How do I get a bike lock cut?

[Don Vito Corleone]

A friend lost his Kryptonite key a few years back when he had locked up his single-speed beater bike (his main rides are a Merlin titanium road and a Fat Chance MTB). He tried using a hacksaw and after 20 minutes or so, found he had succeeded only in slightly discoloring the case-hardened steel of the lock, and the hacksaw blade was dying a quick and premature death.

He eventually just decided to saw through his bike's frame instead (creating a little passive suspension travel for the ride home! Obviously he built another beater subsequently (using a Bridgestone RB-1 frame with track dropouts and cantilever brake bosses added).

 

[robertzhou]

This one is SUPER EASY to do, and it WILL work.

Get a Car Jack... put it in between the U-lock, turn the car jack a few times.
DONE!

It will ruin the U-lock, but no U-lock will stand a car jack. This will work every single time.
Trust me

 

[Don Vito Corleone]

<< This one is SUPER EASY to do, and it WILL work.

Get a Car Jack... put it in between the U-lock, turn the car jack a few times.
DONE!

It will ruin the U-lock, but no U-lock will stand a car jack. This will work every single time.
Trust me >>



I agree this will work, but if the bike owner has done a decent job locking the bike, there is no way to get a jack in there without destroying the bike in the process.

I gather the reason the high-end Kryptonite locks (like the New York Lock) are so small is to prevent this exact technique - they are far too compact to admit a car jack.

 

[Lore]

I've cut through part of a U-lock with a fiberglass cut-off wheel attached to a Dremel, so it's probably the easiest way to do it if you can find power.

 

[Urinal Mint]

use an ox-acetylene torch!

 

[yellowperil]

Got the lock off today. The apartment leasing office (no less) sent a guy over with a power saw, and he worked on it for about 5 minutes. After the lock cooled off I took it off and put a new one on. Woohoo! More time to procrastinate before going to class.

I'm not sure about the car jack thing because the lock was pretty tightly on there (through the front wheel, around the bar and locked behind the frame).

 

[Brutuskend]

I run a local bike shop, and bolt cutters will cut one. (We have some 4' ones and it's STILL a bitch) Best bet, a die grinder and cut-off wheel! Or bring your bike to Eugene Or. and leave it on the street for 10 min. and some one will cut it for you!! (damn bike crooks) You can also try using a screw jack, and some elbow grease. (FREON MAKE'S HOLE'S IN THE OZONE LAYER!!!!!!! DON'T USE IT!!!!!!!)

 

[rc5]

So a customer built car jack will break any bike lock?

I wonder what happens when it breaks under ton's of pressure. Will the parts fly and hit something around?

 

[CarpeDeo]

Sell the bike and get a new bike.

Hahahaha- I thought that was the funniest.