Unhandy to use, ugly to look at and rattling annoyingly when not in use — unfortunately, many bicycle locks leave just such a negative impression. However, tex—lock from Leipzig want to prove that this can be done better. With the eyelet, they offer a pretty stylish textile lock, which also differs from the competition due to its special design. Our experience with it can be found here in the review.

Soft shell, hard core

An essential feature of tex—lock locks is the surface made of woven fibers, which give the approximately 25 mm thick rope a pleasantly soft feel. This means that the rope can not only be bent particularly flexibly, but is also gentle on the bike. You don’t have to fear scratches on the paint of the frame due to the tex-lock! For greater security, the rope is also equipped with a steel core inside, which is to increase the resistance in the event of an attempted break open.

In addition to the material, the two-part system is also unusual: the eyelet consists of the aforementioned rope with different sized eyelets at both ends and a compact U-lock. Both parts are available in different sizes: the rope in S, M and L (which corresponds to the lengths 80 cm, 120 cm and 160 cm), the small U-lock or the larger L-lock.

Shown here in the review is the eyelet M with the U-lock in the color electric gray. And especially this electric gray shows the lock pleasantly discreet, neutral in color and thus well suited to many bikes. However, through the two-tone pattern, the woven fibers of the rope are nicely emphasized, which gives the lock a special twist!

A lock with almost endless applications

Thanks to its design, the eyelet offers far more options for securing the bike compared to conventional folding, chain or U-locks. The rope itself can be pulled through the larger eyelet — similar to a lasso. Thanks to this loop-through principle, several components of the bike can be secured at the same time: for example, you can secure the wheel or even the saddle together with the frame and then attach both to a fixed object.

The U-lock U-lock offers an inner diameter of about 5 cm and is suitable thanks to the compact dimensions especially for securing individual components with the frame. In addition, it is pleasantly handy even when not in use and is hardly noticeable — so the whole lock can be wrapped tightly around the seat post for transport, for example. The fact that nothing rattles during the ride is also a merit of the soft textile sheathing. In addition, the eyelets of the rope are rubberized, as is the U-lock bracket. And thanks to a rotatable cover, the lock cylinder can be protected from the weather from the outside, as well as the textile fibers are dirt and water repellent.

The weight of the tested eyelet M with U-lock is 1,430 grams, which is quite a good value considering its length — especially since this combination is sufficient for most everyday applications. If you want to travel a bit lighter, you can save around 300 grams with size S. For long bikes or cargo bikes, however, size L is recommended, which weighs around 200 grams more.

Is the tex-lock bike lock worth it? Our conclusion!

Whether such a lock is worthwhile or not depends primarily on two other factors in addition to the above-mentioned qualities. On the one hand, security: the current 2.0 model is significantly improved compared to its predecessor, especially in terms of saw resistance, and is certified according to ART*2, which is a prerequisite for many bicycle insurance companies; it has also received the Sold Secure Silver rating. Thus, it offers good security, especially considering the moderate weight.

Then there is the price: 129 euros are charged for the eyelet M with U-lock tested here, which is definitely in the upper range for a bicycle lock. In return, you get an extremely flexible lock that is Made in Germany, that is well-made, and that also looks stylish. Above all, however, it is a lock that you simply like to use – a feature that can not be measured in numbers, but definitely has a great value!

Tip: If you are interested in the tex—lock eyelet, you can save five percent in your shopping cart by using the coupon code urbanlock5 via this link.