Chances are if someone has ever had or is thinking about buying a bike lock they would have come across the names Abus. The reason for that is dependable, solid German engineering and security – albeit with a slight premium compared to the competition. The Granit XPlus 540 is near the top of the range of their U/D locks, only being exceeded in price by the weight optimised 640.
In short if you have the cash to spend and you’re looking for a U/D lock then this Abus lock should be on your list to look at – the lock has won multiple accolades and awards including Sold Secure’s Gold accreditation.
The shackle of the Granit 540 is made from 13mm hardened steel which connects to a hefty steel body with a plastic case. Don’t let the plastic case put you off – we’re not sure why bike locks need cosmetic adornments, but after smashing it off with our favourite hammer we were greeted with a very sturdy hunk of steel. Try as we might with the bolt cutters and hammer, we failed to do much else than scuff the shackle and lock mechanism. Nor could we manage to pick the cylinder mechanism after 10 minutes of trying. Impressive!
Apart from the price the other drawback of this kind of security is the weight of the lock – you’re looking at nearly 1.5kgs for this one, and heavier still if you opt for the model with a longer shackle. That will definitely be noticeable in a bag or attached to the frame, but if you’re serious about keeping your wheels safe then the Granit XPlus 540 is an easy recommendation to make.
The final nice touch is that one of the two supplied keys is “lighted” – a LED built into the casing so you can easily find it in the dark.
Specifications In Short
- Colour: Black Steel / Grey Plastic Casing
- Size: 13mm * 230mm
- Weight: 1.45kg
- Material: Tempered steel shackle, steel plate body with plastic cover
- Mechanism: Key cylinder
- Other: Lighted key
Overall Rating
5/5
- Pros: About as indestructible as D/U locks come without getting the power tools out
- Cons: Expensive, Heavy