Meet Skylock, the smart bike lock that can save you after a crash
There are plenty of smart bike locks that warn you about thieves, and some will even let you share your bike if you're the generous sort. However, their utility often stops when you start riding -- which is where Velo Labs' new Skylock comes in. The security system compares its own motion sensor data with that of your smartphone to tell if you've been in an accident. If you tumble off and don't respond within a set time frame, Skylock will alert emergency services that you're in trouble.
As you'd hope, Skylock covers the baseline features many have come to expect from smart locks: it'll let you know where your bike is and if someone is trying to tamper with it, and you can lend out your wheels to others. This may be the lock of choice if you hate recharging, too, since its solar panel will give you a week of power from an hour's worth of sunlight. Just be ready to pony up. Velo is crowdfunding the Skylock's hoped-for early 2015 launch, with a relatively high $159 pledge required to set a unit aside for yourself. That's still a bargain over the expected $249 retail sticker, though, and it could easily be worth the expense if it saves you after a nasty spill.
