General Cycling Discussion - I need help from a bike thief.

I hope this thread isn't entirely useless.

I found an old girl's Huffy mountain bike in my shed and I'm making it into a bike polo bike. I already took the derailleurs off, put the back brake lever on the left side, took off the front brake, and adjusted everything so it'll fit me better.

However, there is a pretty big chain wrapped around the seat tube that I don't know the combination to. I'd love to get it off of the bike because it's so big and bulky and I'm scared it'll start sliding down and interfere with my cranks.

Does anybody know the easiest way to get it off? I actually tried guessing the combination a few times, but quickly gave up. Should I use some type of saw, or wire-cutters? I'm taking it up to the LBS to get a single-speed chain tomorrow. Do you think they could help me?

I might post pictures later, just to make the thread more interesting.

Thanks a lot.

How'd you find a bike in your own shed? That's just weird.

haha. The shed is behind my parent's house, and the bike was my sister's. She's now 28, and I'm sure she hasn't ridden that bike since she was around 13, but it's not in bad shape at all, surprisingly.

I went in there to look for a throttle cable for a lawn mower, saw the bike, and decided it would make a great (and cheap) polo bike.

I hope this thread isn't entirely useless.

I found an old girl's Huffy mountain bike in my shed and I'm making it into a bike polo bike. I already took the derailleurs off, put the back brake lever on the left side, took off the front brake, and adjusted everything so it'll fit me better.

However, there is a pretty big chain wrapped around the seat tube that I don't know the combination to. I'd love to get it off of the bike because it's so big and bulky and I'm scared it'll start sliding down and interfere with my cranks.

Does anybody know the easiest way to get it off? I actually tried guessing the combination a few times, but quickly gave up. Should I use some type of saw, or wire-cutters? I'm taking it up to the LBS to get a single-speed chain tomorrow. Do you think they could help me?

I might post pictures later, just to make the thread more interesting.

Thanks a lot.

Rent or borrow an angle grinder.

Rent or borrow an angle grinder.

f that. cutting torch will have that thing off in about 2 seconds. Do it up.

Bolt cutters. The bike shop will have some or they will have a high speed cutting wheel.

I 2nd the Bolt cutters. Any good shop would have a set.

If you don't have any of the above, try a dremel tool. Or a hacksaw and plenty of elbow grease.

Run it by a muffler shop, see if they can torch it off right quick. Or a welding shop.

I have cut a chain with a cheap $10 rotary tool before, but it took half an hour and 5 cutting blades(tool came with 25)
http://www.harborfreight.com/80-piece-rotary-tool-kit-97626.html

Heat the link you want to cut with a propane torch until it is glowing BRIGHT red. Let it cool on its own; this anneals the steel, makes it softer, so you can get through it with a hacksaw blade. If it's at all sharp, it should take you about 20 strokes.

Abrasive cutoff wheel in a Dremel or angle grinder. I did a number of locks and chains with a Dremel and took less than a minute for any of them. Used a Dremel and cutoff wheel to cut and shorten a 3/8" drill bit in about 30 sec. It's cake.

A torch would be tricky since the chain is wrapped around the frame.

It might be a cheap padlock. Try a hacksaw on the shackle.

Any muffler shop would have an angle grinder.

http://hostedmedia.reimanpub.com/TFH/Step-By-Step/FH03JUN_UTANGG_08.JPG

angle grinder will get it in under 30 seconds. And you'll find more stuff to gring/smooth once you purchase one

I know I did :D

The bike shop will cut it off for you. People forget combos and lose keys all the time.

Have you tried asking your sister what the combo is?

Have you tried asking your sister what the combo is?

would you remember a combination you haven't used in around 15 yrs?

carley p., bolt cutters are cheap, invest in a pair. never know when they'll be useful.

If it is a light chain use bolt cutters, if it is a beefy chain use a cutoff wheel.

I have access to a torch but would never use it for removing a chain when easier options are available.

Angle grinder with a cut off wheel. I can get through a Kryptonite lock with one in under 4 minutes...been there done that...after I lost the keys.

Bike shop should be able to do it for you too. Bolt cutters require some strength to operate, besides if it doesn't have a power cord or battery I ain't interested. :P

Aaron :)

Wait - you plan to ride a bike sized for a 13 year old?

Wait - you plan to ride a bike sized for a 13 year old?

My wife is well past 13 and rides a bike sized for a 13 year old...

