Woosh Lost keys - what can be done?

[RossG]

Easily available, our Council has these for facilities which a number of people need to access.

This company offers just about any type of "alike" keyed padlocks.
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A chap I used to know got hold of some of those infamous " Council Keys " at one time. He let himself into a multi-story tower block, went right up to the roof and started messing around with the communications equipment installed up there. He had some sort of grievance with the law so he decided to disconnect their radio battery backup system and throw everything 220ft off the top of the roof ! did time for it I believe.
Damn nuisance those keys haven't seen them for years, all electronic push button locks these days.

 

[flecc]

all electronic push button locks these days.

Or high grade changeable number five rotor combination locks. They offer excellent security.
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[Andy-Mat]

Or high grade changeable number five rotor combination locks. They offer excellent security.
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Most of them can be cut with a bolt cutter, and all of them with a diamond coated disk.
IMHO the only way to improve security, is to add at least one sensitive alarm, with a very loud signal, that can be heard a long way away, and hope that they set it off when cutting the padlock off!
In the last 10 years, I have parked my e-bikes next to the rear of my house, chained to a steel water pipe, with two quality bike locks, both with integral cylinder locks, NOT padlocks, and with a bike cover.
I am of the opinion that just removing the plastic cover will most likely set the alarm off, as even strong winds set it off occasionally.
I still have my bike if that means anything, but thieves are a problem everywhere, and one must not become complacent.
Have a great day.
Andy

 

[nigelbb]

How long do the batteries last on those GPS trackers? There is no mention in the specs.

 

[Nev]

He had some sort of grievance with the law

It wasn't soundwave was it?

 

[vfr400]

Or high grade changeable number five rotor combination locks. They offer excellent security.
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I can often crack them without using any tools, though not so much success with the padlock type. It depends on the design.

 

[flecc]

I can often crack them without using any tools, though not so much success with the padlock type. It depends on the design.

I was speaking of the padlock type which we've found fine. As an added precaution we have mounted ours at the top of the door, almost out of arms reach, so a step needed at least to try cracking it. For the Bank of England maybe not (assuming it has any money left), but for a few hand tools in a nature reserve store it's enough.
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[Andy-Mat]

How long do the batteries last on those GPS trackers? There is no mention in the specs.

I suspect each different model of tracker, will have a different battery life, also affected by the way you program it and how often it is activated, or you call it up, but I only have experience with a few.
You need someone who has had many, or maybe a test magazine might test that out.
What I do is that I supply it with 5 volts from the bike battery, via a USB power supply. That way, its the length of charge available in the main battery, plus the internal battery....
I don't know what other people do.
Small DC to DC power supplies with either one or two USB ports, are available on ebay, but unboxed, for very little money.
Here are a few for tiny, tiny money:-

USB power 36v DC to 5v DC? for sale | eBay

Find great deals on eBay for USB power 36v DC to 5v DC?. Shop with confidence.

www.ebay.co.uk

I hope this helps.
Andy

 

[GeorgeHardy]

Any good locksmith will be able to open the lock for you if the needs removing.
I have keys made from just the lock barrel in the post. The key profile is on most batteries is pretty basic!

I will surely do as said and hire oldham locksmith near me whenever come in trouble like this.

 

[jimriley]

you couldn't pick a better lock.

 

[Andy-Mat]

I will surely do as said and hire oldham locksmith near me whenever come in trouble like this.

Most cylinder locks can be picked, but for lock smiths, they also have other ways to "get rid" of them, that are just a bit noisier. But only for legal work of course.
I used Battery Dremels, with a very hard and high quality router bit, turning at around 30,000 RPM, simply because good cylinders have special hardened pins, to damage or break even quality drill bits.
With those router bits I could cut away all the lock pins in less than a minute from ANY cylinder lock. Then it will open with a big flat screwdriver!
I bought several bits, 6 I think (far too many, and they were not cheap then!) as I imagined that they would wear out.
But some of them have opened twenty or thirty cylinders, and still look like new.
The good point, you don't have to be careful about the "holder" of the cylinder, as there is no need to cause it any damage, so once the cylinder is "toothless" and is opened, you remove that and go and and use that to buy a complete new lock that will fit in the same place!
I still maintain that a vibration alarm is also needed, and someone here recommended two different ones, at the same time! No argument from me!
regards
Andy

 

[lewihoob]

I bought my bike a couple of years ago, and I was immediately advised to find a good repair shop so that if anything happens, I don't have to look for a handyperson frantically.

