Locks that work

thanks guys!

GRP Superdeals U-Lock seems to have disappeared and I can no longer find one.** :(
**

East Street Market.

But being a market stall, I can't guarantee their stock levels.

If they don't have the 18mm square bar lock, then they might have the round shaped 16mm lock, which is still a good buy.

Thank you, will try there today.

Have tried a few markets,such as the one near angel where I got a couple before and the trader said the supplier is not getting them, whilst that place near Bow said the same thing too. Wilson didn't have any on display and seemed busy the last time i looked.

My GRP Superlock has just gone from a lock that works to a lock that doesn't work as the key has just snapped inside it.

Anybody have any advice of the best way to get thru one of the fuckers as it's currently stuck, as is my bike, to a bike stand in the west end?

I had this happen with my Abus lock, nearly ended up getting cut off with hydraulic cutters, but it popped after lots of wiggling the remains of the key in the lock. If you can get enough purchase on the bit that's left in there with the stub of the key it might work. That, or get GRP to pay for the cost of a locksmith.

Cheers for that. Think it's going to have be hydraulic cutters then or angle grinder as GRP def don't strike me as the kind of company that would pay for a key cutter.

To be honest once it's off will have to just but the bullet and go for a fag

It wouldn't hurt sending GRP an email, they might have some degree of faith in their products to give you a new lock. Any warranty?

That being said, get a fag.

FYI, spraying some WD40 or GT85 in the lock barrel every now and then should stop this happening again. Unless you had already done this, in which case it's probably just a shit lock.

I had this happen with my Abus lock, nearly ended up getting cut off with hydraulic cutters, but it popped after lots of wiggling the remains of the key in the lock. If you can get enough purchase on the bit that's left in there with the stub of the key it might work. That, or get GRP to pay for the cost of a locksmith.

Cheers for that. Think it's going to have be hydraulic cutters then or angle grinder as GRP def don't strike me as the kind of company that would pay for a key cutter.

To be honest once it's off will have to just but the bullet and go for a fag

It wouldn't hurt sending GRP an email, they might have some degree of faith in their products to give you a new lock. Any warranty?

The GRPS lock is a mass produced chinese jobbie. It is rebadged for different markets. I also doubt that they would pay out for the lock. Most locks cost a similar amount to produce (not including design costs), and the fact that one lock can be sold for less than £15, and another similar retail for nearer to £100, which do you think will carry the warranty that pays out for a locksmith?

Angle-grinder is whats needed.

Yep don't even have an email address much less a warranty.

Key has snapped off pretty deep into lock so don't think any joy there instead just the joys of trying to get and use an angle grinder in the West End tomorrow.....

Well can report that thanks to bunging 20 quid to a friendly builder over the road (who were very good at thoroughly checking it was my bike) the GRPS lock takes about 60 seconds to cut through with a petrol driven axle grinder.

So good lock but crap keys and personally now a victim of old rule buy cheap buy twice......

My keys have had no problems at all, and I think I am the biggest advocate of the GRPS lock on here. Some very expensive locks have had their keys break off in them. I'm not sure price was the only factor.

...but it is a factor in getting it replaced, I got my Abus replaced fully after taking it to the place I bought it from (On Your Bike).

Saw a very suspect dude looking over the bikes outside my work today, not sure if he was just taking ages to roll a smoke or if he was eyeing up bits and pieces on the bikes.

Was thinking now that my setup is sorted about gluing in ball bearings.

What size ball bearings work best and what glue should I use to make sure they stay in whilst still being able to use solvent to get them out?

Size according to the Allen key needed, plus trial; and use wax. Remove with heat and gravity.

Wax seems a much better idea than glue.

I wish Atomic22 would sort out their security track nuts (and various other bits and bobs). Dying for a set so I don't have to slog two locks around.

Buy a motorcycle lock. You get much better value for money. I think it's Mototrax os something along those lines who make some decent heavy duty locks. Obviously you need a decent bag to distribute the weight.

Annoyingly, it appears that recent comments show that the posters have not bothered to read the first post of this thread. Therefore the comments look rather repetitive at the least, and just wrong otherwise.

This thread is not concerned with the weight of locks, but the ability of them.

Hi there, fantastic thread with some great advice being given. Have used this in the past without commenting, but this time I have a question.

Funny that "weight vs ability" has come up, because that's kinda what I want to ask about.
I've just had the same problem as "dbc" did a few weeks back, a lock seizing and breaking the key inside, but thankfully in my own yard, so it'll just be a trip to the tool hire place at the weekend.

But thinking about how I replace my primary lock: I have a small concrete back yard enclosed by reasonably high walls, but nothing to lock anything to. Up til now I've just locked mine and my wife's bikes together with an (OnGuard) D-lock and kept my fingers crossed. But was wondering whether a motorbike-style heavy chain, combining resistance and weight, might be a good plan, given that the bikes aren't actually locked to anything. Does that sound sensible?

Thanks!

Are you not able to fit a ground or wall anchor? It's easy, assuming you are allowed to, and some are seriously chunky. Secure the bikes to that using a recommended heavy chain and lock and/or a couple of the D locks mentioned in this thread (like the Kryptonite NY series).

Are you not able to fit a ground or wall anchor? It's easy, assuming you are allowed to, and some are seriously chunky. Secure the bikes to that using a recommended heavy chain and lock and/or a couple of the D locks mentioned in this thread (like the Kryptonite NY series).

I hear what you're saying, and thanks for the reply, but it's a rented property and it doesn't seem worth the hassle and expense of getting it done when I'll probably be moving on in a couple of years or so.

I hear what you're saying, and thanks for the reply, but it's a rented property and it doesn't seem worth the hassle and expense of getting it done when I'll probably be moving on in a couple of years or so.

You know your circumstances, of course, but even good ground anchors are not expensive, and fixing one is just a matter of drilling a couple of holes, then screwing in the supplied security bolts. It's nreally ot a big deal. If you're going to be there for a couple of years, it would be well worth it. Even a couple of months, maybe.

I have a friend who's a big motorcycle nut. For the one year he was in his last house the cost of a ground anchor was less than half the reduction in his bike insurance cost. The landlord was quite OK with it as he knew the sort of people likely to rent the property would have bikes or a scooter. We just lifted one of the flags and filled the hole with concrete. I doubt the whole mission cost more than £15 plus the screw in anchor.

If it's really not an option then maybe look at other approaches such as Plantlock:

http://www.frontyardcompany.co.uk/products/plantlock.html

Nothing to stop you making something similar yourself with a metal bin, holes either side and run the chain through it, fill it with soil to give it mass. Combined planter and bike lock in one. While the bin might not be reinforced it would be a git to get the chain out of there.

Failing that just buy more bikes to lock together :)

I've seen those before and avoided locking my bike to them as I always assumed that the bars you lock your bike to were essentially gas pipe, but reading that brochure it turns out I could not have been more wrong. They are really cool.