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Yea Or Nay? A Textile Bike Lock
The Tex tests my credulity and offers interesting design
By Kat Bauman - Mar 13, 2017
The Tex Lock is a cool, textile-heavy variation on flexible bike locks, but it weaves some big promises. After two years of development, their recent crowdfunding cycle is over and super successful, but I'm still waffling. The core of this lock design (ho ho) is a melding of woven construction and cut resistant materials that its creators, Katja Käseberg, Alexandra Baum and Suse Brand, claim are resilient enough to keep you safe while shaving weight.
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Enter a caption (optional)The super flexible "rope" is knit from multiple layers of woven materials, each designed for different defense purposes. Drawing on unlisted materials from the "automotive and aerospace" industries, it ostensibly resists torching, sawing and bolt cutters. The videos, as per usual, show the flexible lock stolidly resisting the savaging of a pair of cutters and staying strong in the face of adversity. Without having one in hand, or getting the full (understandably under wraps) designs, it's difficult to really commit to the dream.
I'll fully admit to putting my snob foot forward as soon as the video featured infomercial type "there's got to be a better way" scenarios and unsafe locking methods using their own product. And boasting about 10 collective years in product design with zero mentioned bike industry experience also isn't a great way to prove chops.
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Enter a caption (optional)The design does hone in on a couple of the biggest complaints in bike security, which are weight and bulkiness. It certainly does look like it'd do less damage while clanking around on a frame, and the two styles of loop end make a wide variety of uses possible. Meanwhile, the internal core is mysterious and under-explained, while the lock used to secure the cable is still a potential weak link. Woven casings aren't new, but much like other innovative flexible locks (most notably the LiteLock and OttoLock), the locking mechanism and materials themselves still raise questions.
If the testing video is even half earnest, I'd feel less iffy about this than most cable locks, and if it gets people who won't use nicer locks to upgrade for its softness and flexibility… maybe that's a win regardless? My jury of one is out.
Does it pass your smell test? Would you use it?
Kat Bauman
Irritated machine-lover and international Portland correspondent.
13 Comments
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LOL, cut the lock, not the cable! Seriously, Duh!
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That was my exact thought.
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I have become persuaded that in order to really deter bike theft, it is necessary to threaten the thieves with real harm, and not merely attempt to come up with something they can't pick or cut or saw or break. That is a loosing game; nobody has ever succeeded at this. But if some dude were to pounce out of a tree and stab a thief with a fucking trident with a loud battle cry, and this were to happen consistently for a short while, word would get around, and bike thefts would rapidly diminish.
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Even if it can withstand all attacks - I think the soft / vulnerable look would invite more than average attempts at theft.
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The cable itself could be hard to cut, but the weak link are the rings at the ends and the lock - if they will use the tool not to cut the cable but the ring i believe they would succeed easily
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That's my take as well. The shaft of the loop looks extremely thin to me. I suspect a pair of bolt cutters could make short work of it.
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Kevlar and all aramids are a heck of a lot stronger than most people realize and braided ropes are not easily "sliced" or cut. So I would bet this will defeat most attempts at cutting. More likely as mentioned to attach the lock or rings, unless they are also hardened.
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The fact that this is a "rope" is almost inviting to cut.
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I love the concept. One of my biggest beef with bike locks is that it is usually the heavier, the better. So a lightweight alternative sounds intriguing.
However I'll stick to my big and bulky ULock until it is properly street tested. I've seen how thieves are crafty at finding and attacking weak spots such as the hoops at both ends and the lock itself.!Report as spam -
Why would you cut rope with bolt cutters? Let's see how it stands up to a simple serrated knife.
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Have you ever tried to cut Kevlar fabric? It is nearly uncuttable, requiring specially beveled scissors designed to put the material into shear. That's also a lot easier to do when you're cutting single sheets of flat material, rather than a reinforced braid.
I can certainly see some advanced textile being an extremely effective lock material. But I agree with everyone that the weak links will be where the (relatively thin) metal loops, and where the fabric attaches to them.!Report as spam-
Yeah, someone once showed me a Kevlar carving glove, designed to protect you from slips while cutting. I sliced it easily with my carving knife.
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Looks like a great cable for locking bikes to chain link fences. Hehe
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