Bicycle Lock Defeated By Ball Point Pen

mcs328 · 09-16-2004, 02:05 PM

http://www.usatoday.com/money/2004-0...tm?POE=MONISVA

Widely used bike lock can be picked with a ballpoint pen

BOSTON (AP) — Faster than a speeding bullet, word is spreading across the Internet, through cyclist hangouts and into bike shops that all it takes to open a circular-key lock, like the one on the famous U-shaped Kryptonite-brand lock, is a ballpoint pen.

Someone with a ballpoint pen can pick a Kryptonite bicycle lock.
By Steven Senne, AP

The Kryptonite — consisting of a steel curve with a locking horizontal bar — is a must-have among serious bicyclists. It can cost more than $50, and for an extra $10 to $20, it comes with a guarantee that says the company will pay customers more than $1,000 if product failure results in the theft of a bicycle.

In recent days, bicycle chat rooms on the Internet have been flooded with irate comments from cyclists, some of whom have posted short movies of themselves picking their own locks with the hollow shaft of a Bic pen.

A spokeswoman for the company, the country's largest bicycle-lock manufacturer, said it plans to accelerate the introduction of new versions of the lock because of the complaints.

Boston bicycle messenger John Anderson, 23, said a friend showed him how easy it was to defeat a U-lock.

"He did it in about two seconds. I was like, 'You've got to be kidding me,'" he said. "People spend a couple of grand (on their bikes), so it's kind of a bummer that people can steal them so easily."

Benjamin Running, a 28-year-old graphic designer in New York, helped start the furor after he posted on the Internet a video of himself picking his own lock.

"These locks literally are viewed as the industry standard, the lock that you must have. They're recommended by every bike shop," he said. "I'm absolutely shattered by this."

Kryptonite spokeswoman Donna Tocci said in a statement that the design still provides "an effective deterrent to theft," but that the company is developing new products using a pen-proof, disc-style cylinder.

"We are accelerating the delivery of the new disc cylinder locks and we will communicate directly with our distributors, dealers and consumers within the coming days. The world just got tougher and so did our locks," the statement said.

The company made no mention of any refunds or free replacements and did not say whether it had received any reports of bikes being stolen with a ballpoint.

Kryptonite was founded in 1972 and is known as the originator of the U-shaped bicycle lock. In had sales of about $27 million in the year before it was acquired in 2001 by Ingersoll-Rand, maker of other security products such as Schlage door locks.

Jon Currier, an employee at Belmont Wheelworks, said the bike store took down all the Kryptonite models with pickable locks immediately after he learned of the problem.

He said he doubts the problem will have any long-term effect on Kryptonite, because the company has fixed design flaws before that bike thieves have exploited.

"The name is the Jell-O of bike locks," he said. "They're the original and the survivors."
-------------------------------------------------------------------
I guess if I exercised on a regular basis to even own a bike to get into shape I would be worried. Say

to all you athletic bike riders with this type of lock who make my fat butt look bad. I

Seriously time to invest in a new lock...since the video is posted on the net then it's a matter of time before it's common knoweledge.

InfiniteNothing · 09-16-2004, 02:17 PM

This should help their sales a bit. Everyone is going to go and buy their new lock. I bet they released the video to promote the sales of their new disc lock.

Showtime · 09-16-2004, 02:50 PM

Glad I didnt buy one yet.

-j

psycho- · 09-16-2004, 02:53 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by the jello is jigglin

Glad I didnt buy one yet.

-j

A bike or a lock?

Showtime · 09-16-2004, 02:58 PM

lock. I generally buy the main piece of equipment 1st and then accessorize....
Biking is expensive btw... Things I didnt think about when I got one:
Helmet
Shoes
Tool kit
Patch kit
Pump(s)
Spare tires
Riding shorts
Sun Glasses
Gloves
1st aid kit
Water containers

Worth every cent if you use it. Health = priceless.

-j

attgig · 09-16-2004, 04:05 PM

http://www.boingboing.net/2004/09/14...ricey_bik.html

yippiekiyeh · 09-16-2004, 04:55 PM

Time to sell off that Kryponite Stock ASAP! YIKES!

rasetsu · 09-16-2004, 05:10 PM

Good thing I went with the Kryptonite cable lock with a traditional key mechanism as opposed to the U-lock.

I know some Club steering wheel locks use a cylindrical lock mechanism too. I wonder if the Bic trick will work on those as well.

InfiniteNothing · 09-16-2004, 06:22 PM

The Club uses a 4 sided key. That seems like the safest way to do it today, (key wise, it's rather easy to cut a steering wheel)

DarkFury · 09-16-2004, 10:29 PM

I guess we now know the true "weakest link" of that lock...

ialsohaveadream · 09-16-2004, 10:31 PM

Crap. I posted this in Off Topic, because I never venture to Automotive.... D'oh!

DarkFury · 09-16-2004, 10:32 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ialsohaveadream

Crap. I posted this in Off Topic, because I never venture to Automotive.... D'oh!

We know...

bachviet · 09-16-2004, 11:11 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by psycho-

A bike or a lock?

Probably both.

I don't have to worry about this since I don't have a bike.

