Deconstructing Product Design

Kryptonite-4 Bicycle Lock

Michael Zane and Stanley Kaplan, 1976

1. In 1971, bicycle mechanic Stanley Kaplan developed a new kind of bicycle lock that utilized a rigid U-shape configuration versus a flexible chain. He named his lock “Kryptonite,” after the fictional element that defeats Superman. Michael Zane read about Kaplan’s U-lock in the newspaper, contacted him, and a partnership was soon formed. In 1972, Zane purchased the design and name from Kaplan and founded Kryptonite Corporation with $1,500 from his personal savings. Zane refined the design, and his father, who owned a sheet metal business, assisted with fabrication and manufacturing. With no money for marketing or promotion, Zane staged a promotional experiment in Greenwich Village, ...