 

[lewihoob]

And this is what I now tell everyone I know who is starting to ride a bike. On quarantine, I decided to figure out bikes, and now I can fix it myself. But I recently went to https://swiftlocksmithinc.com/ again because someone tried to cut the lock off. How it pisses me off when people do that. They put a different lock on my bike, a more complicated one.

 

[camarint]

I lost my keys, what to do?

 

[Magnoliayy]

I know from experience that the first thought that comes to mind when you lose your car keys is to get to the second set.

 

[Woosh]

I lost my keys, what to do?

if you have a Woosh bike, contact support.

 

[Magnoliayy]

I know from experience that the first thought that comes to mind when you lose your car keys is to get to the second set. There can be many scenarios - from calling a cab and driving home for spare keys to calling relatives who will help and bring the keys. If the lost key can not be found, it makes sense to restore it, for which you have to go to the dealer, show the car documents and a spare key, or a transponder keychain with a bar code. An authorized dealer will create a duplicate of the lost key. But in any case, I would first contact a locksmith https://mylocallocksmithtx.com/grand-prairie/.

 

[guerney]

Also, a well disguised GPS tracker. There are some around 40 UK Pounds, disguised as a rear light as well, but appear that they can be also put on a mudguard if needed.
These models I have not tried myself:-

GPS Tracker Bike LED Mini GPS Anti-Robo Waterproof IP65 Motion SOS Warning Light | eBay

Find many great new & used options and get the best deals for GPS Tracker Bike LED Mini GPS Anti-Robo Waterproof IP65 Motion SOS Warning Light at the best online prices at eBay! Free delivery for many products!

www.ebay.co.uk

I've gone one of those - works great. I had it's "Shock detection" feature enabled yesterday, when I left my bike in someone's walled garden for about two hours. I would have pounced on and mauled anyone who moved it, within 10 seconds! (Text notification of the bike being moved, arrives in about 5 seconds). The only downside, is that it sends a text whenever running low on battery, costing 10p a time (Giffgaff PAYG SIM).

 

[Andy-Mat]

I've gone one of those - works great. I had it's "Shock detection" feature enabled yesterday, when I left my bike in someone's walled garden for about two hours. I would have pounced on and mauled anyone who moved it, within 10 seconds! (Text notification of the bike being moved, arrives in about 5 seconds). The only downside, is that it sends a text whenever running low on battery, costing 10p a time (Giffgaff PAYG SIM).

Then you may have the wrong card, though 10p is a gift in comparison to losing your bike, no matter how old it is.... I have Aldi talk cards here in Germany, and I only pay for texts and calls, no monthly charges, no internet etc..
By careful programming, you might be able to reduce the number of texts possibly, but still know exactly what is happening to your bike....
regards
Andy

 

[guerney]

Then you may have the wrong card, though 10p is a gift in comparison to losing your bike, no matter how old it is.... I have Aldi talk cards here in Germany, and I only pay for texts and calls, no monthly charges, no internet etc..
By careful programming, you might be able to reduce the number of texts possibly, but still know exactly what is happening to your bike....
regards
Andy

Giffgaff is pretty much the same sort of deal as Aldi Pay As You Go mobile - no contractual obligation to pay a monthly fee continuously. Costs about £10 per 180 days to keep the number active. There's no way to turn off notification by text upon low battery, so I charge it every couple of days when the bike is used a lot at night, and every four days when the bike is mostly idle. Overall, it's a good product.