We already reviewed the textile bike locks from Texlock several times here. Their woven surface not only gives them a great look and feel, but also prevents rattling while riding and protects the paintwork on the bike frame. With its Goose Lock 6206K, Abus is now also offering a bicycle lock with similar features at a more favourable price. In our test, we want to find out whether the lock is suitable as an inexpensive alternative to Texlock’s products.

From the very first time you take your hands on the Goose Lock 6206K, it becomes clear that this bike lock differs from conventional bicycle locks: the thick coating ensures that the lock remains stable in its shape — but you can still easily bend it with your hands. It therefore offers the flexibility of a chain lock, but can still be firmly attached to the frame for transport.

The fact that the lock does not rattle is thanks to a soft foam cover with a plastic fibre coating. This works very well in everyday use, and the padded surface prevents scratches on the frame. However, this also makes the Goose Lock somewhat unwieldy to handle: the 40 mm diameter means that the lock is very thick and cannot be wrapped tightly around the bike frame. As a result, the lock looks more like a thick tube that wraps around the frame.

However, the Goose Lock fulfils its actual function as a lock with ease: the key is quick and easy to insert, after which the lock is just as straightforward to open. A practical feature: the key does not need to be inserted to lock the lock. With a security level of 7, the Goose Lock ranks in the middle of Abus’ own security scale. Thanks to a 6 mm thick chain on the inside, it should guarantee good protection with a medium security risk and weighs around 1,100 grams.

Conclusion

The Abus Goose Lock 6206K is an interesting alternative to conventional bike locks and is available in attractive colours. The fact that the flexible lock can be moulded into a stable shape actually ensures rattle-free fastening while riding. However, the thickness of the Goose Lock makes it too bulky to wrap tightly around the frame or seat post. The surface of the lock also looks more like plastic and shows the difference to the textile lock from Texlock: this can be wrapped much tighter, is slimmer, more flexible and more elegant — and looks much higher quality in all respects.

Overall, the Goose Lock 6206K is nevertheless a very attractive bicycle lock, which also scores points with its favourable price of around 60 euros. In addition to the 110 cm long version tested here in the colour mint, the lock is also available in antique pink, blue and black. The lock is also available in a version with a length of just 85 cm.

If you are interested in a higher quality lock from Texlock, the tex-lock Orbit model is the perfect counterpart to the Goose Lock. With the code ‘neonbikenews10’ you can even get a 10% discount via this link.