Aaron :)

Heat the link you want to cut with a propane torch until it is glowing BRIGHT red. Let it cool on its own; this anneals the steel, makes it softer, so you can get through it with a hacksaw blade. If it's at all sharp, it should take you about 20 strokes.
No offense, but how long would that take? Steel doesn't start glowing until it's over 2000F, and all the stuff that propane-air torches are used for is around 1000F or less. ?:|

The lock shackle is probably hardened at least somewhat but the chain would probably cut with a hacksaw anyway, since it's very likely cheap chain.

I would say, go to the nearest cheap tool store like Harbor Freight, and check which is cheaper: bolt cutters or an angle grinder w/cutoff disks....

The angle grinder is the better long-term tool purchase, since you can easily cut pretty thick metals with it. Making cuts in steel that is 1/2 to 3/4-inches thick or more is no problem, it just takes a while and a few cutoff disks--but the disks only cost a couple bucks each.

If the lock is a cheap combo lock, you can try the old pull and turn method (http://donn.dyndns.org/projects/lockpick/).

Thanks a lot guys, but the LBS ended up taking it off for me easily.


Wait - you plan to ride a bike sized for a 13 year old?

Yes, and I'm 6'3"! Like I said, I'm using the bike for polo. I just raised the seat a lot. Since the wheels are only 24" I don't have any problem with toe-overlap. It may look ugly, but it's pretty practical for a polo bike that I only invested 10 dollars in. The shop charged me ten dollars to shorten the chain, cut off the chain-lock, and install new brake pads.

I'll post pictures when I get home so you all can see how ugly a 10 dollar polo-bike is. (I've yet to make discs for the wheels or develop a way to store a mallet on the bike though.)

*time warps before this last post*
Bite it off.

Thanks a lot guys, but the LBS ended up taking it off for me easily.



Yes, and I'm 6'3"! Like I said, I'm using the bike for polo. I just raised the seat a lot. Since the wheels are only 24" I don't have any problem with toe-overlap. It may look ugly, but it's pretty practical for a polo bike that I only invested 10 dollars in. The shop charged me ten dollars to shorten the chain, cut off the chain-lock, and install new brake pads.

I'll post pictures when I get home so you all can see how ugly a 10 dollar polo-bike is. (I've yet to make discs for the wheels or develop a way to store a mallet on the bike though.)

I used my old Raleigh Sports for a polo bike back in the early 80's. We didn't bother with wheel covers back then, just took the occasional header if a mallet got stuck in the spokes :D

Aaron :)

Yes, and I'm 6'3"! Like I said, I'm using the bike for polo. I just raised the seat a lot. Since the wheels are only 24" I don't have any problem with toe-overlap. It may look ugly, but it's pretty practical for a polo bike that I only invested 10 dollars in.

Hehe, if it works, it works... do post a photo, though. I'd love to get a look at this Frankenbike :)

angle grinder will get it in under 30 seconds. And you'll find more stuff to gring/smooth once you purchase one

I know I did :D
yes thousands of household uses for an angle grinder with a cutoff wheel "turn that old beater into a convertable" cut a mirror in half without cracking it ....or here kitty

the best answer here is ask your sister for the combo. followed by bolt cutters, then angle grinder/rotary tool, maybe a sawzall, then torch it.

I'll post pictures when I get home so you all can see how ugly a 10 dollar polo-bike is. (I've yet to make discs for the wheels or develop a way to store a mallet on the bike though.)

Forget the bike. Post some pictures of your sister! :)

Forget the bike. Post some pictures of your sister! :)

Here she is at one of her Larping events a few months ago:

http://grayhounds.files.wordpress.com/2007/06/ugly_woman.gif

I'm joking.

I put discs on my front wheel last night. (I stole an out-dated catholic picnic advertisement and a yardsale sign I assumed to be out-dated for the materials). My camera isn't at my house, unfortunately, and for some reason I'm having trouble emailing the pictures from my phone to myself, but I'll figure it out soon.

I finally figured out the picture situation, so here she is:

http://i38.photobucket.com/albums/e106/Cheekypoo112/polo.jpg

http://i38.photobucket.com/albums/e106/Cheekypoo112/polo2.jpg

That's what a ten dollar polo-bike looks like. I'll figure out a way to mount a mallet to it soon.

I've been to a few polo matches, but I've never actually played because I always feel uncomfortable using other people's things. Now I have my own bike that is geared right, has the right bars, and is ready to be beaten up. If I actually end up liking polo a lot, I'll turn my schwinn conversion into a polo bike and pass this along to my girlfriend.

I didn't want to waste a lot of money on a bike (or give my conversion an impractical gear ratio) unless I'm positive I'll really enjoy the sport.

hack saw? might be the most labor intensive and time intensive of all the options. I did this to a cheap lock from the dollar store that my cousin put on my bike while he was using it.