Abus Bordo Granit XPlus-6500

Padlock

The Abus Bordo Granit XPlus-6500 is Garry’ choice of padlock for the safekeeping of his bicycle. The folding lock has temper hardened steel bars encased in a soft coating to protect the bike’s paint. The links and body are also made of hardened steel. And the flat bars of the lock makes it almost impossible to cut with bolt croppers! In addition, the links on the lock are protected by the “ABUS Link Protection Shield”, which offers even more protection from the sawing of the links. The cylinder on the lock is the Abus XPlus which offers exceptionally high protection against picking and comes with two keys. One of which has an LED light!

Bike with padlock
The Abus padlock around Garry’s bike

The Abus Bordo Granit XPlus-6500 also comes with a handy bracket. Which can be attached to the bike with bolts in place of a water bottle. Or mounted to any of the bars of the frame, using the supplied straps, which was Garry’s choice. Especially as Garry tends to need all the water he can carry!

Bicycle and water bottles
TheAbus Bordo Granit XPlus-6500 fitted to Garry’s bike
Abus Bordo Granit XPlus-6500
It’s a weighty thing

The only downside to all this security is the weight! The lock and cradle weigh in at just under 2 kgs! But Garry would rather carry around some extra weight and know that his bike is safe at night, left outside the front of a hotel! As has happened many times in the past!

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Click Stand

Bike with panniers

Click Stand, the folding bicycle stand, another handy piece of kit, that Garry likes to use.

Passepartout, Garry’s bike isn’t equipped with a stand, so Garry always has to find a tree or post of some kind to lean his bike against when he stops!

This was a particular problem when he cycled across the Nullabor Plain, back in 2012! Garry’s solution, then, was to carry a stick, which wasn’t that practical, but served it’s purpose and gave Garry somewhere to lean his bike.

Bike by road
Passepartout in Australia in 2012

Garry still likes to lean his bike up against something, particularly when stopping for the night. It usually means that Passepartout can be securely locked to something. But there is the odd occasion when there just isn’t anything, that’s when a stand comes in handy!

Touring bike
In the New Forest

Basically, the Click Stand is a tent pole with a cradle on one end and a fat rubber foot on the other, designed to stop it sinking into the ground.

Click Stand
The folded Click Stand

The Click Stand is very sturdy and is more than able to support a fully loaded touring bike. Purchase one here.

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Quad-Lock Stem Bar Mount

Quad Lock stem bar mount

The Quad-Lock stem bar mount is used to mount Garry’s phone onto the stem of his handlebars, simply twist and lock!

The phone is attached to the Quad Lock with specially adapted phone cases which you can get for all popular phones. Unfortunately, there wasn’t one that fitted Garry’s phone! Not a problem you can buy a separate universal adapter to stick to the back of the phone case.

Hands phone
The adapter stuck on the back of Garry’s phone

Its position right in front of him allows him to see any incoming calls and it’s quick release system allows Garry to answer them before they ring off, even with gloves on it’s easy to release! Pull down the locking nut and twist to lift off!

The Quad lock has proved invaluable when Garry wants to use his phone as a navigation tool. No more having to try and ride along holding the phone in one hand and steering with the other, hoping he doesn’t have to brake suddenly!

Quad Lock stem bar mount
The Quad Lock attached to the bar stem

The quick-release system also works well when Garry wants to take a picture; it’s there right in front of him! Not buried somewhere in the bottom of his bar bag and once again it’s quick and easy to release.

The Quad Lock stem bar mount is an invaluable piece of kit for any cycle tourist.

 

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Busch & Müller IQ2 Lumotec Luxos u

 

Busch & Müller IQ2 Lumotec Luxos u rear view
Busch & Müller IQ2 Lumotec Luxos u

Garry’s choice of front light is the Busch & Müller IQ2 Lumotec Luxos u which arguably has one of the brightest lights, with the widest beams on the market. Although Garry doesn’t ride very much at night, it does come in handy when he gets caught out!

Busch & Müller IQ2 Lumotec Luxos u handlebar switch
Handlebar switch
Separate switch

The Lumotec headlight has a convenient handlebar switch, used to switch the light on and off. It is also used to switch between the different light modes of daytime running light, panorama light and floodlight.

There is also a cable coming out of the remote switch. This gives you the ability to charge a phone or almost any other electrical device that has a USB port. That comes in particularly handy when you’re mainly camping and don’t have easy access to electricity.

After three years of trouble-free use, Garry’s Lumotec developed a problem and was unable to charge his phone! Which as we all know is a major problem these days! Considering we all seem to run our lives by them! So Garry got in contact with Busch & Müller who asked him to return it to them.

Unfortunately, Busch & Müller were unable to fix the light. But as a goodwill gesture, they sent Garry a brand new Lumotec light in its place! Thus was despite the old one being over three years old and totally out of any warranty or guarantee! What excellent customer service! It was nice to deal with a decent company.

Busch & Müller IQ2 Lumotec Luxos u front view
Busch & Müller IQ2 Lumotec Luxos u front view

The new Lumotec is now on Garry’s bike ready for use on his next tour where I think there will have to be a spot of night riding just to give it a try! Although the one thing I know that Garry will be doing! Long before any night riding! That is charging his phone!

 

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