If your child is getting a bike for Christmas, then don’t forget they will need a bike lock. Here at Cycle Sprog we’ve been on a mission to find a child friendly bike lock that kids can use to lock their bike up at school. Here Kathryn and her 6 year old daughter Alice review the Knog Party Frank Bike Lock (RRP from £19.99), to see if it is suitable for use in Year 2.
Knog Party Frank bike lock review – security first!
One of many of Knogs series of locks, the Party Frank fits into the Knog security rating system– one being outside grandma’s house, 10 being a war zone. This is a grade 3 – outside Joe’s diner. We, however, use the Party Frank lock to secure my daughter’s Islabike at school within the school playground should we need to leave it overnight. We wouldn’t use it to lock up our bikes in a more public space, but bike security is obviously dependent on your location and value of the bike.
Is the Knog Party Frank a child friendly bike lock?
For the purpose we wanted it for, the Party Frank is ideal as a child friendly bike lock. It’s light, fits in my daughter’s school bag (there is no bracket supplied to fix the lock to the bike) and is easy to operate.
We had previously been using a combination bike lock but trying to get a 6 year old to remember four numbers is not always easy! The Knog Party Frank is operated by a key and she can do it, if she needs to, by herself. (Knog also do a combination version of the Party lock, so if a key is troublesome and your child has a better head for numbers then that may suit you better).
The Party Frank is only 620mm long, but is adequate to fix round the wheel or frame of a child’s bike and to the bike stand. The rubber silicone coating means you don’t have to worry about it scratching the frame and it makes it easy to grip when doing it up.
I like the fact that it has three keys, so my daughter can have one, I can have one and we still have a spare if one of us loses it. If you use a stretchy spiral key ring then you can secure the key inside the school bag to reduce the risk of it getting lost, and it can still operate the lock.
As usual with all Knog kit, the Party Frank comes in a range of child friendly, funky colours. We were sent the bright green one to review, which makes it a bit more ‘fun’ than other boring black/grey locks out there on the market. It makes it distinctive, so Alice knows that it is hers and there is less chance of it getting lost. There are so many colours of the Knog Party Frank available it’s possible to colour coordinate with virtually every bike colour!
What’s not to like about the Knog Party Frank?
One word of warning is that the marketing around the Knog products is typically Australian in its feel. For the Party Frank it’s:
The timeless pick-up line, “Hey lady, you make me wanna wrap my sausage around a pole!” is as debonair as it is disarmingly effective. The Party Frank is that sausage wrapped around that pole 24-7 and it wants all the ladies to know that nothing’s gunna break its hold.
Packaging will vary depending on where you buy the lock, but you may want to check it out before giving it to a 6 year old!!!
Knog Party Frank Bike Lock Review – the verdict
The Party Frank bike lock is a great child friendly bike lock – it’s lightweight and easy to use, plus the bright range of colours appeals to kids. It’s not designed to protect a bike in a high risk environment but is ideal as a child friendly bike lock for our school bike shed. Alice found it much easier to use than a combination lock – just keep the key from getting lost!
Where to buy the Knog Party Frank Bike Lock
The Knog Party Frank Bike Lock is available online.
Knog also do a combination version of the Party Lock, which may suit some families better. Do check which locking mechanism the lock you’re buying has.
The Knog Party Frank bike lock was provided to Cycle Sprog for review
About our reviewer: Kathryn is from the UK, but in Summer 2015 moved with her family (husband and two children, Alice and Tom) to Montreal. She works as a trainer, facilitator and coach, using her experience of cross-cultural working and cultural transition to support other families with relocation. Find out more about Kathryn at: https://www.linkedin.com/in/
Other posts you might find useful:
- The best place to buy a kids bikes
- Best kids bike locks
- The best bike lights for kids Winter
- The cheapest kids bikes February
- The best childrens winter cycling gloves
- The best 16″ wheel bikes for 4 and 5 year olds
- The best bikes for 6 and 7 year old kids (20″ wheels)
This review of the Knog Party Frank bike lock was first published in February 2013 and has been updated in February 2021 to reflect the availability of the combination lock version and where the locks are sold.
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