Bike lock advice

[thesku11s]

Hi there,

Ive only recently come across the whole "scene" of lock picking.
Ive had a little go at simple locks with paperclips etc and am rather shocked at how easy everything is.

Im not here for picking advice though (maybe in the future)

Im actually looking for a bit of advice on buying a bike lock.
Ive been keen to get the best lock I can, as Im building a very desireable bike and will be leaving it at times in London (notorious for extreme bike theft)

All the decent locks are extremely heavy, and I realise that means they are very strong, but it defeats the purpose of having a nice lightweight bike!

Anyway, after seeing all the countless videos on youtube of expensive padlocks being picked effortlessly, I was wondering if having such a "strong" lock would harbour a false sense of security as they might be able to be picked very easily.

So I really wanted to know, whether modern bike locks with different shaped lasercut keys are pickable? I have a couple average locks at the moment which are light & convenient. One has a flat rectangular key, 10x40x2mm roughly, with lengthways lines & drilled holes.

The other lock has a key which is a 30mm x 3mm (round) rod, with a few angled flat cutouts on the edges.

I havent seen any videos of this kind of lock being picked, does that mean that it is not possible?

[hydruh]

Every time I have seen this question asked, the answer has been "a chain and a real padlock." I have to admit, though, your statement about having a nice lightweight bike wit ha 4 pound chain and lock makes a lot of sense.

Tell you the truth, you are probably under more risk from a thief with bolt cutters than a thief with a banana or toilet paper roll. Question is - would you rather have a light bike, or a safe bike?

S

[Buggs41]

I suppose this is not an option then?

http://www.flickr.com/photos/dustinq/501791705/

[BraveHeart.]

HAHAHA i do that all the time 2 my bike!

[hydruh]

[quote="Buggs41"]I suppose this is not an option then?
/[/quote

That's pretty funny, Buggs.

S

[slozinsky]

The search for the ultimate bike lock was how i got into lock picking in the first place. I live in Vancouver and bike theft here is out of control. Almost everyone i know has had a bike stolen at least once.

Its a tough trade off between weight and security so if you dont want a heavy lock and you dont want your bike stolen then there isnt too much you can do about it other than bring it with you when you go into a building or dont bring it at all.

After several weeks of searching i decided on this lock

http://www.kryptonitelock.com/Products/ProductDetail.aspx?cid=1001&scid=1000&pid=1096

I have found it to be great. The lock comes with a nice mount that keeps it attached to my bike. So far no one has stolen my bike. Knock on wood.

I find additional security in the fact that whenever i lock my bike up, no other bikes around mine have locks that are as beefy. So i figure if someone has the patients to cut through a lock or whatever, they will go for the easier steal. However i have seen some pretty ridiculous hydraulic cutters that will make short work of pretty much anything so what can you do.

I considered this lock but it is quite a bit smaller and did not come with a mount for some reason. Overall i am pretty happy with the one i did get.

http://www.kryptonitelock.com/Products/ProductDetail.aspx?cid=1001&scid=1000&pid=1095

Watch out for prices - in bike stores these locks retail for over $120. I picked mine up online from amazon for about 75$.

[Jaakko]

Abloy padlock and hardened steel chain. I would go with the PL330, it has 8mm thick shackle, so you have to have a little longer bolt cutters with you in order to chop it.

And I can say for sure that even the most enthusiastic lockpickers don't have picks for these locks and even if they would have, it would take a good few minutes (10 or more) to get it open.

[thesku11s]

thanks for the replies guys,

but its kind of covering the stuff I know.
I am a practical kind of person, I can easily gauge the strength of a lock and understand what can be cut and how to take worthwile theft precautions.

Picking is the only thing I am concerned about.
But I have no particular knowledge of this/lock mechanisms. I have not seen any videos of modern bike locks being picked, and wanted to know if they are simply pick-proof?

I currently have a U lock with the same type of key as this:



And a thick cable lock with a key like this one:



Strength wise I am perfectly happy with this pair of locks, I am only worried about picking.

[Jaakko]

Both can be picked quite easily, especiallyt that Kryptonite mechanisms, but that is advanced information due to disc detainer mechanism, sorry.

The other seems to be a cheap dimple lock, these can be picked like any in tumbler lock.

[raimundo]

bike thieves may carry cable cutters, so do not rely on any cable, there used to be an armored cable called the armadillo, or something, had a kind of heavy flex conduit thing over it, would probably give the cable cutters and any short handled rebar/bolt cutter a problem. I haven't seen them in years. Master lock has a type of handcuff bike lock in two versions, expensive and more expensive, that may be secure, the keyhole looks like something I haven't seen before, I have asked on the forum if anyone had one and had picked it, but got no reply, I even know where one is locked to a bike rack and has been there for over a year, through a winter, so its probably trashed by the salt from the street. I do think that master should put some kind of extra armor over the flex links between the cuffs. The armadillo cable could keep a lot of bolt cutters off just because it was to large to fit in deep in the jaws. Master should do this to the so called 'street cuffs' if they do, then it would likely be a lighter weight security solution for expensive bikes.
If you ride to a particular place and lock up every day, some people will buy a lock and leave it there rather than carry it around.

[thesku11s]

Both can be picked quite easily, especiallyt that Kryptonite mechanisms, but that is advanced information due to disc detainer mechanism, sorry.

The other seems to be a cheap dimple lock, these can be picked like any in tumbler lock.

you seem like a knowledgable fella.

Are you familiar enough with bike locks to reccomend one thats fairly pick proof?

thanks

[CVScam]

A friend of mine had an apartment next to a guy who later turned out to be a professional bike theif. When the police searched his apartment and storage unit in the basement he had over 200 bikes and parts. I saw the guy few months later wearing an orange vest and working in the park(comunity service). I asked him if he picked the locks and he just said he used bolt cutters. He said cable locks were easy. I asked him how he opened those U-bar locks and said he just used the bolt cutters with replaceable teeth.

[dougfarre]

Both can be picked quite easily, especiallyt that Kryptonite mechanisms, but that is advanced information due to disc detainer mechanism, sorry.

The other seems to be a cheap dimple lock, these can be picked like any in tumbler lock.

We are talking about bike safety here people. Disk detainer locks are of such a new technology in the the states that relatively no one knows how to pick these locks. I would recommend the kryptonite U-Locks with the disk detainer mechanism above any other bicycle safety lock. It even comes with a 1200 warranty that the lock wont be bypassed. Chains can be cut and are heavy and a pain.

I mean, you could cut the kryptonite bike lock with a few carbide hacksaw blades but you could also do the same with a large motorcycle chain much faster.

Get the ULOCK.

[Archive555]

Both can be picked quite easily, especiallyt that Kryptonite mechanisms, but that is advanced information due to disc detainer mechanism, sorry.

The other seems to be a cheap dimple lock, these can be picked like any in tumbler lock.

you seem like a knowledgable fella.

Are you familiar enough with bike locks to reccomend one thats fairly pick proof?

thanks

Jaako is one of the most active user's here, and he is (to the extent of my knowledge) extremely knowledgeable on virtually all locking mechanisms. I'd take his advice.

[n2oah]

Jaako is one of the most active user's here, and he is (to the extent of my knowledge) extremely knowledgeable on virtually all locking mechanisms. I'd take his advice.

This is true, but as dougfarre pointed out, worrying about a disk detainer mechanism being picked is really ridiculous. With bikes, you should worry about forced entry first, then worry about picking/bypassing second.