Hi-tech bike lock offers theft alerts, crash assistance to bike owners | abc7news.com

This looks promising, but I can't see getting it yet since the best feature requires a WiFi connection and that's not available in most places where I want to lock my bike (although my local grocery store does have it).

Definitely looks promising. The most common location I tend to want to lock my bike at is Starbucks, which has Wi-Fi, so it will work out very well for me. I just hope the lock will be reasonably lightweight.

Already see the weaknesses though it would need to be tested to be sure. Nice try!

I like it.

I use a gps locator, and I'm excited about seeing this lock hit the market.

There is an article in Slate on this lock as well with an embedded video:

Velo Labs? Skylock is a smart bike lock that unlocks with bluetooth and has sensors for theft detection.

The video has a pretty nice white Bottechia with old school components and a leather saddle.

The technology looks interesting but . . . . an old school lock costs a heck of a lot less and there is a lot less to go wrong with it. Who knows perhaps one day we'll have a C&V lock section.

I dunno if its progress if i go from worrying about my bike being taken to the lock being taken......

- Andy

You get an alert when you're bike gets stolen...
But then again, you still lost your bike. So I don't know if that alert has a big value to you guys...

Adding a chip in your bike to track it with GPS, that's handy. Than you can track where the thieves have located your stolen bike and try to get it back there somehow.

Well, I think the idea is that you get the alert when they first start fiddling with your bike. You have plenty of time to rush to the scene while they are trying to figure out how to defeat the lock.

As far as "adding a chip to your bike", I think that's easier said than done, No?

Not sure this would work where I usually park

I usually employ the hide within the pack strategy

At 159 GBP; that's quite steep. Requires Wi-Fi?

Just ride a beater like most people.

There is several weaknesses in this lock. I see at least 3 different approach that would easily defeat it. I don't want to go into detail to give all the ways of how to open this lock to thieves.
What i would say is that compared to a hidden gps this one is way more visible with its solar panels so that a thief can notice the lock 100 feet away (not good).
Another thing i would say is that if you have to make room for electronic components instead of alloy it is certainly not as resistant as another simpler ulock though this one has an accelerometer (which can be defeated using several approaches). To make things even easier they've also added a microUSB port above everything else. Come on!
The more ways you give to the owner to open his/her lock the more ways you give to thieves as well. There is redundancy of means to open the lock which is not good and just a few to protect it.

If you're in the neighbourhood of your bike, that is.

If you park your bike a railway station like I do, to get a train further away to work (or other public transit). It takes me longer than an hour to get back to my bike if I would get an alert, if I already can leave my workplace for that reason.


Bike companies could produce it with chips inside. Or you can store it in your saddle or somewhere in your tires or somewhere else.
I don't see the reason why it would be difficult to hide a chip somewhere in a bike.

We need theft protection that works like the sword in the movie Blade.

I still think the vibration triggered bike alarms are the best way really.

Less than $10 a pop. Buy a couple and fit them on your bike. Let the screeching sound chase away potential thieves.

What would this "chip" do? Would it require WiFi/GSM/4G? If it was simple RFID, how would it be better than the standard serial number system used in Denmark?

Ugh. Yet another product that assumes/requires one to have a smartphone (w/mandatory data plan) to derive any benefit from it...

kick-starter funding the Google ads to get more money , to fund vapor-hardware .. all buzz and no delivery .. scam odor..


Better ? Meh ..

I want one with a "roadside bomb" inside of it. When the thief caught in the act asks me "Watcha goin' to do about it?" I just blow him and the bike to Hell and be on my way to the bus stop with a smirk on my face.

Ok, wifi is becoming more prevalent, its even available at my train station... but you have to log in from the device you're using. That would apply to the hotspots at Starbucks and such too, you have to accept the terms to log in. Are they accounting for that here? I didn't see anything in the article about actual function.

That's becoming less and less of an issue in North America as more and more people have smartphones. In fact, this product doesn't require a data plan - it relies upon Wi-Fi instead. Do you feel better?

Is it this system you mean:
Bicycle Theft Archives - Lock8 smart bike lock Blog

I don't know what system would be best, but anyway, if they can make a bike lock that sends you a message when someone is stealing your bike... than they can make a system with gps too, so you can see on your smartphone where your bike is located, to see where thieves store your bike. Probably already exist.

Wait until the hackers defeat it. Just more JUNK for the masses!!!

The conventional U-locks aren't invincible, either. They are meant to deter casual thefts, which I believe this new "computerised" lock will do just as well if not better.

BTW, you must mean "crackers." It is crackers who destroy. Hackers create.