Should the flaws of Mid-range locks be exposed?
03-09-06 | 05:10 PM
#1
Thread Starter
Senior Member
Joined: Jul 2005
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Should the flaws of Mid-range locks be exposed?
A journalist has done independent tests to review midrange locks, he found many were totally worthless ****. However he is wondering if he ought to publish this and how he detailed he ought to be.
Any thoughts?
Any thoughts?
03-09-06 | 05:14 PM
#3
Cornucopia of Awesomeness
Joined: Oct 2004
Posts: 4,847
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From: not where i used to be
many tests like this have already been published in "Cycling Plus" and "Sold Secure"
allanbikehouston will be along shortly to tell you this.
then he'll say something nice about ABUS locks.
and then say that Bic pen unlocking is a myth.
a flamewar will ensue.
allanbikehouston will be along shortly to tell you this.
then he'll say something nice about ABUS locks.
and then say that Bic pen unlocking is a myth.
a flamewar will ensue.
03-09-06 | 05:16 PM
#4
hullo.
Joined: May 2005
Posts: 1,458
Likes: 0
From: san francisco
Bikes: 74 paramount track, 80s maruishi track, 70s chesini track.
nothing is more annoying than to hear on a news special something about how "meth can be made using this, this, this, and some common household items"... it's totally better to just broadcast the recipe and step by step cooking instructions.
i guess picking bikelocks is a different thing than meth... i think a certain level of awareness should be published, that way people know what is safe, what isn't safe, and can judge accordingly where/when/how to lock their bikes. crooks adapt anyhow, so the secrets will be old and obsolete in a matter of weeks anyhow as soon as they find a new backdoor to crowbar open.
i guess picking bikelocks is a different thing than meth... i think a certain level of awareness should be published, that way people know what is safe, what isn't safe, and can judge accordingly where/when/how to lock their bikes. crooks adapt anyhow, so the secrets will be old and obsolete in a matter of weeks anyhow as soon as they find a new backdoor to crowbar open.
03-09-06 | 05:53 PM
#7
cab horn
Joined: Jun 2004
Posts: 28,353
Likes: 30
From: Toronto
Bikes: 1987 Bianchi Campione
Originally Posted by baxtefer
many tests like this have already been published in "Cycling Plus" and "Sold Secure"
allanbikehouston will be along shortly to tell you this.
then he'll say something nice about ABUS locks.
and then say that Bic pen unlocking is a myth.
a flamewar will ensue.
allanbikehouston will be along shortly to tell you this.
then he'll say something nice about ABUS locks.
and then say that Bic pen unlocking is a myth.
a flamewar will ensue.
03-09-06 | 06:36 PM
#8
Hello.
Joined: Jun 2005
Posts: 2,902
Likes: 2
From: West Seattle
the only problem is that this info won't get to everyone who owns one of those locks. hell, i'm one of the few commuter cyclists i know that reads bike crap on a regular basis. most of them just ride, lock up, and not really think about how easy/hard it is to get into their lock. it'd be kind of ****ty to tell someone how to defeat someone else's lock without the lock-owner really knowing anything about it. of course, not all bike thieves read bike crap on a regular basis either, so i guess it could go either way.
you have to remember that lock companies aren't really like car companies. they aren't sending out massive amounts of mail any time there's a problem with one of their products. if it weren't for the internet, i wouldn't have had any idea about the whole bic pen dealie.
you have to remember that lock companies aren't really like car companies. they aren't sending out massive amounts of mail any time there's a problem with one of their products. if it weren't for the internet, i wouldn't have had any idea about the whole bic pen dealie.
03-09-06 | 07:16 PM
#9
Senior Member
Joined: Aug 2005
Posts: 321
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From: Seattle
Originally Posted by crushkilldstroy
the only problem is that this info won't get to everyone who owns one of those locks. hell, i'm one of the few commuter cyclists i know that reads bike crap on a regular basis. most of them just ride, lock up, and not really think about how easy/hard it is to get into their lock. it'd be kind of ****ty to tell someone how to defeat someone else's lock without the lock-owner really knowing anything about it. of course, not all bike thieves read bike crap on a regular basis either, so i guess it could go either way.
you have to remember that lock companies aren't really like car companies. they aren't sending out massive amounts of mail any time there's a problem with one of their products. if it weren't for the internet, i wouldn't have had any idea about the whole bic pen dealie.
you have to remember that lock companies aren't really like car companies. they aren't sending out massive amounts of mail any time there's a problem with one of their products. if it weren't for the internet, i wouldn't have had any idea about the whole bic pen dealie.
