PentaLock’s journey

It all started with a user-driven invention at Aalborg University with the goal of solving a central problem. Emil Norup, CEO of PentaLock, had his bike stolen two weeks before he and his colleagues had to decide on a topic for their Master’s Thesis.

The stolen bike convinced them that there was a problem that needed to be solved, and that the solution could be an unbreakable bike lock. Despite some opposition, the young students were successful in convincing the university that this unusual idea would make an excellent Master’s Thesis. 

Throughout the process, they investigated various actors such as insurance companies, police, and a former professional bike thief in order to get closer to the root cause of bike theft. Based on their knowledge, the concept was designed and tested to identify factors that discourage bike thieves from stealing. 

The ideal bike lock

They gained valuable insight into the best way to completely stop bike theft through numerous tests, and they developed a secure locking solution for bikes. They discovered that the best way to deter a bike thief is not to prevent him from stealing the bike but rather to prevent them from later using or selling the bike.

As a result, the PentaLock system is integrated into the bicycle’s crank, as its forced removal would prove detrimental to the bike and therefore to the thieves as well. This concept has been inspired by the automobile industry, which has seen a substantial amount of innovation in recent years compared to the bicycle industry.