Bike Lock Paranoia

Finally, people whose Kryptonite-locked bikes have been stolen can feel vindicated with the accepatance that, yes, Kryptonite locks can be opened with a pen pretty easily. This news doesn't come as a surprise to the bloggers who have been telling people about it all along (here's a Technorati search for "kryptonite"), but more recent videos that demonstrate the apparent flaw in the Kryptonite lock have put this into mainstream media. Nice catch-up time, old media.

Kryptonite Locks, the lock of choice for many urban bikers, says there's nothing wrong with their locks, but says they are looking into flaws. Some bike shop owners say that locks made before 2002 are sturdier. Transportation Alternatives tells riders that the news is not an Internet hoax; they also say you could padlock your bike instead with a $30 lock from the hardware store, but Gothamist has an idea to take that further: Buy two or three $30 padlocks to lock up parts of your bike in different places, to further dissuade someone from stealing any of it. Of course, you might need to carry the handlebars, a wheel, and the seat as well. Or you could ride the subway like everyone else.

For more bike fun, check out Joe Schumacher's Abandoned Bikes of New York site. And see what you can do with your bike at the Department of Transportation's Bicylcle Information page - and don't forget to register your bike with the police!

Contact the author of this article or email tips@gothamist.com with further questions, comments or tips.

By Jen Chung in News on September 17, 2004 8:39 AM

Comments [rss]

d@d.com

Meh, bikes are for unpatriotic unamerican hippie communists.

Get a job, you dirty druggies!

mike

TA's press release about the problem:

http://transalt.org/press/releases/040916lock.html

jen bekman

i wish that there was more information out there about better options than the kryptonite lock. i have a u-lock and have always felt like it's not quite adequate, so i never leave the bike unattended for long stretches of time. i never wanted to cough up the $100 for the krypto. chain lock, with the mini u lock closure.

so, what are the alternatives? anyone anyone? bueller?

r.

Grumpy Friday alert...

tien

the DOT link is fixed.

and a quick google search about bike registration turned up this link (do a find for "bike") and the NYPD says:

- Bicycle is marked with an identification number using an engraver. A decal is affixed to the bicycle, which is difficult to remove. In the event that it is removed "void" appears on what remains of the decal.

- In the event that the bicycle is stolen and recovered, it can be traced back to the owner through I.D. number.

Purcell

Yeah what's up with the "Or you could ride the subway like everyone else." remark?

Sounds a little snippy.

I know you love the subway and all, but news flash, not all New Yorkers use the subway to get around. Some walk, take a bus, a cab, even drive a car and, yes even in this day and age of underground railways, ride a bike, god for bid.

S.D.

I Saw the Video at Engadget.com and laughed my A** Off!!!

I wonder if that's how my Bike got stolen years ago?

dirtgirl

would also be helpful to know WHY to register bikes w/ NY Police Department.

like they're going to find it and track you down and return it or something? this ain't mayberry.

erikka

Link to DOT page does not work. Also, it would be helpful to know HOW or WHERE to register bikes w/ NY Police Department.

"Or you could ride the subway like everyone else." Sure. Thanks smartass.

jim

My Kryptonite's a few years old, and I tried the pen trick on it for quite a while with no luck getting it open. Maybe I'm doing it wrong.

The standard, if you want to replace the Kryptonite lock, is an American padlock. These look like any other padlock, but they are much stronger.

As for riding the subway like everyone else, Fuck That Shit!

Eli

"Or you can take the subway like everyone else" ? Yeah, because theft and larceny never happens on the subway. Just models getting grazed with gunfire.

Matt

It's also long been known that you can pop those locks open with a 2x4 or long pipe. Much faster.

jt_yes

It's clearly trendy to credit things to "bloggers" but online discussion of this started in other forms of publishing and interaction -- including discussion forums and, I believe, usenet (possibly ten years ago).