Support road.cc

Like this site? Help us to make it better.

TECH NEWS

Squire’s Bluetooth-controlled inigma Diamond BL1 D-lock comes with top Sold Secure rating

New lock that you open via your smartphone is looking for funding on Kickstarter

Squire has launched a new Bluetooth-controlled inigma Diamond BL1 smart D-lock that comes with Sold Secure Diamond rating – the highest available for bike locks. Like existing inigma locks, it is secured using “maximum security AES-256 bit military-grade encryption”, according to Squire.

The Squire inigma Diamond BL1 digital D-lock features a hardened steel lock body and a 12.7mm hardened boron steel shackle that’s designed to be resistant to extreme attacks of over five minutes using a range of heavy-duty tools.

6 of the best bike locks — stop your bike getting stolen with our selection

inigma Diamond BL1 works by using Bluetooth to communicate with your smartphone via the inigma app that you can download from the App Store or Google Play.

2022 Squire inigma Diamond BL1 D-lock - 3

You register your details on the app, then pair the lock with your smartphone. There are no keys or combinations.  

You can share the lock with others – allowing more than one person to open it – control multiple locks from the same phone, and program the lock to open at set times and dates. You can also see who had access at any time via an audit trail.

The Squire inigma Diamond BL1 has a claimed weight of 1.44kg, so it’s easily portable.

Squire already offers the inigma FL1 folding lock (£179.99) and an inigma IC1 chain lock (£179.99), each with a Sold Secure Bronze rating.

Bluetooth-controlled locks from other brands have been around for several years. We reported on Bitlock’s Bluetooth keyless bike lock way back in 2013, for example. 

The Squire inigma Diamond BL1 lock is currently on Kickstarter looking for funding. To be in line for a Squire inigma Diamond BL1 lock you need to pledge at least £180 with delivery expected in October (you've missed the special 'early bird' offer; sorry). That will also be the inigma Diamond BL1’s usual price when it goes on general sale.

2022 Squire inigma Diamond BL1 D-lock - 1

As we always point out with anything to do with crowdfunding, it’s not the same as buying directly from a retailer. That said, Squire has been around for 240 years and we’d say that the chance of non-delivery is negligible if the funding target is met. 

Check out the Squire inigma Diamond BL1's Kickstarter page here

www.squirelocks.co.uk

Mat has been in cycling media since 1996, on titles including BikeRadar, Total Bike, Total Mountain Bike, What Mountain Bike and Mountain Biking UK, and he has been editor of 220 Triathlon and Cycling Plus. Mat has been road.cc technical editor for over a decade, testing bikes, fettling the latest kit, and trying out the most up-to-the-minute clothing. He has won his category in Ironman UK 70.3 and finished on the podium in both marathons he has run. Mat is a Cambridge graduate who did a post-grad in magazine journalism, and he is a winner of the Cycling Media Award for Specialist Online Writer. Now over 50, he's riding road and gravel bikes most days for fun and fitness rather than training for competitions.

Add new comment

43 comments

Avatar
BobK | 2 years ago
0 likes

I really wish you stopped reporting on just launched kickstarter projects. Or at least make the title accurate: "Squire has launched a new Bluetooth-controlled inigma Diamond BL1 smart D-lock" is  super misleading.

Avatar
vthejk | 2 years ago
1 like

A mate bought a number of bluetooth-enabled lights that could change colour. She used them for her University Fine Art final project, and paid a reasonable sum of her part-time wages towards it. Two months later, the company changed ownership and the new owners' app was deliberately made incompatible with any older lights that were made pre-takeover.

....Which is just one reason why I think anything powered by a niche, starter phone app is a bad, bad idea.

Avatar
hawkinspeter replied to vthejk | 2 years ago
1 like

vthejk wrote:

A mate bought a number of bluetooth-enabled lights that could change colour. She used them for her University Fine Art final project, and paid a reasonable sum of her part-time wages towards it. Two months later, the company changed ownership and the new owners' app was deliberately made incompatible with any older lights that were made pre-takeover.

....Which is just one reason why I think anything powered by a niche, starter phone app is a bad, bad idea.

