ATM security firm launches Bluetooth bike lock for insured riders

A company that says it has protected more than 400,000 ATMs worldwide over two decades has moved into bicycle security with a Bluetooth chain lock built for insured bikes. TMD Locks introduced the TMD Chain Lock on June 3 in Almere, the Netherlands, pitching it as a cleaner answer to a familiar problem: riders want stronger protection, but they will not use a lock that feels too heavy, too fussy or too slow.

TMD says the new lock combines keyless Bluetooth operation, a motion-activated alarm and independent ART-2 certification in one product. The company also says the Chain Lock uses Bluetooth proximity unlocking, so riders can open it without a physical key, and that its built-in alarm reaches 100 dB when triggered. A single charge is advertised to last up to nine months, a detail aimed at riders of e-bikes, cargo bikes and longtails who may keep their bikes in daily use for long stretches.

That convenience pitch is central to the product’s case. Traditional chain locks can provide serious physical resistance, but their weight and bulk often make them unpleasant to carry and even less pleasant to use every day. TMD is betting that a lighter ART-2-certified lock can close that gap by giving riders an insurance-friendly option that feels less like a chore and more like part of the bike itself.

TMD says the Chain Lock is approved by insurers for use with insured bikes, an important claim in markets where theft risk and rising premiums are pushing owners toward stricter security requirements. The company also says the lock is one of the lightest ART-2-certified locks on the market, suggesting it is trying to solve the usability problem that has long limited the appeal of so-called smart locks.

The new product extends a business that began in banking security, where TMD Security says it spent two decades protecting ATMs from sophisticated attacks. TMD Locks launched in March 2026, and the Chain Lock is the first product in the line to put Bluetooth access, an alarm and ART-2 certification together in one unit. The question for riders is whether those added layers deliver enough real-world protection to justify the extra complexity, or whether a simpler conventional lock still does the job with fewer moving parts.