TiGr Bike Lock

Update (2/2012): The Tigr Lock website has launched and the locks are now available for purchase. They’re not inexpensive, but they’re also not cheap, if you know what I mean.

I took delivery of a new bike lock yesterday. I realize that sounds like dull news, or no news at all, but it’s actually quite exciting. I’ve been anticipating this since I first found the project on Kickstarter. The inventor’s fundraising efforts were quite successful, as he got almost three times the amount of money he initially sought, proof that his concept was attractive to a lot of people. I signed up as a backer, which is why I got one before they hit the general market.

That concept is simple: create a bicycle lock that’s light and yet almost impossible to break, a combination that’s the locksmith’s holy grail. Most bike locks are either very bulky and heavy, or too flimsy to provide real security. And even the bulkiest locks are subject to breakage by a determined thief with a small hydraulic jack.

The TiGR lock overcomes these challenges in elegant fashion. In fact, the lock’s slogan is “Elegant Bike Security.” The lock consists of a 48″ long, 1/8″ thick strip of titanium bent in the middle. The two ends are brought together into a cylindrical lock that spins freely, meaning that it can’t be twisted off. The flexibility of the long strip of titanium makes it immune to jacking, and the inherent toughness of the metal means that a thief would need a lot of time and some serious power tools to cut it. This is the sort of lock that makes thieves look for easier prey.

The length and flexibility of the lock’s body means that it’s easier to secure your bike to an immovable object like a light pole or parking meter.

The only downside I see to the lock is that transporting is less than, ah, elegant. It comes with a couple of velcro strap and the suggestion is to affix it to one of your bike’s frame tubes. That will work, but won’t look great. That’s probably a small price to pay for peace of mind.

I’m not sure when the TiGr lock will be available to the public, or what the final pricing will be. I’m not sure they’re set up for manufacturing in mass quantities but I suspect that will come once word gets out. The only other thing they need to fix is their QR code imprinting process, as shown in the third photo above. My phone won’t scan it. That just won’t do; I insist that my bike locks be scannable!