Words don't even come close to describing what a victim of theft feels like. If you've ever had your bike stolen from outside your city apartment, you must know all about that – and dread an even worse scenario if you've made the switch to an electric variant for your comfort and convenience.
Electric bicycles and scooters have taken over our cities. Commuters want to be able to travel faster and farther with less effort, and they love the idea of having a smart(er) machine than a traditional, pedal-powered bicycle.
As it turns out, so do thieves.
While bikes have been getting smarter, more tech-packed, and more expensive, the means to protect them against theft are still stuck in the past. Entrusting a simple chain lock with keeping a thief from rolling away on your $1,500 e-bike (or more, if you can afford a premium product) is a theft just waiting to happen. It's like sleeping with the door open and a "welcome in, have at it" sign for trespassers with whatever criminal intentions in mind.
The bottom line is that if having your bicycle stolen sucked before, it's even worse if you ride electric because e-bikes tend to cost more money. Linka Lasso promises to keep your e-bike, any other two-wheeler, or valuable locked down and safe from thieves. Currently raising funds on crowdfunding, it also promises to be the world's first smart chain lock, the toughest and smartest out there, which also happens to be easy to use and darn-near indestructible.
Photo: Linka
They say that any anti-theft device is only as tough as the thief's determination to break it. To make sure the Link Lasso is the toughest, U.S.-based Linka tested it against many types of attacks from all sides, using a variety of tools, including bolt cutters, hammers, and hacksaws. Their conclusion was that it's unbreakable, so bound to guarantee peace of mind, whether you choose to use it to secure an e-bike, scooter, motorcycle, gate, or kayak and snowboards.
The Linka Lasso is offered in three sizes, with the Lasso 10 designed to secure larger items like motorcycles and gates. Whichever the size, they all have the same design and construction: a body made of rust-proof stainless steel that integrates the locking mechanism and the alarm and a chain made of hardened manganese steel. The chain is covered with a recyclable polyethylene sleeve that protects it from the elements.
What makes this lock smart is the patented Quick Lock and encrypted wireless authentication, which allows three ways of unlocking it and sharing the unlock code with anyone else, even if they're across the world. The Linka Lasso pairs with your phone so that you can unlock it from the app.
Photo: Linka
It can also be paired with a SmartMotion Key that's sold separately or by means of a unique phoneless access code (PAC). By having three possible ways of unlocking it, you get the most convenience even if something unexpected happens, like losing your Key or your phone battery draining out.
The Linka Lasso has a built-in motion-triggered alarm that blares whenever someone tries to mess with it, but which you will deactivate in Travel Mode to keep it from going off by accident as you ride. The Quick Lock mechanism locks and unlock in under one second and won't pose issues with either during freezing temperatures or in wet weather.
Battery life for the Linka Lasso is estimated at upwards of three months, with that period going as high as 12 months if you use it with the SmartMotion Key. The Key only broadcasts when it's in motion, thus decreasing the odds of a spoof attack.
Photo: Linka
Offered with IP67 certification for dust- and water-proofing, the Linka Lock can also be submerged in shallow water for as long as 30 minutes. That's not to say you should take it scuba diving, but rather that it won't become useless if you accidentally drop it in a puddle. The lock is also guaranteed to operate impeccably in extreme conditions from -4°F to 150°F (-20°C to 65°C) for an estimated lifespan of 5,000 lock and unlock cycles.
Linka boasts of having crafted a lock that's "obsessively engineered," tougher than the toughest thing out there, and virtually unbreakable. To convince pledgers to back it into mass production, they're offering a 5-year warranty on it regardless of model, in what they claim is an industry first.
There's inherent risk with crowdfunding in that these platforms are not like regular online shops where you get the product you paid for in an estimated timeframe. But Linka is not a startup, and it's not a flash in the pan, either: it's a company that goes back to 2014 and which, so far, boasts an irreproachable reputation. This isn't a plug but just extra context to help you make the right decision. The first deliveries go out in July 2023, followed by another batch in August, exclusively for backers. MRSP is $169 for the smallest Link Lasso model.
Elena has been writing for a living since 2006 and, as a journalist, she has put her double major in English and Spanish to good use. She covers automotive and mobility topics like cars and bicycles, and she always knows the shows worth watching on Netflix and friends. Full profile
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