Hey guys, just wanted to share a project I did with a few friends of mine from school. Being that we all got around on bikes, the issue of carrying a Ulock had always been a problem for us. Whether it was putting it in a pack, shoving it in your belt, or putting it in your back pocket, we were not satisfied with what was being offered. We started rigging up some mockups last fall of ulock holsters when we discovered that there was already a small market for them out their. However, nothing that was being offered really met our needs or aesthetic. After talking to some other riders and showing them some sketches, we saw an opportunity to create our own design. Let me know what you guys think!
I think this is a really nice product, but I fail to see how it is any different then the other holsters that appear in your presentation. It is certainly beautiful aesthetically, but functionally it seems generic.
Well thought out project - and for a group of students to take this on themselves and follow through like you have speaks volumes.
That said, I do echo the other comment wondering if your solution provides any value above and beyond the other near-solution products (I think I saw a similar one in your chart for $10?). It appears I need to insert this through my belt; what if I’m not wearing a belt? What do I do with this product when I’m not riding? Can I attach it to my bike? Rhetorical questions that might prompt Gen2 solutions.
Lastly, I like the effort at branding and providing collateral - very good support for the product - but just as the product might appear higher quality if the front half were heat formed to lie at rest just as it shapes itself when used, the branding location might be better thought out, not to be distorted when in use.
Thanks for the comments and feedback guys, this definitely gives us some good ideas on where we can improve for a second version.
@Patchwick, your totally right, we admired the functionality of the ulock holsters being provided, we just were not happy with the material, aesthetics, and overall design of what was out there. Similar to the approach when designing a chair, we looked not to re-invent the wheel but bring our aesthetic and construction to the product.
@Generate, thanks! yeah we definitely had fun with the branding aspect and creating an overall feel and mood behind the holster. Love the ideas about removing it and placing it on the bike, definitely something we would like to work on for next gen’s. We had toyed with quick release options because that is something that is not offered, but in the end went with the traditional approach for ease of construction. Also agree with the logo placement, we couldn’t decide which way made it more awkward but looking at it now maybe a central placement would be best.
@DVZ, yeah its definitely a consideration, we had considered frame holsters but really wanted to offer a product which kept the frame as clean as possible. That being said, we wanted to offer the slimmest leather holster to ensure the least amount of awkwardness during the times when you are not riding. Maybe a quick release option is in the books.
Awesome presentations, all the bases are covered and its’ athletically wonderful to look at. It’s more then ok to come up with additional options to a market without it being radically different. Especially with something like this that is functional and also falls into the fashion category. I am little big in love with hand made leather goods so maybe I am just biased but great job. The sketches are fantastic too. Looks like something I could see at the renegade craft fair.
Yeah the holster is definitely a bit on the crafty side, our goal was to bring the craft aesthetic to a modern construction and cut, kinda of a blend between billykirk and incase.
The cool part is that we have all been using the holster over the last six months and it works great, it really makes riding around town and locking up much more convenient. We are hoping to make a V.2 over the summer.
Yeah and those shops are amazing, I graduated last year but I miss having those shops more than anything!
