Are you ready to meet the Rolls Royce of bike locks? Abus has one to show you — the Bordo Centium. With clever packaging, secure bike mounting and a unique folding design, the Bordo Centium delivers quite the premium experience.
Abus Bordo Centium Lock Features:
- 5mm hardened steel bars feature synthetic coating to prevent frame damage
- Stainless steel case with manual cover for the keyhole against dirt and corrosion
- ABUS Plus cylinder for high protection against manipulations
- Easy transport thanks to secure frame mount
- Weight: 1250 grams
- Price: $149.99
Hands down the nicest lock box ever created. Abus nailed the branding on this one.
The Abus Bordo Centium delivers security and style
Abus absolutely nailed the branding and box opening experience with the Abus Bordo Centium Lock. This a bike lock experience unlike any other. Let’s break it down, start to finish:
The Packaging: The Centium has hands down the nicest packaging I’ve ever seen on a bike lock. Yes, the packaging doesn’t affect lock performance but is emblematic of the care they put into designing their products. Wood box treated with stain, recessed cutout, and a leather strap? I thought it might be a bottle of wine!
Two keys plus the replacement card. Larger key features LED light.
Instructions, Keys, and Learning: Continuing to show the care Abus puts into their locks and experience, everything was well packaged together and easy to sort through. First off, you’re given two keys, one of which includes and integrated LED for those late night locking adventures. Included with the key is a handy card with the serial number and replacement instructions. One great feature, if you want multiple locks, you can order them together through Abus and have them all keyed with the same key. Lastly, bike mounting and usage instructions were easy to find, read, and understand.
Slim profile stays out of your way. Mounted on the seat tube.
The Bike Mount: The Bordo Centium has the best bike mount that I’ve ever seen and used. Most mounts are flimsy, rattle, are loose, and pretty much garbage. I think Abus said “how we prevent every single of those flaws?”. First of all, the mount is secure. The mount is metal, lined with a synthetic material and is secured to the bike with a Velcro strap. I was able to cinch the strap down to prevent any play or slippage. The lock itself is held into place with a precision fit metal bracket that is cammed into place with a latch, keeping the lock itself secure. The entire design is slim. I mounted it on the seat tube of my Cross Check and it’s completely out of the way of my legs.
Close up of the latch and mounting hardware.
The Lock: You can really see the high quality workmanship on the lock. It is well put together. Hardened steel bars are connected with special rivets to create a folding loop. Each bar is coated with a synthetic material to prevent scratching the paint on your bike. The locking mechanism is smooth with each key turn and features a cover to keep dirt and debris out of the keyhole. Abus says their Plus cylinder provides a high-level of protection against manipulation. I did a bit of research and it seems to make sense.
Rattle-free mounting.
Locking Your Bike: this is where the rubber meets the road. You bought this lock for one reason, to keep your bike secure. Overall, the Centium does a good job of that. The folding design will take some time to get used to it. If you’ve been using a ulock (I hope you have) then it’s going to take a little more time to get used to. At first locking is awkward. The mechanics of unfolding the lock and figuring out the best way to secure the bike to the rack takes some thought.
Like a ulock you can’t lock the frame and both wheels. I choose to lock the rear wheel and frame to the rack. Here’s where the thought comes in. There isn’t a way to shorten or lengthen the lock. Given the “rigid” nature of the bars and rivets, in a lot of cases it leaves a lot of room for manipulation and various attacks. The prevailing thought is to take up as much space inside the lock as possible to remove the ease of working a lever into the lock or other tools in an attempt to break it. I never figured out a way to take up the excess space within the lock.
Puzzle time: how to fill in as much space as possible?
No lock is impervious and every lock can be broken. The goal is to make your bike look difficult enough for would-be thieves to move on to another bike. Abus does a pretty good job at this. The Centium is stout: large, solid looking bars, the locking mechanism is robust, and the entire this is hardened steel. Abus has their own security rating and rates The Bordo Centium as medium security. The bike industry says to buy a lock that is 10-20% cost of bike. With that said you’d be locking a $750-1,500 bike with this lock. Given the security of this lock, I think that is reasonable.
The Good
- Well thought out design
- Solid construction
- Rattle free mounting
The Bad
- Leaves excess space between the lock and bike
Bottom Line: Abus Bordo Centium Lock
If you’re looking for a well-made, solid lock that has a bit of style, you should throw down for the Abus Bordo Centium Lock. It’s well made, solid, and won’t rattle on your bike!
Buy Now: Pick one up at Moosejaw.com
