Hrm. This is an interesting post. Randomly found this forum through GeekPress's website. I'm a big bike person myself...to be completely honest, I've never had much luck with my kryptonite locks. Granted, I use their 10 dollar model...couldn't tell you the name of it. Twice now has it broken to where I could not lock it. Last time I broke one of the two provided keys attempting to free my bike from it's grasp.

So this is very interesting with the U-locks. I haven't read all of the posts, but has kryptonite solved their problem? I'm not terribly worried, as theft around this area is minimal and I often park my bike within range of a security camera...but based on the 20 pages of posts I don't have time to read, is it a severe comprimise to purchase a U-lock from them?

Edit: I just grabbed my current lock and started to work on it...apparently the bearing inside (or whatever you might name it), that turns to let the lock lock, and turns to let it out, needed oiled...bigtime. Now, it was less than a month...had to be. Is it just me, or should a respected brand have some sort of better lubrication to keep the lock working?

NYCpistarider - I, too, have been unable to unlock the NBA series, but I believe they're very, very similar to the YSE series (which I also can't open) which many people are reporting openable, though not as easily as the KK locks. So I'm not sure you're right about the older ones being invulnerable... though they are, at the very least, much more difficult to open, which IMO might be good enough to encourage theives to pass them by.

-chris

I got my NBA series lock open with no problem. Actually it was my older Kryptonite lock that was harder to open, I'm guessing because it stopped working on me for a few months and I had put a lot of lube in it to coax it open so it's finally reliable now again. But the NBA series lock I had opened in a pinch, with no effort.

102 mainstream news sites have a Kryptonite Bic story as of right now. Most of them are the single AP story, syndicated all over.

All publicity good publicity? Is the news of an upgrade plan - which has just broken at trade news site BikeBiz.com http://www.bikebiz.co.uk/daily-news/article.php?id=4640 - enough to get hardcore cyclists back on board with the brand?

How about FAQs on the Kryptonite website and an explanation of why the company still used cylinder locks after the Bic problem was first revealed in a British bike mag in 1992?

no ones gonna be stealing my bike with these monsters

soooooo.........

the new york times interviewed me for a piece which is supposed to run on page 1 tomorrow.

they wanted a higer rez version of my movie to take screenshots from, said they may use it on their website and just called me asking me to do a photo shoot this evening

hmmm...


Just make sure you use your fixie as part of your prop. :D

no ones gonna be stealing my bike with these monsters

Shroom, you may not want to bet on that. Looks like they use a barrel lock, just like all the compromised ulocks. Maybe I'll try to find a set and try it out, but it could just be a matter of using the right pen...

malgre

Dude - we tested those handcuff things. They certainly look cool, but broke by just twisting them really hard. Sorry.

City Bikes is offering exchanges for Evolution locks. http://citybikes.com

U-Lock Vulnerability Discovered - Please exchange your lock ASAP. Free Exchanges with proof of purchase for Kryptonite Evolution Locks* .

News of Kryptonite locks being easily picked has spread through biker chat rooms and newsgroups like wildfire this week. Video clips showing people quickly opening Kyrptonite U-locks with Bic pens have been downloaded over 120,000 times since Monday. We carry a full line of locks that use an entirely different flat key, that is much more resistant to picking, and entirely resistant to picking with a pen - OnGuard brand locks.

The videos show people inserting the plastic shell of a ball point pen into the circular lock core of the tubular cylinder key style locks. Bike thieves wriggle the pen until the lock pops open. City Bikes has pulled all locks that can be defeated using this method from their shelves. The shop is offering free upgrades to all customers who bought their locks at City Bikes. City Bikes is also offering a discounted upgrade to anyone owning a vulnerable lock, even if the lock was purchased elsewhere.

OnGuard uses a different key mechanism than Kryptonite style locks - based on a european style flat key. OnGuard has over 25 years of experience providing proven security solutions around the globe. Under the Magnum brand they are the leading lock company in Europe. These locks are proven in places like Amsterdam... notorious for bike thefts (your average Amsterdam hardened bike thief makes the crooks in NY look like amateurs). They are so confident in the lock that they offer up to a $3000 replacement cost if the lock fails and your bike is stolen.

