Stolen - Avanti Hardtail MTB, Federation Square Melb.

AAARGH F@$#%ng bike thieves.

Someone is targeting bikes parked at Fed Square in Melb and, yesterday, mine was the latest to go.
Stolen between 1pm and 2:30 pm Sat 2/8/03 from the railings on Flinders St.
Can't say how they broke the cable lock as they left nothing behind but I wont be using a cable lock ever again.
I doubt I'll ever see the bike again but if I could ask people to keep an eye out just in case, thanks.

Description
2002 54cm Avanti Barracuda.
Black rims & spokes shod with Specialised's FatBoy slicks.
Paintwork is deep blue on the steerer tube and a short way along the top & down tubes and the rest is polished Aluminium.
Deore gruppo all round with Magura Julie disc brakes.
535 SPD pedals.

The bottom bracket is engraved with my D/L for what it's is worth.

http://www.mtbreview.com/reviews/Bik..._Barracuda.jpg
http://www.carcycle.co.uk/pics/Bloc8.gif

Thanks in advance
Pete.B
Remember DONTSPAM when you reply

Pete.B wrote:
AAARGH F@$#%ng bike thieves.

Someone is targeting bikes parked at Fed Square in Melb and, yesterday,
mine was the latest to go.
Stolen between 1pm and 2:30 pm Sat 2/8/03 from the railings on Flinders St.
Can't say how they broke the cable lock as they left nothing behind but
I wont be using a cable lock ever again.
I doubt I'll ever see the bike again but if I could ask people to keep
an eye out just in case, thanks.

If your bike is halfway valuable or attractive, I suggest lashing out
for a steel "U" lock (mine's a Kryptonite). All the recent bike thefts
seem to have occurred when the bike was only secured with a cable.

&roo

Pete.B wrote:
AAARGH F@$#%ng bike thieves.

Someone is targeting bikes parked at Fed Square in Melb and, yesterday,
mine was the latest to go.
Stolen between 1pm and 2:30 pm Sat 2/8/03 from the railings on Flinders St.
Can't say how they broke the cable lock as they left nothing behind but
I wont be using a cable lock ever again.
I doubt I'll ever see the bike again but if I could ask people to keep
an eye out just in case, thanks.

If your bike is halfway valuable or attractive, I suggest lashing out
for a steel "U" lock (mine's a Kryptonite). All the recent bike thefts
seem to have occurred when the bike was only secured with a cable.

&roo

"Pete.B" wrote in message
...
AAARGH F@$#%ng bike thieves.

Someone is targeting bikes parked at Fed Square in Melb and, yesterday,
mine was the latest to go.
Stolen between 1pm and 2:30 pm Sat 2/8/03 from the railings on Flinders
St.
Can't say how they broke the cable lock as they left nothing behind but I
wont be using a cable lock ever again.

FWIW, I think that the way they get quickly through some types of locks is
to spray some really cold gas into the mechanism, then hit it with a hammer.
Some locks can (from only here-say that I have picked up) have the mechanism
broken and opened up using this method.

Tim

"Pete.B" wrote in message
...
AAARGH F@$#%ng bike thieves.

Someone is targeting bikes parked at Fed Square in Melb and, yesterday,
mine was the latest to go.
Stolen between 1pm and 2:30 pm Sat 2/8/03 from the railings on Flinders
St.
Can't say how they broke the cable lock as they left nothing behind but I
wont be using a cable lock ever again.

FWIW, I think that the way they get quickly through some types of locks is
to spray some really cold gas into the mechanism, then hit it with a hammer.
Some locks can (from only here-say that I have picked up) have the mechanism
broken and opened up using this method.

Tim

Tim Jones:

"Pete.B" wrote in message
...
AAARGH F@$#%ng bike thieves.

Someone is targeting bikes parked at Fed Square in Melb and, yesterday,
mine was the latest to go.
Stolen between 1pm and 2:30 pm Sat 2/8/03 from the railings on Flinders
St.
Can't say how they broke the cable lock as they left nothing behind but I
wont be using a cable lock ever again.

FWIW, I think that the way they get quickly through some types of locks is
to spray some really cold gas into the mechanism, then hit it with a hammer.
Some locks can (from only here-say that I have picked up) have the mechanism
broken and opened up using this method.

You'd have to have a decent amount of liquid nitrogen or other frozen
gas-turned-liquid, as well as time, to be able to freeze the metal lock
innards to such a temperature that it becomes brittle. Liquid nitro
etc. is not cheap nor conveniently portable/deliverable, and much too
time consuming to use as a freezing medium for a lock, even if you had
enough of it. Cables are much easily and quickly cut by cable cutters.

Bike lock companies push the plastic-covered chain-type locks as higher
security items, presumably because it's a bit more difficult to get
access to the flat sides of the links to cut these with cable cutters.

