Bike lock Dragons Den Invention idea.

As a trained Industrial designer, I'm often thinking of new inventions that you could take to market and potentially make some money on. A lot of friends try to do the same and some ideas are quite frankly. Sh*t.

Here's my latest one - and I think its quite good...

Now we were discussing bicycle locks the other day at work. One of the chaps was talking about how cumbersome a D-lock is to carry about (whether in a bag or strapped to a frame) and it suddenly struck me....

why not make a lock out of some other modern material?


Stick with me here:

Ok - How about this:

1) A lock predominantly made out of kevlar material - much like that of a convertable roof. My car roof is a bugger to get a knife, saw or cutter into. Its waterproof and because its fibre could be wrapped up. This can have some kind of bendy membrane inside it which allows it to wrap itself up like a caterpillar/tongue perhaps. Also this material could be reinforced moreso if required.

- knife proof, incredible difficult to cut, especially with handtools common bike thieves use.

- lightweight

- bendy - you could have a long piece of it that wraps up so - literally wrap it round the bike.

- Cheap to produce - well it HAS to be cheaper than a 55 quid top range D-lock

- Easily produce different sizes for lots of markets, colours etc.

- The locking mechanism is literally key here too - this would need some thought. Whether a combination, key etc. However this design would be in a position so it doenst expose any areas a bolt cutter can get through to.


Just an idea at the moment.

Waddya reckon?

the locking mechanism would be its weakest link. Freezer spray is used on D-locks so they shatter

Definate potential! But playing devil's advocate there are two concerns:

- the weakest part of the lock will be the join between the lock mechanism and the 'cable' so you'll have to come up with a novel way of joining them other than a weak rivet etc
- thieves are put off by the looks of big locks and won't bother attacking them if there is a weaker looking lock near by. As long as this one looks as burly as it is strong then it will work - the cost of damage by thieves trying and failing to get a lock off is often as high as them stealing the whole thing.

If it's made out of Boxster roof material then you could take a leaf out of Kriptonites book and give it an appropriate name like their New York lock - the Jezza 'Essex' lock, or the Jezza 'Alderley Edge'?

Like it - good points!

Yes this is quite interesting. Again - more market research of existing systems/predicaments is required.

I envisioned this to work more like a thick ribbon almost oval in diameter (like a snake).

The lock could work like an overlap - almost like how a suitcase latch would work, with a separate key area (cut out in fabic a few inches away from the latch itself) and this kevlar material would overlap it so there no way of "freezing it" or getting to the metal itself with cutters - esentially insulating it all.

Mmmm.

:roll:

If it "looks" like a snake (use python markings etc) then it would look intimidating to bike thieves! Yay!

Also a nice fashion gimmick - and its new name!

"The Python/Cobra/grassnake Extreme Bike Lock"

As the IQ of the average theif is pretty low then you could simply tie the ends together in a knot, that'll totally confuse them

Joking aside, yes sounds like a great idea. Has there been similar designs before, chains wrapped in kevlar?

As said above the locking mechanism will be tricky.

Aha - this wont need any heavy metal chain inside it - hence why you cant get any cutters to grip onto any core to cut - the material simply flexes...

Make it in several sizes so that you can wear it like a belt when not using it to lock the bike

This will put you off d-locks for a while:


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0hsM88Wx8QQ

this sounds like a great idea to me.