Cycling UK Forum

We'd cycled out yesterday to meet up with some friends for lunch. Nice meal and after saying our goodbyes we headed back to the bikes. I'd locked them to a post as although they're old I didn't want to lose them. I reached into my pocket only to discover I'd lost the key. I headed back to the restaurant to see if they had a hacksaw so I could saw through the 8mm cable. No luck, he did have an angle grinder but it was mains and he didn't have an extension lead. Now we've a problem I thought, 20 miles away from base and our friends had long departed for home. The manager of the restaurant said a lad washing up in his kitchen may be able to help. He jokingly (I think) said he'd just come out of jail!

Using no tools he had the lock off the bikes in 2 mins flat.
It shows how locks are no more than a deterrent at best.

Any guesses as how he did it?

You'd put the lock around the seat post (which was secured by a QR lever)?

He used the key that you'd left in the lock?

Don't worry, we've all left keys in locks. Well not me obviously but I'm trying to empathise!

Lifted them off the post?

used a biro?

Hi,
Some of those cable looks like the ones are use even long ones, half diecast internal parts.
They can be the weak link in the lock.
Having said that when they break they tend to lock on.
Something to do with lighter fuel.
Or a nail driven into the lock tumblr so it disintegrates.

661-Pete wrote:You'd put the lock around the seat post (which was secured by a QR lever)?

No, lock passed through the frame.

Tangled Metal wrote:He used the key that you'd left in the lock?

Don't worry, we've all left keys in locks. Well not me obviously but I'm trying to empathise!

Wish it was that, but no. Key definitely lost.

NATURAL ANKLING wrote:Hi,
Some of those cable looks like the ones are use even long ones, half diecast internal parts.
They can be the weak link in the lock.
Having said that when they break they tend to lock on.
Something to do with lighter fuel.
Or a nail driven into the lock tumblr so it disintegrates.

The weak point was the internal parts. No lighter fluid or mail used

If you can rest the actual lock part on something unyielding you will be able to break it with a hammer. Four or five smacks will do a cheap lock. A small car jack will do a U lock sometimes.

Circular lock with a pin tumbler? Wasn't there some VW cars where a simple screwdriver jammed into the lock and turned would open the lock? Then because the alarm system thinks a key opened The lock you could hot wire your car without immobiliser or alarm going off.

Was it that simple?

Or he had the same lock and his key worked? One in 60,000 variations and he had yours too!

No tools used.

No key used and it wasn't a combination lock.

You had snapped the lock home hadn't you.

I did something very similar Called into a Greggs on an industrial estate locked the bike up, by the time I had got to the bin to remove my tea bag the key was gone. Fortunately there was a tool station near by, so I walked there bought a hacksaw walked back to the bike and cut the lock, the local PCSO watched me do it without question.