E-bikes bring numerous advantages. They allow longer tours and are ideal for commuters who don’t want to arrive at work drenched in sweat. But the motorized bikes are not perfect either. In particular, the high purchase price is currently still deterring many potential buyers. It’s all the worse when you suddenly find the lock picked while the 4,000 euro bike disappears from the scene. To prevent this from happening so easily, the Danish company Pentalock developed a special security system that is installed directly in the bicycle. We took a look at the innovative solution at Eurobike 2022.
Pentalock’s built-in security lock
The Pentalock lock differs from most other bicycle locks because it is integrated directly into the wheel – in the bottom bracket. And that is exactly the biggest advantage of the high-end lock. Because in order to crack this and release the blocked pedals again, you would have to severely damage the bike. In this case, the lock would be picked, but the e-bike would be unusable for the thieves because they could no longer sell it. The lock also offers a so-called kill switch (central locking). The feature deactivates all e-bike functions such as the display, motor and lights, and acoustic stimuli are also involved. If the bike is moved by someone without a Bluetooth key, an integrated alarm signal sounds at a volume of around 100 decibels.
Pentalock presented its latest model, the PL3, at Eurobike 2022. This offers a digital torque sensor that was developed with the help of machine learning and is intended to improve driving comfort in addition to the safety functions. However, the innovative lock does not come entirely without weaknesses either. So users have to make sure that they don’t lose their Bluetooth keys. As long as a key is still available, it can be duplicated without any problems. But if all the keys are no longer accessible, the only option left is to replace the permanently installed lock for a fee.
Pentalock bike lock
Quelle: Artem Sandler / inside digital
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Pentalock bike lock
Quelle: Artem Sandler / inside digital
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Pentalock bike lock
Quelle: Artem Sandler / inside digital
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Pentalock bike lock
Quelle: Artem Sandler / inside digital
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Pentalock locks are offered as a B2B solution and can therefore not be purchased over the counter. Nevertheless, it is possible that in the near future numerous e-bike riders will be cruising around with a Pentalock bike. According to the young company, it has already received inquiries from more than 80 bicycle brands and has sold 20,000 units in the first six months alone.
