There's still room for entrepreneurs in the market, however, and a Kickstarter project called Bike Mine plans to shake up the bike alarm market by introducing the loudest alarm they could come up with.
Bike Mine is a relatively straightforward affair. It's a length of titanium wire connected to a spring-loaded trap and a detonator; there are no batteries and the device is fitted onto a bike's frame by velcro straps. When a motorbike or a bicycle is moved and the wheel rotates, Bike Mine goes off and triggers a 150-decibel blast by detonating a blank round. It's hardly high-tech, but it's loud and most likely more effective than a regular alarm sound that usually only merits a shrug. The fitment is the only thing to be questioned, whether the alarm device is easily detected and removed before the blast. And in case you loan your bike to anyone, it might make sense to inform the lender about the Bike Mine being fitted.
The device was created by entrepreneur and inventor Yannick Read, who made it into the Guinness Book of Records as the creator of the world's loudest bicycle horn. Bike Mine does show he takes biking seriously, and wants fellow cyclists and motorists to keep their rides safe as well. At the time of writing, with 38 days to go, there are 21 backers and about $2,230 pledged of the final $19,000 goal.
