Skip to main content

Deter bicycle thieves with this textile-based cable from Tex-Lock

tex lock textile bicycle design
Image used with permission by copyright holder
Bicycle chains can be a real drag. The keyed U-locks and combination cables that keep your bike safe are difficult to haul around, being not only heavy but also bulky. A decent cable lock can’t be compressed enough to fit in a saddle bag, and it’ll get in the way of your pedaling when mounted on your top tube (or sit like a dead weight in your cycling backpack).

There has to be a better way. In fact, there is.

A group of cycling enthusiasts frustrated with existing locks came up with Tex-Lock, a flexible and lightweight cable lock that’s as secure as existing metal locks but at a fraction of the weight. Unlike existing locks that utilize metal as their core material, Tex-Lock uses a textile-based rope material that is manufactured in layers. There is a decorative shield on the outside that protects from water and fire, and it contains cut-resistant layers.

The textile is braided into a chain flexible enough to fit into the front pocket of a shell, yet robust enough to resist cutting by bolt cutters and even fracturing by ice spray. In fact, the colder it gets, the stronger the textile fabric becomes. It also is heat resistant and will maintain its integrity even under a direct flame.

Tex-Lock is secure, but its biggest benefit is that it is travel-friendly. The flexible cable can be coiled to fit into small bags and jacket pockets. It is also soft, which means it can dangle off your top tube and not scratch your bike or bruise your legs. The fabric rope is lightweight weighing no more than 350 grams (about 12 ounces) per meter, which is minuscule when compared to metal bicycle locks which can weigh over 4 pounds, depending on their construction.

Tex-Lock is being sold as a Kickstarter-funded project with an estimated ship date of August 2017. The entry level short Tex-Lock costs approximately $100, while the XL version will set you back $120. All versions include a padlock and bracket to attaches the lock to your bicycle.

Kelly Hodgkins
Kelly's been writing online for ten years, working at Gizmodo, TUAW, and BGR among others. Living near the White Mountains of…
Meet the game-changing pitching robot that can perfectly mimic any human throw
baseball hitter swings and misses

Who’s your favorite baseball pitcher? Shane McClanahan? Sandy Alcantara? Justin Verlander? Whoever you said, two of the top sports-tech companies in the U.S. -- Rapsodo and Trajekt Sports -- have teamed up to build a robot version of them, and the results are reportedly uncannily accurate.

Okay, so we’re not talking about walking-talking-pitching standalone robots, as great a sci-fi-tinged MLB ad as that would be. However, Rapsodo and Trajekt have combined their considerable powers to throw a slew of different technologies at the problem of building a machine that's able to accurately simulate the pitching style of whichever player you want to practice batting against -- and they may just have pulled it off, too.

Read more
The best portable power stations
EcoFlow DELTA 2 on table at campsite for quick charging.

Affordable and efficient portable power is a necessity these days, keeping our electronic devices operational while on the go. But there are literally dozens of options to choose from, making it abundantly difficult to decide which mobile charging solution is best for you. We've sorted through countless portable power options and came up with six of the best portable power stations to keep your smartphones, tablets, laptops, and other gadgets functioning while living off the grid.
The best overall: Jackery Explorer 1000

Jackery has been a mainstay in the portable power market for several years, and today, the company continues to set the standard. With three AC outlets, two USB-A, and two USB-C plugs, you'll have plenty of options for keeping your gadgets charged.

Read more
CES 2023: HD Hyundai’s Avikus is an A.I. for autonomous boat and marine navigation
Demonstration of NeuBoat level 2 autonomous navigation system at the Fort Lauderdale International Boat Show

This content was produced in partnership with HD Hyundai.
Autonomous vehicle navigation technology is certainly nothing new and has been in the works for the better part of a decade at this point. But one of the most common forms we see and hear about is the type used to control steering in road-based vehicles. That's not the only place where technology can make a huge difference. Autonomous driving systems can offer incredible benefits to boats and marine vehicles, too, which is precisely why HD Hyundai has unveiled its Avikus AI technology -- for marine and watercraft vehicles.

More recently, HD Hyundai participated in the Fort Lauderdale International Boat Show, to demo its NeuBoat level 2 autonomous navigation system for recreational boats. The name mashes together the words "neuron" and "boat" and is quite fitting since the Avikus' A.I. navigation tech is a core component of the solution, it will handle self-recognition, real-time decisions, and controls when on the water. Of course, there are a lot of things happening behind the scenes with HD Hyundai's autonomous navigation solution, which we'll dive into below -- HD Hyundai will also be introducing more about the tech at CES 2023.

Read more