Combination lock problem

[FrankCrank]

....this is intended as a 'heads-up'.

Yesterday, cycled into town to do a bit of shopping, and chained the bike up against some railings, only the chain lock wasn't full engaged when I spun the numbers randomly, was only pushed in about 3 quarters of the way. Anyways, lock somehow ended up with a new number, sending me into a panic. Managed to back track and found the new number to unlock it (should have been a safe-cracker!). One minute feeling so unlucky, the next elated.

Still not quite sure how I managed all this, but just be aware of locking your bike with a combi-lock .

PS - the lock in question was from Clas Ohlson, bought a couple of years back.......

 

[Smokin Joe]

I could open a combination lock in about 20 seconds. They are hopelessly insecure, junk it and get one with a key.

 

[FrankCrank]

I could open a combination lock in about 20 seconds. They are hopelessly insecure, junk it and get one with a key.

....agree entirely, but my bike is of little monetary value and rarely requires locking anywhere, and then for no more than 30 mins. But as you say, wouldn't take long for it to be liberated....a calculated risk really. I do have a decent, heavy duty lock, but can't find the key - locks and me don't get along too well..........

 

[Gixxerman]

Off-topic-ish I know.
Technically, it is incorrect to refer to these type of locks as combination locks. They really ought to be referred to as permutation locks as the order of the numbers does not matter for combinations but it does for permutations.
https://www.mathsisfun.com/combinatorics/combinations-permutations.html

 

[BrumJim]

And pedant of the year award goes to:

(just pleased that my insistence on not using the term "PIN Number" has been outclassed).

 

[Gixxerman]

And pedant of the year award goes to:.

I wasn't meant to be pedantic. I just offered it as a bit of intersting / uninteresting trivia that's all.

 

[fossyant]

Bike might not be worth much but it might be a long walk home. Bikes with any form of cable lock go missing where I work.

 

[wheresthetorch]

I could open a combination lock in about 20 seconds. They are hopelessly insecure, junk it and get one with a key.

Why are they less secure? Genuine question as I'm worried now.

 

[LocalLad]

Inspired by your question, I googled and found this video

View: http://m.youtube.com/watch?v=cGkOj0W_Zbw


I'll be interested to know if you can crack your own lock

 

[jefmcg]

I was with someone that couldn't unlock his combination lock, a few seconds after he went off in search of bolt cutters, another rider undid it, pretty well as quickly as he could have done by the knowing the combo, just by feeling to cylinders drop into place.

It wouldn't even look like someone was stealing it, it would just look like they were unlocking it.

(and the English words combination and permutation have their own definitions which are not the same as when they are being used as technical mathematical terms.)