Core77

One Hour Design Challenge WINNER!: TheftProof Bike Seat Lock

By Core Jr - March 30, 2008

in Featured Items

Okay, we know that the amount of negative space in the seat shaft is slim, and that the cable's gonna be similarly slim, but the winner of the most recent One Hour Design Challenge to design a better bike lock is RBAid's "TheftProof Bike" seat lock system. We liked that this solution embraces and exploits the behavior that people are already engaged in, and the fact is that this concept never failed to put a smile on the face of anyone we showed it to. So charm gets you half-way RBAid, but it would've been nice to see some iteration on external coiling, or another approach that preserved the "they're already taking the bike seat off" insight, but stood up to robustness constraints. (Oh, and bonus points if the spelling of "combonation" was ironic.)

Some notables: Special mention should go out to tadatadatada's "belt system," thinksketch's "integrated bike lock and pump," sprawlers' "don't lock your bike; ride your lock," kallol mohanty's "lock it graphically," and Jesse Daniels' "blue ink 'sposion!"

Check out these and other submissions right here.

Big thanks to everyone who participated in this 1HDC, and congrats, RBAid! Hope you enjoy your $200 gift certificate at Harris Cyclery!

o

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thinksketch

16 years ago

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I like the winning post, but agree, a cable is often not good enough. I'm totally going to be that guy, and insist that my entry (mentioned in the notables) DOES provide the "real lock" that you guys demand. And the seat post can have a quick release pin that remembers your seat height. Accepting bidders to manufacture it - thinksketch@gmail.com
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bike.killer

16 years ago

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i honestly can't believe this design won. The panel of judges should be embarrassed they picked this as the winner, but judging by the group of sad entries, it doesn't surprise me this was the least bad design of the bunch. With the rise of bicycle popularity, I thought Core77 would have taken this challenge seriously, but they clearly didn't. I would also like to ask the designer if he/she did ANY research at all. There's a reason ZERO couriers (good couriers) use cable locks to hold their bikes in the city.

Not only is the cable style lock useless, but you couldn't even coil thin rope small enough to fit in a seatpost dispenser, as this design uses, let alone some sort of metal cable. And no offense, but your saddle is really the least of your theft worries. Any handy thief can jack your pedals and/or handlebars just as easy and those are much harder to ride home without.... you can get by without a saddle for a few miles, try riding home with no pedals.....

The idea of a "theft-proof" bike is a unicorn concept because even if you weld your entire bike to a street sign as a lock, they'll just hack-saw the whole sign down and work on you frame piece by piece at home.... A "theft proof" bike requires an entire parking system to make it effective.

I honestly hope the winner didn't actually receive any sort of prize or money for this least crappy submission.

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tr

16 years ago

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this design won? i have had numerous road bikes (like the one pictured above), and i never remove the seat post. hell, it would be a pain to do so, since i'll need two allen wrenches with me to do it...plus the bolts are really tight, so my seat post doesn't slip while i ride.
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Albert

16 years ago

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This bike is not theft proof. You might as well have put a regular cable lock. A pair of bolt cutters will easily thwart it. the fact that it uses the seat doesn't help. First of all, a bike is easily rideable without the seat. Second of all, cut the cable at both ends and you can ride with the seat.
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gb

16 years ago

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Not only should the spelling be ironic but also should the name "theft-proof"

didn't we replace cable locks with the solid D-lock for the very reason that cables are far from theft-proof?
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Brad

16 years ago

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Just make sure you have a 'real' lock for the bike.
(I live in New York. Using that thing as your main lock would never work). But overall, nice concept.
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akatsuki

16 years ago

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So actual ability to defend a bicycle was not included as a criterion? Perhaps Starck is right and design is dead.

Leave that bike on the streets of any city and watch it disappear.
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Rod

16 years ago

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As someone who works in sales at an urban bike shop, I must add that cables in general are usually discouraged as they are pretty easy to cut with simple cable cutters.
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