LITELOK
Abloy and LITELOK innovating together for unmatched bicycle security
Amid the rolling hills and misty valleys of South Wales, a cyclist spins along a winding road, accompanied by the sound of ocean waves in the cool morning air. Reflecting the freedom and adventure of cycling, it’s here, in the heart of Swansea, that LITELOK and Abloy’s collaboration provides cyclists with the best protection, allowing them to enjoy their journey without worry.
LITELOK, known for its innovative, lightweight bike locks, has teamed up with Abloy to develop the world’s strongest bike lock. The result? A product that offers peace of mind and enhances the experience for cyclists and motorcyclists alike, ensuring that their valuable equipment is secure even in the most remote and scenic landscapes.
The vision behind LITELOK
LITELOK’s story begins with Founder, Professor Neil Barron. Following multiple bike thefts in London, Neil’s frustration with heavy, cumbersome locks led him to develop a lightweight, high-security solution.
"As a designer, engineer, and entrepreneur, I’m passionate about creating innovative technologies and products to solve problems," says Neil.
Founded in 2013, LITELOK introduced one of its key innovations: Barronium®, a patented composite armour technology that makes their locks the most angle grinder resistant on the market. This is done by turning the power of the grinder on itself. However, their pursuit of perfection didn’t end there. LITELOK sought Abloy’s expertise to enhance its locks with the best security solutions, leveraging Abloy’s extensive experience in key systems and cylinders.
Abloy’s custom solution
The partnership began with ABLOY Custom Products service, which tailors security solutions to meet specific customer needs.
"We wanted to complement the best lock technology with the best key system and cylinder from the leading industry operator," Neil explains.
After discussing LITELOK’s requirements, the ABLOY Custom Products team modified an existing product to be an exact fit for the collaboration and produced sample batches for testing. This solution provided exceptional security and introduced unique features specific to LITELOK’s needs, resulting in a durable system that is highly resistant to manipulation.
"The product is designed to bend rather than break, and any attempt to manipulate it only makes it lock more securely," Neil notes, highlighting the system’s resilience to severe attacks.
Testing to the limits
To ensure the lock would perform under real-world conditions, it underwent rigorous testing.
"We subjected it to tool attacks, street tests, freezing, and essentially ‘beat the hell out of it,’" says Neil.
The lock passed every challenge, proving virtually indestructible. Whether riding through the hills of South Wales or securing a bike in a busy city, cyclists can trust that it will keep their property safe.
The future of bike security
Today, the X3, enhanced by Abloy’s custom security solutions, is celebrated globally. Cyclists and motorcyclists trust the product to keep their equipment safe. The lock’s success is reflected in viral videos, customer feedback, and press coverage, solidifying LITELOK’s position in bike security.
"The partnership is about more than creating a product; it’s about enhancing the cycling experience, allowing riders to have peace of mind and focus on their journey, knowing their bikes are protected.
The collaboration with Abloy has been very smooth. We know that Abloy is a big company, but we’ve built a great relationship with the Abloy people, and that, for us, is everything.”