the brake. I wonder if water got in there and corroded the metal. Might be the metal cable was pretty well gone and it was the plastic holding it together, until the cold temps made that brittle.

Broken is broken, but I'm thinking it wasn't the metal that failed due to low temp. Anyway, just a thought.

biker128pedal

Question. Are the Trek folding locks made by ABUS? From a glance they look the same. Asking because the Trek store has one discounted.

veganbikes

Yes they are I checked a photo and it does show an ABUS key and ABUS logo on the links however they are using older mounts which use big thick velcro instead of the newer metal bands (which work a real treat, my lock does not move when it is mounted on the bike it stays put through whatever riding I am doing). I don't know about being able to get it keyed-a-like but I cannot imagine that is impossible because it looks like the standard Plus key they use (the lighter duty stuff is going to be wafer keyed or combo locked)

roadcrankr

I own a much thicker cable lock with the same 4-digit combo setup.
Somebody gave it to me, but did not know the combination. His friend used it to lock a motorcycle.
I managed to "pick it" within five minutes. Put my old teen lockpicking skills to work!
It takes less time to hacksaw thru, however. These locks merely slow down thieves.
Mondo chain locks weighing ten pounds fare better, although one usually finds the weakest link in the padlock.

Joe Bikerider

I used to be able to pick those quite easily in my college days. Haven't tried recently. The trick is to wiggle the annular rings back and forth while turning to find the number. If it wiggles freely you are on the number. It was fun to grab a bike off the rack and joyride around campus at night. I always put the bike back but on a different location on the rack. Fun times.

WaveyGravey

Locks are for short term parking. Bike should be where you can see it or get to it quickly.

indyfabz

What if you’re camping while on tour?

TC1

This lock was manufactured -- for reasons unknown to me -- with a slit in the plastic sheathing at that location. It was like that straight out of the package. As a result, there's a little discoloration at that spot, but the cable is far from rusted-through.

What I suspect happened was that the slit in the sheath caused it to flex at the same spot, thousands of times, and eventually the cable strands literally reached their braking point.

It obviously wasn't temperature alone -- this lock has been outside all day in sub-zero Fahrenheit many times -- but a combination of age and a potential manufacturing defect, with a cold day perhaps being the camel's straw.

MoAlpha

Coated wire rope is notorious for corroding under cracks in the coating and then breaking suddenly. This is particularly common and dangerous in marine applications. Not sure, but I think I see rusty discoloration at the break. Inspection of the broken strands for rust can confirm if this was the cause.

phughes

A little JB Weld will fix that right up.

phughes

Sleep with one eye open.

phughes

Not sure? It's very obvious.

veganbikes

gripping your pillow tight?

Pratt

Strange, indeed. Usually, they break at the cochonium lock mechanism.

SpeedyBlueBiker

I use a 5/8" thick 6' cable with a heavy duty padlock. I only use it in my car/SUV which is anchored through one of the seat lock positions when the seat is tilted forward. Bike lays flat but I cover it with two blankets so that no one can see what is there through the heavily tinted windows and tono cover.

indyfabz

Naw. I sleep soundly with both eyes shut...unless something like a pesky owl with bolt cutters or an angle grinder wakes me.

phughes

Me too. Oh, and also that snuffling grunting noise, as something brushes against me from under my hammock.

Sy Reene

Any way to use one of these by itself to lock frame, plus both QR wheels to a fixed rack or post? I'm thinking you'd still need something like this to secure the other wheel.

Sy Reene

It seems a bit deceptive, doesn't it, to sell these as Bontrager brand items

phughes

Sure. I use one all the time with a U-lock.

epnnf

OP, have you tried to break any other part of the cable, just to see what would happen? I, for one, am curious.

Smaug1

Well, even steel can only be bent back and forth so many times.
As for the sheathing, if it's old enough and/or has been in the sun a lot, the elastomers will bake out of the plastic and it gets brittle. That's just the nature of plastics.