Lock Opened With Ball Point Pen

Wed, 15 Sep 2004 15:22:12 -0700, <[email hidden]>,

Benjamin Lewis said:

I just successfully picked a MEC NYC lock, and then a PlanetBike "extra
guard" lock. It was easy once I got an appropriate pen, and turned it in
the proper direction.

Frightfully easy even.

\snip bit about ACE II

Quoted message said:

I'm sure that at worst, this would make it more difficult. I'd like to try
one, though.

You're welcome to have at this Norco BikeGuard 5 that has thus far
defied repeated attempts with a couple different pens.

Be warned, I've never actually seen this lock opened so it's possible
that the mechanism is seized. The NCY I've used everyday since buying
it in Sept. 2000.
--
zk

so all these xpnsv u-locks aren't safe, what IS?

16 Sep 2004 00:01:10 -0700,
<[email hidden]>,

(remove the polite word to reply) said:

so all these xpnsv u-locks aren't safe, what IS?

Safer:
http://www.things.org/~jym/bicycles/pix/rts-chain-lock.jpg
--
zk

Zoot Katz said:

(remove the polite word to reply) said:

so all these xpnsv u-locks aren't safe, what IS?

Safer:
http://www.things.org/~jym/bicycles/pix/rts-chain-lock.jpg

I have an ABUS Manhattan U-lock from Germany. It uses a flat key and
has a little baffle in front of the keyhole to prevent drilling out
the cylinder, which also interferes with the ability to pick it (at
least, it interferes with _my_ ability to pick it!)

To my knowledge, all ABUS locks use a flat key.

Chalo Colina

This technique is applicable to more than just bike locks. A friend
showed me the video circulating online earlier today. I grabbed a BIC
pen and headed to my laptop, where I was able to unlock the cable
securing it to my desk in less than 10 seconds. That made me feel
real secure. The cable is even an expensive model with kevlar in the
cable and is supposed to be impossible to cut. I guess I'll be buying
another cable--one with a combination.

[email hidden] (mamid) wrote in message news:<[email hidden]>...

Quoted message said:

Posting from Google, so I'm a few hours behind, forgive me if this has
already been posted.

There is a video clip posted at www.bikeforums.net showing a
Kryptonite U-lock being opened with a cheap pen.

Scary.

Quoted message said:

Zoot Katz said:

(remove the polite word to reply) said:

so all these xpnsv u-locks aren't safe, what IS?

Safer:
http://www.things.org/~jym/bicycles/pix/rts-chain-lock.jpg

I have an ABUS Manhattan U-lock from Germany. It uses a flat key and
has a little baffle in front of the keyhole to prevent drilling out
the cylinder, which also interferes with the ability to pick it (at
least, it interferes with _my_ ability to pick it!)

To my knowledge, all ABUS locks use a flat key.

It appears so on their web site. Perhaps now would be a good time to
purchase some ABUS stocks 🙂

--
Benjamin Lewis

I regret to say that we of the FBI are powerless to act in cases of
oral-genital intimacy, unless it has in some way obstructed interstate
commerce. -- J. Edgar Hoover

[email hidden] (ajthomas) wrote in
news:[email hidden]:

Quoted message said:

This technique is applicable to more than just bike locks. A friend
showed me the video circulating online earlier today. I grabbed a BIC
pen and headed to my laptop, where I was able to unlock the cable
securing it to my desk in less than 10 seconds.

Ask him to try that with a parking meter or vending machine. Same lock.
I don't know what mail boxes or ATM machines use.

Mark said:

Benjamin Lewis said:

Quoted message said:

Is this the lock you just picked (I did not see the a "NYC lock" in

MEC)

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

http://tinyurl.com/7ybna

No, that's not one of the ones that I picked, although I would be
somewhat
surprised if it didn't work on this one as well. MEC no longer
appears to
carry the NYC lock that I have.

That's a fairly pricey lock, so I'd definitely consider returning it

just

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

in case, or at least trying the pen trick yourself.

Thanks for the reply, I will try to pick this lock tonight.

Answering own post here....

I was just at MEC Vancouver and they have pulled all their locks from
the shelves. After about 5-7 mins of talking with a couple of sales
reps, they are unsure as what path they are going to take. The
impression I got is that MEC is going to leave it up to the manufacturer
to deal with the problem. In the meantime I have a $100.00 plus
paperweight...

Does anyone have any ideas as to a reasonably secure method of locking
up their bikes now. I was thinking of going to a local cable supply
place and getting a length of 3/8 or 7/16 inch thick cable, having loops
bent in and bolted then welded closed on the ends. Once this is done,
covering it with heat shrink tubing and securing it with a heavy duty
padlock from Home Depot.
I know it will be heavy, however it is cheaper then replacing the bike.

I was shopping around for a new road bike ($1000.00), but I will wait to
purchase until I can get a decent lock for it. It would be too painful
to shell out the $$ and then have it stolen...