We didn't take OnGuard on their word - we tested all the major locks in our own prying type attack hydraulic test jig. While Kryptonite’s premium locks are good, OnGuard’s Brute lock was so tough it broke the testing jig test, and is at least 75% stronger than the best Kryptonite U-lock. Combine those results with a very different lock mechanism that is highly pick resistant, and you have a lock that you can really count on.

If you bought a Kryptonite Evolution or New York (tubular style key) lock from City Bikes, come in for a free flat key replacement lock (OnGuard Dynamite.) If you have a receipt, or we can find a record of your purchase in our database, simply exchange your lock with keys. You can upgrade to the tougher OnGuard Ultimate for $10, or $15 for the super secure OnGuard Brute.

If you bought a Kryptonite Kryptolock lock, or any other tubular style key lock from us in the last year (proof of purchase required), come in for a free flat key replacement lock (OnGuard Dynamite.) If your purchase was older than 1 year, upgrade for $10. You can also upgrade to the Ultimate for $15, or $20 for the Brute.

For Evolution locks (or any other Kryptonite tubular key lock) purchased elsewhere: We will discount the price with exchange of your old Kryptonite lock - $10 off Dynamite, $15 off for Ultimate, or $20 off for Brute. Non-Kryptonite locks purchased elsewhere do not qualify for discount.

I was NOT able to BIC open my ca.'01 Evolution 2000 U-Lock. The Customer Service guy at Kryptonite told me the BICking problem is localized to models sold since 2002. He also said they're testing the various models for susceptibility and that locks with key serial numbers starting with "KB" or any in the 5xxx group can't be BICked. My Evo/2000 key is one of the 5xxx group.

Kevin Barnard
Editor for The Bicycle Trader
http://www.bicycletrader.com

I was NOT able to BIC open my ca.'01 Evolution 2000 U-Lock. The Customer Service guy at Kryptonite told me the BICking problem is localized to models sold since 2002. He also said they're testing the various models for susceptibility and that locks with key serial numbers starting with "KB" or any in the 5xxx group can't be BICked. My Evo/2000 key is one of the 5xxx group.

Not wishing to burst your security bubble I can BIC my locks which are all NBA 5xxxx keys. Including an EV0 2000 mini.

Thanks Chaz, I'm glad citybikes is in DC! When I mentioned this news to your employee on tuesday she was completely unaware, I still didn't believe it myself at that point.

For those who are looking to replace an Evo 2000 Mini LS (as I did) - Onguard makes a long-shackle version of their Ultimate Mini, though it's not in their online catalog. The only place I've found it is at bicyclebuys.com - I ordered yesterday, and recieved it today with a small free gift enclosed as a thank-you (promo patch kit with their logo on it). I'm not associated with them, but was pleased with their service.

If anyone's interested, I'll post exact measurement differences vs the Evo 2000 Mini LS when I get home; already I can tell you it's a bit heavier than the Evo, but nothing like the 5.5 pounds of the Brute Mini LS.


So, with the two locks laying atop one another, I can say:
The interior width of the shackles are identical. The exterior width of the OnGuard is slightly larger, perhaps 1/4 to 1/2 inch, due to the larger diameter and square shape of Onguard's shackle vs. the Evo shackle.
The interior length is also roughly equivalent; the Onguard may be ever-so-slighly longer. The exterior length of the Onguard is almost a full inch longer than the Evo, due almost entirely to the larger diameter of its crossbar.

Also, because the Onguard has a square shackle, it can only mount at very specific angles to the bike tube when in storage on it's mounting bracket; I am unable to get it to fit in the same space on my frame as the Evo used as a result. Still, this seems like a nicely engineered hunk of steel!

Gypsy Chimp, would you mind saying which specific model of the OnGuard you used for this comparison?
there are a whole bunch at bicyclebuys (http://www.bicyclebuys.com/Items01.asp?NavID=locks&M=425&T=118)
and I'd like not to make a mistake. obviously, I am interested in getting a lock as
similar to the form factor of the Evo 2000 Mini as I can get.

