http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ CityCyclingEdinburgh Forum » Topic: How to cut off bicycle lock? en Wed, 13 May 2026 02:38:31 +0000 http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=1840#post-19182 Mon, 13 Dec 2010 01:19:14 +0000 recombodna 19182@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>Oh i don't ride with it......... you big silly! </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=1840#post-19124 Sat, 11 Dec 2010 20:10:33 +0000 wee folding bike 19124@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>Well not really, unless there are two people riding a bike around Edinburgh while wearing a welding mask. </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=1840#post-19122 Sat, 11 Dec 2010 18:26:38 +0000 recombodna 19122@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>Thanks for the lovely homebaked bread and wine!! I could get into this skill share malarcky.</p> <p>AND thanks to my trusty welding mask my secret identity remains intact........mwaa ha ha ha!! </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=1840#post-19114 Sat, 11 Dec 2010 16:34:18 +0000 chdot 19114@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>I knew CCE would be useful one day!</p> <p>Good to have nice/helpful members. </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=1840#post-19113 Sat, 11 Dec 2010 16:12:29 +0000 Saskia 19113@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>Thanks to recombodna, who freed my bike!<br /> And thanks to everyone for advice. I did call a locksmith and he would open it for £45, but couldn't guarantee that the lock would still be intact. After the thaw I tried fiddling it open with tweezers, but it didn't work. So the grinder was the only solution. </p> <p><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/saskiavandenieuwenhof/5251635600">http://www.flickr.com/photos/saskiavandenieuwenhof/5251635600</a> </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=1840#post-18658 Wed, 08 Dec 2010 01:19:25 +0000 Smudge 18658@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>If you get very stuck PM me, I can bring a small genny and an angle grinder (and cutting disc, big gloves, goggles etc) to the party.<br /> Better if you can get someone local mind you as I'm a little out of the way just now....!</p> <p>I can confirm incidentally, and angle grinder will go through most u locks in seconds :-( so much for security! </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=1840#post-18642 Tue, 07 Dec 2010 22:18:12 +0000 chdot 18642@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>"Would it be a good idea to alert the police before-hand? This will be a very conspicuous procedure!"</p> <p>Perhaps </p> <p>I've done it in Edinburgh 3 times.</p> <p>Only once did anyone take the slightest interest - a foreign student who asked if it was my bike.</p> <p>I said "no" - it wasn't.</p> <p>He took my photo... </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=1840#post-18638 Tue, 07 Dec 2010 22:05:32 +0000 seanspotatobusiness 18638@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>Would it be a good idea to alert the police before-hand? This will be a very conspicuous procedure!</p> <p>Remember to wear appropriate protective equipment (I've always worn appropriate gloves, a face-shield and a leather apron for my grinding antics). If you can, use the smaller 4.5" grinder. The 9" ones are unweildly things. Search for "angle grinder accidents" on Google Pictures if you're in need of motivation to consider safety.</p> <p>Re: drilling out the barrel - will that cause the lock to spring open or will it only solve part of the problem? </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=1840#post-18630 Tue, 07 Dec 2010 19:08:15 +0000 ruggtomcat 18630@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>A friend of mine was laboriously working away with a hacksaw and a tungsten blade at his broken lock when he was approached my two plainclothes officers.</p> <p>They used something like a stone saw, with a petrol engine. </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=1840#post-18615 Tue, 07 Dec 2010 15:51:06 +0000 chdot 18615@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>Angle grinder is it. </p> <p>Battery ones are available. </p> <p>(Not entirely helpful - hope you're near a plug or know someone with a generator.) </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=1840#post-18610 Tue, 07 Dec 2010 15:34:48 +0000 kaputnik 18610@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>don't forget to invite chdot or anth with their every trusty cameras in hand to capture this CCE-facilitated rescue mission for posterity </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=1840#post-18609 Tue, 07 Dec 2010 15:33:49 +0000 Stepdoh 18609@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>Could you drill out the barrel with a cordless drill and a collection of very strong metal bits. Would solve the power problem. </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=1840#post-18608 Tue, 07 Dec 2010 15:18:05 +0000 recombodna 18608@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>Wee angle grinder would do it in seconds. If you're central and like steveo say's have access to power I could help you out with that. I have a 25 meter power cable and a grinder. pm me. </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=1840#post-18606 Tue, 07 Dec 2010 15:10:34 +0000 kaputnik 18606@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>The lock is generally the weakest part of the design and (I've got an Abus lock so did some research) I've read that they are generally not too complicated to pick if you know what you're doing. Perhaps you could sweet talk a nearby locksmith into having a look at it? He might be able to extract the broken bit of key and get it to open. </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=1840#post-18605 Tue, 07 Dec 2010 15:02:44 +0000 steveo 18605@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>Hang around and wait for a bike thief to open it then brain him with your spare and ride off! Win Win.</p> <p>An angle grinder will get through them in a few minutes if you've access to power, a bottle jack is the other favourite tool of the bike thief i understand. </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=1840#post-18601 Tue, 07 Dec 2010 14:41:28 +0000 Saskia 18601@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>This morning, my lock was frozen and the key broke off... The bit of the key won't get out of the lock and I think there is no other way then to cut the chain.<br /> It's an Abus steel o chain lock (<code><a href="http://www.wiggle.co.uk/abus-steel-o-chain-810-110cm-chain-bike-lock" rel="nofollow">http://www.wiggle.co.uk/abus-steel-o-chain-810-110cm-chain-bike-lock</a></code>) and it's attached to a bicycle rack which can't be moved.<br /> Any advice? </p>