That's why it's important for IOT devices to use an open standard to communicate so if a company disappears, you can at least put something together (or pay someone to do it) to still control your devices. Just say NO to proprietary rubbish

Avatar
Jimwill | 2 years ago
1 like

I have one lock. A Diamond rated something something. It's heavy, like 1.6kg. It lives at work and keeps my shitter commuter safe, and on occasion 1 of my nicer bikes.
Although I like the idea of one less key and maybe less chance of shit getting in the mechanism, the hassle of moving it between home and work for charging and the battery life between charges would put me off.
Also.. needing a key means I have to have my house keys with me to unlock the bike, I hate getting home and finding out I need to go straight back to work..

Avatar
ktache | 2 years ago
0 likes

What's the thickness of the d part?

The cover seems to be 30mm, but that can't be solid or it would be a lot heavier.

I would hope at least 16mm, I realise that nothing will stand up to angle grinders but I would want to make them spend a little time on it.  And 16mm seems to do a good job against the largest of bolt cutters.

Avatar
Steve K replied to ktache | 2 years ago
0 likes

ktache wrote:

realise that nothing will stand up to angle grinders but I would want to make them spend a little time on it.  

Well, the new Hiplok D1000 claims to.

Avatar
AlsoSomniloquism replied to Steve K | 2 years ago
0 likes

Would have been nice to see the disc materials used. I'm pretty sure when properly independent testers have done "the impossible" and cut through unbreakable locks with tools shown as useless by the manufacturers, it is because the manufacturers have used tools designed to cut the wrong material. 

I also like how they then show the lock being used on basic sheffield stands just on the frame and not through the wheels. I wonder what the thief will cut?

Avatar
Tom_77 replied to ktache | 2 years ago
0 likes

ktache wrote:

What's the thickness of the d part?

From the Kickstarter page:

Quote:

Featuring a hardened steel body and 12.7mm hardened boron steel shackle, the inigma™ Diamond BL1 can withstand extreme attacks of over 5 minutes using a range of heavy duty tools making it the ideal security solution for all high value bicycles and e-bikes locked in high-risk areas.

A Diamond rated lock ought to resist the largest of bolt croppers.

 

Avatar
mdavidford replied to Tom_77 | 2 years ago
0 likes

So the attack vector would be find a way to brick the electronics so the owner can't unlock it, then come back at a quiet time when you have more than 5 minutes to work on it.

Avatar
hawkinspeter replied to mdavidford | 2 years ago
1 like

mdavidford wrote:

So the attack vector would be find a way to brick the electronics so the owner can't unlock it, then come back at a quiet time when you have more than 5 minutes to work on it.

Just park up next to it with some kind of hot food stall and keep using the microwave - that should disrupt the Bluetooth

Avatar
AlsoSomniloquism replied to Tom_77 | 2 years ago
1 like

Don't see cordless disc cutters in any of the lists. I suspect they don't have them as the diamond would be down to bronze levels of times.

Avatar
ktache replied to Tom_77 | 2 years ago
0 likes

Thanks for finding that, 12.7mm doesn't seem too thick.

Pragmisis say that their 16mm chain is pretty much bolt cutter proof.

Avatar
Tom_77 | 2 years ago
0 likes

I can see the appeal of unlocking things with your phone - I've got 5 bike locks (1 for each bike and another one I leave at work), plus another 4 padlocks for various things in the garden. That's a lot of keys.

Looks like a decent product, only thing I don't like about it is the price. You can get a Diamond rated D-lock for £40, for the sake of £140 per lock I'll put up with the hassle of physical keys.

Avatar
Sriracha | 2 years ago
1 like

The lock seems to have USPs that have no appeal. How is using my phone easier that using a key? What is the situation where I'd want to transmit a lock code to another person? Maybe for a rental bike scheme, or AirBnB guests? Pretty niche.

And then there is the worry over hacks. Sure the LPL can post videos of him picking any lock in seconds - doesn't mean Joe Pleb can copy him. But once there is an exploit for this lock on the Internet it will be available to all.

Avatar
Secret_squirrel replied to Sriracha | 2 years ago
1 like

tbf I always have my phone out on the bike with me.  There are occasions I could do without yet another key.

I'd like to know what vunerability checking has been done with it. 

Avatar
brooksby replied to Secret_squirrel | 2 years ago
0 likes

My phone is always in my pannier or bag, whereas my keys are in my pocket.  So I'd have to stop, get the lock out, then rummage to find my phone then open their app...  Nah - I'll stick to a key, thanks.