-cynsa

no I didn't register just for this post. I registered yesterday just to post. so nuh.

"Bic" is a verb now? Oh well... it was bound to happen. However... just remember that you can't steal^H^H^H^Hpell "Bicycle" without "Bic".

Where the frick have I been? I came across this story earlier today when I saw a headline on my ISP homepage. Looks like tomorrow I will be making a trip to the LBS. I have never considered any other lock, so I will have to investigate the options.

Steele!!! Where the frick HAVE you been? :)

well well.. this has been an interesting day.

i've interviewed with:

the AP
the NY Times
the NY Daily News
Bicycling
talked with Wired about use of my video
chatted with reporters from two smaller newspapers

did photoshoots with the Times and Daily News

(wow?)

The story they keep announcing for the 10 oclock news on channel 29 is :

"Think your bike is safe? The most popular lock can be opened in seconds..."

I thought it was funny.

It's all fun and games until I have to fork out a few hundred dollars for a 2nd server! :eek:

Brunning, how's your server doing? :)

Steele!!! Where the frick HAVE you been? :)
Work, wife, 1 year old daughter. Need I say more?

I just emailed the three local newspapers to see if they would run this story. With 30,000 students in this town, I can only imagine the large number of drooling thieves.

Joe, cut this topic out for a couple of days, or lock it or something!! We're going to die with all the n00bs coming in for single post purposes!

Joe, cut this topic out for a couple of days, or lock it or something!! We're going to die with all the n00bs coming in for single post purposes!
If you do lock out the thread, can you at least make sure the information remains accessible to those just hearing about it from college email lists? There are a lot of folks out there who actually *haven't* heard about this yet, and the news is still making the rounds. :o

Well, I rode out to the locksmith up here in Chicago today- this morning, to be exact. Again, for those of you living in Chicago, it's called the Security Shop, and it's located at 2951 North Clark Street, about a block north of the Clark/Broadway/Diversey intersection. They are open on weekdays from 8:30am- 5pm and Saturdays from 9am-12pm. Their phone number is 773.525.6705.

The guys were very vigilent. As soon as I walked in the door with my bike and put my chain on the counter, they had 4 of the Mul-T-Lock padlocks on the counter right next to it, and they got right into the security issues. They also explained the flaws of the kryptonite lock and the cylinder locks in general, and by the time they finished talking about what they knew about the locks, I felt a lot less secure with Kryptonite. They still thought that despite what they knew in the past about the Kryptonite locks, that they were still pretty solid locks against the average criminal. BUT they said if it were true about the Bic pen, then of course, the reliability of the kryptonite lock was very low. :(

Anyway, we went though which Mul-T-Lock padlock would work for the Kryptonite chain. I settled with the G-series padlock, which is the #55P. I'll provide the picture. That padlock would also offer additional security at the point where the links are locked into the chain, which is often the weakest security area for chain locks. There is a metal flap around the sides where the links are locked together, so you can't easily even get a cutter in there.

It's definitely not light, but it's not too much heavier than the lock provided by Kryptonite. And I did decide for now to keep the Kryptonite chain... it's a 3/8th chain, and when I talked to Home Depot about chains, they said a 3/8th chain provided resistance to about 2650 pounds of pressure. I am feeling a lot better about it. They cut the key for me, and I had them make me an additional copy for emergencies. There's no way anyone can duplicate the key because it's a do not duplicate, and if anyone finds it and tries to copy it, they are sent to Security Shop, and then Security Shop will look at the number on back of the key, match it to my account, and ask for ID. If they can't provide ID, they don't get the key made. Plus, if I lose the key, they can easily make me a new key. And if I need the key part replaced, I can have them swap it out and fitted for a new chain, which is really cool. And as it turns out, they were the company that fitted our apartment building with the Mul-T-Locks for our doors. I told them that when I first heard of the kryptonite security flaws, the first thing I thought of for security was the lock on my door. What a coincidence that I ended up scampering over to the same shop that keyed all the apartments in my building!

