Just When you Thought Disk Locks Couldn’t Get Smarter, The ABUS GRANIT™ Launches into the North American Market.
Personally, I’ve been looking for a new disk lock after my cheapo $50 amazon lock kicked the can. I had to take an angle grinder to get the thing off – but that’s a story for another day. The ABUS GRANIT™ Detecto 8078 SmartX is a new high-quality option in the smart disk lock market so you can avoid the same as fate I did when improperly selecting a solution for bike security.
ABUS has taken the approach of using your phone rather than a conventional key to handle the security of your bike when on the go or storing for the winter months. When I say this thing is smart, I really mean it. Not only are you using a fully virtual key, but the lock also includes a feature that remembers the last location you locked-up your bike in addition to a screaming 100db movement-activated alarm. The virtual key is also great as you can leave your bike running to warm up with the lock still on, negating the need to have your lock and bike keys separated for this use.
Setup is very simple; It’s a one-time pairing process via Bluetooth to your mobile device. That’s it. The lock is smart enough to sense when you are near the bike, so you won’t even need to pull out your phone to unlock it after the initial setup is complete, providing a truly handsfree experience. I sometimes struggle even turning my bike on with the key when wearing gloves due to where my ignition is located, so this is just one less thing for you fumble around with when scooting through town making frequent stops.
The lock has a 13.5 mm thick bolt that feeds directly through your disk brake as most locks do and the whole device is manufactured from special hardened steel for durable, long-lasting security. It took me almost 20 minutes to grind my way through a cheap amazon disk lock; I’m not entirely sure what “special hardened steel” entails, but I’m hoping it withstands the abuse a thief may be able to inflict more than the cheaper options available.
The lock uses a USB-C port for charging which is a benefit to android users as many of us will be able to use the same cable we charge our phones with to get some more juice into the lock in the event it dies if you forgot to charge it up before running errands or leaving for a trip.
The device retails for $279.99, which isn’t a whole lot considering a new bike can be anywhere from $5k to $25k+. For more information please visit the AUBUS official site.
Brilliant, where is a good place to buy one of these?