Xena XZZ6 Disc Alarm Lock: A Review

great idea!

So clefty, are you still using this in addition to your regular lock? It seems like a great idea and I'm very tempted to pick one up for when I lock my bike at Uni

What a brilliant idea

I was put off Xena though, they assured me a certain £50 lock would fit my motorbike and when it didnt, they chose to ignore me. Pricks. But the lock was very well machined and would be virtually impossible for a bicycle thief to get through, I dont think they carry drills and hammers do they? Dismantling the bike is not time-efficient either, I think they would probably just leave it alone

For £20 that's good, I might even forgive them and get one myself!

So clefty, are you still using this in addition to your regular lock? It seems like a great idea and I'm very tempted to pick one up for when I lock my bike at Uni

Yep I'm still using mine in addition to my regular lock, our work car park has a bunch of scallys trying to nick bikes at the moment, so I've got a FUG Chain on the rear/frame, a Mini Evo on the spok (with pitlock) and the Xena through the chain ring - if they have a go, hopefully it will make their ears bleed and draw the attention of everyone in the ground floor office, which overlooks the car park.

In town I generally use it with locks as well, but not if its in a decent bike rack - as it gets set off constantly by other bikes etc. I also found it rather useful when I was in Regents park this summer for a picnic and had the bike lent up against a tree with the xena on, some young kid was having a look (non dodgy) and it scared the fuck out of him and alerted me sat 20 yards away with my back to the bike.

I dont think they carry drills and hammers do they? Dismantling the bike is not time-efficient either, I think they would probably just leave it alone

The alarm will sounded before the theft have time to grab his tools either way.

Ed! answer my PM!

The newer Xena's use a single CR2 lithium battery which should last longer than the 6 button batteries and are a bit louder (120db), but they are more expensive. The XR1 (coping ok in the rain, no cover on bike stand at work) and XBL2-35 (£44.99 off Amazon) I got are still working fine, though had to change batteries on XR1. The XBL2-35 is even more sensitive than the XR1 though can be used without the alarm on and is good value compared to other padlocks that don't have alarms.

http://www.xenasecurity.com/PressRelease/detail/XXSeries16/page1/

I'm very happy with my Xena, gives me total peace of mind when I leave my bike locked up.
Couple of things that frustrate me slightly though.. I cant lock it onto my belt without it arming itself and the occasional panic when I hear it arming itself in my bag when the pin is not even pressed down. I also originally thought it let out warning beeps first then sets the siren off if motion continues. Instead it does 3 or 4 warning beeps instantly followed by the siren for 15 seconds, whats the point in the warning beeps?
I know this sounds like a rant but I'm really very pleased with it, best 30 quid I've spent in a while.

The pin doesn't armed it, it's whenever something got inside that set the alarm.

the pin just locked it in place.

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Xena-XX14-Alarm-Motorcycle-Disc-Lock-for-Aprilia-Honda_W0QQitemZ190341543411QQcmdZViewItemQQptZUK_Motorcycle_Parts?hash=item2c513d75f3

Has anyone got the XX14? also should it fit the same as the xzz26 reviewed here?
if so i think i will buy one, 120db!! and longer lasting battery, plus stronger casing and thicker pin.

Word of warning.... Keep the inner reflector clean.
I was by the British Museum today unlocking my bike and the bloody thing wouldnt stop going off -kind of embarrassing.
Thought it was bust and I was going to have to ride home with it going off every five seconds.
After trying to ride with it for a minute or two I figured out what must be wrong and gave it a good rub on the inside with my jumper & house key. It stopped thank god.

A couple of minutes earlier and the sound would have been drowned out by a helicopter landing outside the museum

Just bought one off Ebay.

The seller sent me a template to print out so I could see if it fitted. Sorry I don't know how to post a pdf file. Anyway if anyone wants it I can send (or if someone tells me how to do it, I'll post it here).

A couple of minutes earlier and the sound would have been drowned out by a helicopter landing outside the museum

What, you mean it's not helicopterproof?

about to order a xena xzz6, i'm getting kind of paranoid, will bring locks that i use to fah mini, evo mini and disc alarm and leave me insanely pissed off if my bike gets stolen.

but its not taking my card and my paypal is fucked. ho hum.

ah ebay to the rescue!

Clefty, do you have a 6 months update on how the Xena is fairing? How does it cope with rain, are the batteries still good, any reliability problems? I'm thinking of investing on payday...

Do you want to buy mine? It didn't work on my Sugino 75 chainring so it's been sat in a cupboard like new ever since I bought it. Has all the bits, instructions, spare batteries etc.

fox ill buy it off you?

Phew that was quick! I paid £25 so looking for £20? Don't know much they are these days, not checked.

dunno if that counts as dibs, just going to measure my chain rings, i have two so it should fit

44mm - 7mm is what website says

twas coincidence, was just looking at thread about to order one then you posted.

i hate leaving my bike outside when i stay at my girlfriends an alarm would solve my woes.

Cool, well it's yours if you want it for £20. The exact model is this one:
http://www.mandp.co.uk/productinfo/547798/Security/Alarmed-Locks/Xena/XR1-Disc-Lock-Alarm

It has a 7mm gap. My chainring fitted through it fine but the design of the sugino 75 rings meant it wouldn't stay in place. Plus the design of my track ends meant it wouldn't work there with the 'edscoble' method either.

I found that the only place it worked was when attached to the base of my toe clip, the large flat metal plate, basically for it to work the sensor needs to be trigured, I'm hoping it may work on my zen chainring which is a bit thicker, ie bigger surface area.

... I also originally thought it let out warning beeps first then sets the siren off if motion continues. Instead it does 3 or 4 warning beeps instantly followed by the siren for 15 seconds, whats the point in the warning beeps? ...

I've got the impression this is NOT a problem with the current XR1 model?

Also, i'd love to pop by someones house borrow a xena and waste 2 minutes of their time while i try if the Edscoble method works on my bike.

On the strength of Clefty's review I ordered the XZZ6 and it arrived today. Since I'm currently bikeless after a recent theft I decided to try her out on my mates Condor Italia.. pauses to wipe drool from mouth.. attached to the chain ring.

Have to say, I'm very impressed so far, but I've found exactly the same issue as Bigfoot.. when it's triggered by movement (and not much movement at that) it gives a couple of warning beeps then sounds the alarm for 15 seconds. I thought the idea was that it would give out a few warning beeps first, and if movement stops, the alarm wouldn't sound.

That would seem like the most practical solution, especially if the bikes locked in an area where it might get accidentally knocked. To be honest though, I'm willing to accept it's potential annoyance / embarrassment factor for the peace of mind it will give me when locking up the new steed (when I've eventually decided what that will be!).

Oh yeah.. it's also loud as f*ck, my eardrums were still throbbing 5 minutes afterwards since I was stood right next to it... if only I'd made the investment this time last week!