A question about U Locks?

[EndersDame]

My sister specifically asked for a U Lock for her bicycle for Christmas . About three years ago somebody I associated (he could find hard to get "stuff" wink wink nudge nudge) with explained to me that one could get into a u- lock using a Bic pen . Lets just say that it was his "professional" opinion (i dont associate with him any more for this reason) Have they fixed this or better yet what kind of super cool lock would you recommend ? She uses it as transportation to college in Austin where bikes are big commodity and I want hers to be safe

[david13]

1. I don't know. And, unfortunately, in this forum you will get scant

reply. I would try bike forums, as they have dozens of posts daily, and also have had a lot of threads about locks, and many other bicycle issues.
dc bikeforums.net

[wtmusic]

2. The Bic pen issue hasn't been a problem since 2004

http://www.intuitive.com/blog/debunking_the_myth_of_kryptonite_locks_and_the_blogosphere.html

Kryptonite's fahgettaboudit lock is one of the highest-rated u-locks. If she is in a high-crime area it's the most secure; if she can sacrifice a little security for weight Kryptonite also makes some lighter and/or less expensive ones.

http://www.consumersearch.com/bicycle-locks/kryptonite-new-york-fahgettaboudit-u-lock

[david13]

3. I use a Kawasaki lock that came with my Kawasaki motorcycle,

which I later sold. But kept the lock, on a chain. Too small for a motorcycle anyway, but just right for a bike.
And my other bike has a padlock (master?) and a coiled cable, covered with black plastic, which seems to do fine.
But, I never leave my bicycle for long, never overnight, never in a bad area, never where I can't see it, never where there appear to be too many people hanging around, etc.
You have to use your judgment.
dc

[happyslug]

4. There are ways to break a lock as someone wants to.

The Bic Pen method seems to have just been a problem with circular keys, for that reason Krynoite went to a double sided key lock which solved that problem.

Now there are other methods of breaking a U-lock, one of the oldest (on the net) is to use liquid nitrogen and then hit the lock with a sledge hammer. The Liquid Nitrogen being extremely cold would make the metal in the lock brittle so the lock would break when hit by a sledge hammer. The problem with this method is while sound in theory is difficult in practice. You have to have a large amount of Liquid Nitrogen and someone has to make sure that it is released on the lock while a second person hits the lock with the Sledge (But NOT the bike, for bikes are also metal so would also be brittle). Given prevaling temperture a person just can NOT stop spraying with the liquid nitrogen and then grab the sledge (In the time between the two the temperture of the lock would raise above its "Brittle" stage. Can it be done? Yes, but I have never heard of it actually being done. It appears to be a two man job, each with a large tool to carry around. For that reason alone just NOT done.

The main way to break a U-lock is a hydraulic jack. Many such jacks are small enough to fit inside the lock and you work the jack till the lock breaks. Hydraulics is the best way to apply a lot of power in a small area (that is why your car's break lines are hydraulic). Sooner or later either the lock will break OR the U Unit will break, either way the bike is "Free" to be stolen. The problem is the tools to do so are NOT that small or light (I have NOT trued this method, but a 2-5 ton jack may be all you need, but even those need a large extension arm to get the pressure up). From what I have heard this is the preferred way to break a U-lock, but notice the size of what is needed. One person can carry it and maybe even able to carry it AND the bike after the bike is stolen but that is the limit (see the last paragraph for why).

The other type of lock, a thick wire steel rope can also be destroyed, through the preferred method is the old fashion lock cutter (Used to cut the wire rope). This is another large piece of equipment. Like Hydraulic Jacks available in many hardware stores and over the net. With such a device the wire rope lock is easily cut, but notice like the U-lock it takes a large tool to do so.

Notice BOTH types of locks can be destroyed by tools people can, and do carry on them. These are tools generally NOT easy to hide, but it is NOT illegal to own them either. The key to security is to realized that neither tool is effective on BOTH wire Rope locks and U-locks. U-locks are SOLID heavy duty metal, the "Lock cutter" used by most bike thieves are to small to cut that metal (thus Hydraulic jacks are used instead). On the other hand Wire rope locks are to fixable for a Hydraulic jack to work on them to break them (It can be done by requires a huge Hydraulic jack, thus wire cutters are used instead on wire rope locks). Notice the dilemma of the bike thief, he can only carry one of these large tools at a time. If he opts for Hydraulic Jack he has to skip any wire rope locked down bike he runs across. If he opts for the large wire Cutters, he had to skip over any U-lock he runs across. Thus the best solution is to use BOTH types of locks on your bike. Use a U-lock and then a Wire Rope lock. Generally a thief can only carry one of the above tools and since he does NOT have both tools he has to skip taking your bike. Thus it is recommended that you use BOTH types of Locks on your bike.

Side hint: Some people, who lock their bikes up in the same spot every day do NOT take their locks with them. Instead they leave the locks where they lock up their bikes every day. They take their keys only and when they arrive where they are going, their locks are already there (The locks are just left at that location). This is an idea if you have concerns as to weight if you do NOT want to carry two locks with you all the time.

Pictures of the tools to fear:
Bolt Cutters:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bolt_cutter

Hydraulic jack:

http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/ctaf/Displayitem.taf?itemnumber=93437