2Lock: Regensburg start-up shows smart hub lock for e-bikes
The first manufacturers are already installing the 2Lock hub lock, which secures in two ways, in their bikes.
Hub lock from 2Lock
(Image: heise online/sht)
At Eurobike in Frankfurt, numerous small companies are presenting their innovations alongside the industry giants. Among them this year is the Regensburg-based start-up 2Lock, which has developed an integrated hub lock for e-bikes.
The 2Lock lock is concealed in the front wheel hub and is visually inconspicuous. The primary protection is the immobilizer, which prevents the wheel from turning. The design prevents the lock from blocking while riding; it can only lock when stationary. According to the 2Lock concept, the motion sensors in the wheel should also trigger a loud acoustic alarm if the system detects an attempted theft, which can only be stopped by the corresponding command with the smartphone. The resulting attention should also deter thieves.
In addition to the immobilizer, the second central element of 2Lock is the removal lock. If the lock is locked, the front wheel can no longer be removed in the normal way. In order to remove it, you would have to drill out the axle or destroy the fork – Both involve a lot of effort and are therefore somewhat unattractive for bike thieves.
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Integration into manufacturer apps
The 2Lock lock is integrated into an existing e-bike system. The respective manufacturer builds the corresponding functions into the app for the bike, which is already included for the vast majority of e-bikes anyway. There is no separate app for locking and unlocking; this function is integrated into the respective manufacturer's app. The disadvantage is that the 2Lock lock can hardly be retrofitted and is not sold separately.
The Bavarian bike manufacturer Hepha and the Estonian company Comodule, which develops IoT modules for the digital networking of e-bikes, are among the partners that 2Lock has already acquired. Comodule integrates the 2Lock lock into its ecosystem, which is now also used by Yamaha for its PW-Link system. Hepha installs the hub lock in the €3,000 Urban 8 trekking e-bike, which the manufacturer also presented at Eurobike in Frankfurt.
(sht)