Anyway, they were very professional and knowledgeable, and they were very concerned about giving me peace of mind. I will totally go back to them- they really love their work over there, and they make it their job to know how to do it well. I walked away impressed and feeling a lot more secure.

With regards to Kryptonite, I don't care how professional they act now, I just care that they allegedly knew about this security flaw since 1992... that's OVER TEN YEARS, and they didn't do anything about it until the word really got out. As I said before, I owned 2 locks that I paid about a total of $150 that failed on me within 2 months of buying them, then I've since bought 2 more chain locks for about $100 each, the Kryptonite Evolution for about $40 that they assured me at the Chicago Bike Show was about as secure as you could get since the lock was too small for some thief to break (their words), and a regular Kryptonite U lock that I paid $30 for at a Performance sale. And they are worth about as much as a bic pen right now, which is ridiculous. Their response is "well, we're going to come out with a new lock that's even better that you can buy". That is NOT acceptable to me. I went to Kryptonite trusting that they provided security for my bike that was beyond breaking with a bic pen, and all I got were these lousy locks. Sure, they've worked until now, but since the videos are now out there circulating, and the word on the street is that you can open them easily with a thirty cent writing instrument, and I am NOT impressed. They waited and waited, and made millions in the meantime, then reacted after the word got out. They could have corrected the design flaw ten years ago, but I guess that would require money for research, development, design, marketing, etc., and rather than do that, they took the easy way out and sold us these bic accessories. What a waste.

I will NEVER TRUST KRYPTONITE AGAIN- even if they came out with a new lock, I would doubt their sincerity with regards to protecting something that I consider a primary part of my life and well being, and I certainly would not trust them to tell the truth or be vigilent should a problem arise with their product. They are a bunch of corporate, stinkin' liars.

Koffee

Oh, I did forget to add that altogether, with the padlock and two keys made, plus tax, it was like $70. Far less than what I paid for the bic accessory I got from kryptonite! The lock itself is supposed to be pick-resistent, and there's like 7 pressure/pin points on the key that have to be matched up exactly right before it will open. So that sounds pretty secure to me.

Koffee

The first key came with the lock, but I had an additional key made for my emergency backup keychain. The second key was something like 8 bucks. Add in the tax to the $60 lock, and it came out to about $70 and some change.

Koffee

Koffee = You = 1 cool smart super lady!! *applause* GJ. Kryptonite was the biker's friend, now it's our...untrustworthy friend. Oh man, that sucks antoher lost friend! :\ I feel deprived of cheaper solutions to security! How will I afford my stp2 now?!

Are the cylinders in the Kryptonite U-locks replacable? And if so, are they standard? I wonder if one could simply replace them with something like the Videx CyberLock (http://www.videx.com/products/detail/cyberlock.html) electronic key system.

You know, Khuon, I asked the locksmiths if I bought in the U locks, could they replace it, and they said they could NOT. I know they gave me an explanation, but it went a little bit over my head. Basically, it cannot be done... well, at least by your average locksmith. Maybe Kryptonite could do it.

Thanks for the positive comments, Holligan! Seriously, if I could do more, I would, and I still need to shop for my backup bike locks too. I am considering OnGuard, but I need more information as to how many pounds the OnGuard locks weigh and what kind of lock is on their Ulock. If it's a solid case, but it's still a cylinder lock, then I will not consider it.

I'm still through with Kryptonite. I can't wait to tell them this when I go to Interbike. And while I'm there, I'm going to talk to every company with bike locks and grill the hell out of them about their product and ask for their warranty, take pictures, get contact information, and I'll report back to the forums.

Koffee

I just sent the following letter to our friends at Kryptonite:

Dear Kryptonite,

About 10 minutes ago, a friend sent me the following link:

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

After reading the link, I went downstairs with a handy Bic pen and took my Kryptonite Evolution 2000 -- which I purchased this past spring for no small sum -- out of my bike bag. I inserted said pen into said lock and, voile, as if smitten by pixies from the ethereal beyond, the lock popped open.

