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#1
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alternatives to Kryptonite for U-locks?
I'm not that happy with Kryptonite locks at the moment. First,
there was the Bic pen vulnerability a few years ago. Now, my replacement lock has developed another problem: when I'm riding along with it on the bike, about every other ride it rattles itself apart and I have to park my bike alongside the road and retrieve the U part of it from busy traffic. This has happened half a dozen times, even when I've carefully checked that it was locked before I set off. I assume that this means that a bike thief, should he be inclined to do so, could steal my bike without any tools at all if he were to just rattle the lock for a few minutes. Not to mention that it's just a matter of time until the U part of the lock hits a car when it falls. Are there alternatives to Kryptonite locks that may be superior? I understand that many other apparent brands of U-lock are actually relabeled Kryptonite locks. -- Ben Pfaff http://benpfaff.org |
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#2
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alternatives to Kryptonite for U-locks?
On Tue, 03 Jun 2008 09:28:13 -0700, Ben Pfaff
may have said: I'm not that happy with Kryptonite locks at the moment. First, there was the Bic pen vulnerability a few years ago. Now, my replacement lock has developed another problem: when I'm riding along with it on the bike, about every other ride it rattles itself apart and I have to park my bike alongside the road and retrieve the U part of it from busy traffic. This has happened half a dozen times, even when I've carefully checked that it was locked before I set off. I assume that this means that a bike thief, should he be inclined to do so, could steal my bike without any tools at all if he were to just rattle the lock for a few minutes. Not to mention that it's just a matter of time until the U part of the lock hits a car when it falls. Are there alternatives to Kryptonite locks that may be superior? I understand that many other apparent brands of U-lock are actually relabeled Kryptonite locks. I can't say if they are invulnerable to the rattle problem, but there's a different issue with the similarly-keyed Master locks. You can't get replacement keys at all, as of last I checked with them. I beat the rattle-loose issue by using the frame mount that's supplied with the newer Kryptos. I have had other brands of U-locks do the same thing, so I advise against carrying any U-lock by just hanging it on the handlebars, even though that's what I used to do myself. -- My email address is antispammed; pull WEEDS if replying via e-mail. Typoes are not a bug, they're a feature. Words processed in a facility that contains nuts. |
#3
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alternatives to Kryptonite for U-locks?
On Tue, 03 Jun 2008 09:28:13 -0700, Ben Pfaff
wrote: Are there alternatives to Kryptonite locks that may be superior? I understand that many other apparent brands of U-lock are actually relabeled Kryptonite locks. I've been using a Planet Bike NYC style U-lock for about three years. It generally hangs upside down from the right side of my rack. It rattles a lot but has never unlocked itself. The plastic is worn where it contacts the rack but the sliding cover for the key hole still functions. It's not a very smooth operating lock even freshly lubricated. In fact, it's often annoyingly difficult to unlock without first stumbling upon the magic word. -- zk |
#4
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alternatives to Kryptonite for U-locks?
Look at
http://www.abus.de Ben Pfaff wrote: I'm not that happy with Kryptonite locks at the moment. First, there was the Bic pen vulnerability a few years ago. Now, my replacement lock has developed another problem: when I'm riding along with it on the bike, about every other ride it rattles itself apart and I have to park my bike alongside the road and retrieve the U part of it from busy traffic. This has happened half a dozen times, even when I've carefully checked that it was locked before I set off. I assume that this means that a bike thief, should he be inclined to do so, could steal my bike without any tools at all if he were to just rattle the lock for a few minutes. Not to mention that it's just a matter of time until the U part of the lock hits a car when it falls. Are there alternatives to Kryptonite locks that may be superior? I understand that many other apparent brands of U-lock are actually relabeled Kryptonite locks. |
#5
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alternatives to Kryptonite for U-locks?
On Jun 3, 9:28*am, Ben Pfaff wrote:
I'm not that happy with Kryptonite locks at the moment. *First, there was the Bic pen vulnerability a few years ago. *Now, my replacement lock has developed another problem: when I'm riding along with it on the bike, about every other ride it rattles itself apart and I have to park my bike alongside the road and retrieve the U part of it from busy traffic. *This has happened half a dozen times, even when I've carefully checked that it was locked before I set off. *I assume that this means that a bike thief, should he be inclined to do so, could steal my bike without any tools at all if he were to just rattle the lock for a few minutes. *Not to mention that it's just a matter of time until the U part of the lock hits a car when it falls. Are there alternatives to Kryptonite locks that may be superior? I understand that many other apparent brands of U-lock are actually relabeled Kryptonite locks. -- Ben Pfaffhttp://benpfaff.org I've been quite happy with my OnGuard Pitbull, although I'll confess that I've never used the provided bracket; I carried it in my commuting backpack initially, then just started leaving it locked to the rack at work. If I'm running an errand from home, I just use a cable lock. But I've had that OnGuard for about 5 years now (to replace the 20-year-old Performance Bike Shop cylinder key one I discovered I was able to open with a Bic pen), and it still opens and closes easily. |
#6
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alternatives to Kryptonite for U-locks?
On Tue, 03 Jun 2008 12:19:45 -0700, Zoot Katz
may have said: ... It's not a very smooth operating lock even freshly lubricated. In fact, it's often annoyingly difficult to unlock without first stumbling upon the magic word. Ah, a vocabulary expansion device! These are not to be dismissed lightly, nay, never should one be merely set aside carelessly. Rather, they should be flung across the room with great vigor! (apologies to the memory of Parker.) -- My email address is antispammed; pull WEEDS if replying via e-mail. Typoes are not a bug, they're a feature. Words processed in a facility that contains nuts. |
#7
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alternatives to Kryptonite for U-locks?
On Jun 3, 4:10*pm, Hank wrote:
On Jun 3, 9:28*am, Ben Pfaff wrote: I'm not that happy with Kryptonite locks at the moment. *First, there was the Bic pen vulnerability a few years ago. *Now, my replacement lock has developed another problem: when I'm riding along with it on the bike, about every other ride it rattles itself apart and I have to park my bike alongside the road and retrieve the U part of it from busy traffic. *This has happened half a dozen times, even when I've carefully checked that it was locked before I set off. *I assume that this means that a bike thief, should he be inclined to do so, could steal my bike without any tools at all if he were to just rattle the lock for a few minutes. *Not to mention that it's just a matter of time until the U part of the lock hits a car when it falls. Are there alternatives to Kryptonite locks that may be superior? I understand that many other apparent brands of U-lock are actually relabeled Kryptonite locks. -- Ben Pfaffhttp://benpfaff.org I've been quite happy with my OnGuard Pitbull, Pitbull mini for me, with the Akita cable for either the front wheel or to secure panniers or even to lock around big poles at the farmers market. Nice lock for anything outside SF or NYC. |
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