03-10-06 | 03:20 AM
#11
Happy Cycling
Joined: Dec 2003
Posts: 417
Likes: 0
From: SF
Bikes: bareknuckle, bomber pro, 3Rensho SR, nagasawa special
Originally Posted by crushkilldstroy
the only problem is that this info won't get to everyone who owns one of those locks. hell, i'm one of the few commuter cyclists i know that reads bike crap on a regular basis. most of them just ride, lock up, and not really think about how easy/hard it is to get into their lock. it'd be kind of ****ty to tell someone how to defeat someone else's lock without the lock-owner really knowing anything about it. of course, not all bike thieves read bike crap on a regular basis either, so i guess it could go either way.
you have to remember that lock companies aren't really like car companies. they aren't sending out massive amounts of mail any time there's a problem with one of their products. if it weren't for the internet, i wouldn't have had any idea about the whole bic pen dealie.
you have to remember that lock companies aren't really like car companies. they aren't sending out massive amounts of mail any time there's a problem with one of their products. if it weren't for the internet, i wouldn't have had any idea about the whole bic pen dealie.
03-10-06 | 03:30 AM
#12
Hello.
Joined: Jun 2005
Posts: 2,902
Likes: 2
From: West Seattle
Originally Posted by HexagonSun
i don't know about that. the kryptonite debacle seemed to blow up pretty big.
03-10-06 | 03:36 AM
#13
greatest man alive
Joined: Mar 2006
Posts: 224
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From: oneco
Bikes: basso track, rossin track, diamond and ruby studded pocket bike.
well thats why the evolution 2000 came with that little plastic collar... it hides the lock hole. DUH!! didnt krypto offer some kind of recall deal to replace the lock system with the one the now use?
03-10-06 | 06:25 AM
#14
this bike is an aqueduct
Joined: Jan 2004
Posts: 1,073
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From: Gainesville, FL
Bikes: Villin custom touring, Medici Pro Pista, KHS Alite1000, Windsor fixed commuter
Thought this read "Should the flaws of Middle-Earth locks be exposed?"
__________________
Villin custom touring | Raleigh XXIX | Medici Pro Pista | 1978 Schwinn Stingray
Villin custom touring | Raleigh XXIX | Medici Pro Pista | 1978 Schwinn Stingray
03-10-06 | 07:18 AM
#15
jack of one or two trades
Joined: Jun 2005
Posts: 5,640
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From: Suburbia, CT
Bikes: Old-ass gearie hardtail MTB, fix-converted Centurion LeMans commuter, SS hardtail monster MTB
Originally Posted by crushkilldstroy
and i still see those bic-able kryptos all over the place. i'm sure if people knew about it they wouldn't be using them.
I'd rather have my bike stolen because I'm an idiot that because the company kept a vital flaw secret from everybody.
03-10-06 | 08:53 AM
#16
Senior Member
Joined: Aug 2005
Posts: 1,663
Likes: 1
From: baltimore
Bikes: Pake Track; Bianchi XL EV2 El Reparto Corse, Kona Jake the Snake
Knowing is half the battle!
03-10-06 | 09:04 AM
#18
this bike is an aqueduct
Joined: Jan 2004
Posts: 1,073
Likes: 2
From: Gainesville, FL
Bikes: Villin custom touring, Medici Pro Pista, KHS Alite1000, Windsor fixed commuter
Oh, absolutely. I'm 28 and my mom just sent me a care package with brownies and a Stephen King book, cos I'm back in school now. Moms rule.
Oh and, expose every goddamn flaw in these locks. There's zero corporate motivation to make better locks unless they know their **** won't sell. ****, write Consumer Reports and get it in there. Post a link to the article/vid in the commuting, general, mtb forums, everywhere.
Oh and, expose every goddamn flaw in these locks. There's zero corporate motivation to make better locks unless they know their **** won't sell. ****, write Consumer Reports and get it in there. Post a link to the article/vid in the commuting, general, mtb forums, everywhere.
__________________
Villin custom touring | Raleigh XXIX | Medici Pro Pista | 1978 Schwinn Stingray
Villin custom touring | Raleigh XXIX | Medici Pro Pista | 1978 Schwinn Stingray
03-10-06 | 10:23 AM
#20
Senior Member
Joined: Nov 2004
Posts: 2,544
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Originally Posted by dolface
publish 'em.
security through obscurity doesn't work...
security through obscurity doesn't work...
I would take the computer security approach however. Contact the manufacturers first informing them of the weaknesses. If they respond back and are willing to fix them, give them time to do that before publishing it. If they don't respond or don't want to fix it, publish it.
But no matter what, please don't keep it a secret.
03-10-06 | 10:33 AM
#21
Originally Posted by shants
you, sir, are a nerd.
03-10-06 | 10:40 AM
#22
Banned.
Joined: Oct 2004
Posts: 4,416
Likes: 1
Originally Posted by crushkilldstroy
if it weren't for the internet, i wouldn't have had any idea about the whole bic pen dealie.
03-10-06 | 10:52 AM
#23
Hello.
Joined: Jun 2005
Posts: 2,902
Likes: 2
From: West Seattle
Originally Posted by BostonFixed
Within 2 days of the bic pen discovery here on bikeforums, my local paper [boston globe] had a front page story about it, on one of the inner sections, and they even interviewed/quoted sheldon brown.
