Non-bike bike gear tested: Foldylock Forever is the most secure folding lock, period.
As someone who lives life on two-wheels, testing bike gear isn’t just a fun hobby – it’s part of my daily life. E-bikes are how I get around and the gear I use with them helps me avoid needing to use a car. And so when I find something new that I incorporate into my everyday kit, that means that it has proven itself as both effective and worth it in the long haul. The latest lock that I trust to use on my own electric bikes is the Foldylock Forever from Seatylock.
Locks for e-bikes can be a touchy subject. We’re talking about expensive transportation machines, and everyone seems to think they know the best lock that is better than anyone else’s. Then, someone inevitably will tell you why that one pales in comparison. Someone will eventually mention Lockpicking Lawyer and say you’re all wasting your time. Basically, there’s little consensus.
But as someone who both rides e-bikes as a daily form of transportation and also has a mechanical engineering degree tucked away in his back pocket for occasional use, hopefully I can shed a little more light on the subject.
I’ve been testing the FoldyLock Forever for several months now, and compared to the literally dozens of e-bike locks I’ve tested, this has become my new favorite model. It’s not cheap – I’ll tell you that immediately. At $125 on Amazon, this sucker is expensive. But good quality isn’t cheap, and if I could go back and spend that $125 before my $3,000 e-bike was stolen last year, I’d do it in a heartbeat.
There are a few reasons I’ve fallen in love with the Foldylock Forever. First of all, folding locks are much more convenient than chains because they provide high-security in a much more manageable package. I still recommend using more than one lock of different styles at the same time, but now the Foldylock Forever is definitely the first lock I grab.
The lock folds up to fit in your hand or and can be securely mounted in a smaller area of your bike with the included holster, yet it still gives you the adaptability of a chain to lock around or through weird-shaped objects like trees, quirky bike racks, etc. Compared to high-security chain locks that can weigh 11-15 lb (4.9-6.8 kg), the Foldylock Forever weighs just 3.9 lb (1.8 kg). There are simply fewer links that need to be beefed up to reach that level of security compared to a chain lock.
The holster is ultra-convenient to use because there are no additional straps or fasteners – the molded shape securely holds the lock without rattling and you simply slide it out when you’re ready to use it.
Folding locks are also largely impervious to leverage attacks (like when thieves put a car jack in a U-lock). Cheaper folding locks can still be vulnerable to bolt cutters or nut splitters, but the Foldylock is hardened against both attacks. The hardened steel links defeat bolt cutters and use high-security rivets with such high precision that you can’t get a nut splitter in there.
When Foldylock claims that this is the most secure folding lock in the world, that isn’t marketing speak or hyperbole. It’s been tested and certified as such. It not only gets their own highest security rating, but it is Gold-Certified by Sold Secure, an independent, UK-based non-profit organization that tests and certifies locks based on how hard it is for them to be defeated by various attacks.
It’s not the only folding lock to reach this high level of certification from Sold Secure, but the lock is currently undergoing testing from other international lock-certification agencies that have never been achieved by folding locks.
Compared to other folding locks on the market, many of which I’ve tested, the Foldylock Forever is also much quieter and easier to use. Others have more play in their joints and a jingle-jangle sound similar to chains. Many have a limited 90-degree swing at the locking point, meaning it can’t really open all the way like a straight link. But the Foldylock Forever’s extremely high tolerances mean there’s no noise and the locking point can spin all the way around, effectively making it into a full circle (or rather, hexagon) that doesn’t limit your ability to lock around weird-shaped objects.
You don’t have to take my word for it – just look at the reviews. On Amazon, it has a 4.6 out of 5 rating, which is basically unheard of in the lock category. Part of that is because locks just aren’t a sexy product. When they work well, people don’t think about it. But when they don’t work well, people run to Amazon to complain about it in a bad review. That means keeping review numbers high on products like these is a feat in and of itself.
I won’t spend too long on this last issue, but just to address the “what about thieves that pick the lock?” argument that inevitably comes up from pedants, that’s basically a red herring. Most bike thieves, even the professionals, come prepared to break a lock, not pick it. And if someone truly is skilled enough to pick these types of cylinders (think “Lockingpick Lawyer” level professional), then the bike is already theirs. A good lockpicker is the same thing as having the key. There’s nothing you can do about it. Sure, the cylinder on the Foldylock Forever has higher security than a cheap bike lock. But nothing stops a truly professional lock picker because they effectively have a key to everything.
I’ve tested a lot of locks, but I’ve never found one that is as secure, lightweight, and convenient all at the same time. It’s not cheap at $125, but for an electric bike that is also not cheap to replace, investing in a solid lock is critical, in my opinion. I’ve been using the Foldylock Forever on my own bike and my wife’s bike, meaning I trust my family’s gear to it.
