It’s time to meet Yerka – the world’s first unstealable bike. Its simple, sleek design will blow your mind. Its sturdiness is to be reckoned with. Its self-defense mechanism is as simple as it is effective. And it is made with the best possible parts, so it’s still a good bike.
Yes, sometimes, with ideas that are so original and nice, come cost restrains that end up making the need product a bit clunky. This is not the case with the Yerka. And you will soon find out why.
The project was started by three very young entrepreneurs. In an effort to end bicycle stealing, they have come up with a brilliant idea. This happened after one of the three former students of engineering had two of his bikes stolen. This has to be bad luck, someone might say.
Oh wait! It isn’t. As their promotional adds say: 15 million bikes are stolen every year. The most common theft method is the guy coming with a pair of pliers or a saw, cutting off the chain, and riding off into the sunset. But now, he won’t be able to do that with the Yerka.
Exasperated by this idiotic crime that seems too simple to be so common, they though that for a very simple crime, they need a very simple solution. As you may see in the picture above, the Yerka has a frame that can be dismantled and connected in a different was so as to create a locking mechanism.
This way, whoever tries to steal it must either have the keys, which are being custom made for every bike, or cut one of the three parts making the locking mechanism. But hold on, doesn’t this ruin the bike? Yes it does. So, essentially, they can’t ride off into the sunset, and have to carry it to the nearest bike repair, if they feel like they can trust the mechanic with a stolen bike – which they won’t.
In ten seconds the bike is back on its wheels and you can go about your day. Plus, the wheels have a locking mechanism and cannot be stolen separately as well.
The three project managers just managed fund their project using Indiegogo and have just placed an order for 300 bikes. As they need their parts to come in to Chile (where the Yerka is from) from China, Taiwan, and Shanghai. This is because they knew where to find the sturdiest parts.
The three are now waiting for a bigger investor to help them, as the cost of production an shipping leaves them effectively penniless.
Image source: mirror.co.uk
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