#HTE

Yea Or Nay? A Textile Bike Lock

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.

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.

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?