Originally published at: Lockpicking lawyer meets a "Pickproof" lock | Boing Boing
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“In this case it is a proper noun, and not an adjective.”
Ouch.
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LPL does recommend what bike locks he thinks are reasonably effective, i don’t know off the top of my head which but look in his back catalogue for bike locks. There’s ones he’s able to pick but still likes
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The Kryptonite in his review of the most recent model, but he still said it needs work.
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Seconded. I think the key is to find a lock that the average unskilled bike thief isn’t going to be able to open quickly, and that can defend against the other common method of theft: cutting through the lock body rather than defeating the actual lock, and always try to lock up somewhere public if you can.
A determined, skilled thief with privacy is gonna get your bike.
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Perhaps “Pickproof” is like those people who put up “Beware Of Dog” signs when they don’t own a dog. It’s a variation on the scarecrow.
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There’s a joke about running from a bear: you don’t have to outrun the bear, you only have to outrun the slowest person running from the bear.
It holds true for bike locks too; you don’t have to have the best lock, even the best bike thief in the world will usually only steal one bike at a time (barring those fabled situations where a thief with a flatbed trailer steals a whole rack worth of locked-up bikes in one fell swoop).
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As others have said, most thieves are not skilled at picking locks, but use brute force methods like an angle grinder or a car jack. The lock with the strongest body and shackle wins.
A few years ago it was found that Kryptonite locks with the old style tubular keys could be picked with a Bic pen (I think I first heard about it on BoingBoing). Kryptonite quickly announced a replacement program. I mailed them the body of my old lock and they sent me a brand new Evolution lock.
They’ve got my business.
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Of course, if you’re white, you can take an angle grinder to a lock in the middle of a park and just be like “Oh, I lost the key to my bike.” and people will help you steal it. But hardened steel will at last make them work for it.
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You can actually say “I’m stealing it” and you’ll be fine. Documented:
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OH yeah - that’s the thing I was thinking about. Thanks.
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I have left my bike on the street in San Francisco for a week locked with the Fahgeddaboudit lock that he picked. I don’t think there is anything more secure.
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Sure, a bike thief could acquire a disc detainer pick and eventually develop adequate picking skill, but they won’t. For not a lot more money than the pick costs, they can get a hydraulic cutter which is generally faster and requires no skill. It’s way quieter than an angle grinder and there’s no battery to go dead. For example, see LPL’s video #793. Assuming your chosen lock has a reasonably challenging disc detainer core, what you want to focus on is a lock with a thick, tough, hardened shackle where someone else’s bike will look more attractive.
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There’s a joke about running from a bear: you don’t have to outrun the bear, you only have to outrun the slowest person running from the bear.
This is also true when stealing cases of beer off the truck unloading at the grocery store, you only have to be faster than your best freind and the truck driver.
Reason 436 why I haven’t had a drink in 35 years but it was fun being being a teenager.
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You just have to have the worst bike.
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Damn. That’s pretty blatant.
Lock Picking Lawyer is a gem. We’re in the process of moving and I had to buy a lock for a shipping container storage unit and he was my first (and only) stop for recommendations.
This was his “not absolutely insanely expensive” recommendation. I wouldn’t have thought of it, but he points out that the round shackle and body make it particularly difficult to cut through because it won’t sit still against whatever you’re trying to get into.
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Locks won’t become pick proof until there’s an advanced AI bot that physically attacks the lockpicker. And then they’ll just have to kill or hack the bot first.
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How about a lock that uses your biometrics? Not many bike thieves will cut off your finger just to steal your fixie.
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I would not advise you test this theory in Venice.
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There are two very distinct types of bike thieves in general: the kids and junkies who steal opportunistically for a fixed rate, 15 a bike or so, and the professional thieves who steal expensive bikes.The first kind will only steal one at a time as they’ll usually use it to cycle to the fence. Maybe get a second (I’ve seen them but its rare). The second kind will indeed steal in bulk if it’s indicated by the quality of bikes.
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