Michael Zane is another one of those pioneering bike brand legends who started off with a VW Camper and a dream. It was the early 1970s when the young inventor started his national tour of bike shops, introducing his new U-shaped lock with energy and verve. It took more than just enthusiasm and innovative product design to kick things off though, Michael also displayed some serious marketing flair. A publicity stunt with the Second Avenue Bike Shop proved hugely successful in raising the profile of the brand. They used a Kryptonite lock to fix a new bike to a sign in Greenwich Village. Sure, anything that could be removed was gone before you could say ‘U Lock’ but the rest of the bike stayed for a full month. Impressive stuff in 1970s New York.
In fact, it was so successful that Kryptonite repeated the stunt a few years back. Their latest additions to their bike locks and chains are branded ‘The New York Lock’, ‘The New York Legend Chain’ and the beautifully named ‘New York Fahgettaboutit Chain’.
The company was purchased by Ingersoll Rand in 2001 and is now its flagship brand in all types of vehicle security. Aside from bicycle locks and chains, Kryptonite also do locks for your luggage and accessories as well as security for scooters, motorbikes, ATVs and snowmobiles. More recent introductions to their offering are GPS tracking systems for everything from quad bikes to speed boats. They also offer some great advice on how to properly lock your bicycle.