mr,grumpy 

I'm sure that I'm not the first person to get an old bike with the cable lock dangling off the seat rails. ow do I get it off? I tried looking at Youtube and saw every thing from lockpicks to a kid beating one off with a hammer. (I don't have any an it didn't work). How do you experienced C&V guys get these things off?

CliffordK

It depends on the tools at your disposal.

A cable cutter (looks like a double-hooked pruning sheer) will knock it off in a second.

A handheld grinder will make pretty quick work of it.

If it is a regular flat single-sided key lock, then it should be pretty easy to pick and would be fun practice, although getting the tension just right would be a pain.

steelbikeguy

I'd probably just take a dremel with a cutoff wheel and slowly cut through the strands.

A hacksaw might work(?), but seems like it might tend to stick a lot.

after that is done, then go watch the Lock Picking Lawyer and see how he attacks all sorts of locks. Weirdly entertaining. Plus, he does attack a variety of bike locks, so it's interesting to find out which ones are most resistant to attack.
It shouldn't surprise anyone that cable locks are among the least resistant to attack.

Steve in Peoria

nlerner

Good excuse to buy new tools! A portable angle grinder would be fun.

Then again, that saddle looks really uncomfortable, so a good excuse to swap in another.

FBOATSB

All the above, of course. Any metal cutting tool will gnaw through that cable, some faster than others. As another alternative, just pull the post and take it to any mechanic, bike shop, or friend. They'll likely have something to cut it quickly and probably for free.

3alarmer 

.
...for those cable locks, beating on the cylinder mechanism with a hammer is the quickest and easiest method. I've done this dozens of times at the bike co-op. You need to put the cylinder part on something solid, like the anvil face of a large bench vise, or any anvil. And you need a fairly substantial hammer.

For U-locks and the like, any angle grinder will take it off in about two minutes.

Oldsledz

You could stop at a muffler shop , it would only take them a minute to cut it off. I use a 4 1/2 inch angle grinder to cut them off.

P!N20

Likely story. "Hey guys, could you just cut this lock off for me?"

Miele Man

Maybe take just the saddle and lock to a hardware store if that's closer. They have big cutters for cutting cable and chain they sell by the foot.

Cheers

iab

Acetylene torch.

ryansu

In this case - replace saddle

CliffordK

You can gnaw through them with ordinary d y k e s or wire cutters, but you'll quickly find it to be a pain as it mashes the wires, needs small bunches, etc. But, it is good practice.

Soody

Install a bike rack fixture around it on the street and then wait in some bushes for someone to cut the lock to steal it and then ambush them and steal it back

gugie 

I've probably got a half dozen ways to cut that off in my shop, including all that have been mentioned, but an angle grinder and cutoff wheel is my go-to.

nlerner

Has anyone mentioned dynamite?

USAZorro

Is the saddle detachable from the rails?

JohnDThompson 

Bolt cutter:

TakingMyTime

I got a bike that had a U-Lock around the top tube. Not having any tools other than a hack saw, I threw on a new blade, turned on the radio and sat there sawing about for about 1/2 hour. It took 2 blades a some time but it eventually came off.

chainwhip

Spaghetti Legs 

I thought the torch was your go-to.

I wouldn’t spend 10 seconds on trying to cut that off. Lock + saddle into garbage can.

Reminds me of a story I’ve probably told here before. Long, long time ago, while in the Navy, I contrived to lock my bike up on the pier next to my ship in San Diego while the keys to it were with my girlfriend (now wife) in San Francisco. It was, and still is, a Kryptonite U lock. Not wanting to sacrifice the lock, I decided to do some “training” with the guys and we took a portable cutting torch onto the pier and cut through the bike rack, about a 10 second job.

randyjawa 

A three pound hammer, a good cold chisel and something metal to use as an anvil. One or two CAREFULLY aimed smacks, with the hammer and the chisel will cut right through those wire strands lickety-split! I used to cut one inch cable this way when I worked in a grain elevator. Wear eye protection, though. Once, a piece of strand flew off and went right through my cheek. I could feel the tip of the wire strand with my tongue. Pooey-stinko!

gugie 

Acetylene is more expensive than electricity.

But you are correct in throwing both lock and saddle away, IMO. Any co-op would have much nicer saddles for $5.

SJX426 

Find a guy named "Drew"

Mad Honk 

Take the bike back to Jim and ask him for the key! Smiles, MH

Lascauxcaveman 

Nuke it from orbit; it's the only way to be sure.