We like a good crowd-funding project and are particularly taken by the sophisticated Lock8 prototype – a tamper-proof smart lock that warns a user if a thief is trying to swipe their bike.
The keyless lock is controlled entirely by a user's smartphone and is fitted with an arsenal of anti-theft measures, including a motion sensor, an accelerometer and even a temperature sensor to combat various thieving strategies.
Watch a video summary of Lock8's key features here:
Summary of the lock8 functionality
Video: LOCK8 sneak preview
It means that if a thief starts fiddling with the lock, it emits a "painfully-loud" alarm and sends a warning to the owner's phone telling them something's up.
Sounds nifty, but the sophistication doesn't stop there. The lock body – anchored to the frame – contains a GPS chip meaning users can track their bike in real-time via their phone.
That has obvious theft deterrent possibilities but Lock8's developers, serial bike theft victims Franz Salzmann and Daniel Zajarias, hope it will also allow a network of users who share or rent their bikes to one another to develop.
Other cool features of the lock include induction charging off the back wheel and a key fob in case the user's mobile runs out of juice.
The duo launched the KickStarter funding project today and have already secured more than £7,500 toward their £50,000 target.