# Bike locks

Yesterday, the housing cooperative I live in had a spring clean out. This time the goal was to remove all the abandoned bikes. I volunteered to do lock cutting. This was fun! I had a first-time experience cutting locks via a manual bolt cutter like this:

![](https://cdn.hashnode.com/res/hashnode/image/upload/v1715673377759/5a80d9a9-7435-4bb2-8d56-2a42cf6893d6.webp align="center")

It took me a couple of locks to figure out how to use it properly. Otherwise I could not cut even the thinnest wires. Here is what I can say about bike locks.

Simple locks are super easy to cut even with this manual tool. The only lock I had problems with and didn't cut in the end was U-shape lock:

![](https://cdn.hashnode.com/res/hashnode/image/upload/v1715673654445/5ac956b2-b663-485f-8f66-ea0505632c47.webp align="center")

Types of locks that were easy to cut:

### Wire locks

![](https://cdn.hashnode.com/res/hashnode/image/upload/v1715673730659/13021122-f2c8-469b-b282-505a590f1497.jpeg align="center")

Very easy.

### Chain locks

![](https://cdn.hashnode.com/res/hashnode/image/upload/v1715674008074/f0bec919-9338-494e-a3d1-bf34a540cea3.jpeg align="center")

Pretty easy, but depends on the chain link size.

### 'Barrel' locks

I can't find an image for it. It is similar to wire locks, although the surface of the lock goes into a shape that resembles a series of barrels. It alternates between thicker and thinner parts. These are marginally harder than wire locks. I could not cut all the way through and needed to do a couple of bends by hand to finish the cut.

## My advice

* consider the value of your bike and the lock you put on.
    
* have a look at lock reviews on the net.
    
* Do not use wire locks and assume protection!