Bicycle handlebar-stored cable lock

A lock assembly for a bicycle, comprising:

• a flexible shackle having a long axis, and a first end portion, a resilient central portion, and a second end portion serially disposed along the long axis, the resilient central portion having a greater thickness than the first and second end portions proximal the resilient central portion in a direction perpendicular to the long axis, the first end portion including a locking member;
• and
• a lock body connected to the second end portion of the shackle, the lock body including a plurality of rotating tumblers, the lock body including a hole for receiving the locking member when the plurality of rotating tumblers are in an open position, the lock body being configured to prevent removal of the locking member from the hole when the plurality of rotating tumblers are in a locked position;
• wherein the lock assembly is operable between a stowed position and a removed position,
• the stowed position corresponding to the shackle and a rear end portion of the lock body being contained within a bore of a handlebar of the bicycle, and the resilient central portion in a substantially folded state to press the shackle against opposing sides of the bore and thereby reduce noise produced by the shackle in the stowed position during vibrations of the handlebar,
• the removed position corresponding to the lock assembly removed from the bore, and the resilient central portion in a substantially unfolded state.

A lock assembly for a bicycle, comprising:

• a shackle having first and second end portions, the first end portion including a locking member, the shackle including a cable and a layer of cushioning material surrounding the cable, the cable and the cushioning material extending between the first and second end portions;
• a sleeve surrounding the cable from the first end portion to the second end portion;
• and
• a lock body connected to the second end portion of the shackle, the lock body including a plurality of rotating tumblers, the lock body including a hole for receiving the locking member when the plurality of rotating tumblers are in an open position, the lock body being configured to prevent removal of the locking member from the hole when the plurality of rotating tumblers are in a locked position;
• wherein the lock assembly is operable between a stowed position and a removed position,
• the stowed position corresponding to the shackle and a rear end portion of the lock body being contained within a bore of a handlebar of the bicycle, and the cushioning material being disposed between the cable and an interior surface of the bore to reduce accelerations of the cable relative to the interior surface caused by vibration of the handlebar thereby reducing noise produced by the shackle in the stowed position,
• the removed position corresponding to the lock assembly removed from the bore of the handlebar;
• the shackle including a central portion between the first and second end portions, the central portion including a resilient material layer disposed on the sleeve opposite the cable in the central portion, the resilient material layer being configured to hold the shackle against opposing sides of the interior surface of the bore when the lock assembly is in the stowed position;
• and
• wherein an outer surface of the resilient material layer has a lower coefficient of friction than an outer surface of the sleeve, the shackle being configured such that the outer surface of the resilient material layer and the outer surface of the sleeve both contact the interior surface of the bore as the lock assembly is being inserted into the bore toward the stowed position, and such that the outer surface of the resilient material layer contacts a given location on the interior surface of the bore before the outer surface of the sleeve contacts the given location as the lock assembly is being inserted into the bore toward the stowed position.