To say that I was shocked is to understate the matter. I held in my hand a lock that retailed for somewhere around $50.00 and which had been rendered worthless, nay useless, by a bit of plastic that retails for about $0.35. My response to this travesty of security technology:

"It must have been those damn dirty apes!!!!"

Okay, perhaps not. My first response was, "I wonder if I've seen any nice lugged steel bikes locked up with a Krypto around here?" My second was, "No, that's bad." My third was, "I'd better go and tell every single ****ing bike rider I know about this, and then find myself a real bicycle lock." After having processed these in quick secession, I decided to drop you a note.

What, may I ask, should I do now with this useless lock? Can I rely on any of the other Kryptonite locks I have lying around? Can you suggest a lock company, not Kryptonite, that sells a lock that will stop something stronger than a one-armed monkey with a galloping 'lude habit and a bic pen from stealing my bike?

Many thanks for any technical, legal and (perhaps best of all) fiscal assistance you can provide in this matter. If you'd like to discuss this matter in person, please feel free to call me at home at_________.

Sincerely,
Everett "I could have bought 4 cases of beer and a pretty pink ribbon to lock my bike up with for $50" Volk

when i told my roomate he already knew cause he said "oh yeah, the locks on the conductor doors of the subway cars are the same, and some little kid got his head chopped off because he broke in there with some kind of straw or something and stuck his head out the window." and so obviously it was publicized WHAT the locks were like (everyone knows, theyre in the subway cars, they are exactly the same design) and HOW the kid broke into it, so im thankful that philly has stupid thieves who didnt put two and two together years ago. unfortunatly neither did we.

Gypsy Chimp, would you mind saying which specific model of the OnGuard you used for this comparison?
there are a whole bunch at bicyclebuys (http://www.bicyclebuys.com/Items01.asp?NavID=locks&M=425&T=118)
and I'd like not to make a mistake. obviously, I am interested in getting a lock as
similar to the form factor of the Evo 2000 Mini as I can get.

-cynsa

no I didn't register just for this post. I registered yesterday just to post. so nuh.

My comparison was of the Onguard Ultimate Mini LS versus the Krypto Evo 2000 Mini LS. I don't own a standard mini, only the long-shackle version, but I'd imagine the difference between the two short-shackle locks is pretty minimal as well.

NYT article just went live online. Expect more slowness tomorrow. I just purchased a 2nd server, hopefully it will be setup in time.

I am considering OnGuard, but I need more information as to how many pounds the OnGuard locks weigh and what kind of lock is on their Ulock. If it's a solid case, but it's still a cylinder lock, then I will not consider it.

My experience calling Onguard's customer service was exemplary - they actually weighed a lock for me when they had no data on how much a particular model weighed - so give them a call! All their U-locks I've seen have a disc lock with a euro-style key (very much like what Kryptonite's promised new generation is supposed to have) and ought to be fairly difficult to pick, and there's strength data someplace above in this thread. Anyway, I'm happy with my new Onguard so far.

-chris

OK folks, for whatever it's worth, apparently Kryptonite does not design and manufacture lock cylinders. There have been numerous posts regarding an ACE II cylinder. A quick google search turns up that the ACE II cylinder is manufactured by the Chicago Lock Company.

I suspect that Kryptonite designs the overall lock and purchases cylinders from one or more cylinder manufacturer. This is not surprising since cylinder design is surely a diffcult art (as we must all agree now) that someone like Kryptonite does not have the resources or expertise to tackle.

This may explain how Kryptonite may not have known about the vulnerability prior to this week.

I think that everyone who now owns an expensive but useless lock should drop a Bic pen in an envelope and send it to the folks at Kryptonite. Address it to

"You knew about this in 1992 and did nothing?!"
437 Turnpike Street
Canton, MA 02021 USA

Hey there I have a Kryptolok and after about 15 mins i was able to find the right bic and pop it open.

BUT...now my lock doesnt work at all. The center piece of the lock that has the little niche in is stuck in the open position. Any help? I'm a little pissed. One, because my kryptonite lock was never safe and two because now it doesnt even work at all.

