Hey guys, my name's Liang I'm a college student and cyclist at USC. I've had three bikes stolen while at USC and it really pissed me off so now I'm doing something about it.
I've created a lock that specifically secures the wheels of a bike. It works by replacing the hex nuts or quick release skewers holding a bike in place. It's designed so none of the common theft tools (i.e. wrenches, vice grips, bolt cutters, flamethrowers, that laser gun from Goldeneye, etc.) can get through it or get any leverage on it.
The nut can only be tightened / loosened with the specific wrench that comes in each package. There are multiple variations of these nut:wrench combinations.
I'd love to get some feedback from you guys on the product, whether or not you'd use it, and any advice you have (from business/marketing ideas to product improvements).
Cheers,
-Liang
Looks great
Looks nifty, but you do realize that in this context "Inventor" means "a piece of engineering software made by Autodesk," not "a person who invents things," right?
Rusty
Every bike weighs 50 pounds:
A 20lb bike needs a 30lb lock.
A 30lb bike needs a 20lb lock.
A 40lb bike needs a 10lb lock.
No one will steel a 50lb bike.
I guarantee I can get a good purchase on that nut with common tools. I can also likely get an easy cut through whatever structure you're locking the bike to. Suitably equipped, your bike is gone in 30 seconds unless you yourself are on it, unless I'm willing to risk assault and battery on top of theft charges.
An easy quasi-legal way to get your bike is to plant drugs in or on it, report your bike to the cops anonymously, and buy your bike at the police auction a few months later.
All locks are for keeping the honest people at bay.
Minor inconvenience for a thief. At best they would move on to the next weakest link if they really wanted your bike.
If not, they may move on to the next one over.
With 3D printing on the rise, there would be copies of the tool available in no time.
I find the best way to keep my bike from being stolen is to have a collapsable bike and a messenger bag. Then i keep said bag with me at all times. And just for kicks, sometimes (or all the time), leave a tracker in the bag (or in the bike). But a strong locking device is good and fancy, especially if there's a fancy lock on it. Which tells people not to mess with your bike, but it tells thieves your bike is expensive and/or special. But like with any invention and marketing achievement it's all about location. I personally don't live in an area with crazed bike stealers, but if you leave your bike overnight without a lock, yes it will be taken by the tooth fairy.
@Bickeylikey wrote:
... the wheels can never be taken away by regular wrenches, hammers or screwdrivers (believe me, I tried). Only the key owners can remove the wheels if necessary.
Try a good pair of Vicegrip pliers. They are quite suitable for removing rounded nuts, which is the basic concept of your design.
Keys and key-type tools are exactly what theives buy. They are a part of the tools of their trade. What makes you think they won't simply buy a set?
We tested the crap out of these with vice grips, a pipe wrench, a regular wrench, needle-nose pliers, and a bunch of other random tools (i.e. the gator grip, bionic wrench, etc.) None of them got even close to getting enough leverage, due to two points:
1) The face of the nut is curved and causes most of these tools to slip right off
2) the cutouts are left open on the left side. Thus, if someone tried to turn it counter clockwise, the tool just slips right out.
We are adding more and more variations every day - I don't think it's smart to disclose how many variations there are online. But since each package would be randomly packed with a wrench, a thief could essentially buy hundreds of packages and never have all the variations.
Ok, so I see a couple of things wrong with the idea..
That only stops the front wheel being stolen not the bike, and only really different to having a quick release spindle. A decent pair of grips would get that off, probably no different to using nyloc nuts on a threaded spindle. If a thief wanted your wheels that bad, he'd just release the bolt on the handle bar stem and take the front forks as well. As for the rear wheel...... hopefully you'd have your security chain through the frame / rear wheel and something grounded?
You also have to carry your "key" with you in case you got punctures... and most folk would take it (and leave it) in their under seat bag along with their repair pack.
If it was me.. and it was my front wheels getting nicked..I'd either use two security chains or I'd just buy cheaper wheels / bike. and save the good one for the weekend / long rides.
Or, assuming it did work as you say... and you're out on a long ride at the weekend. you get a punture and you can't find the key... you're stuck big time.
My thoughts are .. most folk will either have it in their seat pack.... or leave it at home.
Mark
I'm sorry maybe you have not seen the description in my last reply. The nut can hardly removed by any kind of grips, because the face of the nut is curved that causes the tools to slip off. And the cutouts are left open on the left side. Thus, if someone tried to turn it counter clockwise, the tool would also slips right out.. Meanwhile, These weigh about 30 grams each, but we're looking to get that even lower. It also doubles as a bottle opener. So it wouldn't be a problem even if you carry it with your keychain.
I know nothing about bike locks, but your solution looks better than this one.
