Chemical bike lock which fights bike thieves surges past Indiegogo goal

A skunk-inspired bike lock which emits a noxious gas when cut has launched on crowd funding site Indiegogo.

Said to immediately cause impaired sight and vomiting, the Skunk Lock is the latest in a string of alternative security solutions and one with which the description alone is perhaps deterrent enough.

The chemical formula, aside from causing the thief to be rendered temporarily unable to continue, will also irreversibly ruin clothes or protective gear making them easy to identify.

The obvious question raised is could the company suffer unjust lawsuits? Apparently not, with the founder having already reviewed United States laws to clarify its position, as well as limitations on shipping its unique chemical compound.

Invented by San Francisco entrepreneur Daniel Idzkowski, the Skunk Lock has already achieved 132% of its funding goal with a month left to run. Early backers had access to the product for $99, though second wave purchasers can still get hold of a unit for $109.

“Any lock can be cut with the right tools and that’s why 1.5 million bikes are stolen each year,” says Idzkowski. “Skunk lock can actually stop a thief from stealing your bike.”

The firm says now that it will consider shipping the Skunk Lock to regions with high theft rates, including the UK, Netherlands and Germany, among others.

In June this year we reported on a bicycle lock that doubles as a breathalizer, informing a pre-determined partner if a rider is cycling intoxicated.