Originally Posted by
Velo Mule
I believe someone on BikeForums had a link to this guy.
LockPickingLawer
It got me down a rabbit hole of watching him and his buddies picking some challenging locks. Maybe this and the picture of the key from the link by
Vintage_Cyclist Cyclist may be enough to get this picked.
Remember those combination locks that had 4 rings of 10 numbers. They were terrible. This doesn't look much better as far as security.
Oh, nice bike. Are you going to repaint, touch up the paint or leave it alone?
I don't blame you for wanting to keep it. I would too, even though it is not much protection. And the prices for these old locks is outrageous. Maybe someone is paying the price.
Originally Posted by
Vintage_Cyclist
There's probably a key number on the bottom of the lock. There are some keys being sold on eBay (mainly in Europe). Needle in a haystack shot though.
From the above eBay listing
Hebie or Velosolex might have been the source of the lock and contracted by Motobecane. You might even be able to source a replacement lock on the web. Perhaps even replace the outer shell of a replacement lock with your Motobecane branded one.
Helpful tips; thanks!
The biggest problem is that the lock mounting screw head is currently covered by the bolt, so removal is stymied unless it's unlocked.
EDIT: After looking more closely at the photo provided by Vintage_Cyclist, it appears the key number may actually be exposed on the underside of the protruding lock slide. I'll have to flip the frame over later to get a better look.
I should probably clarify that worst-case I can cut the small right-side portion of the slide off the lock with a small cutoff wheel, exposing the mounting screw so I can remove the lock body from the frame. I have no intention of cutting off the frame mounting boss for the lock.
My plan is to eventually powdercoat the frame in a color that closely resembles the original. Although lower-tier quality wise, it's an interesting touring frame that deserves resurrection. If only it could speak to share the travels and adventures it facilitated. Somebody along the way appreciated it enough to make some pricey upgrades!
