Bicycles

Doormate puts a wireless garage door opener on users' bikes

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The original version of the Doormate replaces one of the bar-end plugs on a road bike's handlebars
12Speed
The stem-cap-replacing Doormate 2
12Speed
The original version of the Doormate replaces one of the bar-end plugs on a road bike's handlebars
12Speed

If you're going out on a bike ride directly from your home, your house keys are just one more thing you have to bring along and stuff in a pocket. The Doormate offers an alternative (for cyclists with garages), as it's a bike-mounted garage door remote.

Manufactured by US startup 12Speed, the Doormate is being offered in two versions.

The original, simply called the Doormate, replaces one of the bar-end plugs on a road bike's handlebars. By pressing the device's single button, users can wirelessly open a paired motorized garage door from a distance of up to 50 ft (15 m).

Power is provided by a replaceable A27 alkaline battery, which should be good for one year of typical use. The whole device is claimed to tip the scales at 16 g (0.5 oz), and is IP65 water-resistant – that means it can withstand jets of water from any angle.

The stem-cap-replacing Doormate 2
12Speed

Mountain bikers will be more interested in the other model, the Doormate 2. It mounts in place of the bike's existing stem cap or on the handlebars like a bell, and has two buttons which can be programmed to open two different doors.

Its range is a bit shorter at 30 ft (9 m), and its 23-g (0.8-oz) weight is slightly heftier. Another difference is its use of a replaceable CR2032 lithium-ion coin cell battery, which is still rated for a year of use.

According to a report on BikeRadar, both versions are compatible with 85% of garage doors in the US, Mexico, Canada and New Zealand. They're also both priced at US$39.99, and are available via the company website.

Source: 12Speed via BikeRadar

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1 comment
DavidB
LOL

I've had a garage door remote on my motorcycle for years. I had a spare remote, so it didn't cost me a cent.

No one should pay more for this than what a spare/replacement remote would cost them.