Several styles of bike locks are available, including chain locks, folding locks, and perhaps the most commonly used, the U or D-lock.
Regardless of the design, all of the best bike locks share a common goal - to keep your bike safe from thieves. And while it’s hard to find any lock that’s a match for an angle grinder, there are varying degrees of protection available to you, typically indicated by the lock’s Sold Secure security rating.
Some bike locks come equipped with an alarm for extra security. Abus, a company that has been producing bike locks since 1958, has chosen this approach for its 440 Alarm model.
Construction
Both the shackle and body of the Abus 440 Alarm U-Lock are made from hardened steel. The steel is heated and then plunged into a cold liquid before heating again, ultimately hardening its grain structure.
The benefit of a U-Lock, or as we often refer to them in the UK as D-Locks, is that the simplicity of their solid structure and no moving parts other than the locking mechanism makes them very difficult to penetrate and gives them pretty good theft resistance properties alone.
It is still well worth getting specific bike insurance, though, as no lock is ultimately unbreakable. This way, should the worst happen, you will at least be covered
The brand claims that the duel locking mechanism on the Abus 440 Alarm is a very high-quality barrel that is incredibly difficult to pick up. As a user of the 440, I can assure you that you would have to be pretty brazen to even attempt it.
In use
I've used a couple of opportunist-deterrent bike alarm locks before and found that they generally make my bike look slightly more difficult to grab and run off with. However, I would never feel happy about leaving it for any length of time, e.g., at a train station or outside work.
While I can't profess to have tested the ability to hacksaw, lop, or angle-grind through the shackle, or indeed pick the lock with a hair grip or a nail file, I can say that even lifting the set Sold Secure level 8 (silver standard) bike lock off a desk at 5 am will make it emit an ear-splitting bleep that's enough to wake an entire household.
It's what Abus calls its '3D position detection' system, which detects vibrations and the smallest of movements to trigger the alarm to trill at 100db. Technically, this is around the noise level of a hand drill or French horn, or as I like to call it at 5 am "Aaaaahhhhhhhhh, what the ah?" followed by several profanities level.
There is a locking setting that allows you to use the Abus 440 Alarm U-Lock without setting the alarm. This makes it much easier for transportation when the lock isn't in use.
Regarding transportation, it's this aspect of the lock where you must make compromises. Something so robust and strong is, of course, going to be heavy and somewhat cumbersome. Weighing 1400g there's no denying the Abus 440 Alarm will add to your bike's weight. Even with the easy-to-use bike mounting system, it's not exactly a lock you're going to want to take on a long club run or a ride of any real duration.
There's also the issue with product placement. Having been all over my size small road bike, the only fit was under the top tube, which meant sacrificing my standard water bottle location. I could just about squeeze a bottle in, too, and a bigger frame would likely accommodate a better mounting location. A smaller shackled lock would certainly be a better fit on the bike and would reduce the lock's overall weight, but measuring 23cm means there's enough length to get the lock around a sturdy pole and your top tube. If keeping my bike mine was my priority, I'd happily accept the weight and bottle compromises.
Value and conclusion
This is much more than an 'opportunist anti-theft lock' option. If you are looking for that, you can't go wrong with the Abus 440 Alarm. The only real downside is the battery choice. A rechargeable option would be appealing, but I suspect this would weaken the design. Albus has selected the lesser-known CR2 batteries, so getting a set in early doors as a backup is worth it.
The Sold Secure level 8 (Silver standard) Abus 440 Alarm U-Lock is a fantastic bike theft deterrent. It has a solid shackle and a high-level dual locking mechanism. Its weight and size make it unsuitable for long rides, but if your main concern is leaving your bike unattended, it's one of the best on the market.
