Lock broken in seconds!

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mlg_gsb

New Member
Advice please!

Hello all

Just had the front wheel from my bike stolen. It was locked up with a d-lock with a plastic coated think wire type cord running through the wheels. Looks like that was cut with ease.

Anyway, they attempted to break the d-lock with no luck but instead blocked it so I can't now unlock my bike and move it.

Can anyone recomend how I can remove the d-lock. Will a hacksaw do the job? Or do i need to get some sort of grinder?

Thanks in advance
 

summerdays

Cycling in the sun
Location
Bristol
Don't they do that when they are intending on coming back later to have a second go? I would think you would need more than a hack saw.
 

Amanda P

Legendary Member
You'll be there a long time with a hacksaw. Better to find someone with an angle grinder.

If you manage to open it with a hacksaw, please let us know what sort of lock it is, so we don't buy one!
 

Cosmo

New Member
mlg_gsb said:
Hello all

Just had the front wheel from my bike stolen. It was locked up with a d-lock with a plastic coated think wire type cord running through the wheels. Looks like that was cut with ease.

Anyway, they attempted to break the d-lock with no luck but instead blocked it so I can't now unlock my bike and move it.

Can anyone recomend how I can remove the d-lock. Will a hacksaw do the job? Or do i need to get some sort of grinder?

Thanks in advance

where are you based I have a grinder ill cut the lock off for you

john
 

stonecastle

New Member
Some thieves will cut through the frame of high value bikes then weld in the cut out section later. Though this is very rare, but it does happen. So no lock is totally secure.

One of the best tactics I have found against cycle theft is simply not to have a high value bike. I always cycle around on old cheap bikes like three speeds because it is more peace of mind when I leave them somewhere for a long time.
 

skrx

Active Member
numbnuts said:
I have this one
The Granit X Plus is a long time favourite in Cycling Plus tests. It has a very usable size and a reasonable weight, and a simple but clever bracket is included too. [...] Simply put, this is the best design available, and backed up by Abus's quality control makes the Granit X Plus the best U-lock you can buy.

I obviously bought a dud, as when I locked my bike this morning the key snapped off in the lock. I'm not impressed. I have the Granit 51 (not the Granit X), but at £60 from BikeHut I was expecting it to last more than 12 weeks!

Outside work I lock the bike properly -- D-lock through the rear wheel and the frame, and onto a decent bike stand, with a cable lock through the front wheel and the frame.
The area I leave my bike in at work is private, and a thief probably wouldn't find it. Most people don't lock their bikes. I just lock the frame to a 'wheelbender' rack, with the bike sideways against the wall.

It took a man from the maintenance team about 45 seconds with a mains-powered angle grinder to cut through the lock; the cut was just wide enough (2cm) to free it from the rack. However, the two sides of the D were still rigid, and even with an improvised lever we couldn't widen the gap enough to get the lock over the frame (4cm?). It took another 45-second cut to get the lock off the frame. (It would probably have gone around a steel frame, but with scratches.)

So, I'm pleased with the security of the lock, but disappointed that the key snapped. And I'm relieved that it happened at work rather than on the street!
 

fossyant

Ride It Like You Stole It!
Location
South Manchester
You have to be very careful with the keys in most high end locks - my Magnum's say - "do not force the key - if it won't unlock try again..."
 

flying

New Member
i think no one is exude confidence for their lock, no matter how much you pay for one, the best way is bring your bike with you anywhere, :tongue:
 
skrx said:
I obviously bought a dud, as when I locked my bike this morning the key snapped off in the lock. I'm not impressed. I have the Granit 51 (not the Granit X), but at £60 from BikeHut I was expecting it to last more than 12 weeks!

Outside work I lock the bike properly -- D-lock through the rear wheel and the frame, and onto a decent bike stand, with a cable lock through the front wheel and the frame.
The area I leave my bike in at work is private, and a thief probably wouldn't find it. Most people don't lock their bikes. I just lock the frame to a 'wheelbender' rack, with the bike sideways against the wall.

It took a man from the maintenance team about 45 seconds with a mains-powered angle grinder to cut through the lock; the cut was just wide enough (2cm) to free it from the rack. However, the two sides of the D were still rigid, and even with an improvised lever we couldn't widen the gap enough to get the lock over the frame (4cm?). It took another 45-second cut to get the lock off the frame. (It would probably have gone around a steel frame, but with scratches.)

So, I'm pleased with the security of the lock, but disappointed that the key snapped. And I'm relieved that it happened at work rather than on the street!

If this happens again and you have a spare key at home, you can get a tool called a key extractor or a lock smith can do it for you, if it's an expensive lock/super tough lock. Although using the grinder was probably more fun! :rolleyes:
 
OP
OP
e-rider

e-rider

crappy member
Location
South West
It seems like keys snapping is a problem - my kryptonite new york came with a big warning sticker saying not to force the key.
 

skrx

Active Member
I took it back to Halfords (ex BikeHut) yesterday. The manager asked for my receipt, said "What? This lock's only 3 months old!" and went to get a replacement. It wasn't in stock, so in the mean time he's lent me a cable lock he had spare.

So far, that's Halfords 1 - 0 LBS (I bought a defective light from the LBS, but they refused to exchange it, and I had to write to the manufacturer).
 

stonecastle

New Member
Always oil your lock regularly to prevent it becoming stiff and the key snapping. Oil it at least once a week with a small drop of oil.
 

der alt

New Member
Location
Auld Reekie
Having had the single nicked at the weekend and the d lock cracked open by a wheel jack by the look of it ,it reminded me of a product brought out in the early 90's which was supposed to stop this happening ,if memory serves they were called bad bones they were supplied as a pack of 2 and went over the d part of the lock and spaced round the rack you were locking it to. I think i still have them somewhere ,meantime new bike has been ordered and a different lock is on the cards ..
 
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