Lock broken in seconds!

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thomas

the tank engine
Location
Woking/Norwich
Has anyone seen those hand cuff style locks. Anyone tried them? Any good?

I have a D lock and cable lock. It's not the best combo but better than nothing.

I also remove anything that can't be locked (eg. the seat). Do you think removing the seat makes it less stealable?
 

Jergen99

New Member
A few seconds to a few minutes - that's all that any lock can add to the security of your bicycle. I think the only way round it is to buy a dozen really cheap bikes, and just accept that sooner or later each will be nicked, in succession. The sad thing is you still need a lock, and that hikes up the cost, even of doing it like that. I think that's going to be my plan, anyway. There really is no other way apart from to never leave your bike in a public place, which means you can't use it for going to the shops or meeting people in town.
 

Jergen99

New Member
I found the solution to bike security problems! Eg if you live in London and want to cycle to work. There are some good quality fold-up bikes out there! So you get one of those and you don't have to leave it in the outdoors. It can go in the same part of your workplace as things like coats and umbrellas. Ideal! No more fear of bike theft. I'm going to get one, I think. Although I have been thinking about relocating to another country, so i don't know if I'll want to cycle in a city I am unfamiliar with. Maybe I'll need to get used to it first.
 

RedBike

New Member
Location
Beside the road
I once had the job of removing all the old locks that had been attached and left to a school bike rack.

My plan was to use a hacksaw to cut the plastic/rubber coatings away then come back later in the day with a grinder.
I never needed the grinder. None of the locks took more than 30secs to cut through with a blunt hacksaw.
 

Bodhbh

Guru
RedBike said:
I once had the job of removing all the old locks that had been attached and left to a school bike rack.

My plan was to use a hacksaw to cut the plastic/rubber coatings away then come back later in the day with a grinder.
I never needed the grinder. None of the locks took more than 30secs to cut through with a blunt hacksaw.
That's worrying, these were cheap crappy locks or decent ones?

I had a browse around on Youtube a few weeks back and looked at all the bike lock breaking vids. People say 'only lasts 30s' and so on, but it was pretty heartening I thought seeing what a song and dance it really was to break a lock with tools: a hacksaw took 2-3mins, an angle grinder throws sparks all over the place and makes a racket, the huge bolt croppers really cannot be carried or used easily.

ofc all these making the vids to show off probably are not actually bike thiefs who have it down to a knack and even if it's obvious you are knicking a bike in a public spot what's the chance anyone will intervene.
 
A

another_dave_b

Guest
Bodhbh said:
I had a browse around on Youtube a few weeks back and looked at all the bike lock breaking vids. People say 'only lasts 30s' and so on, but it was pretty heartening I thought seeing what a song and dance it really was to break a lock with tools:
Also, while it's said you can break a D-lock with a jack, there don't seem to be any videos of anyone actually doing that.

There's any number of cable/chains being cut, none of D-locks.
 
A

another_dave_b

Guest
User3143 said:
Yeah there is a vid on youtube of someone breaking a new york lock with a jack. He does make hard work of it though.

I've seen a video of someone mangling a D lock, I think with a trolley jack. But while the lock deformed, it didn't break.

EDIT
Sorry, you're quite right. My memory was at fault.
 
Location
Rammy
Jergen99 said:
A few seconds to a few minutes - that's all that any lock can add to the security of your bicycle. I think the only way round it is to buy a dozen really cheap bikes, and just accept that sooner or later each will be nicked, in succession. The sad thing is you still need a lock, and that hikes up the cost, even of doing it like that. I think that's going to be my plan, anyway. There really is no other way apart from to never leave your bike in a public place, which means you can't use it for going to the shops or meeting people in town.

my bike gets left in the middle of town or uni all the time and i'm yet to have a problem

you just have to be a complete bu99er when locking it up, making it so that you have to reach under the bike to get at the key hole, lock it in such a way that its off the floor (so no superglue, drilling or picking or hammering) with enough of the bike blocking it to make it hard work to get bolt croppers in, its a bit of a faff, but once you've figured out how to do it with your bike, it becomes quick and easy to do.

at uni i just go for locking it to a nice bit of RSJ that i'd not want to cut with a cutting torch , tis a hefty bit of fire escape :laugh:
 
Location
Rammy
Bodhbh said:
ofc all these making the vids to show off probably are not actually bike thiefs who have it down to a knack and even if it's obvious you are knicking a bike in a public spot what's the chance anyone will intervene.

slim to none,

a friend of mine's lock key broke in the lock and jammed it
we went back a day or two later with a huge pair of bolt croppers, it cut like cheese and no one batted an eye lid as i pulled them out my pannier, cut the lock and stuffed them back in again.
 
Location
Rammy
yenrod said:
CISA 285/75

IMG0166A.jpg

they come off with a bit of help from a large sledge hammer

had to break into one of the containers in our compound during a summer job cos someone dropped the key into the lake along with one of the two way radios
 

Matt

Active Member
I think with locks most thieves get put off by the quality of them

If you have a strong looking lock or one that looks like it would be a bit of a pain to get into, I doubt they would make too much effort trying to remove it

If you have a crappy cheap pound shop lock (I have bought these before, and they literally can be pulled apart in seconds) then they will be more likely to be targeted

Although, I agree with some posters that if they wanted the bike, then they will get it. It might take them longer, but eventually the lock will be broken

A few week ago I bought a really heavy duty lock for my new Allez. Got it bolted to the shed with a lock that weighs about 6kg, which cost around £80 from ScrewFix. Apparently it is bolt cropper resistant and hacksaw resistent. Its a monster
 
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