Light and flexible Litelok is back, in beefier Core incarnation

Back in 2015, former aeronautical engineer Neil Barron presented his Litelok as a lighter, more flexible alternative to bicycle U-locks. His company is now offering a rougher, tougher version, called the Litelok Core.

The original Litelok (now known as the Gold model) is sort of like a cable lock on steroids.

It's made up of multiple materials, layered one around another like the growth rings of a tree trunk. That same principle is still at work in the Core, although the whole thing has been redesigned, reportedly making it much harder to cut, saw, or otherwise hack one's way through.

At the core of the Core is a band of high-tensile steel filaments. This is surrounded by a layer of hardened steel mesh, which is in turn surrounded by a layer of waterproof polymer, which is in turn surrounded by an abrasion-resistant braided outer sleeve. The two ends lock together via an attached stainless steel key locking mechanism.

According to the Litelok company, the Core is not only pick-resistant, but it can also withstand both repeated hammer/chisel blows and -40 ºC (-40 ºF) freeze spray attacks. It's 24 mm thick (no word on width), and is available in a choice of six lengths.

The first four of those are intended for use on bicycles, and range from 75 to 112 cm (29 to 44 in) – they're claimed to tip the scales at 1.6 to 2.2 kg, respectively (3.5 to 4.9 lb). Like the unrelated Hiplok, they can be worn like a belt when not in use.

The longest two models are intended for use on motorcycles. They're 125 and 150 cm long (49 and 59 in), and weigh in at 2.5 and 2.9 kg (5.4 and 6.3 lb).

Should you be interested, the British-made Litelok Core is presently the subject of a Kickstarter campaign. Pledges range from £80 (about US$111) for the 75-cm model (planned retail £120/$167) up to £140 ($195) for the 150-cm version (retail £180/$250).

The lock is demonstrated in the following video.

Source: Kickstarter