Mark said:

Mark said:

Benjamin Lewis said:

[email hidden] wrote:

> Is this the lock you just picked (I did not see the a "NYC lock" in

MEC)

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

>
> http://tinyurl.com/7ybna

No, that's not one of the ones that I picked, although I would be
somewhat
surprised if it didn't work on this one as well. MEC no longer
appears to
carry the NYC lock that I have.

That's a fairly pricey lock, so I'd definitely consider returning it

just

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

in case, or at least trying the pen trick yourself.

Thanks for the reply, I will try to pick this lock tonight.

Answering own post here....

I was just at MEC Vancouver and they have pulled all their locks from
the shelves. After about 5-7 mins of talking with a couple of sales
reps, they are unsure as what path they are going to take. The
impression I got is that MEC is going to leave it up to the manufacturer
to deal with the problem. In the meantime I have a $100.00 plus
paperweight...

Does anyone have any ideas as to a reasonably secure method of locking
up their bikes now. I was thinking of going to a local cable supply
place and getting a length of 3/8 or 7/16 inch thick cable, having loops
bent in and bolted then welded closed on the ends. Once this is done,
covering it with heat shrink tubing and securing it with a heavy duty
padlock from Home Depot.
I know it will be heavy, however it is cheaper then replacing the bike.

I was shopping around for a new road bike ($1000.00), but I will wait to
purchase until I can get a decent lock for it. It would be too painful
to shell out the $$ and then have it stolen...

I was just at the stocks lock company website
http://www.stocksmfg.on.ca/

They say that their locks are not vulnerable to the bic pen attack.
There may be hope yet...

Regards,
Mark

Quoted message said:

I was just at MEC Vancouver and they have pulled all their locks from
the shelves. After about 5-7 mins of talking with a couple of sales
reps, they are unsure as what path they are going to take.

City Bikes (DC) is swapping out the Evo 2000s for OnGuards at no cost
provided you bought the Evo from them, and offering discounts on
OnGuards if you have an Evo and got it someplace else.

How good the OnGuards are is an open question.

They will support the Kryp lock bar free replacement when it takes place.

--

_______________________ALL AMIGA IN MY MIND_______________________
------------------"Buddy Holly, the Texas Elvis"------------------
__________306.350.357.38>>[email hidden]__________

Mark said:

Does anyone have any ideas as to a reasonably secure method of locking
up their bikes now. I was thinking of going to a local cable supply
place and getting a length of 3/8 or 7/16 inch thick cable, having loops
bent in and bolted then welded closed on the ends.

You might notice that the hardware store will probably cut this cable
with a simple tool when you buy it. That should tell you all you need
to know 🙂

Quoted message said:

Once this is done,
covering it with heat shrink tubing and securing it with a heavy duty
padlock from Home Depot.
I know it will be heavy, however it is cheaper then replacing the bike.

I was shopping around for a new road bike ($1000.00), but I will wait to
purchase until I can get a decent lock for it. It would be too painful
to shell out the $$ and then have it stolen...

Here is the 'motherlode' of info on this problem-

http://www.bikeforums.net/showthread.php?t=66128

If you go to 'last' page and work backwards, you will find some
effective approaches. Looks like hardened chain and a secure padlock
are the best combination, but heavy.

One person describes buying special lifting chain used on docks. The
store used grinding discs and went through two to cut his length.

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

I was just at MEC Vancouver and they have pulled all their locks from
the shelves.

They did this about 5 minutes after I went in with my roommate to return
his PlanetBike lock, and we showed them how easy it was to open.

Quoted message said:

I was just at the stocks lock company website
http://www.stocksmfg.on.ca/

They say that their locks are not vulnerable to the bic pen attack.
There may be hope yet...

They looked like they would at least be more difficult, due to greater
variation in pin depth, but I think "not vulnerable" may well be an
overstatement. They appeared to be well made, but otherwise standard
barrel locks (with extra emphasis on "appeared"😉. I didn't get a chance to
try to pick one.

I think I'll feel reasonably safe for now with my old MEC NYC u-lock, which
I've only managed to pick once so far, but I'll drip some oil into the lock
to make it more difficult to get sufficient torque with a pen. I don't
tend to lock my bike up for long, or in high theft areas though.

--
Benjamin Lewis

I regret to say that we of the FBI are powerless to act in cases of
oral-genital intimacy, unless it has in some way obstructed interstate
commerce. -- J. Edgar Hoover

Dan Daniel said:

Mark said:

Does anyone have any ideas as to a reasonably secure method of locking
up their bikes now. I was thinking of going to a local cable supply
place and getting a length of 3/8 or 7/16 inch thick cable, having loops
bent in and bolted then welded closed on the ends.

You might notice that the hardware store will probably cut this cable
with a simple tool when you buy it. That should tell you all you need
to know 🙂

It depends on the type of cabling you buy. Ordinary stranded cable is
easy to cut. I was referring to (which I did not make clear in my
previous post) braided steel cable which is extremely hard to cut unless
your cutters are like new. After doing some research, I was told to get
at least 1/2 inch thick braided steel cable for better theft
deterrent/resistance...

