Can't wait for LockPickingLawyer to open this with a milk shake straw
this post was submitted on 25 Apr 2025
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micromobility - Bikes, scooters, boards: Whatever floats your goat, this is micromobility
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Fortunately most bike thieves are not capable locksmiths.
Lock picking is not really an angle of attack I'm worried about with a bike lock, though.
Might be one to think about though. There were a fair number from reputable brands that could be unlocked with a Bic pen.
All of the stolen bikes in my shared garage had someone cut through the lock.
No one is analyzing your lock for what brand it is and carefully attempting to pick it. They're just going to whip out an angle grinder and be done with it. I'm not really in the market for $350 locks either, but it's nice that there are new advancements in lock technology and this seems like it'd be worth it for someone with an expensive ebike.
When these locks were popular thieves would literally go out looking for them because you could unlock them right in front of people without looking sketchy. It wasn't a careful tedious thing, just stick the barrel of the pen into the lock as if it were the key and turn.
Lock picking is very rarely done, but fyi grinders are very rarely used too
Makes sense, really. I'd have to imagine an angle grinder would be pretty loud.
Destroys cutting tools and obliterates your wallet! /s
I really hate that we have to lug around expensive, 6lbs locks to deter degenerates from stealing your bike.
Get the skunk lock!
I saw a similar video of Seth Alvo testing a U-lock with some kind of carbide coating, and I was amazed at how it just ate the cutting disc he was using - barely even scratching the lock. Anything an angle grinder can’t cut through pretty much counts as indestructible in my book.
Personally, I rock the Skunklock Chemical which destroys bike thieves' ability to keep their breakfast down, but I've heard Hiplok makes some good stuff.
Next lock I get might actually be the Litelock X3 (seems to have the best cut resistance of existing U locks) but Hiplok is probably in my top three or four lock brands (Litelock, Skunklock, Hiplok, and ABUS).
Holy shit this is real
The Skunklock Chemical? Hell yeah it is!
I use a SL Chemical too, it's heavy but worth the weight knowing that anyone who tries to cut it will have a bad time.
Most people use lock cutters, not disc grinders. This won’t stop a lock cutter.
What cutter would even have a remote chance against any legit u-lock? Those are used on shitty cable locks and low end chains.
You would need a 10 feet long, 200 pound cutter to have the leverage to go thru that beast of a locker.
You could use a handheld hydraulic one that run on batteries. There are bigger rescue versions that also have batteries and need two hands, but they can go through up to 50mm(the lock is 32mm) of solid steel. Although they're expensive. There are also hand pump ones that could go through that.
The actual issue the cutting heads, since it's probably very hardened.
How about a portable powered hydraulic cutter?
Yeah. If YouTube taught me anything, it's that you can exert any about of force with hydraulics, gearing, and time. You could probably put together something built with a cat waterer pump, powered by a couple D-cell batteries. It might take a while, but it'll get 'er done.
This is why you need a tandem bike with a custom mount for your 10+ foot long bolt cutter and your partner in crime to help you use it.
The bike thieves I’ve seen have used car jacks to pry the lock apart. I have no idea if these expensive locks would hold up that any better.
I'd love to see you get through one of these with a bolt cutter.