Knog Party Combo bike lock review

How would you feel if you never had to use a key again when you unlocked your bike?

That’s the dream behind the light, sexy, flexible, soft to the touch; Knog Party Combo bike lock.

Knog were kind enough to send one to London Cyclist HQ for a review, so we’ve put it through its paces.

Background

• Frustratingly not yet available in the UK – have asked Knog for an estimate on when that might be the case. You can still buy it directly from Knog.
• Costs $29.95 USD (£17)
• Rated 3/10 on the Knog Security scale

Let’s get the biggest issue out the way first…

Yes, it is available in different colours.

Clearly, that’s not the biggest issue. The biggest issue is security. Because it doesn’t matter how you jazz it up, if it won’t keep your bike safe, it just won’t cut it (bad choice of words).

The Knog Party Combo is admittedly and sadly very low on the security scale. If someone would come up with a bike lock as light and cute as this one, but that was rated Gold on the SoldSecure rating scale, they’d be an overnight millionaire.

Therefore, the Knog Party Combo can’t be your main lock in a place like London. It has to be your secondary lock.

Can I set my own combination?

If you want to set a code as foolish as the one I’ve set in the picture above, then it’s easy to do following the little included instruction booklet:

1. Default combination is set to 0-0-0-0
2. Remove the plug from the endcap
3. Rotate the endcap 90 degrees, so that it lines up with the marker and clicks into place
4. Choose your combination, aligning it up with the little dot marker
5. Rotate the endcap back 90 degrees to set the combination
6. Write down or memorise your combination

It’s an easy 2 minute process. Just make sure you make a note of the code somewhere. If you’re anything like me, then you will forget.

Can I fit this around the lamppost outside my office?

The Knog Party Combo has roughly the same diameter as my much loved Kryptonite New York 3000 and a slightly smaller diameter than it’s older brother, the Knog Kabana.

This means you’d struggle to get it around a lamppost, but you could get it around a thinner post or a proper bicycle stand.

The definition of quick and easy

Despite its lax security, what I love about the Knog Party Combo is that it is quite possibly the quickest and easiest bike lock I’ve ever used.

When I normally pull up at my destination, I have to swing my bag around, unzip the top pocket, rummage for my key, unzip the main pocket, grab my lock, get it around the bike (Using the proper technique), lock it, zip my bag up and then finally I can go.

The Knog Party Combo removes 5 of those 9 steps. There’s no rummaging around for a key or the lock in a backpack. You can simply wrap it around your seat post. When you reach your destination, you quickly unlock it, put it around your bike, lock it in to place and finally twist the combination to something random.

As with many other Knog bike locks, the silicone outer layer means no scratched bike frame.

The final review

5/5 – The Knog does what it sets out to do and does it well. Whilst it’ll never be your main bike lock in a place like London, it’ll happily take second place. It’s quick and convenient and can help you do away with keys.