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

Once this is done,
covering it with heat shrink tubing and securing it with a heavy duty
padlock from Home Depot.
I know it will be heavy, however it is cheaper then replacing the bike.

I was shopping around for a new road bike ($1000.00), but I will wait to
purchase until I can get a decent lock for it. It would be too painful
to shell out the $$ and then have it stolen...

Here is the 'motherlode' of info on this problem-

http://www.bikeforums.net/showthread.php?t=66128

If you go to 'last' page and work backwards, you will find some
effective approaches. Looks like hardened chain and a secure padlock
are the best combination, but heavy.

One person describes buying special lifting chain used on docks. The
store used grinding discs and went through two to cut his length.

This stuff must weigh a ton!!

Regards,
Mark

"Mark" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:8LO2d.37140$%S.31116@pd7tw2no

[...]

Quoted message said:

I was just at MEC Vancouver and they have pulled all their locks from
the shelves. After about 5-7 mins of talking with a couple of sales
reps, they are unsure as what path they are going to take. The
impression I got is that MEC is going to leave it up to the
manufacturer to deal with the problem. In the meantime I have a
$100.00 plus paperweight...

Say what? You said you've got the "New York" lock. That model isn't
affected.

--

A: Top-posters.
Q: What is the most annoying thing on Usenet?

"Eric S. Sande" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

Say what? You said you've got the "New York" lock. That model isn't
affected.

Read this.

http://citybikes.com/site/page.cfm?PageID=167

That page has gone to Atlanta.

--

A: Top-posters.
Q: What is the most annoying thing on Usenet?

Quoted message said:

Say what? You said you've got the "New York" lock. That model isn't
affected.

Read this.

http://citybikes.com/site/page.cfm?PageID=167

--

_______________________ALL AMIGA IN MY MIND_______________________
------------------"Buddy Holly, the Texas Elvis"------------------
__________306.350.357.38>>[email hidden]__________

Quoted message said:

That page has gone to Atlanta.

No kidding, try again later.

--

_______________________ALL AMIGA IN MY MIND_______________________
------------------"Buddy Holly, the Texas Elvis"------------------
__________306.350.357.38>>[email hidden]__________

Sorry to be so behind the curve here, but...our kryptonites are ancient --
mid-80s, I think. I assume that these are just a vunerable as any other
kryptonites. People are bandying it about that the company might assign some
sort of trade-in value for older locks -- really? Even ones as old as ours?
And one was bought in California, the other in New York, and we currently
live in Washington state. So who would we take it back to? (REI, probably)

I use my kryptonite daily, but it's also parked right next to the parking
garage attendant, and I tip twice a year to stay on the good side of the
people who work in the booth.

--
Warm Regards,

Claire Petersky
please substitute yahoo for mousepotato to reply
Home of the meditative cyclist:
http://home.earthlink.net/~cpetersky/Welcome.htm
Personal page: http://www.geocities.com/cpetersky/
See the books I've set free at: http://bookcrossing.com/referral/Cpetersky

On Sat, 18 Sep 2004 08:09:02 -0400, "Eric S. Sande" <[email hidden]>

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

Say what? You said you've got the "New York" lock. That model isn't
affected.

Read this.

http://citybikes.com/site/page.cfm?PageID=167

Up until 2000 or so, the New York U-lock had a tubular key like all
the other Kryptonites being opened with a pen. Then it went to the
disc cylinder or whatever it is called- same basic design as the
Onguard locks discussed at the bottom of your link.

There are tubular-keyed New York U-locks and disc-cylinder keyed New
York U-locks out there. To make it more confusing, the Kryptonite New
York Chain lock comes with a small padlock- one with a tubular lock.
So there is a lot of discussion of the New York Chain locks being
useless, when what is meant is that the padlock is vulnerable and
needs to be replaced.

http://citybikes.com/site/itemdetails.cfm?sort=Price&itemdsn=citybikes.com_SB2&ID=1008

Kryptonite obviously recognized this some time ago- look at the key on
this lock-

http://citybikes.com/site/itemdetails.cfm?sort=Price&itemdsn=citybikes.com_SB2&ID=1012

I have a Krypto NY U-lock and an Onguard Ultimate mini U-lock, and the
keys lock very similar. Eerily similar, actually- if this type of lock
is ever shown to be as vulnerable as the tubular lock, we're going to
be going through this whole mess again.

Mark said:

I was just at MEC Vancouver and they have pulled all their locks from
the shelves. After about 5-7 mins of talking with a couple of sales
reps, they are unsure as what path they are going to take. The
impression I got is that MEC is going to leave it up to the manufacturer
to deal with the problem. In the meantime I have a $100.00 plus
paperweight...

Does anyone have any ideas as to a reasonably secure method of locking
up their bikes now.

Case harded or heat treated 5/16 chain and that round disc shaped lock
they use on storage lockers. Try to get the polygon shaped chain instead
of plain round chain. Put a tire inner tube around the chain to cut down
on scratches.

Don't get plain chain!

--

-TTFN

-Steven