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.
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National Grid Renewables has broken ground on its 100 MW Apple River Solar Project in Polk County, Wisconsin.
The Wisconsin solar farm, which will use US-made First Solar Series 6 Plus bifacial modules, will be constructed by The Boldt Company, creating 150 construction and service jobs. Apple River Solar will generate over $36 million in direct economic benefits over its first 20 years.
Once it comes online in late 2025, Apple River Solar will supply clean energy to Xcel Energy, which serves customers throughout the Upper Midwest. According to National Grid Renewables, the solar farm will generate enough energy to power around 26,000 homes annually. It will also offset about 129,900 metric tons of carbon dioxide emissions each year – equivalent to taking 30,900 cars off the road.
“We are excited to see this project begin as it underscores our dedication to delivering clean, reliable and affordable energy to our customers,” said Karl Hoesly, President, Xcel Energy-Wisconsin and Michigan. “This project is an important step in those goals while bringing significant economic benefits to Polk County and the local townships.”
Electrek reported in February that Xcel Energy, Minnesota’s largest utility, expects to cut more than 80% – and possibly up to 88% – of its emissions by 2030, putting it on track to hit Minnesota’s goal of net zero by 2040. It also says it’s on track to achieve its clean energy goals for all the Upper Midwest states it serves – Minnesota, Wisconsin, North Dakota, South Dakota, and Michigan.
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Tesla has announced that it will finally deliver 500 kW charging as it is about to install its long-awaited V4 Supercharger cabinets.
The rollout of Supercharger V4 has been a strange one, to say the least.
Tesla has been deploying the new charging stations for two years and calling them “Supercharger V4”, but it has only been deploying the charging stalls.
Supercharger stations are made of two main parts: the stalls, which are where the charging cable is located, and the cabinets, which are generally located further back and include all the power electronics.
For all these new “Supercharger V4”, Tesla was actually using Supercharger V3 cabinets. This has been limiting the power output of the charging stations to 250 kW – although
Today, Tesla officially announced its “V4 Cabinet”, which the automaker claims will enable of “delivering up to 500kW for cars and 1.2MW for Semi.”
Here are the main features of the V4 Cabinet as per Tesla:
- Faster charging: Supports 400V-1000V vehicle architectures, including 30% faster charging for Cybertruck. S3XY vehicles enjoy 250kW charge rates they already experience on V3 Cabinet — charging up to 200 miles in 15 minutes.
- Faster deployments: V4 Cabinet powers 8 posts, 2X the stalls per cabinet. Lower footprint and complexity = more sites coming online faster.
- Next-generation hardware: Cutting-edge power electronics designed to be the most reliable on the planet, with 3X power density enabling higher throughput with lower costs.
Tesla reports that its first sites with the new V4 Cabinets are going into permitting now. The company expects its first sites to open next year.
We recently reported about Tesla’s new Oasis Supercharger project, which includes larger solar arrays and battery packs to operate the charging station mostly off-grid.
Early in the deployment of the Supercharger network, Tesla promised to add solar arrays and batteries to all Supercharger stations, and Musk even said that most stations would be able to operate off-grid.
While Tesla did add solar and batteries to a few stations, the vast majority of them don’t have their own power system or have only minimal solar canopies.
Back in 2016, I asked Musk about this, and he said that it would now happen as Tesla had the “pieces now in place” with Supercharger V3, Powerpack V2, and SolarCity:
It took about 8 years, but it sounds like the pieces are now getting actually in place with Supercharger V4, Megapacks, and this new Oasis project.
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Hyundai has a new secret weapon it’s about ready to unleash. To revamp the brand in China and counter BYD’s surge, Hyundai is launching a new AI-powered EV next year. The new model will be Hyundai’s first dedicated electric car for the world’s largest EV market.
With the help of Haomo, a Chinese autonomous startup, Hyundai will launch its first EV equipped with generative AI. It will also be its first model designed specifically for China.
A Hyundai Motor official said (via The Korea Herald) the company is “working to load the software” onto the new EV model, “which will be released in the Chinese market next year.” The spokesperson added, “The level of autonomous driving is somewhere between 2 and 2.5.”
In comparison, Tesla’s Autopilot is considered a level 2 advanced driver assistance system (ADAS) on the SAE scale (0 to 5), meaning it offers limited hands-free features.
With Autopilot, you still have to keep your eyes on the road and hands on the steering wheel, or the system will notify you and eventually disengage.
Haomo’s system, DriveGPT, unveiled last spring, takes inspiration from the OpenAI’s popular ChatGPT.
The system can continuously update in real-time to optimize decision-making by absorbing traffic data patterns. According to Haomo, DriveGPT is used in around 20 models as it looks to play a bigger role in China.
Hyundai hopes new AI-powered EV boosts sales in China
Electric vehicle sales continue surging in China. According to Rho Motion, China set another EV sales record last month with 1.2 million units sold, up 50% from October 2023.
Over 8.4 million EVs were sold in China in the first ten months of 2024, a notable 38% increase from last year.
BYD continues to dominate its home market. According to Autovista24, BYD accounted for 32.9% of all PHEV and EV (NEV) sales in China through September, with over half of the top 20 best-selling EV models.
Tesla was second with a 6.5% share of the market, but keep in mind these numbers only include plug-in models (PHEV).
Like most foreign automakers, Hyundai is struggling to keep up with the influx of low-cost electric models in China. Beijing Hyundai’s sales have been slipping since 2017. Through September, Korean automaker’s share of the Chinese market fell to just 1.2%.
Last month, Hyundai opened its first overseas digital R&D center in China to help kick off its return to the region.
According to local reports, Hyundai is partnering with other local tech companies like Thundersoft, a smart cockpit provider, and others in China to power up its next-gen EVs
With its first AI-powered EV launching next year, Hyundai hopes to turn things around in the region quickly. The new model will be one of five to launch in China through 2026.
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