Velo Labs Inc., a San Francisco-based start-up, decided to upgrade the typical U-lock that everyone’s familiar and turned to STRV for help. Velo Labs wanted to connect the locks to smartphones. It named its invention Skylock. The app is able to alert you when someone is trying to steal your two-wheeled darling. And if you take a tumble and fall off your bike, Skylock will also alert your emergency contacts. Talk about a smart connection. It’s pretty cool, isn’t it? Gerardo Barroeta, CTO of Velo Labs, said one of Skylock’s goals is prevention.
As you can see in the video below, potential thieves will think twice before trying to snatch your bike. Velo Labs also wants to include a bike-sharing functionality into the app, allowing cyclists to share their bikes with others.
STRV has been working with Velo Labs since February, and the mobile app developer has already delivered some promising results. Skylock has raised more than $50,000 during the first weekend after launching its crowd-sourcing campaign. The idea as well as an attractive video (watch below) have endeared Skylock to hundreds of bike owners. Velo Labs anticipates it will begin shipping the first units by early 2015 for $249, but you can buy it for just $159 during the campaign.
