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Booby traps like that are also, unlike what the FAQ suggests, completely illegal. Theft of a bicycle is insufficient grounds for injuring someone's hands. Ther

by dalke 12y ago

Booby traps like that are also, unlike what the FAQ suggests, completely illegal. Theft of a bicycle is insufficient grounds for injuring someone's hands. There are legitimate reasons for people to move a bicycle without authorization from the owner, such as if it's blocking a fire hydrant during a fire. The dependency on GPS and active power is its Achilles heel. How often do you need to charge the batteries? Can you store it in a covered bike parking area with bad signal? What if someone covers the handle with a can and it loses signal? Or glues the USB connector so it can't be recharged? And of course, simply ride hands-free for the first 100 meters.

smt88 12y ago
I'm really leaning toward it being a bitter joke. It sucks getting your bike stolen, and some of my car-less friends have had it happen multiple times. What's worse is that there isn't a great, cost-effective way to prevent it. I can definitely see this being someone's outlet for wanting to blow the hands off a bike thief.
- dalke 12y ago
  Searching now, I see this was covered in detail a few weeks ago at http://www.reddit.com/r/bicycling/comments/2mtava/new_bike_lock_is_designed_to_blow_the_hands_off/ http://www.reddit.com/r/bicycling/comments/2mtava/new_bike_l... : > VengeCycle is not a joke, it is a very real product designed to make our user's lives better and safer. We've been working hard on development of our consumer version for the past 2 years and are very proud of what we have accomplished. We believe our customers will be very satisfied with the product. It's signed 'Peter Moore Director of Sales & Customer Service, VengeCycle', who is also the contact for the domain's whois.
  - smt88 12y ago
    Yup, found a LinkedIn profile for him. You're absolutely right that this is illegal in the US, and I'd imagine most modern countries would have similar laws against it. Since it has a battery-operated device, including a beeping alarm, you'd think a better solution would be to just make a loud/obnoxious noise when the bike leaves the 50m radius. But now I really feel like I'm wasting my time pointing out flaws in an idea from a Wiley Coyote/Roadrunner cartoon.

by dalke 12y ago

smt88 12y ago

I'm really leaning toward it being a bitter joke. It sucks getting your bike stolen, and some of my car-less friends have had it happen multiple times. What's worse is that there isn't a great, cost-effective way to prevent it. I can definitely see this being someone's outlet for wanting to blow the hands off a bike thief.

dalke 12y ago
Searching now, I see this was covered in detail a few weeks ago at http://www.reddit.com/r/bicycling/comments/2mtava/new_bike_lock_is_designed_to_blow_the_hands_off/ http://www.reddit.com/r/bicycling/comments/2mtava/new_bike_l... : > VengeCycle is not a joke, it is a very real product designed to make our user's lives better and safer. We've been working hard on development of our consumer version for the past 2 years and are very proud of what we have accomplished. We believe our customers will be very satisfied with the product. It's signed 'Peter Moore Director of Sales & Customer Service, VengeCycle', who is also the contact for the domain's whois.
- smt88 12y ago
  Yup, found a LinkedIn profile for him. You're absolutely right that this is illegal in the US, and I'd imagine most modern countries would have similar laws against it. Since it has a battery-operated device, including a beeping alarm, you'd think a better solution would be to just make a loud/obnoxious noise when the bike leaves the 50m radius. But now I really feel like I'm wasting my time pointing out flaws in an idea from a Wiley Coyote/Roadrunner cartoon.