meb

I lost my keychain yesterday on the way home from work.
I have a bike locked up with a Kryptonite Megalon lock.
I can't locate the spare key.
I phoned Kryptonite, they said there wasn't anything they could do since I didn't have the key number, and he wasn't sure anyway if that mass marketted lock had a key replacement program.
I asked if drilling out the lock cylinder would open the lock, he said it had a hardened steel lock and would be stronger than the drill bit.
Will a hacksaw work?
Any other ways of getting the lock off?

It's on a bike I use infrequently, so urgency is not an issue.

Michigander

I'm not familiar with that model, but if it's a tubular lock, they are very easy to open with a tubular lock pick. Might be kind of expensive and/or illegal though.

https://www.selfdefenseproducts.com/l...ular_picks.htm

If you just wanted to cut the thing in half, you could rent an oxy acetaline torch or a metabo from a tool renting store and have the thing off in minutes. I wouldn't suggest a hack saw because it would probably take 5+ hours and 20 dollars worth of blades or more. I also wouldn't reccomend a sawzall because you will destroy a LOT of blades before it would work, and they are expensive. It's very solid metal.

meb

Sounds as if the tubular tool requires having the key first.

At any rate, it appears the only part of the bike the U-lock is attached to is the chainstay-above the brake bridge behind the seatpost.
It's a steel bike, might I cut the chainstay and have it rewelded?

I might have the Giant Food bonus card on there still (all others wore off), so there is also a possibility of someone turning the keys in and recovering the set that way.

StrangeWill

Call a locksmith?

I'm not familiar with that kind of lock though.

darksmaster923

cut the chain

Velo Dog

Is that the one you can open with the barrel of a Bic pen? Some Kryptonite locks were in the news a year or so ago because you could spring that tubular lock by jamming a Bic in and turning. I tried to check the Kryptonite website, but it doesn't show anything under Megalon.
Otherwise, how about taking it to a muffler shop and asking them to cut it off? They have welding equipment, and it would only take them 30 seconds. Might be cheaper than renting the stuff and doing it yourself. Of course they'll assume the bike is stolen and call the cops....

StephenH

I haven't tried it...but they do sell abrasive blades for hacksaws that can supposedly cut bottles and stuff...so you might try one of them, as opposed to a normal toothed hacksaw blade.

If the bike isn't locked TO anything, load it in a car, take it to a muffler or welding shop, and they can probably have that sucker off in 30 seconds.

A grinder or cutoff saw would probably work as well.

alanbikehouston

If you search the Forums using "Kryptonite", you will find posts from guys claiming they can open one in a minute or so, with photos of the power tools they used. These guys need a better watch, because the job will take about five minutes on a $20 Kryptonite model sold at discount chains, and about ten or fifteen minutes on a $75 Kryptonite model, assuming you are using a high quality power tool with new cutting blades. The bozos who claim they can open a Kryptonite lock in fifteen seconds either have never attempted the job, or they live on a planet where time move about 600% faster.

When you buy the replacement lock, it will come with several keys. You can register the number with Kryptonite so that you can order additional keys in the future.

JTGraphics

Just find a local shop with a torch and cut it off will take about 15 seconds to remove it, then buy a new lock and put that extra key were you can find it.

Cyclist0383

I think you might have the name of the lock wrong. Exactly what kind of lock is it?

Pepper Grinder

Dremel with the diamond re-inforced wheels.

meb

No chain, it's a U-lock.

meb

It's locked to a rack-can't take it to a shop to cut it off the bike unless I cut the rack.

meb

Says Megalon, it's a low end Kryptonite sold through discount stores.

Cyclist0383

A google search of 'Megalon' and bicycle or lock related terms turns up nothing on topic. Is it a very old lock? If so, it should have a tubular lock cylinder which can be opened with a Bic pen.

JTGraphics

+1 Didn't want to take it their but it does sound like one of those locks.
Search for it how to I don't want to post stuff like that myself.

darksmaster923

rent a diamond saw.

Michigander

Yes, or a Metabo or a torch.





This really isn't difficult.

And by the way, no, you don't need a key for that lock pick. It's a lock pick for when you don't have a key.

meb

2003, sold through department stores for under $25 dollars and it is a tubular lock.

The bic pen approach is worth a try, though some posters said it isn't that easy.

Cyclist0383

Having done it I can confirm that it is dead easy. It shouldn't take you more than a few minutes for your first try at it. You might want to bring a can of WD-40 or PB Blaster with you to loosen up the cylinder if need be.

meb

Tried it without oil-no luck. The keyhole is pointing down with no way of uprighting to let the oil go down and penetrate with gravity via the keyhole.

Any oiling suggestions?
Should I oil where the U goes through the straight bar or spray up with an aerosol?

I tried the bic pen on a non-kryptonite u-lock and it worked like a charm.



Thanks.

madfiNch

I heard somewhere that you can bust a U lock with a car jack. It's probably better to use an old one that you don't care about ruining. I don't know if I would try it myself, though. It just sounds kind of dangerous to me...

StephenH

WD-40 is an aersol that will spray up with no problem.

meb

Sprayed up, and still no success. Spraying up lacks the benefit of gravity drawing the oil to flow into the little crevaces.

meb

From the angle I was trying to free the lock, I misinterpretted where the lock is on the frame.
It's around the seat stay between the droppouts and the brake bridge. So I could still release the bike by cutting at the brake bridge and seatpost then sliding the lock, but I also have the option of cutting at the droppout. If it comes to that, would most of you cut the seat stay at the brake bridge and seatpost or somewhere else as an easy re-weld, or droppouts or somewhere else?

Locksmith says he'd cut the lock off if he came out.