I agree that somebody who is going to shell out $100+ on a bike lock is unlikely to abandon their bike, but I've had a string of rotten luck with my own U-locks where I needed to cut them legitimately.
My first U-lock was second-hand when a close friend moved to the coast. I had been using a cable on campus, and a U-lock was an upgrade. Unfortunately, that lock had seen quite a bit of weather exposure before I got it, and I wasn't savvy enough to oil it in advance, and eventually I couldn't get the cylinder to turn at all. Unfortunately my bike was locked up at that time. Time to break out the angle grinder. The second bad experience with a U-lock was on the 4th of July a few years ago when I let my brother use my bike to run from the Union Terrace to Walgreens on State St. He wasn't familiar with the lock, and didn't insert the key all the way before turning it. Snap. No amount of finessing with a needle nose pliers got the snapped key out of the lock. Break out the angle grinder again. As a side story, nobody batted an eye at me cutting my lock with an angle grinder on campus or on state street. Had anyone been curious I could have pulled out my store receipts listing my serial numbers as proof of ownership, but... it seemed nobody cared. Anyway, I'm skeptical of any mechanical lock that's impossible for the rightful owner to defeat. Keys snap, cylinders freeze, and other bad stuff happens. I don't know enough about the Skunk Lock -- maybe there is some emergency hatch for authorized people (owners, city staff, locksmiths) to open the lock? But if so, that same 'back door' would kind of defeat the purpose. :-/ Either way it's a cool gadget! -Rob > Date: Tue, 25 Oct 2016 09:59:16 -0500 > From: Robbie Webber via Bikies <[email protected]> > Subject: Re: [Bikies] SkunkLock > Message-ID: > <CAOT7DYwY=70+nx3_V=o_zCcNP5-V43MbBpWnPs0sCqfc-7+0sQ@mail. > gmail.com> > Content-Type: text/plain; charset="utf-8" > > I just have a feeling that someone who spends this much effort, thought and > money on their bike lock won't abandon their bike. But maybe I'm wrong. > > Robbie Webber > Transportation geek > All opinions are my own, and not necessarily those of any group or > organization with which I am affiliated. > > Founding member, Madison Bikes <http://www.madisonbikes.org/> > *...where anyone can ride a bicycle conveniently and comfortably to any > place year round.* > MadisonBikes.org <http://www.madisonbikes.org/> > Follow Madison Bikes on Facebook <https://www.facebook.com/groups/MBIIC/> > > >
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