Shitty Luck

[Soul Queen]

So yesterday my bike was stolen from the BART station. Damn thieven assholes!!!!:grumble:

Anyhoo, I'm going to get a new bike and was pondering a new lock.
Are there any suggestions out for what is the best bike lock out there? Do any of you take your bike apart when you lock it up...

I had a Kryptonite woven steel cables inch thick, aka weenie locks.
I was thinking of getting either the Kryptonite Chain or the Kyrptonite New York Fahgettaboutdit U-Lock. Both pricey and look like they weigh a ton.
Or maybe I should put 3 damn locks all over the new bike in various places.


Either way, there should be a smart bike invented. The owner is programmed or imprinted within the seat and pedals. When some asshole runs off with it and tries to ride it, the bikes tires would deflate or the seat should project them onto the sidewalk. I might feel a little satisfaction knowing my smart bike when stolen was maiming people...

[slam]

i like u-locks. just lock it around the front wheel and frame and you should be good. how old was your lock? some of the older bike locks, with circular keys, are pretty easily picked i hear. and as paul says, a u-lock always doubles as a solid weapon if you need one.

laina had a woven steel lock, too, when her bike was stolen.

[paul]

Bummer! I feel sorry for you!

Any U-lock that seems tough is fine. Solid metal, not stranded cable, is what you're looking for. The problem with any cable, no matter how thick, is that it's easy to chew through them with a $12 pair of pocket size wire cutters, given a little time. Any u-lock that's solid metal will take power tools to get off, making it much more of a theft deterrent.

I have the smallest size basic cryptonite. It has a nice heft, and it fits in a back pocket. If you need to lock your front wheel too, get the medium or biggest size.

Slam is right. If you're getting one used or something from a few years back, the cryptonite round key locks could be opened with a bic pen (http://www.wired.com/culture/lifestyle/news/2004/09/64987). I had one, and had to send it back for replacement. They took 7 months to send me the new one. It sucked.

I've done programming for this web site (http://stolen.bikechicago.info/), which shows lots of interesting stats and maps about theft in chicago. Our recent stats show less than 30% of thefts involve a bike with a u-lock.

[hotfoot]

Slam is right. If you're getting one used or something from a few years back, the cryptonite round key locks could be opened with a bic pen (http://www.wired.com/culture/lifestyle/news/2004/09/64987). I had one, and had to send it back for replacement. They took 7 months to send me the new one. It sucked.

I've done programming for this web site (http://stolen.bikechicago.info/), which shows lots of interesting stats and maps about theft in chicago. Our recent stats show less than 30% of thefts involve a bike with a u-lock.

I broke into an old U-Lock with a bic pen in about 4 seconds the first time I tried it. It was actually a badass moment for me. A friend lost her keys and needed her bike, which was U-Locked in front of the bar. When she mentioned it, I walked outside, reached into my pocket, extracted the Bic I'd been chewing on, jammed it into the lock hole, and unlocked the bike immediately. I'd heard that it was possible, but had no idea it'd be so easy.

It felt really badass turning around and handing her her unlocked U-Lock. If I'd've had a catchphrase, that'd been the perfect opportunity to use it.

[Soul Queen]

I had bought the lock new not even a month ago from a local bike shop.

Hmmm Hotfoot has me worried with the U-lock. :huh: Seems like no lock is super secure. Maybe if I put enough locks on it, theives will look for another target.

[Lori Burger]

So yesterday my bike was stolen from the BART station. Damn thieven assholes!!!!:grumble:

Anyhoo, I'm going to get a new bike and was pondering a new lock.
Are there any suggestions out for what is the best bike lock out there? Do any of you take your bike apart when you lock it up...

I had a Kryptonite woven steel cables inch thick, aka weenie locks.
I was thinking of getting either the Kryptonite Chain or the Kyrptonite New York Fahgettaboutdit U-Lock. Both pricey and look like they weigh a ton.
Or maybe I should put 3 damn locks all over the new bike in various places.


Either way, there should be a smart bike invented. The owner is programmed or imprinted within the seat and pedals. When some asshole runs off with it and tries to ride it, the bikes tires would deflate or the seat should project them onto the sidewalk. I might feel a little satisfaction knowing my smart bike when stolen was maiming people...

I've got no advice about bike locks, but I'm sorry to hear :( That really sucks. Bike thieves are jerks!!!!

[cuscus]

In college I was always a U-lock fan, but I would also take my seat with me, so at least Hotfoot and his bic pen would have an uncomfortable ride home. Now I find the best way to keep my bike secure, is to let it collect dust in a state of disrepair in my basement.

[hotfoot]

I had bought the lock new not even a month ago from a local bike shop.

Hmmm Hotfoot has me worried with the U-lock. :huh: Seems like no lock is super secure. Maybe if I put enough locks on it, theives will look for another target.

Not all U-Lock's can be picked this way. As Paul mentioned, they recalled the old ones and no longer make ones that can be picked this way. I use a U-Lock that is locked/unlocked with straight key rather than the round one. It's a lot more secure than the old ones.

[False Alarm]

I broke into an old U-Lock with a bic pen in about 4 seconds the first time I tried it. It was actually a badass moment for me. A friend lost her keys and needed her bike, which was U-Locked in front of the bar. When she mentioned it, I walked outside, reached into my pocket, extracted the Bic I'd been chewing on, jammed it into the lock hole, and unlocked the bike immediately. I'd heard that it was possible, but had no idea it'd be so easy.

It felt really badass turning around and handing her her unlocked U-Lock. If I'd've had a catchphrase, that'd been the perfect opportunity to use it.
successful lockpick check, untrained, in one round, with an improvised pick (-4)? you rolled a 20!

sorry bout your bike btw SQ.

[Soul Queen]

successful lockpick check, untrained, in one round, with an improvised pick (-4)? you rolled a 20!

sorry bout your bike btw SQ.

thats okay. I'll get a new one.
So does everything always boil down to DnD numbers?:eatpopcorn::lol:
Does that mean Hotfoot is either a Bard or a Thief, or monk?