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-   -   Kryptonite Mini U-Lock Nightmare (https://www.bikeforums.net/general-cycling-discussion/146426-kryptonite-mini-u-lock-nightmare.html)

CastIron 10-26-05 02:53 PM

Though I'm happy with my NY3000 from Kryptonite I'd to see their response on this forum before ordering a fistfull of matched locks. Also, is this perhaps a lube issue? First I do with any new lock is hose it with tri-flow.

alanbikehouston 10-26-05 03:23 PM


Originally Posted by CastIron
Though I'm happy with my NY3000 from Kryptonite I'd to see their response on this forum before ordering a fistfull of matched locks. Also, is this perhaps a lube issue? First I do with any new lock is hose it with tri-flow.

The rotating plate lock mechanisms are identical on my 2005 OnGuard Brute and on my Kryptonite New York 3000. They share a "pick resistant" design that makes opening the locks with any sort of picking tool much more difficult.

The rotating plate design works perfectly IF, but only if, owners follow the instructions provided by OnGuard and Kryptonite: insert the key fully so it is seated at the bottom of the key mechanism before beginning to turn the key. If an owner ignores the instructions, and turns the key before it is seated, the lock will not open. That is the "trick" that makes picking these locks so difficult.

If someone accidently rotates the plates and the lock jams, it takes only a few seconds to use the tip of the key to realign the plates, fully seat the key, and open the lock.

The problem here is not with the locks. It is a "defective owner" problem. Most guys consider it unmanly to read the directions that come with a product, just as it is unmanly to read a roadmap when lost out on the road. If a fella can't figure out how these new "flat key" locks work, he can have his wife read the instruction sheet and then explain it to him.

Kryptonite Lock 10-26-05 06:39 PM

CastIron....check out the previous posts about inserting the key from alanbikehouston...he's right on. Kryptonite's been using this cylinder in the New York Lock for over 5 years now and there hasn't been much talk of the cylinder issues in that model. Yes, it is different than the round key, where the key needs to be inserted fully into the cylinder before turning. IF the cylinder is slightly misaligned spend a couple of seconds 'wiggling' the key into it. Should be fine.
JohnZ...sorry for your trouble....really...when you get a minute to breathe after the new baby arrives, give our customer service a call and explain your lock situation.
Yes, the new cylinders take a little bit of getting used to, but if anyone else is truly having a functioning issue with the lock they have, give our customer service a call...Koffee, if two locks really aren't working, call us....

Raiyn 10-27-05 03:28 AM


Originally Posted by The Seldom Kill
I beg to differ.

In October of last year London Metropolitan Police witnessed, via CCTV, a person stealing a bicycle from a bike rack. A nearby officer was sent to deal with the situation and was able to apprehend the thief about 3 blocks from the scene.

When searched the thief had an empty BIC biro casing on him and admitted that he had used this to pick the Kryptonite lock which was retrieved from the scene of the crime. The thief said that he had learnt about this method from the internet.

My source, the arresting officer who came to my cycle group to talk about bike registration and security.

One proven case for you.

Of course alan will NEVER acknowledge your post. :crash: I, however, will be happy to quote it for him at every opportunity. http://img457.imageshack.us/img457/3...percent1kj.jpg

lws 10-27-05 09:30 AM


Originally Posted by The Seldom Kill
My source, the arresting officer who came to my cycle group to talk about bike registration and security.

I hope the UK police are more credible than the US ones. I don't think I would believe anything a US cop said about criminal tactics if he was trying to sell some fearmongering. Not until I find a cop who admits that the hysterical police chiefs were flat out lying when they tried to sell a panic to elementary school parents about LSD-laced stick-on tattoos -- remember that one? "I saw it", "personal experience", etc. Or maybe one will admit that many cops lie under oath in court in order to get convictions. If they'll lie under oath, surely they'll lie to your bike club.

gurana 10-27-05 10:47 AM


Originally Posted by Raiyn
Of course alan will NEVER acknowledge your post. :crash: I, however, will be happy to quote it for him at every opportunity.

the story about the CCTV and speaking with the arresting officer is hardly 'documented', I wouldn't characterize it as proof either. I'd like to actually see a police report, or even a videotape of an actual theft or something. I too am skeptical that this bic thing is really such a big problem; but at the same time i won't tempt fate, and have gotten a new lock. The reason I'm skeptical, is because I tried to bic my own lock. I understand there's probably a knack to it, but I spent a good 45 minutes on the stupid thing. I guess a life of crime is not for me :(

But because there is no documented proof of an actual theft, I wouldn't argue that it's not a threat. At the least I've seen that it is possible (even though I can't do it). That is sufficinet for me to find a better lock.

Dark Arrow 10-27-05 01:54 PM

I've been thinking on this one. My PitBull was this way the other day and I know I always stick the key in all the way. Maybe someone tried picking it and failed but did misalign the bits. When I stuck my key in it didn't go all the way. A little adjusting and bing OPEN. My Pitbull Came with a sticker stating to put the key all the way in and a big warning on the box and directions. So perhaps someone tried taking the OP bike and misaligned the bits?

supcom 10-27-05 08:39 PM


Originally Posted by gurana
But because there is no documented proof of an actual theft, I wouldn't argue that it's not a threat. At the least I've seen that it is possible (even though I can't do it). That is sufficinet for me to find a better lock.