I've tried to force the center tumbler thing to go back into the neutral position but no dice.

Any ideas? help?

jeremyb

This is the list of BICed locks complied from bikeforums.net and SHIFT2bikes.org. If in doubt, consider the lock unreliable. Some of the data is the lock type, some are key codes, one is the lock cylinder type. If a brand name isn't mentioned it is probably a Kryptonite. If you have another lock that you have or haven't been able to BIC (or SHARPIEed: see the SOMA lock below) email me and I'll update the list. I'll keep posting daily updates until I stop getting new data.

Good (or no one has been seccussful with this one...YET)

F#### keycode
"ACE II" on lock clynder face (Chicago Lock Company: it has different spring tensions on all 7 pins.)
cobralink lock
Kryptonite-4


Bad

YSE#### keycode (series keys 5130 and 5140)
KK ##### keycode
Kryptonite Evolution 2000 (full size)
kryptonite Evolution 2000 mini
Trek Kryptonite
Master U lock
EV disc lock
Yellow EV2000 disc key series KK####.
Kryptonite CDC, Key number is 5XXX, early 90's
"Schwinn"-labeled U-lock
NBA#### keycode (only 1 person was successful in opening this lock, @5 others couldn't)
Kryptonite 2000
Kryptonite Mini Evo 2000
YSE Mini
NY EV Disc lock
Evo 2000 Mini LS
Kryptonite "MegaDefender"
KryptoLok Plus
Kryptolok by Kryptonite key NBA 5122
SOMA ( http://www.somafab.com/antijack.html ) an SF company. Opened with a Sharpie Ultra Fine Point Permanent Marker.

File the tab off of the key so you can insert it into the lock and it you should be able to operate it normally.

So I'm seeing some serious class action lawsuit and future bankruptcy on Krypto's hands... Think of all the dollars spent on locks that are useless, plus all the bikes that may have been stolen since they realized there was a design flaw (someone said 1992, that may be speculation, but if it's right...).

I guess I'm going lock shopping in the morning...

Oh... this got posted on Yahoo News, so there's sure to be some fallout soon.

i'm getting prices from the nice folks at rotalok (http://www.rotalok.com/). i just emailed them about their 1 meter chain and the normal rotalok padlock. hopefully they'll get back to me soon. i'll let y'all know. that lock and chain is SERIOUS.

Hey there I have a Kryptolok and after about 15 mins i was able to find the right bic and pop it open.

BUT...now my lock doesnt work at all. The center piece of the lock that has the little niche in is stuck in the open position. Any help? I'm a little pissed. One, because my kryptonite lock was never safe and two because now it doesnt even work at all.

I've tried to force the center tumbler thing to go back into the neutral position but no dice.

Any ideas? help?

jeremyb

that happened to me. i filed the little guide nib off one of my keys so i can insert it into the lock if it's in any position. the lock and key still work fine, but i found my "spare" key so i don't make the mistake of pulling the filed key out without actually locking the lock.

It's on Dallas Morning News site now. I expect it will be in every major newspaper in the morning. The Kryptonite folks better be working late to get a fix worked out quickly.

apparently it was in san jose news. i havent found it yet, but my roomate said she read about it in the paper today, right after I showed her what a papermate can do to a krypto as well...I swear it's a writing instrument conspiracy!!!!

....well maybe not, but conspiracies are at least fun to think about :p


edit: ok it made the evening news show...so yeah the cats outta the bag.

Yeah. Many newspapers are rerunning the API story. I saw it in the Seattle Post-Intelligencer and the KING5 NBC website earlier. It'd be interesting if this hits Dateline.

Don't Kryptonite locks come with a "we'll replace your bike if it's stolen" policy? I know they used to. Anyone have experience/knowledge about people collecting on this?

Ooh, I just found my receipt. Under the Limited Guarantee, it states:
If your bicycle is stolen because of the opening of breaking of the Kryptonite lock by force, we will pay you the base value of your bicycle up to $1,500, ... subject tothe specified requirements and limitations.

Note the emphasis is theirs.