FTC: We use income earning auto affiliate links. More.
Mitsubishi is partnering with Ample and Yamoto Transports to deploy an innovative new battery swap network for electric cars in its Japanese home market — but it’s not just for electric cars. Mitsubishi Fuso commercial trucks are getting in on the action, too!
Despite a number of early EV adopters with an overdeveloped concept of ownership, battery swap technology has proven to be both extremely effective and extremely positive to the overall EV ownership experience. And when you see how simple it is to add hundreds of miles of driving in just 100 seconds — quicker, in many cases, than pumping a tank of liquid fuel into an ICE-powered car — you might come around, yourself.
That seems to be what Mitsubishi thinks, anyway, and they’re hoping they’ll be your go-to choice when it’s time to electrify your regional and last-mile commercial delivery fleet(s) by launching a multi-year pilot program to deploy more than 150 battery-swappable commercial electric vehicles and 14 modular battery swapping stations across Tokyo, where the company plans to showcase its “five minute charging” tech in full view of hundreds of commercial fleets and, crucially, the executives of the companies that own and manage them.
A truck like the Mitsubishi eCanter typically requires a full night of AC charging to top off its batteries, and at least an hour or two on DC charging in Japan, according to Fuso. This joint pilot by Mitsubishi, Mitsubishi Fuso Trucks, and Ample aims to circumvent this issue of forced downtime with its swappable batteries, supporting vehicle uptime by delivering a full charge within minutes. The move is meant to encourage the transport industry’s EV shift while creating a depository of stored energy that can be deployed to the grid in the event of a natural disaster — something Mitsubishi in Japan has been working on for years.
Trucks like the eCanter already serve a number of roles throughout the global truck market, including municipal waste collection, regional delivery support, and more.
The pilot is backed by Tokyo Metropolitan Government’s “Technology Development Support Project for Promoting New Energy,” with local delivery operator Yamato Transport testing swappable EVs for delivery operations on both its eCanter light-duty trucks and Mitsubishi Minicab kei-class electric vans.
Electrek’s Take
Electrifying the commercial truck fleet is a key part of decarbonizing city truck fleets – not just here in the US, but around the world. I called the eCanter, “a great product for moving stuff around densely packed city streets,” and eliminating the corporate fear of EV charging in the wild just makes it an even better product for that purpose.
Here’s hoping we see more “right size” electric solutions like this one (and more battery swapping tech) in small towns and tight urban environments stateside somewhat sooner than later.
SOURCES | IMAGES: Mitsubishi, Fuso.
Your personalized solar quotes are easy to compare online and you’ll get access to unbiased Energy Advisors to help you every step of the way. The best part? No one will call you until after you’ve elected to move forward. Get started, hassle-free, by clicking here.
FTC: We use income earning auto affiliate links. More.
After becoming the first European brand to offer fully electric versions of every model it sells — and at the same price as the ICE models — Opel is going even further, with a new, AWD electric SUV that should give American Jeep fans hope for a new electric Cherokee!
Now part of the Stellantis, rather than GM portfolio of brands, Rüsselsheim-based Opel showed off the first official pictures of its new Opel Grandland Electric AWD — the company’s first all-electric SUV to feature the “Blitz” performance emblem and all-wheel drive.
“Our top-of-the-range Grandland SUV is a milestone for Opel,” says Opel CEO Florian Huettl. “Customers already have a choice of battery-electric drive, plug-in hybrid and hybrid with 48-volt technology. We are now offering even more choice with the Grandland Electric AWD and thus ensuring that our customers can enjoy maximum efficiency and safety in diverse weather and road conditions, combined with plenty of driving fun.”
Stellantis gets it right in Europe
Opel says its new, AWD Grandland is its most aerodynamically efficient model yet, with a drag coefficient (Cd) of just 0.278. That efficiency, paired with similarly efficient electric motors and a 73 kWh li-ion NMC battery give the electric crossover a 501 km (311 mile) WLTP range, while a combined 325 hp and 375 lb-ft of torque should make for suitably spirited acceleration to go along with all that green cred.
Suspension and handling, too, are promised to deliver on what Opel claims is a “typical” Teutonic driving experience in the Grandland AWD:
Both driving pleasure and comfort are further emphasized by dampers with frequency selective damping technology. This unique technology comes as standard on the Grandland Electric AWD and incorporates a second hydraulic circuit in the damper chamber to mechanically adapt the damping force in relation to the frequency. Depending on the situation, road surface conditions and driving style, it enables different damping characteristics for comfortable gliding at high frequencies – i.e. with short impacts such as on cobblestones or a manhole cover – as well as for a sporty, ambitious driving style with more direct contact with the road at low frequencies. The Grandland reacts even more immediately and directly to any command from the driver and, as is typical for Opel, remains stable when braking, cornering and at high speeds on the Autobahn.