Burzhui · 09-17-2004, 11:58 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ialsohaveadream

Crap. I posted this in Off Topic, because I never venture to Automotive.... D'oh!

off with his head

09-16-2004, 02:05 PM	#1
mcs328 Admiral Join Date: Feb 2001 Location: Maryland Posts: 6,578	Bicycle Lock Defeated By Ball Point Pen http://www.usatoday.com/money/2004-0...tm?POE=MONISVA Widely used bike lock can be picked with a ballpoint pen BOSTON (AP) — Faster than a speeding bullet, word is spreading across the Internet, through cyclist hangouts and into bike shops that all it takes to open a circular-key lock, like the one on the famous U-shaped Kryptonite-brand lock, is a ballpoint pen. Someone with a ballpoint pen can pick a Kryptonite bicycle lock. By Steven Senne, AP The Kryptonite — consisting of a steel curve with a locking horizontal bar — is a must-have among serious bicyclists. It can cost more than $50, and for an extra $10 to $20, it comes with a guarantee that says the company will pay customers more than $1,000 if product failure results in the theft of a bicycle. In recent days, bicycle chat rooms on the Internet have been flooded with irate comments from cyclists, some of whom have posted short movies of themselves picking their own locks with the hollow shaft of a Bic pen. A spokeswoman for the company, the country's largest bicycle-lock manufacturer, said it plans to accelerate the introduction of new versions of the lock because of the complaints. Boston bicycle messenger John Anderson, 23, said a friend showed him how easy it was to defeat a U-lock. "He did it in about two seconds. I was like, 'You've got to be kidding me,'" he said. "People spend a couple of grand (on their bikes), so it's kind of a bummer that people can steal them so easily." Benjamin Running, a 28-year-old graphic designer in New York, helped start the furor after he posted on the Internet a video of himself picking his own lock. "These locks literally are viewed as the industry standard, the lock that you must have. They're recommended by every bike shop," he said. "I'm absolutely shattered by this." Kryptonite spokeswoman Donna Tocci said in a statement that the design still provides "an effective deterrent to theft," but that the company is developing new products using a pen-proof, disc-style cylinder. "We are accelerating the delivery of the new disc cylinder locks and we will communicate directly with our distributors, dealers and consumers within the coming days. The world just got tougher and so did our locks," the statement said. The company made no mention of any refunds or free replacements and did not say whether it had received any reports of bikes being stolen with a ballpoint. Kryptonite was founded in 1972 and is known as the originator of the U-shaped bicycle lock. In had sales of about $27 million in the year before it was acquired in 2001 by Ingersoll-Rand, maker of other security products such as Schlage door locks. Jon Currier, an employee at Belmont Wheelworks, said the bike store took down all the Kryptonite models with pickable locks immediately after he learned of the problem. He said he doubts the problem will have any long-term effect on Kryptonite, because the company has fixed design flaws before that bike thieves have exploited. "The name is the Jell-O of bike locks," he said. "They're the original and the survivors." ------------------------------------------------------------------- I guess if I exercised on a regular basis to even own a bike to get into shape I would be worried. Say to all you athletic bike riders with this type of lock who make my fat butt look bad. I Seriously time to invest in a new lock...since the video is posted on the net then it's a matter of time before it's common knoweledge. __________________

09-16-2004, 02:17 PM	#2
InfiniteNothing Chief of Naval Operations Join Date: Aug 2002 Location: San Diego Posts: 10,086	This should help their sales a bit. Everyone is going to go and buy their new lock. I bet they released the video to promote the sales of their new disc lock. __________________ As for our common defense, we reject as false the choice between our safety and our ideals.

09-16-2004, 02:50 PM	#3
Showtime Lakers fanatic Join Date: Sep 2000 Location: L.A. ->SoCal<- O.C. Posts: 7,338	Glad I didnt buy one yet. -j __________________ NBA REPORT 10-11/ The 3-Peat! 1948 1949 1950 1952 1953 1954 1972 1980 1982 1985 1987 1988 2000 2001 2002 2009 2010 Reigning NBA CHAMPS!

09-16-2004, 04:05 PM	#6
attgig Chief of Naval Operations Join Date: Jun 2000 Location: the burbs of baltimore Posts: 11,924	http://www.boingboing.net/2004/09/14...ricey_bik.html __________________

09-16-2004, 04:55 PM	#7
yippiekiyeh A Friend of a Friend Join Date: May 2001 Location: WESTSIDE! Posts: 1,673	Time to sell off that Kryponite Stock ASAP! YIKES! __________________ Distributed.Net I'm Trying this blogger thang...

09-16-2004, 02:58 PM	#5
Showtime Lakers fanatic Join Date: Sep 2000 Location: L.A. ->SoCal<- O.C. Posts: 7,338	lock. I generally buy the main piece of equipment 1st and then accessorize.... Biking is expensive btw... Things I didnt think about when I got one: Helmet Shoes Tool kit Patch kit Pump(s) Spare tires Riding shorts Sun Glasses Gloves 1st aid kit Water containers Worth every cent if you use it. Health = priceless. -j

09-16-2004, 05:10 PM	#8
rasetsu Lieutenant Commander Join Date: Mar 2002 Posts: 529	Good thing I went with the Kryptonite cable lock with a traditional key mechanism as opposed to the U-lock. I know some Club steering wheel locks use a cylindrical lock mechanism too. I wonder if the Bic trick will work on those as well.

09-16-2004, 06:22 PM	#9
InfiniteNothing Chief of Naval Operations Join Date: Aug 2002 Location: San Diego Posts: 10,086	The Club uses a 4 sided key. That seems like the safest way to do it today, (key wise, it's rather easy to cut a steering wheel)

09-16-2004, 10:29 PM	#10
DarkFury Secretary of the Navy Join Date: Feb 2001 Location: Chillin' N Da 'Hood Posts: 34,997	I guess we now know the true "weakest link" of that lock... __________________ DarkFury's Pimptopia - Don't Hate the Playa, Hate the Game! Home of the Original OG Pimp (accept NO imitations)

09-16-2004, 10:31 PM	#11
ialsohaveadream Fleet Admiral Join Date: Feb 2004 Location: FL Posts: 8,077	Crap. I posted this in Off Topic, because I never venture to Automotive.... D'oh!

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