One of these by Stanley tools may be able to undo the nut
unlike most spanners/wrenches it grips on the face not the corners, I've used my set of these on pipes, the ball of a ball joints and numerous other awkward shapes including triangle & oval and a few other wired shape nuts & bolts. How ever there not easy to get hold of and not the sort of thing your everyday tea-leaf will have, or know how to use come to that.
@Bickeylikey wrote:We tested the crap out of these with vice grips, a pipe wrench, a regular wrench, needle-nose pliers, and a bunch of other random tools (i.e. the gator grip, bionic wrench, etc.) None of them got even close to getting enough leverage, due to two points:
1) The face of the nut is curved and causes most of these tools to slip right off
2) the cutouts are left open on the left side. Thus, if someone tried to turn it counter clockwise, the tool just slips right out.
We are adding more and more variations every day - I don't think it's smart to disclose how many variations there are online. But since each package would be randomly packed with a wrench, a thief could essentially buy hundreds of packages and never have all the variations.
I'll take you at your word. If they didn't work, I'm impressed.
As a hypothetical thief, though... 5 minute epoxy or a suitable cyanoacrylate glue, a pair of hex nuts of the appropriate size, and a piece of string. Come back in 10 or 15 minutes & use a common crescent wrench. Fairly inconspicuous to casual passers-by, quick to "intall", quick to remove.
A vengeful thief may, upon discovering that this one won't be easy, take a hammer to the bike frame and quickly render it of no value - an "if he can't have it, neither can you" kind of attitude. (That is, of course, outside of the intent of the design. Just sayin'.)
@graemev Hahah yeah... There's ALWAYS going to be ways to get through something. If thieves can get past 4 inch thick bank vaults, they can find a way to break through a nut. That's not the question here.
What our goal is is to make it really, really inconvenient for them to do so. Using epoxy is one example. I'm sure we could all brainstorm a few other ways to get this done. Fact is, this is going to take a good amount of time, effort, premeditation, and preparation of tools, all to steal just a bike wheel.... at the end of the day it wouldn't make much sense from their standpoint
@mason-paul That tool looks interesting... My gut is telling me the hook of it would fit into a cutout but the bottom portion wouldn't be able to get enough leverage on the curved nut face and just slip off. Either way, we'd love to try it out and post our results here, if you have any idea where we can get our hands on one (couldn't fine one on Stanley's website from searching through)
Guys what other feedback do you have? I love trying to find all the holes in a new idea before launching it - your guys' input is really useful so far.
I'm looking at it this way.
Quick release spindles are so popular because, well… they’re quick release. When you’re on the bike and get a flat you want a method of getting it off quickly so you can then get about fixing the puncture. Or removing the front wheel for getting the bike in and out of cars, stowed away etc. You can’t be bothered finding special spanners etc to take the wheel off.
Using your device. If a thief is turning up prepared (ie coming with spanners and the like) then your device isn’t really going to stop him if he’s adamant he’s having your wheels, he’ll get them. Like I said… he could just loosen the nut on the handle bar stem and remove the whole fork assembly.
So if it’s an opportunist thief you’re trying to deter, then why not just have nyloc nuts? Or a double chain?
I’m just trying to think if it would help me, and I don’t reckon it would, it would annoy me more than it would help me.
Not saying it might not help others though…
without wanting to sound like another nay-sayer but it's not a solution to your original problem - you complained about your bikes being stolen and you've come up with a "solution" for the wheels being removed from the frame. How does this prevent the original problem, and once that has been tackled then why cannot that solution cover the wheels too?
ie - problem is bike being stolen - solution is better bike lock
problem is wheels being stolen now the frame is secure - solution use the same bike lock through the wheels along with the frame.
I've seen many bikes secured with the front wheel removed and a hefty u-bolt going through the frame, rear wheel and the front wheel positioned next to the rear. But - this does leave the front fork resting on the ground and possibly damaging it - there might be a market for a front fork protector for this??? But, surely your tamper-proof nut will only frustrate those wanting to easily remove their front wheel and relocate next the rear and secure with 1 lock, as I've just mentioned?
Anyway, thoughts on the design:
1) It doesn't look like much engagement to undo it - if it's on a mountain bike mid muddy/wet ride and this is covered in mud, then will it be a problem trying to remove it?
2) how does it stand up to an angle grinder as thieves here have been known to use cordless angle-grinders to cut through chains? Tbh, I doubt it would and thus doesn't help prevent a "professional" thief, only an opportunist.
Without wanting to deflate your bubble but I spotted this on Kickstarter the other day and think it's a more clever solution to your original problem:
https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/1255965155/the-hench-bicycle-lock-see-video
Sam M.
Inventor and Showcase monkey
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