OPEL PRESS RELEASE
The Opel Grandland Electric AWD ships with four standard drive modes that include “normal,” eco, sport, and 4WD mode, which simulates locking axles and true 4×4 off-road performance. The ESP and traction control systems adopt specific settings to enhance grip in 4WD mode as well, and maximum power and torque are instantly available.
Electrek’s Take
As you maybe could tell by now, feeding European Stellantis EVs into an AI image generator and asking it to “make them into Jeeps” is one of my new favorite things to do. This new Opel is no different, and the resulting image (above) paired with the models’ stated specs give me hope that the next wave of Jeep EVs will do better than the Wagoneer S at attracting buyers. All they really need, I think, is the right name — and the right price, to be winners.
SOURCE | IMAGES: Opel.
Your personalized solar quotes are easy to compare online and you’ll get access to unbiased Energy Advisors to help you every step of the way. The best part? No one will call you until after you’ve elected to move forward. Get started, hassle-free, by clicking here.
FTC: We use income earning auto affiliate links. More.
Like a 90s “gifted” kid that was supposed to be a lot of things, the electric Jeep Wagoneer S never really found its place — but with dealers discounting the Jeep brands forward-looking flagship by nearly $25,000, it might be time to give the go-fast Wagoneer S a second look.
SKIP THE STORY: get straight to the deals.
Whether we’re talking about Mercedes-Benz, Cerberus, Fiat, or even Enzo Ferrari, outsiders have labeled Jeep as a potentially premium brand that could, “if managed properly,” command luxury-level prices all over the globe. That hasn’t happened, and Stellantis is just the latest in a long line of companies to sink massive capital into the brand only to realize that people will not, in fact, spend Mercedes money on a Jeep.
That said, the Jeep Wagoneer S is not a bad car (and neither is its totally different, hideously massive, ICE-powered Wagoneer sibling, frankly). Built on the same Stellantis STLA Large vehicle platform that underpins the sporty Charger Daytona EVs, the confusingly-named Wagoneer S packs dual electric motors putting out almost 600 hp. That’s good enough to scoot the ‘ute 0 to 60 mph in a stomach-turning 3.5 seconds and enough, on paper, to convince Stellantis executives that they had developed a real, market-ready alternative to the Tesla Model Y.
With the wrong name and a sky-high starting price of $66,995 (not including the $1,795 destination fee), however, that demand didn’t materialize, leaving the Wagoneer S languishing on dealer lots across the country.
That could be about to change, however, thanks to big discounts on Wagoneer S being reported at CDJR dealers in several states, according to our friends at the Car Dealership Guy podcast.
- Jimmy Britt Chrysler Dodge Jeep Ram in Georgia, has a Wagoneer S with an MSRP of $67,590 listed at $43,104 ($24,486 off)
- In Florida, Taverna Chrysler Dodge Jeep Ram Fiat has a $67,590 Wagoneer S slashed to $43,138 ($24,452 off)
- Chris Nikel Chrysler Jeep Dodge Ram Fiat in Oklahoma has a Wagoneer S listed for $43,425 ($24,165 off)
“Stellantis bet big on electric versions of iconic American brands like Jeep and Dodge, but consumers aren’t buying the premise,” writes CDG’s Marcus Amick. “(Stellantis’ dealer body) is now stuck with expensive EVs that need huge discounts to move, eating into already thin margins while competitors focus on [more] profitable gas-powered vehicles.”
All of which is to say: if you’ve found yourself drawn to the Jeep Wagoneer S, but couldn’t quite stomach the $70,000+ window stickers, you might want to check in with your local Jeep dealer and see how you feel about it at a JCPenneys-like 30% off!
Jeep Wagoneer S gallery
SOURCES | IMAGES: Car Dealership Guy, CarScoops, and CarsDirect.
Your personalized solar quotes are easy to compare online and you’ll get access to unbiased Energy Advisors to help you every step of the way. The best part? No one will call you until after you’ve elected to move forward. Get started, hassle-free, by clicking here.
FTC: We use income earning auto affiliate links. More.
-
Sports3 years ago‘Storybook stuff’: Inside the night Bryce Harper sent the Phillies to the World Series
-
Sports1 year agoStory injured on diving stop, exits Red Sox game
-
Sports2 years agoGame 1 of WS least-watched in recorded history
-
Sports2 years agoMLB Rank 2023: Ranking baseball’s top 100 players
-
Sports4 years ago
Team Europe easily wins 4th straight Laver Cup
-
Environment2 years agoJapan and South Korea have a lot at stake in a free and open South China Sea
-
Environment2 years agoGame-changing Lectric XPedition launched as affordable electric cargo bike
-
Sports2 years agoButton battles heat exhaustion in NASCAR debut