Bikes are an all-too-easy target for thieves and protecting your two-wheeled conveyance from their pilfering mitts is almost impossible. While chains and cables are the traditional choice for cyclists looking to make life just a little bit more difficult for would-be thieves, they are usually easily handled with a pair of bolt cutters – even if that results in a nice blast of permanent dye. The latest hard-core solution we've encountered is this innovative bike lock created by a group of German designers that literally puts your bike beyond the reach of thieves by carting it up a light pole.

The lock consists of a metal frame, some skateboard wheels and an electric motor. All the rider does is wrap the frame around a streetlight, secure it in place and sit the bike on the holder attached to the frame. With a push of a remote control, the motor drives the skateboard wheels and the device climbs the pole, bike and all.

The lock probably isn’t overly practical (and its legality would be questionable) as it doesn’t take into account different sized poles. Also, the bike doesn’t appear to be chained to the frame, so any adventurous thieves with some decent climbing skills could likely liberate the bike anyway, but it’s an interesting concept to say the least.

The lock was created in 14 days for a TV ad for Conrad, a German mail-order home electronics and electronic components company. So we probably won’t be seeing such locks hitting the market anytime soon, but if you’re interested in building one and have the requisite know-how, all the components used to create the device are available from Conrad.

Check out the TV spot below, which shows the development of the lock.

Via Boing Boing