weird bike question...

"Benjamin Snyder" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
"]news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

Hi,

I just started riding an old bike, using an old cable combo lock to keep

it safe.

Quoted message said:

Well, today the combination stopped working and my bike is stuck at work.

Is there

Quoted message said:

any remedy short of calling a locksmith? It's really a crappy cable and

since people are

Quoted message said:

always talking about how easy it is for thieves to cut through it I was

wondering how

Quoted message said:

easy it would be for a non-thief.

Bolt cutters.

Dashii

Dashi Toshii said:

"Benjamin Snyder" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
"]news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

I just started riding an old bike, using an old cable combo lock to keep

it safe.

Quoted message said:

Well, today the combination stopped working and my bike is stuck at work.

Is there

Quoted message said:

any remedy short of calling a locksmith? It's really a crappy cable and

since people are

Quoted message said:

always talking about how easy it is for thieves to cut through it I was

wondering how

Quoted message said:

easy it would be for a non-thief.

Bolt cutters.

Bolt cutters in 3 seconds, or a leatherman or other wire cutter in a couple of minutes, by method of
cutting the individual steel strands individually.

Jasper

In article <[email hidden]>, [email hidden] says...

Quoted message said:

I just started riding an old bike, using an old cable combo lock to keep it

safe.

Quoted message said:

Well, today the combination stopped working and my bike is stuck at work. Is

there

Quoted message said:

any remedy short of calling a locksmith? It's really a crappy cable and since

people are

Quoted message said:

always talking about how easy it is for thieves to cut through it I was

wondering how

Quoted message said:

easy it would be for a non-thief.

Bolt cutters.
-----------------
Alex __O _-\<,_ (_)/ (_)

[email hidden] (Benjamin Snyder) wrote in message
news:<[email hidden]>...

Quoted message said:

I just started riding an old bike, using an old cable combo lock to keep it safe. Well, today the
combination stopped working and my bike is stuck at work. Is there any remedy short of calling a
locksmith? It's really a crappy cable and since people are always talking about how easy it is for
thieves to cut through it I was wondering how easy it would be for a non-thief.

Most combination locks can be opened with a smart blow of a hammer. Position the lock such that you
can strike the shoulder if it beside the shackle. It might take you a couple of strikes to pop it
open but with a little practice you should get good at opening them with a single strike.

The bike shops I worked at used this technique to open locks when the owner lost and forgot the
combination. We tried to do it while they were watching so they would see just how worthless
combination padlocks were for protecting their bikes.

--
Bruce Jackson - Sr. Systems Programmer - DMSP, a M/A/R/C Group company

[email hidden] (Benjamin Snyder) wrote in message
news:<[email hidden]>...

Quoted message said:

Hi,

I just started riding an old bike, using an old cable combo lock to keep it safe. Well, today the
combination stopped working and my bike is stuck at work. Is there any remedy short of calling a
locksmith? It's really a crappy cable and since people are always talking about how easy it is for
thieves to cut through it I was wondering how easy it would be for a non-thief.

Bolt cutters and three seconds should take care of it. If you're on campus (according to your email
address...) and can prove ownership, I'll bet the campus cops have a set that they use to remove
leftover junkers every summer. There's always a couple stuck to racks once spring semester lets out.

Jeff

Quoted message said:

I just started riding an old bike, using an old cable combo lock to keep it safe. Well, today the
combination stopped working and my bike is stuck at work. Is there

If it's a Master brand old lock, the combo can be figured out fairly easily by hand.

Doug

You can rent bolt cutters for about 15.00 a day. They are expensive to buy.

Good luck.

Steve Shapiro [email hidden]

[email hidden] (Benjamin Snyder) wrote in message
news:<[email hidden]>...

Quoted message said:

Hi,

I just started riding an old bike, using an old cable combo lock to keep it safe. Well, today the
combination stopped working and my bike is stuck at work. Is there any remedy short of calling a
locksmith? It's really a crappy cable and since people are always talking about how easy it is for
thieves to cut through it I was wondering how easy it would be for a non-thief.

All help is appreciated, [email hidden]

(remove the physicist to send email).

I hacksaw blade will cut right through it.

Benjamin Snyder said:

Hi,

I just started riding an old bike, using an old cable combo lock to keep it safe. Well, today the
combination stopped working and my bike is stuck at work. Is there any remedy short of calling a
locksmith? It's really a crappy cable and since people are always talking about how easy it is for
thieves to cut through it I was wondering how easy it would be for a non-thief.

All help is appreciated, [email hidden]

(remove the physicist to send email).

(Steve Shapiro) said:

You can rent bolt cutters for about 15.00 a day. They are expensive to buy.

I bought one for $5 a while back. Obviously not hardly as good as a $50 one, but quite decent enough
for chains up to 6 mm or thereabouts without trouble.

Jasper

Bruce Jackson <[email hidden]> wrote in message
"]news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

[email hidden] (Benjamin Snyder) wrote in message

news:<[email hidden]>...

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

I just started riding an old bike, using an old cable combo lock to keep it safe. Well, today
the combination stopped working and my bike is stuck at work. Is there any remedy short of
calling a locksmith? It's really a crappy cable and since people are always talking about how
easy it is for thieves to cut through it I was wondering how easy it would be for a non-thief.

Most combination locks can be opened with a smart blow of a hammer. Position the lock such that
you can strike the shoulder if it beside the shackle. It might take you a couple of strikes to pop
it open but with a little practice you should get good at opening them with a single strike.

The bike shops I worked at used this technique to open locks when the owner lost and forgot the
combination. We tried to do it while they were watching so they would see just how worthless
combination padlocks were for protecting their bikes.

If it is a cheap cheap combi lock, another way that sometimes works, is to pull hard on either side
of the lock, then slowly turn each code ring until you find one that hits an extra positive 'click'.
Leave it there, and move onto a different one - repeat until the lock pops open.

All you are doing here, is using the loose manufacturing tolerances to 'tell you' where the gaps in
the lock's code rings are - it's worked for me at least a half dozen times. Only down-side, is the
lock is re-useable afterwards, heheheheh......

Shaun aRe

If cutting and hammering are out of the question... Soak the lock in penetrating oil... That will
loosen the lock some, and maybe enough to open it with out damaging the lock... Although I would
highly recommend a newer, better locking system..

BTW... Penetrating oil can take a couple of hours to a full day to unlock a stuck whatever....

NS