Tim Jones:

"Pete.B" wrote in message
...
AAARGH F@$#%ng bike thieves.

Someone is targeting bikes parked at Fed Square in Melb and, yesterday,
mine was the latest to go.
Stolen between 1pm and 2:30 pm Sat 2/8/03 from the railings on Flinders
St.
Can't say how they broke the cable lock as they left nothing behind but I
wont be using a cable lock ever again.

FWIW, I think that the way they get quickly through some types of locks is
to spray some really cold gas into the mechanism, then hit it with a hammer.
Some locks can (from only here-say that I have picked up) have the mechanism
broken and opened up using this method.

You'd have to have a decent amount of liquid nitrogen or other frozen
gas-turned-liquid, as well as time, to be able to freeze the metal lock
innards to such a temperature that it becomes brittle. Liquid nitro
etc. is not cheap nor conveniently portable/deliverable, and much too
time consuming to use as a freezing medium for a lock, even if you had
enough of it. Cables are much easily and quickly cut by cable cutters.

Bike lock companies push the plastic-covered chain-type locks as higher
security items, presumably because it's a bit more difficult to get
access to the flat sides of the links to cut these with cable cutters.

I think you'll find they are using one of these on the cable locks.
http://hittools.com/catalog/itemlist...52&parentid=10
Stock No Wire Rope Cap. Steel Wire Cap. Wt. (Lb) Replacement Head
22-WC42 3/4" 3/8" 18 3/4 22-WC42B


Tim Jones wrote:

"Pete.B" wrote in message
...

AAARGH F@$#%ng bike thieves.

Someone is targeting bikes parked at Fed Square in Melb and, yesterday,

mine was the latest to go.

Stolen between 1pm and 2:30 pm Sat 2/8/03 from the railings on Flinders

St.

Can't say how they broke the cable lock as they left nothing behind but I

wont be using a cable lock ever again.

FWIW, I think that the way they get quickly through some types of locks is
to spray some really cold gas into the mechanism, then hit it with a hammer.
Some locks can (from only here-say that I have picked up) have the mechanism
broken and opened up using this method.

Tim

I think you'll find they are using one of these on the cable locks.
http://hittools.com/catalog/itemlist...52&parentid=10
Stock No Wire Rope Cap. Steel Wire Cap. Wt. (Lb) Replacement Head
22-WC42 3/4" 3/8" 18 3/4 22-WC42B


Tim Jones wrote:

"Pete.B" wrote in message
...

AAARGH F@$#%ng bike thieves.

Someone is targeting bikes parked at Fed Square in Melb and, yesterday,

mine was the latest to go.

Stolen between 1pm and 2:30 pm Sat 2/8/03 from the railings on Flinders

St.

Can't say how they broke the cable lock as they left nothing behind but I

wont be using a cable lock ever again.

FWIW, I think that the way they get quickly through some types of locks is
to spray some really cold gas into the mechanism, then hit it with a hammer.
Some locks can (from only here-say that I have picked up) have the mechanism
broken and opened up using this method.

Tim

Jose Rizal wrote:

Tim Jones:

Can't say how they broke the cable lock as they left nothing behind but I
wont be using a cable lock ever again.

FWIW, I think that the way they get quickly through some types of locks is
to spray some really cold gas into the mechanism, then hit it with a hammer.
Some locks can (from only here-say that I have picked up) have the mechanism
broken and opened up using this method.

You'd have to have a decent amount of liquid nitrogen or other frozen
gas-turned-liquid, as well as time, to be able to freeze the metal lock
innards to such a temperature that it becomes brittle. Liquid nitro
etc. is not cheap nor conveniently portable/deliverable, and much too
time consuming to use as a freezing medium for a lock, even if you had
enough of it. Cables are much easily and quickly cut by cable cutters.

Bike lock companies push the plastic-covered chain-type locks as higher
security items, presumably because it's a bit more difficult to get
access to the flat sides of the links to cut these with cable cutters.

I agree. The frozen lock method sounds like it is straight out of the movies.
Never thought it would be practical.

I think the thieves are using something like these with cable locks

http://www.rodefeld-sales.com/graphi.../baudat_vc.jpg
VCS 22 Single handed Cable cutter with ratchet mechanism and gear change.
Cutting material - Flexible wire ropes up to 16mm dia.
length: 290mm weight: 1.0 kg
Forged cutting blades. Heat treated and specially hardened.
Ratchet action multiplies power.

http://www.rodefeld-sales.com/graphi...baudat_hc2.jpg
HCS 22
Cable cutter with ratchet mechanism
Cutting material: Flexible steel ropes up to 20mm dia.
length: 430mm
weight: 1.4 kg