Much of the bicycling community has been in panic and the world's most well-known bicycle lock company is reeling after it was discovered that many high-end bicycle locks could be easily picked in seconds - with nothing more than a ballpoint pen.
After hearing the news, some concerned bikers on campus are buying new locks, while others said they aren't worried.
Last week, many cyclists became alarmed after videos were posted on the Internet showing how many bicycle U-locks with cylinder key mechanisms could be picked with the shaft of a pen. Kryptonite, the most familiar name in the bicycle lock industry, issued a recall of seven of its locks with such a mechanism and said it would provide free upgrades to customers with those locks. The company also said it was upgrading its current line of locks, which cost from $30 to $100, with a disc-style cylinder that was pen-proof and already used on its top-of-the-line "New York" lock, the Associated Press reported.
The lock problem is not confined to bicycles - many Brown vending machines and laundry machines as well as laptop locks use a cylinder key mechanism.
Robert Lusignan, who works at the Thayer Street site of Providence Bicycle, said he usually recommends Kryptonite's Evolution 2000 lock to customers, but that changed when he heard that they could be picked with a pen.
"As soon as the information came up, we pulled them off the shelves," he said.
Lusignan also said he spent about half an hour trying to pick his own Evolution 2000 lock, which usually costs between $50 and $70, but could not open it. He recommends that cyclists lock up their bikes with a U-lock that uses a flat key.
Anthony Velcri, a University of Rhode Island graduate student and member of the Brown Cycling Club, had more luck picking his own Evolution 2000 lock.
"The first time it look about 10 minutes," Velcri said. "Now I can do it in one minute."
Velcri said he was surprised at how easily he could open his lock with a pen, and he bought a more secure Kryptonite model with a disc-cylinder lock to replace his old one.
"Kryptonite is such an established name that you never would have questioned that it would have been picked so easily," he said. "For instance, you see that type of lock on all of Brown's vending machines. If it's this easy to pick this cylinder lock then you figure it must be this easy to pick all these types of locks. You have to wonder why someone didn't figure this out before."
Department of Public Safety Officer Mark Perry, who is in charge of the Crime Prevention Unit, said he had heard a little about the U-lock problem but had not done enough research on the problems to make any recommendations regarding the locks. He encourages cyclists to use a secondary lock for the time being.
"Try and use a secondary lock that has a good-sized cable as a precaution for now, especially if you have quick-release front and rear wheels," Perry said.
Perry had no comment regarding the integrity of the cylinder locks on many Brown vending machines and laundry machines.
Reaction in the Brown community has been varied.
Andrew Stein '06, who bikes to class every day and locks his bike with a Kryptonite U-lock with a cylinder key, said he had not heard of the problem.
"It does alarm me," Stein said. "Someone actually tried to steal my bike yesterday by trying to cut through the lock."
Stein said he is considering buying a new lock.
According to the San Francisco Chronicle, the uproar started Sept. 12 when Chris Brennan had his custom wheels stolen off his bicycle in San Francisco. After he complained to his friend about the theft, his friend demonstrated to him how easily Brennan's Kryptonite U-lock could be opened with the shaft of a Bic pen. Brennan then posted a message on a biking Web site later that night titled, "Your brand new U-Lock is not safe!" It described the fault in the Kryptonite locks.
The story began to spread widely across the Internet two days later when a New York City graphic designer posted on his Web site a video of himself picking his Kryptonite lock, the New York Times reported.
"There was murmuring on various Web sites, and so I decided to go home and pick up a pen and see it if works," Running told the Times. "Sure enough, within 30 seconds I had broken into my $90 lock. I was in awe. My jaw literally dropped to the floor. It was so easy."
Kryptonite posted a statement on the Web site announcing that all affected locks purchased since September 2002 would be upgraded for free, and that it would give a "sizeable rebate" to those who bought those locks more than two years ago. The full details of the recall and upgrade program are to be posted this afternoon on the Kryptonite Web site.
Ben Galeota-Sprung '05, who also locks his bike with an affected Kryptonite lock, said he first saw the story on the New York Times.
"I was surprised it could be picked that easily," Galeota-Sprung said. "It's not good for people with that kind of bike lock."
"My lock is old, and I'm not sure if it's affected," he added. "But I would definitely think of getting a new lock."
Others, such as Alexandra Zelman '08, weren't so worried about the safety of their bikes. When asked if she had heard of the U-lock problem, Zelman answered, "No - but I don't think anybody would want to steal my bike."
