A very beefy Kryptonite Evolution 4 chain lock, worth 100 currencies? Or a fruit-sized (sorry no banana at hand) 12V battery powered angle grinder with puny 76mm cutting disc, which is not even diamond, but just the standard cutting wheel that came with the grinder?
by mexell
19 Comments
The chain, that grinder looks like it can’t cut through the apple.
Doofus that I am sometimes, I lost a set of bicycle keys. And didn’t have them registered at Kryptonite (they’ll send replacements, they say, if you register them).
So, I lent my ex-wife’s smaller angle grinder, a truly pocket sized Bosch 12V cordless one with a tiny 76mm cutting disc. And I learned:
* Wear gloves.
* Use eye and ear protection. Seriously!
* Protect sensitive surfaces. Sparks will be flying.
* Your lock is no match for an angle grinder. No lock is, considering I used a very small grinder on a comparatively beefy lock.
* It took less than a minute to cut this lock. With a bigger grinder and a more aggressive disc, it would have been a matter of seconds.
This is the final result:
https://preview.redd.it/92v2mcte01ld1.jpeg?width=3024&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=2e41c9f2ed4e78251a0e3d7c164cf92b839672d9
Banana
The grinder. Those chain links are not thick nor resistant to an angle grinder.
PSA locks will never be theft proof. That’s not their job.
Even if you have the beefiest and most expensive lock, power tools will still defeat it quickly. And often, the thing you lock your bike to is made of cheap extruded metal and will also be easy to cut through.
The point of a lock is to keep honest people honest. At best, a massive hardened chain can sway the attention of a thief to another easier target.
Register your bike with an insurance policy. Renters insurance is like $150/year and cover bicycle theft, even when away from your home
Some really good YouTube videos on angle grinders vs bike locks (I think Cade Media). Basically an angle grinder is going through everything fairly quick unless you have a hard Ulock type thing that says specifically it’s anti angle grinder (my terminology sucks).
At the end of the day a lock is a deterrent and if the would be criminal is pissed enough at your lock he can just cut through your frame just to equally piss you off.
My rule of thumb is, just have something that makes a nearby bike more tempting/easier. (I use a cable with an old school combination Master Lock)
Adding to your advice, I’d also wear a mask or respirator. Otherwise you end up breathing those tiny metal fragments.
The apple
Yeah the grinder is going to eat that
My vote is for the Apple.
Try it with a LiteLok. Curious.
The apple?
Angle grinder always wins.
People always seem so surprised that metal cutting wheels cut metal.
Professional bike thieves carry professional tools. The bike is gone by the time you finished reading this.
Nah, I’d win
Yeah, this is why I don’t buy expensive locks. Locks will prevent most bike thefts, because most bike thieves I believe are just looking for loose bikes they can easily just snatch and ride off with. I have a Milwaukee Fuel Sawzall, and it can saw through high strength steel like butter, and it can fit in a backpack. I keep my bike in my house, because I figure most thieves wouldn’t risk breaking into a home to steal a bike.
Chain a pocket sized Malinois dog to your bicycle when you secure it. 😎
How about the protective cover for the chain, was it easy to rip through?
Battery powered angle grinders are not ideal for real work because they have a short battery life but it’s plenty to make 1 or 2 cuts. This is why people who live in big cities get cheap bikes for commuting, it’s only a matter of time until yours gets stolen even if you have an indoor bike storage or security cameras
The apple has my vote to win!