With the increase in bicycle usage, especially within cities, security concerns continue to be at the front of cyclists’ minds. In this war against bike theft, as with most any defensive strategy, diversification is highly effective. U-lock your frame, cable lock your wheels, lock your components, install GPS tracking — all are effective war tactics. Dennis Siegel, student at University of the Arts Bremen, decided to add yet another weapon to the war chest. Be debriefed on his advanced safety measures once you conquer the break…
While GPS tracking units will alarm you via mobile phone of possible illicit tampering (and charge you a monthly data fee), Siegel’s device is designed to alarm the thief — with 120 earsplitting decibels. It’s the classic car alarm…for your bike.
Siegel’s alarm features “omnidirectional movement sensing that detects tiny fluctuation or acceleration.” The end result is a device that not only freaks out would-be thieves, but also commiserates with haters of false-alarm spewing, overly sensitive car alarms — and for this Siegel should be applauded. He states that his bike alarm measures and differentiates between environmental variables and therefore can “distinguish between a serious theft and harmless vibrations, for instance of a passing tram.” These “smarts” elevate this concept from potentially superfluous to theoretically practical.
Siegel has managed to keep costs low by utilizing RFID chips in place of unnecessary and pricier Bluetooth technology. An associated RFID fob will arm/disarm, activate/deactivate the device, while Gizmag is reporting the current battery technology allows for a two hour USB charge that lasts three days of normal use. This concept is only in its prototype form, not slotted for production — yet.
