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I've recently bought a smart lock for my bike that can be mounted directly on the frame. Problem is that my frame has no hole for screwing it on the frame. So I improvised with with 3 zip ties on each side. Question: will it hold or should I remove it and use some other system? It's been a week so far and it held quite well.

Thoughts?

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Here's an image of the lock being used. As you can see the 3 holes where the zip ties are going into to then tie against the frame:

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  • I am curious as to how the lock is expected to be attached. Few bikes would have screw holes in the area where they would be needed.
    – Daniel R Hicks
    Commented Sep 8, 2020 at 21:58
  • @DanielRHicks here's an example youtube.com/watch?v=Otf9RVsm9CE
    – Luca Matteis
    Commented Sep 8, 2020 at 22:01
  • I've never seen a bike with holes where they are shown in the video.
    – Daniel R Hicks
    Commented Sep 8, 2020 at 22:06
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    @Criggie - The V brake mounts are much lower. There are some brake styles that mount higher, but not that high.
    – Daniel R Hicks
    Commented Sep 9, 2020 at 0:09
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    @Criggie These locks are typical for Dutch bikes or North German and Danish bikes. Although you may not be able to secure them to objects they are quite effective in preventing theft, in case you've ever tried shouldering an carrying one of these pieces of metal. And since the bikes are mostly used in car-free inner city zones you may not even be able to load them into a van.
    – Carel
    Commented Sep 9, 2020 at 7:28

3 Answers 3

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Zip ties don't last forever, so you'll need to keep an eye on them and replace them periodically. P-clips would probably work.

Behold, a P-clip

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  • Interesting but P-clips seem to hang on the side of the frame, whereas the smart-lock's holes are positioned exactly where the frame is. Would that still work?
    – Luca Matteis
    Commented Sep 8, 2020 at 21:26
  • I understand. I did not have a clear picture of how the mounting slots lined up with the seatstays. If they directly overlap, I don't think P-clips will work. I don't know what to suggest instead.
    – Adam Rice
    Commented Sep 8, 2020 at 21:40
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    Two P-Clips, one each side, and a metal brace between them might be better. (have a look at Carinya Make-A-Bracket) carinya.co.nz/make-a-bracket
    – mattnz
    Commented Sep 9, 2020 at 3:04
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On one bike, no longer in my possesion, I attached such a lock with hooks that had bolds on the other end. I used normal nuts to fix the lock to those hooks.

As it was about 30 years ago, I do not remember how and where I got hold of those hooks. I do remember that I used tape, around the frame on that point, to protect the paint and to make for a better fit.

If you feel the cable ties work for you, keep using them. You will likely not lose the lock unless all 6 fail at the same time. When the lock starts to rattle it is time to check and likely replace the ties. If you re-do all of them, you may want to tape your frame to protect it against the rub of your lock.

For longer locking, add a second lock with which you can fix your bike to a sturdy object. Your lock likely is made to add a cable and you enter it in the top of the side that is opposite of the key, not to be seen in your photo. Those come in several lengths and the longer ones seem useful. I use a separate cable lock and a friend a D lock instead.

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Zip ties should be fine, especially since you’ve used 3 strong ones on each side. I would have wrapped some rubber or tape around the frame to protect it from scratches and to reduce the chance of small vibrations or movement.

As others have pointed out in the comments, keep in mind that such a lock adds a minimal amount of security. Personally I’d rather carry a solid ~700g U lock when I need it instead of this permanently attached 500g frame lock.

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    I disagree with you. This kind of lock is very useful as one for a short time where most bikes are locked the same way (as in the Netherlands and other European countries) and it has the advantage of always being on the bike and ready to use. And when you lock with two locks, this is an easy one for the first action. Besides, if you use this kind of lock where it is not common, most thieves will not be used to it and avoid your bike for an other where they know the locks and how to open them.
    – Willeke ♦
    Commented Sep 12, 2020 at 18:32

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