Squire Eiger Mini disc lock review

Date reviewed: February 2018 | Tested by: John Milbank | Price: £45.40 | Weight: 668g | www.squirelocks.co.uk

Rated as Sold Secure Motorcycle Gold, the Eiger Mini is available in black, yellow, red, green or blue. It has a 13mm diameter hardened steel shackle with a silicone sleeve to protect your paintwork, comes with two keys, and features a sliding cover to protect the keyway from dirt and splashes. The steel body is encased in plastic to further protect your bike or scooter.

The Eiger mini only comes in one size, but Squire also makes a larger ‘230’ model, and a mid-sized ‘Compact’.

Size and weight

The Eiger mini will fit under many motorcycle seats, and in the cubby box or boot of any scooter. Weighing 668g, it’s easy to carry around, and doesn’t add too much mass if popped into a rucksack.

Ease of use and compatibility

The Eiger Mini fits the front discs of most motorcycles, and the rear of many. However, for scooter use it’s important to check the brake disc fitted – we had no problems on our Piaggio Beverly 350 disc used for testing, but if yours doesn’t have the relatively large gaps, it won’t fit, though it could be used in combination with a chain – we’d suggest looking at something like an 11mm chain for scooters, or 13mm and up for motorcycles – Pragmasis is one example of a company supplying good-value, quality chains.

To understand how best to use your lock, click here

Resistance to attack

The Eiger mini is a tough little lock – it’s hardened, so not susceptible to attack with a hacksaw, and we couldn’t cut it with our 42” bolt-croppers. It refused to break free after repeatedly beating with a lump hammer, though it did distort slightly, making it trickier – but not impossible – to open after attack.

Using our mains-powered angle-grinder, we got through both sides of the shackle in 18 seconds, which is typical of a lock like this. The shackle can’t rotate when cut on one side, so has to be cut twice to be removed from a disc or chain. We use a mains grinder for consistency in testing – a battery-powered device would take longer.

Verdict

This is a great disc lock for motorcycles, and for scooters if it’ll fit your machine. You could use it with a chain when needed, and on its own other times, making for a more versatile product. If you’re looking to secure a high-value motorcycle overnight at home, we’d recommend heavier locks like those reviewed here.

The Eiger mini represents good value for money, and can be picked up for well below its RRP – we found it on Squire’s own eBay store for just £29.99 at the time of writing.

Big thanks to Piaggio and repair/claims specialist 4th Dimension for supplying parts that allowed us to carry out real-world testing. Both are companies who, among others in the moped, scooter and motorcycle industry, are passionate about reducing crime.

To see more security kit tested by BikeSocial, click here

Know this: Scooter security

BikeSocial’s consumer editor explains how the locks were tested and how best to use them. Thanks to Wheels Motorcycles in Peterborough