To be accurate, nobody here has given any substantiation to their claim that, "there is no proof that any bike was stolen with a bic pen." Nobody has stated that they have read through every police report of a bike theft since the bic pen hoola a year ago. Nobody has claimed to have seen a report written by someone who has gone through all the reports. Nobody has claimed to have a statistically valid sample of police reports. Nobody has claimed to have read through any significant number of police reports even from a single town or university. In fact, nobody, to my knowlege, has claimed to have gained access to even one police report of a bike (other than their own) that was stolen.

As far as I can tell, the only valid claim that can be made is, "I am UNAWARE of any bike having been stolen through the use of a bic pen." Anything else seems like the tobacco companies stating that there is no scientific study that conclusively proves that cigarettes cause cancer.

If I am wrong here (and I concede that is a vey real possibility) then I would like to see some substantiation of why some people have been able to conclude conclusively that there is no documentation in existance of a single bike stolen with a bic pen. Just because the claim is made forcefully, doesn't make it true.

Brian 10-27-05 08:47 PM

Prosecutor to judge: You honor, I'm prepared to produce the names of 5 witnesses that saw this man at the scene of the crime.

Defendant: I can provide a 100 who didn't see me there.

The Seldom Kill 10-28-05 02:07 AM


I hope the UK police are more credible than the US ones. I don't think I would believe anything a US cop said about criminal tactics if he was trying to sell some fearmongering.
Not all police lack credibility and whilst there are some in the UK that do I am confident that the officer in question wasn't lying. In my experience he's a fairly upstanding member of society and a cyclist. Also, officers coming to talk about bicycle security on the invite of a local cycling group tend not to be selling fearmongering. The London Metropolitan Police have recently been working in conjunction with cycling groups in the city in an effort to reduce the amount of bike theft going on and increase the amount of bike theft actually reported.


the story about the CCTV and speaking with the arresting officer is hardly 'documented', I wouldn't characterize it as proof either. I'd like to actually see a police report, or even a videotape of an actual theft or something.
Oddly enough the police aren't in the habit of hauling reports and footage around with them, even to cycling groups meeting in community halls. To do could be a potential breach of data protection laws without he proper clearances which are are a little too time consuming and difficult to obtain just for the purposes of showing around to people like some kind of kindergarten show and tell. However it suffices to say that I, and the rest of the people at the meeting, found the officer in question to be reliable and honest.

However, I guess that isn't going to be enough for some people and find this pervasive element of distrust whenever the police are mentioned quite saddening. I wonder how this would have been received if I had lied and said that I had personally witnessed the footage and the arrest report myself.

Raiyn 10-28-05 03:12 AM


Originally Posted by The Seldom Kill
However, I guess that isn't going to be enough for some people and find this pervasive element of distrust whenever the police are mentioned quite saddening. I wonder how this would have been received if I had lied and said that I had personally witnessed the footage and the arrest report myself.

There are good cops just as there are good people, but the bad ones distract from the fact to the point of omission

Brian 10-28-05 03:56 AM

Raiyn's dad is a good cop.

Raiyn 10-28-05 04:03 AM


Originally Posted by Expatriate
Raiyn's dad is a good cop.

Was. He's currently enjoying retirement. He retired about eight years ago after 30 years of service. I'm surprised and delighted that you remembered that he was a cop. :D

The Seldom Kill 10-28-05 04:24 AM


There are good cops just as there are good people, but the bad ones distract from the fact to the point of omission.
A fair point really. I find the whole "I don't trust the police" mentality barely a step removed from that which says "I don't trust blacks/muslims" and so on. It's just an acceptable form of bigotry for the left-wing. I know my comments on the latest CM thread is less than respectful of the police but this is about the central office handling of CM rather than a sweeping generalisation.

Brian 10-28-05 06:04 AM


Originally Posted by Raiyn
Was. He's currently enjoying retirement. He retired about eight years ago after 30 years of service. I'm surprised and delighted that you remembered that he was a cop. :D

I don't forget things. Ever. And yeah, that seemed to be a pretty important thing. There's a certain amount of respectability there.

lws 10-28-05 10:41 AM


Originally Posted by The Seldom Kill
A fair point really. I find the whole "I don't trust the police" mentality barely a step removed from that which says "I don't trust blacks/muslims" and so on. It's just an acceptable form of bigotry for the left-wing.

I may be a bigot, but I'm not left-wing. Go ahead, ask a cop to tell you about any one time that he knows another cop lied to obtain a search warrant, a wiretap, or in testimony. If he tells you about one, then I would consider trusting him. Telling the truth is a conservative value. Isn't it?

landstander 10-28-05 01:02 PM


Originally Posted by lws
I may be a bigot, but I'm not left-wing. Go ahead, ask a cop to tell you about any one time that he knows another cop lied to obtain a search warrant, a wiretap, or in testimony. If he tells you about one, then I would consider trusting him. Telling the truth is a conservative value. Isn't it?

That's quite an assumption you're making there... what if he honestly has no firsthand knowlege of such an event? I doubt that's quite so uncommon as you seem to believe.

Brian 10-28-05 04:07 PM


Originally Posted by lws
Go ahead, ask a cop to tell you about any one time that he knows another cop lied to obtain a search warrant, a wiretap, or in testimony. If he tells you about one, then I would consider trusting him.

So you would trust someone that says he knows someone else that lied, but you don't trust the guy that lied?


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