A strong bike chain is unfortunately something of a necessity for those who hope to cycle in the city but carrying one around can be a real nuisance. Previously city cyclists would have to either bring a backpack for their chain, wear it as an absurd necklace, or drape it over the handlebars which can make a bike unbalanced and hard to handle.
Seatylock offers a solution by integrating the chain into a detachable saddle which stores this potentially heavy component at the bike’s centre of gravity for a stable ride. You’ll also never forget to bring your lock with you into the city which can be a real nightmare — that is unless you’re also liable to forget your saddle.
Compatible with all bikes, Seatylock can be fitted to the frame just like any other saddle and could ‘revolutionize the urban cycling experience’. The integrated bike chain is 1m long when fully unfolded which should span most anchoring points.
The six chain segments are made from hardened steel with a plastic coating which prevents the internal metal from scratching your bike’s frame. Clearly a lot of though has gone into Seatylock which has also been designed with a cover to keep your seat dry if you chain it up in rainy weather. This video shows the extensive testing that Seatlock has gone through — and it’s stronger than it looks!
The Seatylock is priced at $85 for both the Trekking and Comfort models through the Kickstarter campaign, and the designers forecast a post-crowdfunding retail price of $129. While this might seem somewhat expensive, a decent bike chain (one that will actually protect your bike in the event that someone tries to steal it) isn’t exactly cheap either, and obviously you also get a new high quality saddle with a Seatylock.
The creators of the system have also previously made Foldylock (essentially the same bike lock but without saddle integration) which is already available to buy through the Foldylock site for $95 following a successful Kickstarter campaign. This lock folds away into a compact box which can be clipped onto a bike frame in the place you might typically find a water bottle or pump. Foldylock is arguably a more serious implementation of this new bike chain format as Seatylock does risk being seen as a bit of a novelty.
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Further Info
Website | Seatylock |
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Crowdfunding | Kickstarter |
Shop | Foldylock |