I could argue that picking the lock requires force (I am a physics teacher, the pins won't move unless a force is applied :p), so they should pay even if the lock is picked... I'm sure Kryptonite's lawyers would say otherwise.

This is from an EV 2000, so at this point they knew about the vulnerability. :crash:

Anyone have an old (pre-92) manual to see if they changed the wording after they discovered this?

Sorry about the excessive smilies :eek:
no, really
:beer:
stop
:love:

they just shouldn't put these in the options. Some of us are uncontrollable.

Lee

This may have been mentioned, but I strongly suggest that we all contact Kryptonite and ask them when they plan on publically announcing this serious product defect? Also, tell them that they must offer some type of recall or significant discount to purchase a non-cylinder lock? Here's their complaint email address Grumble@irco.com. I also suggest that you ask your local bike shop to put pressure on Kryptonite. If distributors start getting refund demands from bike shops for defective products, it will make its way up to Kryptonite FAST.

MOST IMPORTANT, if Kryptonite doesn't bend over backwards to fix this flaw, DON'T GIVE THEM YOUR MONEY (even if they come out with a "new" lock very soon). Heck, read the Yahoo news story, Kryptonite's PR spin is ridiculous, "The world just got tougher and so did our locks," the statement said. How nuts to claim that picking a U-lock with a plastic pen makes the world tougher. What BS.

....and get an new lock, soon.

http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&cid=519&ncid=519&e=11&u=/ap/20040916/ap_on_re_us/picking_bike_locks

UPDATE: At least one local bike dealer in Portland, Oregon is trying to be proactive. Kudos to The Bike Gallery. http://www.bikegallery.com IT LOOKS LIKE THIS IS ONLY SPECIFIC FOR THIS DEALER (at this point in time).

Here's the blurb from their website:

Kryptonyte Lock Replacement Programhttp://bikegallery.com/site/templates/micaylen/images/bluegreen/spacer.gifhttp://bikegallery.com/site/templates/micaylen/images/bluegreen/spacer.gifhttp://bikegallery.com/site/templates/micaylen/images/bluegreen/spacer.gifhttp://bikegallery.com/site/templates/micaylen/images/bluegreen/spacer.gifhttp://bikegallery.com/site/templates/micaylen/images/bluegreen/spacer.gifhttp://bikegallery.com/site/templates/micaylen/images/bluegreen/spacer.gifhttp://bikegallery.com/site/templates/micaylen/images/bluegreen/spacer.gifhttp://bikegallery.com/site/templates/micaylen/images/bluegreen/spacer.gifIt seems that Kryptonyte locks aren't quite as secure as they thought. Well, those locks featuring cylindrical keys anyway. To assist, the Bike Gallery is offering to exchange any of the affected locks purchased at our stores within the last six months, with a lock of similar value. To receive a replacement, simply return the lock and your receipt to the Bike Gallery. We apologize for any inconvenience this may cause, but we feel strongly that our customers should be made aware of the risk and be given the opportunity to seek a replacement.

Hey there I have a Kryptolok and after about 15 mins i was able to find the right bic and pop it open.

BUT...now my lock doesnt work at all. The center piece of the lock that has the little niche in is stuck in the open position. Any help? I'm a little pissed. One, because my kryptonite lock was never safe and two because now it doesnt even work at all.

I've tried to force the center tumbler thing to go back into the neutral position but no dice.

Any ideas? help?

jeremyb

Try it with a new pen, or cut down the pen you used. Also, it's easier to get it back with the lock apart. Don't try to re-lock it, just put it back in the neutral spot.

Well this is quite disturbing. I honestly thought that this was a hoax, but I proved myself wrong my unlocking and relocking my Kryptonite KryptoLOK with the barrel of a ClickBIC.

Well, I rode out to the locksmith up here in Chicago today- this morning, to be exact. Again, for those of you living in Chicago, it's called the Security Shop, and it's located at 2951 North Clark Street, about a block north of the Clark/Broadway/Diversey intersection. They are open on weekdays from 8:30am- 5pm and Saturdays from 9am-12pm. Their phone number is 773.525.6705.

