Design of a kickstand-integrated bicycle lock for a bike share program

Abstract

A retrofittable, electronically-operated lock integrated into a bicycle kickstand was developed for the MIT Media Lab's Social Computing group as part of a peer-to-peer bike-share program currently in development. Connecting to the rear axle, the system consists of two modules, each constructed of many planar parts cut on the waterjet from aluminum. The first of these is a lock, which uses a servo-driven double rack and pinion that locks into keyways within the ring of the rho-shaped kickstand. The second is a mechanical retainer mechanism that uses a latching spring-loaded bar actuated by the user's foot via a pushbutton to retain the kickstand in the upright position while riding. With the alpha prototype complete, Social Computing can now begin system-wide testing of their program while easily iterating on the modular lock design to resolve any issues that arise.