by Alex Williams
Daily Lobo
On Sept. 13, a video was posted online showing how, with a regular ballpoint pen, one could easily pick the lock on a Kryptonite Evolution model U-lock.
Nine days later, Kryptonite announced it will replace those locks with locks that do not use tube-key technology.
Bike theft at UNM is a huge problem, said Kyle Cole, a junior who works at the UNM Recreational Services Outdoor & Bicycle Shop.
"We do sell a lot of Kryptonite locks through here," he said. "So far, it hasn't been an issue."
Get content from The Daily Lobo delivered to your inbox
Cole said regardless of the news, students should be selective in what bike they ride to school.
"If you spent a lot on a bike, you're not going to trust it to a lock," he said. "A lot of people will leave their good bike at home and ride a $5 bike to school. That's what I've done."
To receive a replacement lock from Kryptonite, customers need to have purchased the lock after September, 2000.
According to the Kryptonite Web site, the exchange will take a few weeks to begin, because not enough products are available.
"We have been working diligently to devise the best and most responsible solution to address the concerns of customers," said Steve Down, Kryptonite general manager, in a statement.
This pen technique is not specific to Kryptonite locks, said Greg Overman, a technician at the Bike Coop. It will potentially work on any lock with tube-key technology.
The Bike Coop repairs and services bikes in the UNM area.
"I haven't heard of anyone getting a lock picked in this way in Albuquerque," he said. "Traditionally, a flat key is easier to pick. It is a lot harder to pick a round key."
He said the flat lock, similar to the ones in houses or cars, has teeth all facing the same direction. The teeth on a flat-key lock correspond to tumblers inside the lock that can be manipulated one at a time, making them easier to pick, he said.
A round-key lock like the Kryptonite U-lock model has teeth facing in all different directions. The tumblers must be moved all at the same time for the lock to open.
Overman said until now, this was a much better design.
"It will turn a $25 lock into a $100 lock," he said.
Kryptonite will upgrade the U-lock model with a lock similar to the New York: Forget About It lock, which has a flat-key lock. Instead of having teeth facing in one direction, it has diagonal teeth that stick out from both sides. Like a tube key, all tumblers must be turned at once. This lock cannot be picked like a regular flat-key lock, and the pen method will not work either, Overman said.
The Bike Coop sells used bikes only on consignment to avoid supporting bike theft. Overman said the best way to protect bikes is to write down the serial number so ownership can be proven in the case of a theft.
The National Bike Registry keeps records of bike serial numbers. It is a nationwide organization that works with law enforcement agencies to return bikes to owners.
According to the registry Web site, 48 percent of stolen bikes are recovered and 5 percent are returned. Most are sold at police auctions because there was no police report filed or the serial numbers were not recorded.
