Add-on turns bike helmets into a lock

Belgium-based sportswear company Lazer has developed the Cappuccino Lock, a helmet strap add-on that enables bike owners to use their helmet to quickly lock both.

Sometimes bike riders just need to drop into a store or café to quickly pick up a coffee or something on their shopping list. Since most stores don’t like riders to carry their bikes inside, they either have to risk propping them up with no security or go through the whole process of locking up. Now Belgium-based sportswear company Lazer has developed the Cappuccino Lock, a helmet strap add-on that enables bike owners to use their helmet to quickly lock both.

The pocket-sized device works with any other helmet that uses a typical buckle fastener. When riders need to stop for a moment, they can remove their helmet and clip the Cappuccino Lock into one side of the buckle. They can then wrap the helmet strap around the bike frame and a fixed object like a bike stand, pole or railings, and clip the other end of the lock into the other strap. The device features a combination that then stops passersby from simply unclipping the helmet strap. While it doesn’t replace a traditional metal lock — the helmet strap could be easily and discreetly cut with a knife or scissors by a seasoned bike thief — it does discourage the average passerby from taking the chance to steal either the helmet or bike while the owner is briefly inside a store or coffeeshop.

Watch the video below to see how the device works:

The Cappuccino Lock is available in multiple colors and although prices aren’t confirmed yet, they should hit the market at USD 20. With an already saturated market, are there other biking accessories that can make the experience more practical?