Bicycles

Electronically lockable bottom bracket renders bikes unrideable

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The PentaLock is designed to be built into the bike, as opposed to being retrofitted onto existing bicycles
PentaLock
The PentaLock Bluetooth fob is flat, so it can easily slide into a pocket
PentaLock
The PL2 ebike version of the PentaLock works with bikes that have front- or rear-hub motors, but does not currently work with bottom bracket motors
PentaLock
The PentaLock is designed to be built into the bike, as opposed to being retrofitted onto existing bicycles
PentaLock
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If a thief is sufficiently motivated and equipped, they can get through pretty much any bike lock. That's where the PentaLock comes in – it makes a bicycle un-pedalable, regardless of whether or not that bike is also locked up to an adjacent object such as a sign post.

Designed by Danish engineers Emil Norup and Thomas Martin Jessen, the PentaLock is an electronically lockable bottom bracket that is built right into the bike in the factory. This reportedly makes it very difficult for thieves to remove and replace, to the point that they would just wreck the bike (making it worthless to them) if they tried.

There are actually two versions of the PentaLock, the PL1 and the PL2. The PL1 is designed for regular non-electric bikes, and works by locking up the bottom bracket – and thus the crank arms – when the user presses a button on an included Bluetooth fob, or when that fob passes out of Bluetooth range. Once the user is back in range, pressing that button again unlocks the bike.

The PentaLock Bluetooth fob is flat, so it can easily slide into a pocket
PentaLock

The PL2 is made for ebikes, and along with locking up the bottom bracket, it also disables all of the bicycle's electronic functions, such as the motor, display, controller and lights. Both models additionally incorporate a motion-activated antitheft system, that will sound a 100-decibel alarm if the bike is moved while locked.

A company representative tells us that the PentaLock is being sold direct to bicycle manufacturers, and that the first bikes incorporating the technology should start showing up as early as this September.

Source: PentaLock via Bicitech

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6 comments
paul314
Because you want to annoy people who can trash your expensive bike. (I also foresee various hacks, just as there have been with the key fobs that ostensibly lock and unlock automobiles.)
Wombat56
"The PentaLock Bluetooth fob is flat, so it can easily slide into a pocket" or easily fall out of one. I'd prefer something that you could attach to a key ring, or even a phone app providing there was adequate thought put into data security and key backup/recovery.
ChairmanLMAO
Hope that Fob can go on a key chain - imagine all that security and - now you can't even ride home.
Worzel
So, if the 100 decibel alarm is disabled, with a squirt of quick set (5 min) expanding foam glue, the bike can be moved, into the back of a van, and then the bottom bracket lock disabled at leisure, elsewhere.
lee54
This may prevent someone from riding off with your bike, but it won't stop all thefts, of course. They need to add a feature that requires contacting the manufacturer and providing the bike's serial number in order to get a code to re-enable the bike if the fob is missing. Also a built-in GPS tracker that activates when the bike gets stolen.
BlueOak
Yah, that’s not gonna prevent thieves from throwing your bike in the back of their pickup... and what difference will it make to you whether they render your bike unusable, later attempting to remove the bottom bracket? Your bike will be gone from you either way!