Why would anyone be suspicious? Well, this is exactly the SECOND thread you have ever been part of. Secondly, you use some of the EXACT British slang and phrases that appeared in recent posts by ***** (and his three alter egos) in a thread attacking Kryptonite locks.

There may be a lot of cyclists in Chicago who use British slang, but you are the first I can recall posting here at Bike Forums. So, maybe you DID move to Chicago from the UK...or maybe ***** has a new scam going.

Next, according to the editors of Cycling Plus, opening your model of Kryptonite lock would require cutting both sides of the "U", as the lock as dual locking bolts, IF the interior of the "U" is filled by the rear wheel and a beefy locking post.

In a workbench, it might be possible to cut one leg of the "U", and then pivot the shackle to create a large gap. But, if the lock is properly used (with the rear wheel and a beefy locking post filling the interior of the "U", it would not be possible to pivot the shackle enough to create a gap large enough to remove the bike.

You opened this thread just HOURS after the lengthy ***** thread was removed from the Forums. You and ***** are the only people who have ever posted in Bike Forums claiming to have made a video showing that it is "easy" to open a top Kryptonite lock...so, why would anyone be suspicious?

But, there is no doubt the best portable power tools can open a Kryptonite lock (although tests by experts have indicated opening both sides of the "U" with power tools would take far, far longer than the "two minutes" you say it took to open your lock). That means that a good lock can only be one tool in fighting crooks.

If a bike is going to be out of the owner's sight for more than ten minutes or so, the owner must also use his brain:

- don't leave a bike unattended that LOOKS valuable (and shiny new $500 bikes look valuable). It is possible to modify a high quality older model bike to appear to be worth $20 with a can of spray paint and by riding it through some mud and letting the mud bake onto the bike. I modified a 1983 Trek that was a premium quality road bike so that it appeared to be worth LESS than $20...and it still rode like a $1,000 bike.

- don't park at a location where your bike is the ONLY bike in sight, or is the best bike in sight

- don't park an attractive bike at the same precise location day after day (giving crooks time to see it, figure out your schedule, and obtain the necessary equipment appropriate for your lock)

- if you must leave a bike in a public place for six, eight, or ten hours, consider using multiple "serious" locks, such as a heavy u-lock plus a heavy chain lock.

- itemize your bike with your "home contents" of your renters insurance or your home owners insurance. Most of these policies will cover listed items even when the theft occurs far from home.

- don't assume that the insurance policy that came with your bike lock will help you. The typical policy has LOTS of requirements, including that you prove the bike was properly locked, prove that the lock failed, and prove that no power tools were used.