Krypto - the uncuttable bike lock?!

On Saturday I was cycling to Stokie, and went past a fire engine on Bouverie road, cutting a bike from a lamp post on the corner of Lordship Park. I took note of the general colour/details of the bike, just to put word out in case the owner didn't know about it. 15 minutes later I went back the same way - the fire engine was just leaving, and the bike was still there, locked with a Krypto Evolution. I asked the firemen stood there what was happening and they explained that the Krypto had not only defeated but broken their 'jaws of life' - and close inspection of the lock revealed that there wasn't a scratch on the lock - the only sign of interference was that the metal bracket that clips it to the frame had shifted further up the shackle.

The hydraulic cutter exerts 10 tons of force according to the firemen. I guess that when crooks use bolt croppers the way they slam the levers together must be a factor - the cutter that the fire service use applies the force very gradually.

I mentioned that I had the next model up - they told me not to lose my keys!

It's not a good word about the lock, it's just saying that you need the right tool for the job.

Jaws of life are made pretty much with a single use-case in mind: Car bodywork.

You might have noticed the car-bodywork isn't generally solid steel, it's usually an alloy that has a cross-section like a girder... if you flatten it then it loses all it's strength. That's what the jaws of life do, they flatten the structure to remove the structural properties, and then they twist (not cut) the flattened metal and without the strength of the cross-section it breaks easily.

So they're not cutters, and your average bike thief isn't going to be using them.

Your above-average bike thief may use a battery powered angle grinder though... and that is designed for the job of cutting through solid steel. Your Krypto lock would be lucky to last a minute.

O ye of little faith. I have a photo of the bike (post cutting attempt) on my phone, but can't work out how to download it to my computer. I plug my phone in and then can't find the image file.

How exactly would this function as a troll anyway?

It's not a good word about the lock, it's just saying that you need the right tool for the job.

Jaws of life are made pretty much with a single use-case in mind: Car bodywork.

You might have noticed the car-bodywork isn't generally solid steel, it's usually an alloy that has a cross-section like a girder... if you flatten it then it loses all it's strength. That's what the jaws of life do, they flatten the structure to remove the structural properties, and then they twist (not cut) the flattened metal and without the strength of the cross-section it breaks easily.

So they're not cutters, and your average bike thief isn't going to be using them.

Your above-average bike thief may use a battery powered angle grinder though... and that is designed for the job of cutting through solid steel. Your Krypto lock would be lucky to last a minute.

Interesting, I knew there must be a rational explanation but couldn't work out what it might be. So the jaws don't break the lock because the shackle doesn't squish. Cheers for the heads-up.

They should have just used a biro to unlock it.

their time machine must come in real handy

Go to bed Sumo.

I'm in bed.

I can't think of a witty, relevant or even interesting come back... so I'll be nice.

Good to meet you man, maybe see you at Easts or South Easts.

Angle Grinder will kill any lock pretty easily and is a lot cheaper than fire brigades cutters.

Ive even heard of thieves showing up to bike stands with a van containing blow torch equipment to cut locks.

You want to watch out for those amazing German girls and their biros, though!

They should have just used a biro to unlock it.

The post was only about 9ft high and had a sign the size of a postcard on it, so they could have just lifted it over. After they had broken their expensive toy I thought it would be churlish to point that out to them.

Angle Grinder will kill any lock pretty easily and is a lot cheaper than fire brigades cutters.

Ive even heard of thieves showing up to bike stands with a van containing blow torch equipment to cut locks.

They were cutting sheffield stands with hacksaws (or something) in NYC.