New bike lock doubles as bike alarm
You know those car alarms that drive you crazy in the middle of the night (or day), with their never-ending series of shrieks and beeps? Now there’s similar technology available for bikes! This is good news, though, for bike owners who want to deter thieves. Here’s how it works.
A simple, U-shaped piece, the Noke U-Lock by FUZ Designs, uses an app that’s linked to your smartphone. If someone shakes the lock for more than three seconds, the alarm is triggered. Its loud, annoying tone is designed to send the would-be thief scurrying on his way.
Bike alarms may prevent the need for such intense locking. From Jack.
FUZ Design’s Kickstarter page doesn’t indicate exactly how long the lock will sound the alarm once it’s triggered. This technology also begs an obvious question: Is it as ultra-sensitive as those car alarms that seem to go off every time a truck rumbles by…or the wind blows too hard…or a feather drops down from the sky?
But you have to give them credit, as so many others have. The Noke U-Lock has inspired 635 backers on Kickstarter to date, who’ve pledged more than $84,000 to get this product off the ground and onto your bike.
Why so much support? Bike theft is apparently big business in many cities. People steal bikes because it’s a crime they can get away with, even if they’re being watched. Bikes are also relatively easy to steal. Locks can be broken. Bikes can be carried or ridden away.
While there are plenty of ways to protect your bike from thieves, having a really good lock equipped with a noisy alarm is not the least of them.
The Noke U-Lock offers other advantages, too. It comes with a bike mount, so you don’t have to worry about how you’ll tote it around. And it doesn’t require a combination or key. Just keep your phone nearby and the push of a button will release the lock.
GPS tracking could be one of the most fun features, though. Imagine this scenario: You lock up your bike in a massive parking lot and enter a large office building. Hours later, you think you hear your bike alarm. You race outside, exiting from a door you didn’t use before.
You look around. Your bike’s not there. It’s been stolen!
But then you check your GPS tracking and find your bike right where you left it.
The joke’s on you, but you’re happy with the happy ending. Your bike wasn’t stolen. It was safe and protected all along.