PentaLock's bike lock integrates and locks the bottom bracket of your bike, preventing thieves from pedalling away.
The system is aimed at manufacturers, who will need to integrate the design into the frame while building the bike using special tooling.
PentaLock says any attempt to remove the lock without these tools will result in an unusable bike.
Integrated immobiliser
PentaLock says it has taken inspiration from the automotive industry for its bike lock unit, where it claims immobilisers have made good headway in reducing car theft.
Immobilisers prevent a vehicle from being used without the correct fob or key. Similar to a car immobiliser, PentaLock says its design uses a Bluetooth key fob to secure the bike. This means the unit locks automatically if the user is not nearby.
PentaLock's immobiliser mechanically locks the pedal spindle from rotating when locked, with the brand claiming there is no impact to pedalling efficiency when unlocked.
PentaLock says the locking mechanism can withstand more than 200kg of force to the pedals – enough to stop even a track cycling sprinter from getting away with your bike.
The lock features a 100dB alarm, which sounds when movement is detected.
According to the brand, the lock's location in the bottom bracket lowers the centre of gravity of the bike and improves handling characteristics and saves 250g when compared to a bike with a ring lock attached.
The new lock features a digital torque function for electric bikes, which PentaLock says will be able to use 'machine learning' to feed data collected from the PAS sensor to alter the drive functionality.
Power is needed for the lock to function, with the PentaLock being able to take power from ebike batteries, while the non-assisted version requires a battery pack.
A backup battery is also included to supply power when the ebike runs out of charge. The backup battery is said to last 90 days between charges.
Availability
There are currently no PentaLock-equipped bikes on the market. The brand says the lock will feature first in the Netherlands on the Watt Fietsen Brooklyn Black Edition ebike, which has an expected delivery of May this year.
PentaLock has also announced it is working alongside community-based cycle insurance firm Laka, but it hasn’t provided any further details on this partnership yet.
