Be careful with your D Locks

[wbmkk]

Hi

Although my bike (a Raleigh Equipe) is quite old, it is still precious to me.

Yesterday I locked it to a local railing, but on my return the lock wouldn't open, the key seemed to be broken. I hunted for the spare key, but without luck.

In desperation I spoke to a chap in my local bike shop. He suggested I take a heavy hammer and give the lock a good bashing, he even lent me a hammer.

(I had photographic proof that the bike was mine)

hey presto ... lock opened after about 3 blows ... one would probably have done if I had better aim.

The moral ... don't relay on a cheap D lock for protecting a valuable bike. Even Youube shows people breaking these locks with a BIC pen top

Brian

 

[numbnuts]

If you had a good D lock like an Abus Granit X Plus you can hit it all day and it still won’t open, you get what you pay for

 

[cyberknight]

If you had a good D lock like an Abus Granit X Plus you can hit it all day and it still won’t open, you get what you pay for

And you get a good swing with it when you d-lock someone who cut you up ........

 

[Banjo]

If you had a good D lock like an Abus Granit X Plus you can hit it all day and it still won’t open, you get what you pay for

Which leads to a question ,how would you get it off if you lost/broke the key? Twice i have borrowed a hacksaw to remove a cable lock ,bit awkward but only took about 5 minutes.Probably 5 seconds with boltcroppers.

If you own a top quality lock I guess you just need to take great care with the keys.

 

[battered]

With difficulty is the answer. If you lose the key and the spare then it's off to the hire shop for a powered grinder, if you can't get an extension lead to it to run a normal cutting disc. Without power tools I think you are in for a long slog, especially if you can't get bolt croppers round it.

 

[fossyant]

With difficulty is the answer. If you lose the key and the spare then it's off to the hire shop for a powered grinder, if you can't get an extension lead to it to run a normal cutting disc. Without power tools I think you are in for a long slog, especially if you can't get bolt croppers round it.

Exactly..............

 

[numbnuts]

When they tested the Abus Granit X Plus they went through 5 cutting wheels before they cut it off as it is square bar and you have to cut both sides

 

[GrasB]

I'm not bashing the Granit X Plus because it's a great lock but I wonder if they were using cutting discs or grinding discs. The latter will be destroyed quickly by hardened steel but the former will stand up a lot better but won't really reduce the actual cutting time that much.

 

[HJ]

With difficulty is the answer. If you lose the key and the spare then it's off to the hire shop for a powered grinder, if you can't get an extension lead to it to run a normal cutting disc. Without power tools I think you are in for a long slog, especially if you can't get bolt croppers round it.

Which is why cycle thieves have been known to drive around in white vans with a portable generator in the back to run their power tools...

 

[fossyant]

Which is why cycle thieves have been known to drive around in white vans with a portable generator in the back to run their power tools...

This happens in Manchester...............

 

[wbmkk]

Thanks for all the replies

 

[Banjo]

[QUOTE 1153438"]
Having a bike lock fail on you is a right pain in the arse.

Happened to me back in December with an old coil lock.

No problem I thought, go to the local Halfords and buy a hacksaw. Made my way back to the bike and tried for about 20mins with no success then remembered (reading on here) that some shopping centres have bolt crops for maintenance purposes and since I was right outside a shopping centre I tried my luck and there was.

Que me and two others walking over to me bike and cutting it...

Now coil locks are wicked things of deception, a large casing (to deter potential thieves) will house a load of weaved steel fibres that are easily cut and it only took about 3 seconds to cut through the thing. However those final few mm width strands would not be cut with the crops.

''You have a problem.'' quiped the security guard.

''I need a hacksaw.'' I said feverishly.

And with proud gusto whipped it out and gave it some furious wrist action and cut through the last few strands of steel wire, followed through and cut through the rear tyre and innertube as well.

Que another trip back to Halfords for a new tyre and tube.
[/quote]

Not your day mate was it ? Did you say flippin heck or something similar?

 

[ufkacbln]

Beware if this does happen as it is an old trick by thieves.

Superglue or break something of in the lock. Step back and observe.

Owner now has to either go home and collect tools or if in a commuter area bring back the following day.

Once they leave there is plenty of time to crack the lock - and a plausible and demonstrable reason to be attacking it.

 

[theclaud]

[QUOTE 1153438"]
And with proud gusto whipped it out and gave it some furious wrist action
[/quote]

Where's Fnaar when you need him?

 

[Banjo]

Where's Fnaar when you need him?

And they say that men cant multi task.