Richard Allen didn’t invent the automobile bike rack — his 1967 patent application makes it clear that others came before. But after nearly sixty years selling popular and simple mechanical bike carriers, his company Allen Sports now offers a line of — yes — Bluetooth-monitored suction cups to stick bikes to your car.
If you feel stressed just looking at these pictures of the new $299 Smart Suction Go, you’re not alone! It’s the first thing my colleague Andrew Liszewski said, and I wholeheartedly agree. But apparently some people already swear by the ease and portability of suction-cup bike mounts — SeaSucker is the big name in that space.
Now, Allen is trying to reduce the anxiety with smart pressure sensors, so you’ll (hopefully) know if the suction’s failing long before your precious bike hits the asphalt. It pairs over Bluetooth with a smartphone app. And, the company’s using the same tech in a mount to stick your DSLR or mirrorless camera to vehicles, too.
We had many questions. Here are some of the answers:
Has anyone independently tested this?
Technically, Allen introduced a pricier $599 version last year, but I’m not seeing many reviews. Here’s BikeRumor. Here’s Canadian Cycling Magazine. Sounds like neither really stress-tested it, so we don’t know how well it works during a suction failure.
How long do you have to pull over once suction starts failing?
“Because of the redundant design, users have several minutes to pull over and address any issues. Suction is actively checked every 5 seconds,” Alex Allen, the founder’s son and new owner, tells The Verge by email.
How do you know you’ve got enough suction to begin with?
Each cup has a little push-button pump on the side, with a color-changing indicator once there’s enough vacuum as well as detection in the app. But also, the company only advertises it for bikes weighing 35 pounds or less, mounted facing straight forward.
How many suction cups are monitored?
With the new $299 version, “The front three cups are actively monitored. The cups are actually strong enough that only one will keep the bike in place, but it is designed for redundancy and optimal stability.”
How do you know when it’s failing?
Smartphone notification, an alert in the app, and you can hook it up to Apple CarPlay or Android Auto to monitor on your dash, too. It doesn’t look like you can monitor exact pressure, images we’ve seen either show “good suction” or a warning.
How about in about hot and cold weather? Suction cups can fail in each.
“Extremely reliable due to the real rubber blend material used for these cups,” claims Allen. “This material is specifically chose to withstand a wide range of temperatures and has UV-resistant additives to extend life even in harsh conditions. Smart Suction Go has been real-world tested in Dubai, where temperatures frequently exceed 40C.” He writes that the tested operating range is “-15C to +60C.”
Doesn’t rubber break down over time?
“In terms of lifespan, with typical consumer use the cups would generally be expected to provide about 7–10 years of service. Also, the cups themselves are fully replaceable if needed over time e.g., due to damage.”
What prevents a bike from being rapidly stolen? I see the original version comes with a security strap…
“The Smart Suction Go SB05 does not include the security tether of the first version. It is primarily designed to only be used for transporting the bike, not for storing the bike on the vehicle,” writes Allen. He also says disengaging the suction cups will trigger a notification in the app.
Both of the company’s mounts take four standard AA batteries with “6-8 hrs total active usage,” according to Allen. “Probably could drive from SF to LA — but if you get stuck in traffic on the way back, you might need to put some fresh batteries in. (If you don’t have spares, most gas stations still carry AAs, no need for special CR2032 or anything,” he adds.)
Did Allen cut any other corners with the $299 version compared to the $599 original?
The back suction cup isn’t monitored, for one, and the company says some users might like how the original’s aluminum bar can keep the cups the same distance from each other every time. Also, Allen says the company simply has remaining inventory of the original that still needs to be sold.
You said something about a camera mount?
Yep. $70 for a single six-inch suction cup with Bluetooth monitoring, standard threaded screw mount, double ball-head for angling, rated for up to 6.6 pounds of camera, lens, and accessories. Might take away a little anxiety when you’re getting a fancy shot for your next film?
Image: Allen Sports
Correction, April 2nd: The company’s full name is Allen Sports, not Allen Bike.