Bust bike lock

[fossyant]

Sorry to hijack the thread, but I had to post this tale.
At le Tour on Sunday, my mate locked our bikes together at the summit of Midhopestones. A few minutes later he turns to me a says "I think I've left the key at home.". I laugh because I assume that he is joking, only to find that he is serious. Much hunting in bags and pockets fails to find the missing key. He phones his wife at home and is told that the keys have been found in his jeans. Hmm problem. Roads closed. His wife has licence but doesn't really like driving as she is new to the area (just moved there). One option discussed was to get a taxi to bring them at meet them at the A616. But still the problem with the closed roads. We ask a policeman what to do. He has a think and comes up with a plan. There is a mountain rescue place just up the road and they are bound to have some bolt croppers, and they are on duty today to cover first aid for TdF. Luckily they did have some and we cut the lock off with a police escort so to speak, much to the amusment and cheers of onlookers. What was surprising is just how easily it was to cut what is a very good abus padlock off. Cost us a £30 padlock, but had to see the funny side of it.

Were you with one of the Sheffield Clubs. One of them tweeted the picture at the weekend. Doh !

 

[w00hoo_kent]

If they can lock without a key then always carry the locks 'locked' that way you can't accidentally lock them without a key. Found out the hard way with a gearstick lock on my car (much like your padlock took far too little time to cut off using a junior hacksaw, but this was some decades ago).

 

[w00hoo_kent]

The sabotage suggestion seems the most likely.

I've an Oxford U lock that went through a phase of not wanting to unlock. It just needed the key really firmly putting in to the lock, otherwise it just wouldn't budge even though the key would still spin.

Is the bike inside? I know that was asked, didn't see an answer. If not you might want to put a second lock on it in case it was sabotage and the thief returns with just the right tools.

When your friend angle grinds it, make sure the residue/spray isn't going to hit the bike, I'd imagine you could do quite a bit of damage to it, quite quickly that way.

 

[Salad Dodger]

I was always worried by the possibility of forgetting to take the key for my bike lock. So now, I have attached one key to the fold up racksack that I always take with me on rides. The one that carries my pump and toolkit.

 

[0lonerider]

happend to me in newcastle citycentre last year! thats when i found argos's 28day no qwible refund most helpfull. oh and the dremmell cordless did the job in 3 mins!

 

[w00hoo_kent]

What would be more interesting/worrying is if anyone bothered to check why someone was dremelling off a lock from a bike... I'd kind of hope it wasn't a serious lock if a Dremel got through it.

 

[0lonerider]

when it hapend to me i got the market inspector to watch me bike when i went to argos and he also informed security as to what was goin on! same bike with new lock got knicked from asda 4 months later after having been pickpocketed grrr.

 

[0lonerider]

the lock i cut was a.magnum d lock

 

[Gixxerman]

Were you with one of the Sheffield Clubs. One of them tweeted the picture at the weekend. Doh !

Nope not with any club. Just my mate and me. He has just moved to the area (Barnsley). I'm pleased that we brought some entertainment to the masses .

 

[fossyant]

Nope not with any club. Just my mate and me. He has just moved to the area (Barnsley). I'm pleased that we brought some entertainment to the masses .

Same thing happened to a Sheffield club, about 6 bikes locked together. Whoops

 

[Danny]

Thanks all!! A friend is coming all the way down from Scotland this weekend kitted out with...an angle grinder! So we'll get some sparks flying and lock cutting on the go. I'm not sure it will be as enjoyable as a Derby cup of tea but it will have to do!

THANKS for all your top tips. I'm now going to contact Abus to see what they say. Good idea.

I'll be sure to post their reply for future reference.

Must be a devoted friend!

 

[Danny]

The sabotage suggestion seems the most likely.

It is certainly a possibility, and at the very least I would try and secure it with an additional lock until the angle grinder arrives from Scotland.

Alternatively you could see if the police would cut the lock for you. I once had someone lock my bike to a rack at the station with a d-lock and could only assume that they were either being bloody awkward, or else hoping to force me to leave bike overnight so they could cut through my lock when no one was around. I went to see the British Transport police, and after satisfying them that the bike was mine, they brought out an angle grinder and cut through the extra lock in seconds.

 

[classic33]

Where's @swee'pea99. He had a similar problem.

 

[swee'pea99]

From Scotland? Blimey. Seems like an awful long trip for what will turn out to be, if my experience was anything to go by, a ten second job. And yes, it's frightening just how easily angle grinders go through locks - hot knife thru' butter is the figure of speech that springs to mind.

 

[Danny]

Slightly OT but does anyone know why angle grinders are called angle grinders. I should add that as I am a complete DIY klutz I have no idea what they are normally used for.