Is my lock secure?
 

I just read this article at wired...
http://www.wired.com/news/culture/0,1284,64987,00.html

Its from 2004 but the lock in the picture looks very similar to the Kryptonite New York chain lock I bought a few months ago. How do I know if mine is secure?

Virtually any lock can be defeated by a knowledgeable person in a very short period of time. But most locks will deter or defeat the average person or the person acting on impulse. I think that is about as good as one can hope for.

How do I know if mine is secure?

Try picking it with a pen. Even if possible it is not as easy as it looks on TV.

See kryptos website for recall details.

All the old barrel style kryptonit locks were recalled and replaced with new locks. If you bought your lock a few months ago then it should be the new style. the old key holes were are circular ring, the new key holes is a small hole.

The article you are reading is two years out of date. It refers to locks that use round "barrel" shaped keys that were a "high security" choice for firearms safes, vending machines, and bike locks. If (and ONLY if) a crook can match the plastic barrel of a pen that precisely matches the diameter of the key, and uses a precise technique, he can open such locks.

Although many people can do this trick successfully with a lock sitting on their kitchen table, doing it with a lock correctly placed around the rear wheel of a bike, 12 inches off the ground is much more difficult. The number of proven, documented cases where a bike was stolen using the barrel of a pen remains at zero, ten years after this technique was first made public.

Kryptonite and OnGuard bicycle locks now use a flat key design that is highly pick resistant. The best locks from those companies (those priced at $50 and up...and up...and up..) require a skilled crook using expensive tools to open.

If you are using a Kryptonite chain lock that has a padlock with a round key, consider replacing the padlock with a newer flatkey padlock from Kryptonite or OnGuard.

When "Cycling Plus" editors test bike locks, they consistently find that cable locks, and low-priced U-locks and low priced chain locks can be opened in just a few seconds by a skilled crook. The very best bike locks take much, much longer to defeat, even using expensive tools.

Look for a lock that has a "gold" rating after being tested by the locksmiths at Soldsecure.

www.soldsecure.com/Leisure.htm