Tag: U-Lock

Generation Overkill

NextGenCan you ever have too much protection when securing or locking up a bicycle? Probably not, especially if the bike is valuable and you count on it for riding to and from work. The Next Gen Bike Rack might just be generation overkill.

It was invented by Montreal inventor Peter Krantz and this rack offers much more than what the best U-Lock will provide. It is as much a docking station as a bike rack and the front wheel is secure in a special opening that makes it impossible to remove the wheel, while a steel arm locks the back of the bike. A U-Lock secures the rear wheel and the back of the frame.

No bolt cutter could get through this thing, and the design is such that it won’t scratch the paint. The downside to this is that it is more for a bike garage so it does limit where it could be placed. For those who commute by bike it could mean the difference between hoping the bike is safe and knowing it will be there at the end of the day.

Next Gen Bike Racks Official Website

Lock and Load

That old TV show The Avengers (not to be confused with the recent super blockbuster) started out with the introduction, “Extraordinary crimes against the people and the state have to be avenged by agents extraordinary.” This is what comes to mind when seeing the Granit Extreme 59, the latest addition to the Abus u-lock line. This is serious security but it comes at a hefty price – $279.99.

Obviously this isn’t meant for the junker you might ride to work, but for those who absolutely, positively need to leave their serious bike on the street unguarded this is truly serious protection. It is actually in the “motorcycle” category but the company clearly knows those with high-end road or mountain bikes will want to protect their bikes.

The locking mechanism is reportedly certified Sold Secure Gold. So can you really put a price on that?

Abus Official Website

 

Senza-ble Bike Lock

There is no denying that there are a lot of different concepts with bike locks. We’ve seen a lot of locks, and one issue remains that it means bringing something “extra” along for the ride or daily commute. But Jaryn Miller’s Senza has interesting twist, it is a bike lock that is also the bike’s handle bars.

Essentially, the bars come off the bike and are locked together to form a U-Lock. The idea is that it provides dual security, because if the lock is cut the bike is much harder to ride away with, as there is nothing to hold on to!

We like the idea and think the designers are on to something, but as others have mentioned there are some problems to be resolved. The most notable is that the handle bar has to be durable enough to be a lock and that could add weight for those times when you don’t need to lock the bike. It also means that riders have to like the style of the drop bar – and this could be a problem for the mountain biker who usually prefers a straight bar with bar ends. Continue reading Senza-ble Bike Lock

New Titanium Bike Lock Design

 

We’ve seen some new designs for bike locks. One new design from TiGr uses a flexible strip of titanium with a lock mechanism. Titanium is a strong metal composite and will likely stand up to the needs of any cyclist. A video on the TiGr web site shows the inventor using a hacksaw to cut through a typical U-Lock, and then the same with a strip of titanium. It took 1:26 to cut through the U-lock, compared to 2:36 and more huffing and puffing to cut through the titanium strip. Continue reading New Titanium Bike Lock Design