Avatar
Sriracha replied to brooksby | 2 years ago
0 likes

So maybe it needs to be a Garmin app? A bit like switching on/off lights (doesn't fill me with confidence).

Avatar
Sriracha replied to Secret_squirrel | 2 years ago
1 like

Yes, maybe I'm behind the times. I could see the convenience of having my phone as the key for everything - car, house, bike, etc. Just one thing to carry and not forget. I'd want to know who gets the usage data, and what they do with it - bike was locked up outside establishment X for 37 minutes on Friday, etc.

Avatar
Rendel Harris replied to Sriracha | 2 years ago
2 likes

Sriracha wrote:

Yes, maybe I'm behind the times. I could see the convenience of having my phone as the key for everything - car, house, bike, etc. Just one thing to carry and not forget.

At 53, it'd only be a matter of time before I forgot it! I rather prefer the safety first approach of having things separate, if I lose my keys, I still have cards and phone, forget my phone, still have keys and cards etc. Putting everything into one easily-loseable package feels like asking for trouble to me. I even keep my house keys and lock keys separate so if I lose the house keys I can still cycle round to one of the mates who has spares, if I lose the lock key I can still get back into the house to get the spare.

Avatar
Rich_cb replied to Secret_squirrel | 2 years ago
1 like

I hate carrying loads of keys too, would love a bike lock to come out that took a standard euro cyclinder.

Your house key and your bike lock key in one then.

Avatar
Sriracha replied to Rich_cb | 2 years ago
2 likes

You just need a hasp & staple on your front door, then you're good to go with one key
https://mobil.abus.com/uk/on-road/Highlights/YourPlus

Avatar
Creakingcrank replied to Sriracha | 2 years ago
1 like

I'm really keen to get some of those keyed-alike bike locks (for ebike especially, which has battery lock, nurse's lock and extra U-lock, all with different keys), but I haven't found a bike shop that actually participates in the programme. The ones I asked all get their Abus gear from a UK distributor and don't have any relationship with Abus HQ in Germany. Do you know anyone who is selling them?

Avatar
Sriracha replied to Creakingcrank | 2 years ago
1 like

You could try these guys (I just googled it, never heard of the shop):
https://www.reallyusefulbikes.co.uk/security/abus

Avatar
Creakingcrank replied to Sriracha | 2 years ago
1 like

Thank you very much. I did email them a couple of months ago but never had a response. Will give it another try!

Avatar
Rich_cb replied to Sriracha | 2 years ago
2 likes

I do like the rustic look.

Top suggestion.

Avatar
joe9090 | 2 years ago
2 likes

Soon to be bypassed with a Haribo sweet on the YT channel of the Locking Picking Lawyer!

Avatar
andystow replied to joe9090 | 2 years ago
2 likes

joe9090 wrote:

Soon to be bypassed with a Haribo sweet on the YT channel of the Locking Picking Lawyer!

I'd like to see how his mini EMP generator does.

Avatar
AlsoSomniloquism replied to joe9090 | 2 years ago
3 likes

"And this one was chewed by me and Bosnian Bill"

Avatar
chrisonabike | 2 years ago
2 likes

Not an answer to a question that I or anyone I can think of was asking.  But then the world is full of inventors of problems to be able to solve.

Hopefully they don't fall between the "physical security" and "fitting electronics" stools (see LockPickingLawyer etc. for examples e.g. Tapplock).  At least they're an actual lock company!

Avatar
60kg lean keen ... | 2 years ago
1 like

You could make an observation that there is some aspect of disaster capitalism at play here, if you look at the market for bike locks many companies are pushing new tech, and new innovative locks, think hiplocks grinder proof lock.  It could be that the biggest growth sector in cycling is urban, for example a ride down to your local shop for milk by bike and leaving the car at home. The biggest barrier to this is theft and finding your bike missing.  This is why everyone is looking for that niche that gets them a market share.  I would be interested to see the lockpicking lawyer were to have a go at this one or any off the other locks out,  as He has shown if you can find a weakness then its no good paying top money if said lock can be picked in minutes by any hamfisted fool or even some of the electronic stuff blasted by a bust of RF - bumped with a rubber mallet in right place!  I would be interested in trying the old tried and tested way i.e. Pragmasis locks. They make chain locks that seem very high quality and a good old padlock that has some beef. Would these still beat all new innovative stuff or fail very quickly to curse that it is a battery angle grinder?

 

Pages

Latest Comments