PARIS, March 15 — Could a smell so awful it’s intolerable be a more effective deterrent than any conventional anti-theft device? With this in mind, a new kind of bike lock has been developed, emitting a gas with a smell deemed unbearable, both to scare away thieves and to alert passers-by.
Every year in France, between 400,000 and 580,000 bicycles are stolen, according to various surveys carried out in recent years by the Ministry of Transport and declarations made to insurers.
Faced with this scourge, a young French chemical engineering student, Aïko Leroux, has launched a novel innovation: a bike lock that emits a foul smell in the event of a theft attempt.
Called CactUs, this anti-theft device differs from traditional solutions in that its internal mechanism contains a gas based on putrescine, an organic compound responsible for the characteristic, nauseating odor of decomposing corpses.
The gas is released when the lock is cut more than a centimetre deep, releasing a vile-smelling stench that deters the thief and alerts passers-by. This strategy aims to make any theft simply unbearable, beyond relying on mere mechanical resistance.
Interviewed by Lyon Demain, the device’s creator explains that the idea is to propose a more effective deterrent than a bike lock which is simply strong and resistant, and for the system to be able to react if ever a theft attempt takes place in order to successfully stop the attack.
The CactUs is currently in the pre-order phase, with a limited series of 100 units for beta-testers offered at a preferential rate. The official launch is scheduled for summer 2025, with full-priced locks selling for €259.99 each.
This initiative comes at a time when most anti-theft devices on the market are primarily deterrents. In practice, however, they are far from unbreakable, be they U-locks, folding locks, frame locks or locks for saddles and wheels. Note that if you want to be sure of finding your bike again if it’s stolen, it’s best to fit it with a GPS tracker. — ETX Studio
