Abus Ivera 7210 Review

The Abus Ivera 7210 impressed us throughout our testing; it's just a great bike lock to use. It clicks shut and unlocks smoothly, the nylon mesh protects your bike from the seven-millimeter chain, and it's remarkably tough to slice with an angle grinder. We loved using this chain lock because we could lock our bikes anywhere with zero hassle. The 42-inch chain can wrap bike racks that other locks couldn't dream of using, and you can even get it around both the wheels and frame of some smaller bikes. This lock was the one we threw in our bags day in and day out, and its collection of outstanding stats earned it our Editor's Choice award for bike locks.

Performance Comparison

Security

The Abus Ivera 7210 uses a hardened steel, seven-millimeter chain to wrap around your bicycle, and it proved to be a tough customer. We weren't able to damage this bike lock with our three-pound hammer, pliers, screwdriver, or 24-inch bolt cutters. The bolt cutters made a small dent in the chain, but that was it. When we brought in our battery-powered angle grinder with a diamond-crusted blade, it finally succumbed to our attacks, but not without a fight. The nylon mesh covering tangled in the grinder blade, forcing us to stop and clean it off twice before we were able to get through the chain.

Once we did get the grinder to bite into the chain, we had to slice all the way through both sides in order to open it up. It took us about 30 seconds to cut through each side of the chain. Add in the time we spent untangling the nylon, and it took us about 90 seconds total to cut this chain. That's on par with some of the better U-locks we've seen.

When we test bike locks, we put them in a vise to slice them, creating a more repeatable, objective test of the fight the material puts up against our tools. Since this chain is floppy by nature, it would be much more difficult to cut when wrapped around a bike and locked properly, adding to its security. Overall, this lock is very impressive.

Ease of Transport

While the Abus Ivera 7210 is fairly lightweight for a bike lock that's this secure, that doesn't mean it's very easy to carry. Abus recommends you wrap the chain around your seatpost or handlebars to schlep it around town, and this works pretty well, but it's not great. The chain is loose and floppy, and we didn't like lugging it like this. While Abus has a few mounting methods for sale, we didn't test them as they're not well-liked by users. Usually, we found it easiest to throw this chain in our bags since we always have one with us, and it's not so heavy as to make carrying it on your body a pain. But if you're looking for something that's easy to throw on the bike, this isn't it.

Some of our testers did find that it works well when used as a sash, across your chest and shoulders. While this can be nice if it fits you just right, neither the smaller nor larger people who tested this position could pull it off. And if you're planning to throw it on your rack, make sure you strap it in place, or it'll slide right off. It still scores middlingly in this category because its packed size is pretty small and its weight is fairly low, but this lock is best for those with baskets and bags on their bikes all the time.

Ease of Use

Now we're back to a category where the Abus Ivera 7210 really shines. Thanks to its 42-inch length, this bike lock could grab onto every rack we tested, even some unexpected ones like six-by-six wood fence posts and small trees. City planners aren't known for understanding what types of bike racks actually work, so it's nice to have a lock that'll fit no matter how silly the locking setup is.

The bike lock doesn't require a key to clip shut, so you can quickly lasso your bike and a post, then shove the ends together, and you're in business. As people who are used to using U-locks that require ideal positioning and removal of any tension on the lock before you clamp it shut, this quick method of locking was incredibly refreshing. For unlocking, the key easily finds a good position in the lock. You don't have to be careful to shove it all the way in like some locks we've tested. Pop it in, give it a quarter turn, and you're on your way.

The downside to all this ease is that it doesn't require a key in order to lock it. We know we already said this is a positive since it makes it so quick to use, but it's also a negative at times. If you aren't in the habit of relocking the lock for transport, you could lock your bike to a rack before finding that you've left the keys at home. Be careful!

Versatility

This is another section where the 42-inch length helps the Abus Ivera 7210 bike lock win plaudits from us. On smaller road bikes, we were able to lock both wheels and the frame all in the same loop. On larger ones, you can grab one wheel and the frame easily, or take a wheel off and loop them both. And if your friend forgets their lock, no worries! This one's long enough to lock two bikes to most racks via their frames and even one wheel each. It's quite nice.

Should You Buy the Abus Ivera 7210?

If you're looking for a bike lock that's pretty secure, very nice to use, and usually carry a basket or bag on your bike, the Abus Ivera 7210 is a great option for you. It can lock just about any bike just about anywhere and keep it secure enough that we felt comfortable going to dinner or a full day of work without popping our heads out to check on it over and again. The lock was smooth to use throughout our testing and universally liked by all those who tried it. Abus also features a key registration and replacement program (for a small fee) if you ever lose yours. Overall, we were very impressed by this lock and think it's the best one available for the average user who doesn't need the highest security.

What Other Bike Locks Should You Consider?

If you're looking for ultimate security, nothing we've tested came close to the Hiplok D1000 in our angle grinder cut testing. It's heavy and pretty small, but the most difficult-to-slice lock we've ever tried, and it wasn't close. If you prefer a classic U-lock and want a mount for your bike as well, the Kryptonite Kryptolok is a great all-rounder. And if you want a lock as easy to use as the Abus Ivera and easier to transport while being slightly less secure and also being a very stylish reflective belt, the Hiplok Original Superbright may be up your alley.