New High Tech Bike Lock Launches on Indiegogo

Hello Chicago Cycling community! 

A few months back I posted about a new high tech bike lock we were working on at Northwestern University. We launched it this Friday on Indiegogo.  

If you think this is a good idea, please contribute to the campaign here: http://igg.me/at/haamlock/x/3479638 

We would also just love your feedback! Please let us know what else we can do to improve upon the concept. 

All the best,

Zeina & the HaamLock team 

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Permalink Reply by Tony Adams on June 3, 2013 at 8:15am

Thanks for working to make bikes more secure! My initial suggestion would be to add The Chicago Stolen Bike Registry http://chicago.stolenbike.org to the auto-theft reporting feature. I dunno if they have an API, but if they don't perhaps they were just waiting for an excuse to add one.

Perhaps the post-Ning Chainlink could hook up with that also...

Permalink Reply by Michael A on June 3, 2013 at 8:25am
IMHO we Ned a lock that a thief cannot defeat in under 2 minutes, the keyless idea is cool, but not if your bike is gone when you get back to it.
Permalink Reply by Duppie on June 3, 2013 at 8:42am

Am I reading this correctly?

When I give $149, I get the right to buy a lock for $149. when I pay $199, I get the right to buy a lock for $199?

Permalink Reply by Gene Tenner on June 3, 2013 at 8:44am

What is to prevent an angle grinder from going through your lock's arm in 20 seconds?

Permalink Reply by Zeina Abou-Said on June 3, 2013 at 10:04am

Hi Guys!

Thanks for the feedback!

About the price, the $149 is the price for the first 25 locks.  After that it goes up to $199. The reduced price only lasts for a short time to try to get momentum.

It's difficult to prevent an angle grinder.  The big difference between our design and the standard U-lock is: - Standard U-lock actually only locks on 1 side, so a thief has to make 1 cut and the whole lock falls apart

- The HaamLock has two locking pins, one on each side.  The final product will be made of hardened metal and will require a thief to cut both sides of the lock to actually pull it apart. So it doubles the amount of time required to cut through the lock.

All good points. We're also looking at adding an alarm or notification system. The price is a bit high now because we have not hit scale yet. If we could get some traction, we can drop the price and add in more systems to improve security.

Zeina

Permalink Reply by Kevin C Dormant on June 3, 2013 at 10:11am

Abus, Giant, Kryptonite, OnGuard, Master(?) and probably a few others I'm leaving out all make U-locks with double locking shackles. 

Zeina Abou-Said said:

Hi Guys!

Thanks for the feedback!

About the price, the $149 is the price for the first 25 locks.  After that it goes up to $199. The reduced price only lasts for a short time to try to get momentum.

It's difficult to prevent an angle grinder.  The big difference between our design and the standard U-lock is: - Standard U-lock actually only locks on 1 side, so a thief has to make 1 cut and the whole lock falls apart

- The HaamLock has two locking pins, one on each side.  The final product will be made of hardened metal and will require a thief to cut both sides of the lock to actually pull it apart. So it doubles the amount of time required to cut through the lock.

All good points. We're also looking at adding an alarm or notification system. The price is a bit high now because we have not hit scale yet. If we could get some traction, we can drop the price and add in more systems to improve security.

Zeina

Permalink Reply by Bez on June 3, 2013 at 10:23am

Is the app only for iPhone, or is there an Android version as well?

Permalink Reply by Duppie on June 3, 2013 at 10:32am

Zeina,

I recently purchased two keyed-alike Kryptonite New York locks. Total costs at MSRP, including upcharge  for key-alike was $200. For that I got 2 high quality locks that need 4 cuts in all to be defeated. So at that price point one can do better.

I am not sure what your main selling point is? What is the value proposition? It's one thing to design a high-tech solution, but why would I buy that. It's not cheaper, nor safer than my solution. Or at least that is not how I perceive it.



Kevin C said:

Abus, Giant, Kryptonite, OnGuard, Master(?) and probably a few others I'm leaving out all make U-locks with double locking shackles. 

Zeina Abou-Said said:

Hi Guys!

Thanks for the feedback!

About the price, the $149 is the price for the first 25 locks.  After that it goes up to $199. The reduced price only lasts for a short time to try to get momentum.

It's difficult to prevent an angle grinder.  The big difference between our design and the standard U-lock is: - Standard U-lock actually only locks on 1 side, so a thief has to make 1 cut and the whole lock falls apart

- The HaamLock has two locking pins, one on each side.  The final product will be made of hardened metal and will require a thief to cut both sides of the lock to actually pull it apart. So it doubles the amount of time required to cut through the lock.

All good points. We're also looking at adding an alarm or notification system. The price is a bit high now because we have not hit scale yet. If we could get some traction, we can drop the price and add in more systems to improve security.

Zeina

Permalink Reply by Adam Herstein on June 3, 2013 at 10:45am

This product is solution looking for a problem. I fail to see how this is more secure than a standard U-Lock.

Permalink Reply by Zoetrope on June 3, 2013 at 10:56am

I have a much better and cheaper idea. How about I slap a sticker on my bike that says "Warning: This bike is protected by Blue-tooth", and then use a 40 dollar Kryptonite lock and cable system (and maybe  throw in for some locking skewers). Will likely save someone 150 dollars or so and be just as/more secure. The hardest part is making sure you are wearing at least one garment with one pocket on your person before you do this, though. (For the u-lock key)

Permalink Reply by Adam Herstein on June 3, 2013 at 10:57am

What if my phone battery dies? Or I have crappy service? Then I am stranded. This is a terrible idea IMO. There's a reason keys have been around for hundreds of years.

Oh, and what about the battery in the lock? What if that dies? Am I going to have to charge my U-Lock every few days?

Duane Waller said:

Agree, and I wonder why I'd ever want to unlock my lock with a phone. 

Adam Herstein (5.5 mi) said:

This product is a solution looking for a problem. I fail to see how this is more secure than a standard U-Lock.

Permalink Reply by Adam Herstein on June 3, 2013 at 11:00am

You're obviously not cool enough, then. :-)

Duane Waller said:

I don't even have a 'smartphone', so I guess I'm not the targeted demographic.

Adam Herstein (5.5 mi) said:

What if my phone battery dies? Or I have crappy service? Then I am stranded. This is a terrible idea IMO. There's a reason keys have been around for hundreds of years.

Duane Waller said:

Agree, and I wonder why I'd ever want to unlock my lock with a phone. 

Adam Herstein (5.5 mi) said:

This product is solution looking for a problem. I fail to see how this is more secure than a standard U-Lock.

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