An image can say more then a thousand words ….

I guess by now quite some people are comparing their key to the above image, hoping their key has the same profile as the AX1RP blank (on the right)…..

Why?!?

In cooperation with Kassa TV and one other organisation we performed a little test. In and around Amsterdam we tried to open over 150 bicycles. We got help from random bicyclists, bike shops, and even received assistance from local law-enforcement. Result: we managed to open around 50% of them….

By far the most interesting and intriguing thing we found is that almost all locks we could open used the so called ‘standard key profile’ (blank AX1P). Locks using the ‘mirror image profile’ (AX1RP) seemed almost impossible to open. And we are still investigating why. And we do warn people the flaw might be exploitable in the mirror image profile someday soon … many people are now looking into it, and it could be a matter of time. But for now it seems ok …

One other interesting fact: we managed to open almost all 583 models (over 90%), as well as a high percentage of SL7 and SL9 locks…. if they used a ‘standard key profile’ that is. And a lot of SL9 locks were equipped with a mirror image profile.

Axa by now admits more locks are vulnerable as they expected before, and they will come out with a report themselves any day now. Curious if they found the same things we did (in our relatively small test).

More about this test and the findings (in Dutch) on Kassa TV or http://www.toool.nl

Today ABUS announced (trough an ad in the newspapers) they will send a free lock to everybody that has a lock vulnerable to the ‘blank key’ method. It concerns some of the 48 and 4800 series ABUS bicycle ring-locks.
Rumor has we are talking over 100.000 pieces. And they will all be replaced by ABUS … for free.

I read a lot of comments on various Dutch webpages AXA should follow ABUS and do the same. People say it is not fair they ‘only’ receive 50% discount on an additional extra lock.

Now, I disagree with that, not completely, but still … I disagree.

People do not seem to realize all ABUS locks were manufactured after 2005, while AXA produced defective locks between 1998 and 2005. So while a defective ABUS lock is at most two years old (or should I say young?), an AXA lock on average is five years old, and in some cases even nine years! As far as I am concerned this is old enough not to be entitled for a full refund. I think it is fair to give people a full refund if the lock is under four years old, but after that … you should be happy with your discount.

Over the last few days I visited many bicycle shops. A lot of them had stories of customers who did the right thing: they upgraded to an AXA Defender lock and simply paid twenty euro. These people took the warnings in the media serious and did not want to wait to have their bike stolen. Most of them did not even blame AXA. After all, it is a freak accident. A rare mechanical defect discovered by the wrong people, probably by accident. And years after a serious test institute certified the locks. AXA did what it could when these locks were made.

Now, I realize not everybody can easily pay twenty euro for a new lock. And not all bicycle shops will change the lock for free, although most feel it is a service to their customers to do so in this specific case. But still, if you have the money, just find a shop that will replace the lock for twenty euro and get it over with.

Having said that, it would be a good thing if AXA gave a 50% discount on the Defender (or Solid) ringlock, as that is what would make most of their customers happy…. and brush off the negative image they are creating by not making this offer …