The guys were very vigilent. As soon as I walked in the door with my bike and put my chain on the counter, they had 4 of the Mul-T-Lock padlocks on the counter right next to it, and they got right into the security issues. They also explained the flaws of the kryptonite lock and the cylinder locks in general, and by the time they finished talking about what they knew about the locks, I felt a lot less secure with Kryptonite. They still thought that despite what they knew in the past about the Kryptonite locks, that they were still pretty solid locks against the average criminal. BUT they said if it were true about the Bic pen, then of course, the reliability of the kryptonite lock was very low. :(

Anyway, we went though which Mul-T-Lock padlock would work for the Kryptonite chain. I settled with the G-series padlock, which is the #55P. I'll provide the picture. That padlock would also offer additional security at the point where the links are locked into the chain, which is often the weakest security area for chain locks. There is a metal flap around the sides where the links are locked together, so you can't easily even get a cutter in there.

It's definitely not light, but it's not too much heavier than the lock provided by Kryptonite. And I did decide for now to keep the Kryptonite chain... it's a 3/8th chain, and when I talked to Home Depot about chains, they said a 3/8th chain provided resistance to about 2650 pounds of pressure. I am feeling a lot better about it. They cut the key for me, and I had them make me an additional copy for emergencies. There's no way anyone can duplicate the key because it's a do not duplicate, and if anyone finds it and tries to copy it, they are sent to Security Shop, and then Security Shop will look at the number on back of the key, match it to my account, and ask for ID. If they can't provide ID, they don't get the key made. Plus, if I lose the key, they can easily make me a new key. And if I need the key part replaced, I can have them swap it out and fitted for a new chain, which is really cool. And as it turns out, they were the company that fitted our apartment building with the Mul-T-Locks for our doors. I told them that when I first heard of the kryptonite security flaws, the first thing I thought of for security was the lock on my door. What a coincidence that I ended up scampering over to the same shop that keyed all the apartments in my building!

Anyway, they were very professional and knowledgeable, and they were very concerned about giving me peace of mind. I will totally go back to them- they really love their work over there, and they make it their job to know how to do it well. I walked away impressed and feeling a lot more secure.

With regards to Kryptonite, I don't care how professional they act now, I just care that they allegedly knew about this security flaw since 1992... that's OVER TEN YEARS, and they didn't do anything about it until the word really got out. As I said before, I owned 2 locks that I paid about a total of $150 that failed on me within 2 months of buying them, then I've since bought 2 more chain locks for about $100 each, the Kryptonite Evolution for about $40 that they assured me at the Chicago Bike Show was about as secure as you could get since the lock was too small for some thief to break (their words), and a regular Kryptonite U lock that I paid $30 for at a Performance sale. And they are worth about as much as a bic pen right now, which is ridiculous. Their response is "well, we're going to come out with a new lock that's even better that you can buy". That is NOT acceptable to me. I went to Kryptonite trusting that they provided security for my bike that was beyond breaking with a bic pen, and all I got were these lousy locks. Sure, they've worked until now, but since the videos are now out there circulating, and the word on the street is that you can open them easily with a thirty cent writing instrument, and I am NOT impressed. They waited and waited, and made millions in the meantime, then reacted after the word got out. They could have corrected the design flaw ten years ago, but I guess that would require money for research, development, design, marketing, etc., and rather than do that, they took the easy way out and sold us these bic accessories. What a waste.

I will NEVER TRUST KRYPTONITE AGAIN- even if they came out with a new lock, I would doubt their sincerity with regards to protecting something that I consider a primary part of my life and well being, and I certainly would not trust them to tell the truth or be vigilent should a problem arise with their product. They are a bunch of corporate, stinkin' liars.

Koffee

the only thing wrong with your logic is that...the do not duplicate...that is a complete crop of bs...I have several keys that are do not duplicate and...well anyplace will easily duplicate them with a simple explination...but sure the whole thing about knwoing sice 1992 screams lawsuit!!!especially since they are a corparation based in ****ing bermuda!!!