From Kickstarter to a Taipei D&I Gold award winner, Interlock is a smart product that combines a standard seat post with a bicycle lock. Now instead of carrying your lock on your frame, around your bars, or in a back pack, the lock stashes inside the post for a clean, extremely convenient locking option. Originally offered in 25.4 and 27.2mm diameters, a third 31.6mm size is being added, and they all retail for $60 – not much more than the cost of a seat post and a lock.
After meeting Adrian from Interlock in Taipei, we got a sample to try out – check out our first impressions next…
Built with a forged then post machined head, the Interlock is a friction fit into the seatpost with the lock cable nestled inside the seat tube. The lock itself seems like a quality unit with the added bonus of not having to leave the key in after it is unlocked. Unlock it, remove the key, and the lock snaps shut securely. The entire post and lock assembly weighs 620g and is available in black or silver.
Yes, there are many locks on the market that offer improved security, but the point of the Interlock is convenience. You can always combine the Interlock with an additional U-lock for added security, but as it is the Interlock is more than enough for many locations. By routing the cable through the frame and the wheel (or both wheels if QR), you can lock up the post, frame, and wheels, while the lock end is easy enough to put through the saddle rails if you are concerned about the seat getting stolen.
Even though the lock is basically just a press fit into the post, first rides have been silent – no rattling of any sort. This, and the potential for the lock to pop out of the post were my only concerns but the Interlock seems to have addressed those issues well. So, the post works well as a post and a lock, but there are a few things to consider. You may need to change your water bottle bolts on the seat tube as mine were too long and prevented the lock from dropping down into the frame. On a similar note, I’d imagine that there will be frames that the post or lock cable is too long. Technically you could figure out a way to cut the post down, but there is no way to shorten the lock cable. This would really only apply to very small bikes, but it’s something to consider. You obviously can’t slam the post either, so you need about 3 inches of exposed post for it to work. Some saddle bags may interfere with the lock as well.
On my bike, I love it. It’s probably more lock than I really need around here especially for the beater, but you can’t beat the convenience. The lock is easy to use, easy to store, and makes riding to the store, post office, library, whatever that much easier. This isn’t a product you’ll see on expensive road bikes, but for commuters or townies it’s an awesome addition.
